Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Traditions


I love traditions. They go deep in my family. Not a holiday passes without some tradition to follow. Many may find these annoying or a bother to keep up. Not me. I find great comfort in following traditions my family has managed to keep over the years. It makes me reflect on my childhood and so many memories of my family. I especially think of my grandparents... GO & GO (Grandma Olson and Grandpa Olson). They were the best at keeping with tradition and always were around to join in. I miss them so, especially as this holiday season rolls around. This is part of my way of always keeping them close.

Some of my favorite Christmas traditions...

-Swedish Pepparkakor in a new Carl Larson tin from the Swedish Store(which Addie LOVES).. thanks Mom!

-Cookie Baking with the ladies (the guys help eat the burnt cookies... GO was especially good at this!). I am excited for everyone to come bake a TON of cookies at my place this year!

-Hanging the ornaments I received as a child.

- Receiving an amaryllis from my Aunt Nancy & Uncle Dale. Oh the anticipation of such a beautiful bloom!

-Cardamom coffee cake

-Hanna Anderson Long Underwear (if you don't have a pair, you should seriously invest!)

-English and Swedish Supper on Christmas


Addie enjoying her first birthday breakfast... a tradition of course!

What are some of YOUR favorite traditions?


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

trash reinvented



something to replace my 4ft. vase

Friday, November 12, 2010

Friday, November 5, 2010

The treats of life

Of course Alex & Addie. i am blessed to have them in my life.

the celebration of birthdays. a way of reflecting on the year.

warm, soothing coffee. my new daily addiction.

spontaneous dance breaks when Alex gets home and the giggles that flow from Addie.

Wednesday morning Encounter. so good to dig deep into the word.

my new zest for meal planning. so many food combinations to try.

community on our block that dates back 30+ years. we call them the Golden Gang.

stepping in to our heated home.

daily dose of blog posts on the Internet and the inspiration that follows.

a husband that keeps me laughing with his joking around.

Kleenex. a necessity for a one year old.

meeting Thursdays with life group. those ladies are real, thought provoking, and funny to chat with.

my Mom and the crafting bug she's given me.

never having to leave home to return a movie. Netflix.

holidays filled with Olson family traditions.

Starbucks luring me in with their holiday flavors. pumpkin spice latte is my favorite.

i know i shouldn't use them, but q-tips are hard to quit.

the continual refinement through relationships in my life.

deep connection and history i have with my sisters.

a holiday to reflect and remember. thanksgiving.

unemployment. love love love spending my days with Addie.

big or small, vacations are always great. can't wait for one this weekend.

very convenient to have a walking partner down the block with a kid the same age as my babe.

x. sorry i've got nothing.

the color mustard yellow. a fall favorite.

free zoo. a Madison mother's escape.







Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Pork Chops and....


Applesauce!

This year was my first attempt at making applesauce. After a trip to a orchard in the area, I set off on the first batch. The lady at the orchard recommended I go with Melrose because it is good for sauces. I worked through a 10lb bag of apples and ended up with 10- 2 cup Ziploc bags full of applesauce. I am contemplating even making more. It only took me about an hour and is SO good!


{peeling... and finally getting some technique after the 20th apple}


{Melrose from Eplegaarden}


{cooking with 8oz. of water for 20 minutes}


{my favorite work horse mixing in a little sugar}


{double bagged to keep it yummy}

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Coupons!

I love to save. I love a good deal. If you're like me, it's hard to buy something full price. If I do pay full price, it is usually a well thought out purchase.

These are my two favorite saving sites...

Groupon.com
Hip2save.com

What are yours? I always love a new blog!

It smells like fall around here.

Love this recipe. It is the essence of fall if you ask me. The best part about this concoction is that it makes the house smell so good!

Mulled Apple Cider
2 quarts apple cider
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. whole cloves
1 t. whole allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
A dash of nutmeg
1/4 t. salt

Put the whole cloves and allspice in a tea infuser. Add all the ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!