Halloween Party

Everyone headed over to Grandma's for a Halloween party.  We bobbed for apples and tried to eat doughnuts from a string.  The kids had a ball.  Thanks Mom and Dad for always doing fun parties like this.

 Eloise in her hand me down Lion costume.  Cute and cuddly.

 Hyrum was Batman

Gabby wanted to be a cheerleader!

Here is our little blond Snow White.  She had a black eye and bruised cheek, but still quite an adorable princess!

Halloween Town

 We always love our annual trip to Bi-Zi Farms!  The kids love seeing all the animals and wishing we lived on a farm. 

Picking out the best ones for carving

From this trip, we will remember that Doug sat in p**p and LaurieAnn refused to use the porta potty.  To this day, she will go to the bathroom and say "I didn't go potty at the pumpkin patch."

Family Photos

This is the 3rd time I have had Lindsi do my family photoshoot.  I am so, so, so happy with how they turned out.  Great photographer, great friend.

Here are a few of the favorites -

LaurieAnn is 3!

It has become tradition at our house to make breakfast for the birthday girl or boy and wake them up to a birthday song-that is if they haven't woken up too excited first.

LaurieAnn loved this special breakfast just for her. 

She wanted a barbie cake.  My mom got me some cake decorating supplies and I have used them for lots of birthdays and parties this year.  I loved making the flower in her hand and her bow in the back.  Although LaurieAnn was sad when we revealed that Barbie had no legs.

Barbie after the party

We have eggs!

The kids are loving collecting eggs everyday.  Doug thinks I'm crazy, but I love having chickens, and they are LaurieAnn's favorite.  She will sit them on her lap and pet them like a cat.  Here she is collecting our first eggs.

 

canning

So I have been obsessed with canning this summer and trying new recipes.  I used some of my grandmother's old canning jars and it was so fun to remove the old lid and see "peaches 1976" or "applesauce" in her handwriting.  I made a peach preserve that was my great grandmother's recipe.  Both loved making jams and canning and I have loved following in their footsteps. 

So I made this delicious apple pear freezer butter that I thought I would share.  I love that it just tastes like fall and the sugar content is minimal compared to other jams.  I've been eating it on everything, but I think my favorite is on a bagel with cream cheese and apple butter on the top. YUM!

4 cups peeled diced apples
4 cups peeled diced pears
¼ cup water
1 cup sugar
1 pkg pectin
¾ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground allspice
½ cup brown sugar

In a medium saucepan, bring fruit and water to boil. Turn heat down and simmer until apples are soft (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, mix sugar, pectin and spices into a bowl. Add hot fruit and brown sugar. Mix for three minutes and pour into freezer safe jars or tubs. Stores up to a year in the freezer or 1 month in the fridge.