We are doing our part of being young homeowners by planning on staying home on Halloween, and being available to hand out candy to the little ones. I feel like its our duty. Without us and grandparents, there would be no one at the doorbells to provide the treats.
The side effect of this is all the chocolate we bought, and how to not eat it all beforehand. I think that is the trick portion of the holiday.
Also been up to some sewing treats. I have such a hard time keeping surprises.
Our weekends are the best. This one included yardwork, bread making, and lots of laughing.
We were sitting on the back porch, staining pieces of wood for a project. The mosquitoes were eating us alive. We were talking about everything and nothing, and about how lucky we are to have each other. Sometimes I think about how we will someday look back on our newlywed days, and it will be the little moments like that we will remember.
A while back, my ma and I decided to try to make foccacia bread, but my brother said that it wouldn’t taste as good as the bakery kind. So I got to write in my diary that my brother thought wrong, because it tasted just as good, if not better.
This time, I tried raisin foccacia. I made half a batch, since we don’t need a monster amount of bread around here. I made sure to put as many finger pokes in the top as possible. I also made sure to spill half the raisin water on the floor, but if I were you, I would leave that part out. 
There is just something about freshly baked bread. Its perfect. We ate this warmed in the toaster for breakfast for a couple days, then I sent the rest off to the office. But now that I’m thinking about it, we should have warmed it, and put a little butter/cinnamon/sugar combo on top for dessert. Oh darn, I’ll have to make some more.
It looks like he is trying to hide those strawberry candies for himself. I don’t blame him. They are my favorite too. Find him new in my shop this week.
I finally changed my name on my drivers license. Crossing that off every to-do list I have made in the last 3 months.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, I planned some baking time. Nothing warms up a house like morning baking. I made some butter pecan cookies. I know I have toasted pecans before, but I think I burned a couple. Shhhhh.
These cookies are like the ultimate in butter. They aren’t the prettiest, but they do taste warm and cozy.
Side note: I always feel more awesome the more clothes I pile on. This is a tshirt, a sweatshirt, and a button-up on top. Layers for days. You can take a girl out of the Northwest, but you can’t take the Northwest out of a girl.
Here are some gluten-free recipes I’ve collected this week that I am excited to try soon. Sweet potato muffins. Flourless chocolate cupcakes. Spiced orange chocolate chunk cookies. Honey oat bread. Yay for fall baking season! I need to get my hands on some fancy flours.
The cat bat pattern is my favorite in the pumpkin carving book. I carved it last year, and the year before, and I’ll probably use it again this year. Because I like it, and its fun to say cat bat.
Since it might be too early to carve a pumpkin yet, I made a fleece version of cat bat to grace our table for the season. And also scare all intruders.
Cat bat is a very simple little creation, so I made up a (very basic) pattern you can find here. Make your own!!! You can add a little face, or fangs, or fancy wing designs. I added a tail to mine. Because he is a cat, who is also a bat. Not the other way around. Possible cat bat configurations are endless.
So spooky….oooOOOOOoooooOOOOOoooo
And if you are looking for more Halloween stuffed animals, be sure to take a look at some new additions in my shop!
This is probably old news, blah blah, but it was actually cold enough to wear boots yesterday. It was rainy and dreary and cold, and things that a fall day should be. I did yoga to warm up in the morning, and we had homemade soup and warm crusty bread for dinner. I hope it stays fall again tomorrow.
While the rain falls, I have been sewing up a storm inside. My shop should be filled with a whole new class of new guys soon!
There are some new Halloween animals in my shop! Super scary too! Terrifying!
The black bat is ready to carve a pumpkin.
The legendary chupacabra is not as hungry for blood as he is for candy corn.
We have been making homemade pizza once a week. This week was bbq chicken pizza (based a little on this recipe). We don’t have one of those fancy pizza stones, but my ma and I are gonna play with hers next visit.
While I am in the kitchen fixing up dinner, this one stares at me. Like I am supposed to be entertaining her instead.
guy and his girl 