Apple Cider Doughnuts

I just made them.

My house smells of cinnamon and sugar and oil.

If you have flour, sugar, cinnamon, buttermilk, eggs, apple cider, and 2 hours then you MUST make them.

It will change your Sunday.

I'd write more but there's a doughnut with my name on it.

Thanks Smitten Kitchen!!!

Apple Spice Cake (OMG!)

Apples.
Cinnamon.
Cake.
Caramel.
Need I say more?

We spent most of our morning and early afternoon today canning apple butter. Next weekend we'll tackle applesauce. I thought I'd take a few of the apples and make something yummy for tonight. I asked the crew for their vote and the results were completely split: 1 pie, 1 cake, 1 crisp.

I thought a caramel apple type of cake might satisfy everyone's craving. I definately hit the bullseye with this one. This cake was delicious. Dense, full of apple and cinnamon, drizzled with caramel. Yum!

This cake would be perfect served after a soup/chili dinner. I bet it would be delicious paired with a hot cup of coffee. Heck, I be it would satisfy just about anyone and feel free to serve it before, during, or after just about anything.

The recipe can be found here. Make it today, it's great for fall.

Today

Today I realized how fast time flies.
Today I realized that's it been forever since I've posted.
Today I promise to try harder to post more often.
Today I realized that there's so much to share. Recipes, crafts, pictures, life.

For now, here's a snippet of finds:

1. I read this book.
I love it. I loved everything about it. I want it to be a movie. I want to sit in my seat, with my bucket of popcorn, and watch these wonderful characters come to life.

2. I have one of these:
I HEART my Cricut. It's changed my crafting life. Ohhh, the paper...the vinyl...the love.

3. My garden has taken control of my life.

4. My baby lost her first tooth. At 4.75 years of age, baby might be an overstatement but, she's still my baby. How can she already be loosing teeth? Did someone spin the earth a little faster in to a warp speed? UGH!

4. Next up, a recipe. It's delightful!

2010

Where did the end of 2009 go? And how can I be "meaning to make another post" for 6 months? Life has been busy in our little corner of the world but I can't help but stop for a moment and think about the events that are occurring right now.

Heartfelt prayers to all of the people in Haiti, and to all of the people all over the world, near and far, that have been affected by this horrible event.

Up North

I love "up north". I love the trees, cool breeze, ample lakes, and relaxed atmosphere. We were able to spend some time with AJ's sister Sam, her husband Jamie, and their two boys Jakob and Seth last weekend. Coincidentally, they live "up north".

This is the view from Sam & Jamie's deck. It was also the view from our bedroom. What a wonderful way to wake up each morning.

We took a trip to Madeline Island, part of the Apostle Islands, in northern WI. If you're ever in that part of the country I recommend you check it out.

Jakob, Seth, and Sidney

Miss Sidney

Tom's Burned Down Cafe. VERY cool, eclectic place!

Tom's has several of these signs hanging all over the place. This one was my favorite.

A beach on Madeline Island. Sidney is trying to put a feather in the water.

I found this little guy walking down to Sam & Jamie's dock.

Thanks for the wonderful weekend Shaw family! We had a great time.

Where's Missy

We know all about the Where's Waldo books. Here's a spin off of that....

I was taking some pictures of a bouquet of roses when I noticed something in the background. Let's see if you can see it.

Yep, that's a cat and apparently she likes roses too.

Ahhh, they smell so good.

And they're pretty too.