You might just need to do a fall dance...

I had been praying, crossing my fingers and doing a "fall dance" (like a rain dance, but in hopes of fall instead of no rain) that this weekend would finally feel like fall. I had chili and cornbread on the menu and I bought caramel apples. I thought if I wished hard enough for fall that it would just show up...well it actually worked!

Friday evening was our fall kick off. We had our friends Brian and Courtney over for fall food, fall drinks and then of course a bonfire.

Conversations around a bonfire simply can't be beat. I don't know what it is, but some of my favorite conversations ever have happened around a bonfire. Carmel apples by the bonfire are pretty fun too.

Then Drew decided to spice things up and set a wooden plane on fire...that show lasted about .5 seconds and then it was over. At least he tried...

I'm so happy fall showed up this weekend in Ohio. If fall hasn't graced you with it's presence yet maybe you need to try a fall dance too. It worked for me!

Friday's letters

Dear crock pot, Get ready because you are going to be going to be busy this fall. I love coming home and having a meal ready to go. You are so thoughtful to do all the work. Dear perfect fall evening, Thank you, thank you for finally showing up. On the agenda: chili, cast iron skillet corn bread, Woodchuck's new pumpkin ale and a bonfire with friends. Dear Baby Kitties, Thank you for not running away when we left you outside for 30 minutes unsupervised last night. Oops. You are the best. Dear future novelist husband, I love laying in bed and listening to your story ideas. All we need is one best seller to pay off our student loans okay? Dear Macaroons, I'm making you with the help of my dear friend Courtney. This is the first time you are being made with a purpose besides Courtney and I chowing down on you. Please turn out cute for my cousin's bridal shower!

Now go link up with Ashley for Friday's letters!

Love it!

I'm linking up with Jamie and Michelle to share a few things I'm loving today.

I'm loving that Survivor starts next Wednesday!
I'm loving Pioneer Woman's Lemon and Blueberry Pancakes. Trust me...you want to make these.

I'm loving my class of sweet second graders.
I'm loving that I get to see these lovely faces this weekend for my cousin Carmen's bridal shower.

I'm loving that I have a chili recipe lined up for this weekend...the fall weather better cooperate.
I'm loving the Arts festival I got to go to last weekend with my dear friend Betsy

I'm loving these fall pins...

Mini Pumpkin Pies? Yes please.

                                                             

Apple Cider bar? Okay I'm in.





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                                                                              Source: harvestfurniture.blogspot.com via Allison on Pinterest

I need to find this place now. Simply lovely.

                                                                                        Source: 500px.com via Allison on Pinterest

And I'm loving my husband who makes every season sweeter.

9/11 from a child's perspective

I can't believe it's been eleven years since that day. I remember exactly where I was and the feeling inside my stomach. I remember thinking...is this real? How can this be happening? I'm still sick over the whole thing and trying to explain it to a group of 7 and 8 year olds is even harder.  I tried to focus on the positive...all the people who risked their lives to help strangers, the stories of people missing their flight or staying home from work that day, the fact that through it all God was there.

God was not absent from 9/11, he was there. He was there with the firefighters and policemen as they saved countless lives, He was there with the people who were trapped and feeling helpless, He was there for the scared and grieving families. He gave us free will because of his crazy love for us and then he is there to clean up our messes. That is how I explained it to my class.

We prayed for the families, we prayed that we wouldn't have to be fearful, we thanked God for his goodness. I'm so blessed to be able to talk about God with my students. I really don't know how to talk about the events of 9/11 without involving prayer.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea." Psalm 46:1-2

Here is a drawing done by a young girl in Pennsylvania. It spoke to me 11 years ago and it still speaks to me today.

Oh college friends I miss you...

This weekend I went to visit some girlfriends in Indiana and it made me really miss college. When else in your life do you get to live in such close proximity to your best friends? Oh the memories.

We met at a burger joint called Scotty's where I had one amazingly delicious burger. Then we headed over the river and through the woods to Katie's house for an official house tour.

Katie is a country girl and I loved seeing those details in her house. It is very vintage and so adorable.
We sipped on hot cider as a storm brew outside and caught up on life until our eyes couldn't take another minute. We did some reminiscing of our college days and man did we have some good times.

I couldn't resist a throwback picture from one of my favorite college memories. Maybe I will tell you the story if you ask nicely.

I miss you college friends...let's all buy houses in the same neighborhood so we can relive the college days okay??

Hurry...go get some peaches!

I hope you never get sick of me talking about Pioneer Woman...because I end up cooking at least one of her meals per week and they are always amazing so I always share them. For a Labor day cookout I decided to try out her Peach Crisp with some huge peaches I had bought at a local fresh market near my house. I'm so glad I made this while peaches were still in season because it is sinfully delicious and not very difficult to make. What makes this recipe especially delicious is the maple cream sauce. Oh my goodness is it good!

What you will need:
5 to 6 whole peaches (peeled and sliced)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp. Cinammon
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1/2 Lemon
7 Tbsp. of Maple syrup (divided between sauce and the crisp)
1 and 1/2 cups Whipping cream
3 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup

 All it takes is a little stirring...

And then some measuring and mixing...

 Some cutting and zesting...

A little baking and of course some eating...I ate mine before I could snap a picture. 

It's that good.

For the full PW version recipe click here!

I'm ready for Fall...

1. Tell us what you are looking forward to this fall?

I am looking forward to everything about fall...the weather, the food, the activities, but my top 3 things I'm looking forward to right now are:
-Going to visit my sister and brother in law in Indiana and re-visiting 1812

-My cousin's wedding in October

-Thanksgiving in Nashville

2. Show us your fall style.

Since it isn't exactly fall weather yet here in Ohio I haven't gotten to sport my fall style quite yet, but when I do it will look something like this...

                                                                                  Source: lifeisasunset.blogspot.com via Allison on Pinterest

3. Tell us your favorite things to do in the fall.

1.) My husband and I love to go hiking and camp in the fall. Nothing beats campfire food.

2.) I always look forward to picking out pumpkins and carving them with friends.

3.) We always make it to at least one corn maze.

4. Show us your favorite fall beverage.

                                                                                Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Allison on Pinterest

Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Smoothie. Seriously click here for the best drink of your life.

5. Tell us, how you will be participating in halloween this year.

Our good friends always have a Halloween party with a costume contest. It will be hard to top last year's costume (we won best couples costume as the Frisch's Big Boy and Wendy) but I have some pretty good ideas up my sleeve. 

All of these fall questions had me dreaming of fall so I decided to add a banner to my shop this weekend. Check out my new Candy Corn banner, which is now hanging in my house anxiously awaiting fall!