Changing Seasons

I love this time of year. I love the changes of every season, but I've always been partial to fall. This year I have a new environment to experience the autumnal beauty in. The broad leaf trees are beginning to turn color. I can see some trees from my art room that are a blazing gold. Set among the Douglas furs that grow so abundantly here, they are even more brilliant. Heavenly Father must have made the beginning of fall so beautiful to make it a little easier for us to give up our summer. Perhaps He created the crocus, that pop their little heads up at the first sign of warmth in the winter months that seem to last forever, as a way of telling us "hold on just a little while longer, spring with all her colorful patchwork, will be here soon!"  God is the ultimate artist and philanthropist. I want to be like Him when I grow up.

End of Summer

I wanted to add this photo because I think it is such a classic summer picture.

It's my 2 step sons and 3 of my 4 son's-in-law on our trip to Cannon Beach this summer.

Good bye summer. Hello Fall.

Mormon Messages: Create

This just says it all!

I love our Heavenly Father.

Very Talented Visitor!

My awesome mother-in-law was just up for a visit this past week. She is super fun and hilarious! She and I really had a good time together. Her schedule and life is so busy, I'm really thankful she made time to visit us. While she was here she taught me a new fall craft.

This is Sonia. Also know as Abuela to all the grandchildren. She helped me create this cute pumpkin centerpiece. Can you tell what it's made from?

Seedless Blackberry jam...Hello Deliciousness!

I posted on the family website that I made seedless blackberry jam...with F.R.E.E. berries that grow wild here. These sweet little bundles of fruitiness grow everywhere. SCORE! In the past, to make seedless jam I had to ruin a perfectly good  use a wire strainer and a rubber spatula.



Lot's of pressing and scraping until all the fruit was through and all the seeds were left in the strainer. It took forever! (but totally worth it!) When I told Ron that I was going to make seedless jam he brought me this strange looking little pan:



True kitchen gadget love!

I think it was one of the treasures from the Talbots. It hooks on the side of a pan or bowl and you turn the handle and it presses the fruit through the bottom and leaves all the big ol' seeds in the top. It looks so old, I wasn't sure if it would be effective at all...but it worked like a charm! I didn't adjust my recipe for seedless.



First Major League Baseball game!

Ron took me to my first ever major league baseball game tonight. The Mariners vs. The Yankees. It was so much fun! See all those seats behind us? Yeah that's 'cause we were practically on the field!! Our seats were so awesome! Our team lost...but it was still a great time! My hubby spoils me so!

Oh, and we got free Ichiro t-shirts tonight too! I put mine on, but Ron already had a cool Mariners t-shirt. And what baseball game would be complete without a HOT DOG! Make mine with mustard only, please!

                                       Looks kinda gross, but it was tasty!
                    It was a beautiful night and a fun way to end the summer!

Going to Utah ....soon

Here are two of my little munchkins that I get to see when we go to Utah at the end of the month! Yay! I can't wait!