pumpkin and spice and everything nice...

A little homeschooling field trip to the apple orchard yesterday...I was relieved to see the donut racks empty when we entered the store to get our bags to pick apples. No decisions to make on whether to buy some (no contest, of course I would!), and whether to just eat one (um, no, well, maybe...)...So, we went out and picked some apples...





We didn't pick very many, as I want to make sure they get eaten, and we can always go again, here in Central New York, there are apple orchards everywhere. Anyway, we went back into the store building to weigh and pay for the apples, and dang it, the donut case had just been refilled with steaming hot apple cinnamon donuts. Can you just smell it? And of course they are cheaper by the dozen, so yeah. And the cider...freshly pressed, okay, get a gallon that. And honey...from their own bees, right out back. A jar of that too.

Then the battle began...the donut battle. We got in the minivan with those bags, and Cam discovered she had left her water bottle in the store when they were picking out the donuts, so Jon went back in with her to get it, and I took a bite out of a donut and put it back in the bag. One bite. One yummy taste. I have a will of steel. ha, not really. Jon came back out, looked in the bag, and said, "One of these has a bite out of it!" um, sorry. That was me.

These dang kids though, there are still like five donuts out there on the counter! I thought they would be gone! Now the battle rages! :)

Pumpkin muffins are saving me. Mirielle made some the other day, and sent a few over, along with the recipe. I made a double batch, and oh are they good. They were labeled "donuts", but I skipped rolling them in sugar, and made them in muffin papers. I don't know if this recipe is stolen, but if it is, be assured that I am not making any money from posting it...

Pumpkin Muffins:

1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoons salt

4 large eggs, room temp.
7 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup (I used honey)
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar (I think these were too sweet, and would lessen the honey and either omit the sugar, or use less)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla

(for the donut version, you are supposed to roll them in 1/3 cup coconut or regular sugar mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon) (I didn't) (but if you sprinkled a tiny bit of sugar and cinnamon before baking, yum)

Mix dry ingredients, in separate bowl the wet ingredients...add the dry to the wet and stir until just combined.

Bake in mini muffin pans for 11 - 13 minutes at 350

And they are good...very moist. I doubled the recipe, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They aren't the absolute healthiest things out there in terms of sugar content, but I like to see the girls grab these for breakfast, and they are pretty yummy.

So my latest project has been painting the trim of the living room windows. Before I started, I enthusiastically thought I would paint those three windows, then move to the kitchen, then the doors in the hallway, the trim around the kitchen door...oh, I was going to spiff the place up. But ugh, it's so tedious. I have to do a final coat on these living room windows, then put the furniture back...and then...in a few days, begin the new valances...I don't know if I have the time or energy to paint this room, although it would look nice.

Yesterday, I was supposed to pick Sonja up at 1:00 for her orthopedic appt. The dr. office called in the morning, and said the dr. is no longer available in the afternoon, and could we come in at 11:45...um no, I said, thinking of the painting I wanted to do. Okay, said the nice receptionist, then we can't see her until the 19th. Sonja K. has been absolutely chomping at the bit, wanting to get back on that soccer field, so I couldn't do that to her. So I found myself picking her up at 11:00...and no, she's not healed up yet. She has another 6 weeks off of gym, and has been advised to continue physical therapy and keep up with the exercises...

She was not thrilled about that. So I took her to Kohl's and bought her a pair of boots. She needed them, and it was nice to be just with her for a bit. We then went to the grocery store for some burger, as it was a nice sunny day, and burgers on the grill!!!

Home...and out the door to the apple orchard with the younger kids...

Home...and I started painting. Kathryn grilled the burgers, the other girls helped slice tomatoes from the garden, onions, pickles, and steam some broccoli. I took a break for dinner, then got right back to painting...right until it was time to shower and to to bed. I am not so enthusiastic about painting all the trim in the house anymore, ha.

And now I shall give it one last coat, do some school with the kids, then get out the door for a dr. appointment for Sonja K., and Jonathan...we are all going, because afterward, a haircut for Jon...and maybe for Char...maybe for me...:)