Welcome Fall Weather

Pale and Interesting Vintage Welsh Blankets

I can't help but post about cozy things this Sunday afternoon as another rain storm rolls through the neighborhood. Yesterday we spent the day in boots and sweaters as the rain came pouring down on us. Tonight after dinner we are having a little bonfire, roasting s'mores, and drinking cider/hot chocolate. After day of football, baking, and hanging out with the family, I'm ready for the beginning of a long Autumn season!

River Cottage

Our new favorite show is River Cottage - an inspiration to any fan of the "slow food revolution." The best part is it makes Joseph cook us fabulous dishes and fresh bread! I think the rabbits love watching the show with us on Sunday mornings because Hugh usually features carrots and other fresh veg! YUM, Vienn says!
I do wish I could have a little garden and a cottage of my own, so maybe that will happen later in life. Then I could have an excuse to wear my Hunter Wellies, Aran fisherman sweaters, and J.Crew vests every day!

River Cottage.net

River Cottage on Channel 4 (loads of videos, recipes, pictures, and more!)

River Cottage Blog

The Great British Food Fight! from River Cottage on Vimeo.

Sad day in the Jungle

Estes Park Feis and Festival

First place in the Adult Special (tipping reel)

The Bennett Ladies (sans Courtney, Beckie, Kris, Karen, Stephie, Amy, Melissa)

Tipping Reel

Slip Jig

It's Official

Football season is here! Woot! Go Bucks! As we speak, Braden is at
this game probably going nuts!

Soggy Feis

Despite the cold rain, we had a fun and rewarding experience at the
Estes Park Scottish & Irish Festival/Feis! It was so cold and gloomy -
perfect day for staying inside and watching a movie with some hot
chocolate. But we faced the weather (and the kilts)!
Keith and Joseph met us this morning to watch us dance at the feis.
While it was a learning experience for Keith, it was a chance for all
three of us to hang out and see some new things in our beautiul
Colorado.
I danced 6 dances, placing 2nd in treble jig and hornpipe (Emily's
speciality), 1st in reel, slip jig, and traditional set (St. Pats),
and 1st in the Adult Special! I received a trophy seen below. Joseph
took some great pictures that I'll post when I get home. All of my
friends also placed and looked beautiful! Congrats ladies! Special
shout out to Emily for making my hair pretty :)
As for now, we are making Joe's meatloaf with mashed potatoes and
watching the Buckeye game! Go Bucks!!!

Joe at the Reds game

We still love you Cincy!!!

Reds vs. Rockies

Come on Reds! Why do you have to give up every game? I'm still a true
fan, win or lose. We met a really cool Cincy native, Todd, who's Also
a die-hard Cincinnati fan, from the Blue Ash area. Hopefully we'll be
able to catch some games with him in the future.
Unfortunately this weekend we won't be able to cheer the Bucks on
togehter because we are in Estes Park for the big feis and Scottish/
Irish festival! Wish me luck! I'd like to give big shout out to all
the girls (and Mark) in the competition tomorrow! Best of luck ladies!

Feeling Girly

I am feeling a little girly this morning. Here are some of my favorites!

Esther Price Opera creams!
Dairy-fresh cream and butter are covered in our world famous chocolate. This recipe is one that Esther perfected over many years. It maintains the tradition of "Old Fashioned" quality. You'll agree it is the cream by which all others are measured.

Midnight in Moscow OPI

FRESH
Volcano: tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, and limes, redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens

Chocolat

Happy Thursday!

I talked to Emily this morning while eating my oatmeal and watching Gilmore girls. She caught me up on everything that's going on at home. Ellie has soccer practice tonight - her first game is this weekend! Ellie is a little nervous and isn't sure she wants to play in her first game, but Emily and I both know that once the first one is over, her feelings will be different. Or we can only hope she takes after her mom on the field!

I really wish I could fly home for the afternoon, hang out with Emily, pick up Ellie from school, order dinner from LaRosa's, and then take pictures of her soccer practice. She gets her uniform tonight!!! How exciting!!! I hope she has stylish colors :) That is the most important part of sports, right?

The rest of my day...
After teaching my kids about London, Edinburgh, and Paris (architecture, shape, and lines), I have Irish Dancing with the girls. It is our last practice before the big competition this weekend! I am finally over my feelings of "I have to place 1st" - now I am feeling "I must relax and have a fun weekend with everyone." That is a much better feeling - Slowing down, enjoying things around me on my ONLY day off!

Cute image via sandra juto

What's for Lunch?

Thanks Joseph for sending me this article from the NY Times about (what else) FOOD!!! Bento Box Win Lunch Fans. I will never be able to put this much time into a packed lunch, but it makes me happy that someone does - those lucky little kids!

Thinking of a Cozy Home

Wouldn't you love to have a kitchen like this one from Things That Inspire, via Urban Grace (she is currently in the hospital about to have her baby!!!)? I would never leave - I would bake and cook all day, read books, magazines, knit, and make holiday cards for all my family and friends in this kitchen. How nice it would be... Inspiration for the future when I am like 60 and I'm done paying off student loans and debt :)

Kitchen Love; Jme

I adore Jamie Oliver. Here is his newest Jme Collection.
Since the weather has been a little bit cooler and football is on, I'm in the mood to bake and cook. I missed Emily's Baking Day (chick flicks included) because I had to work (time-and-a-half!) and I heard she made delicious homemade cinnamon rolls!

I want to make stews and soups... slow cooked meals from Bon Appetit! Well maybe I'll leave the cooking to Joseph :) He made excellent Midwestern Chili (YUM!)

Gilmore girls

{Gilmore Girls fun stuff on ABC Family}

To kick off the fall weather I started watching Gilmore gilrs! Granted, I was put on the library waiting list since June for this TV series... and I have NEVER seen this show before (where have I been?)

So far Joseph and I, yes Joseph is even watching Gilmore girls, think it is cute! I love the daughter (I remember her beautiful eyes and hair from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and how quintessentially East Coast Gg is!

I know a lot of daughters aren't close to their mothers, but most people I know are super close... My mom and I have always been close and that makes me feel great that she raised me to trust her and feel safe around her. She is always the first person I want to call when something in my life happens, for better or worse, and at times I feel like she is a sister, especially when we go shopping or I get really cranky and I take things out on her... which is horrible, I know, but I'm not perfect, and I never took things out on Maggie, Molly, Kari, or Em. This summer was stressful, as you probably know. When I should have talked to mom about my situation, I instead made things worse by keeping it to myself. What I learned from my actions is to always trust in my relationship with mom and talk to her about things in life. After all, we can't always handle things on our own, no matter how stubborn we (I) are, and our mothers will always be there for us with open arms and heart. Thank you moms!
Mom and I, Mt. Evans on a stormy afternoon - Pizza at Beau Jo's!

Who's Book is This?

I adore this design team, Blonde! They have super cute and stylish ideas that I want to try right now!!! I wish I could be a cool "aunt" and have these ordered for Jackson and Ellie!

All of us have our favorite books from childhood and what could be better than a personal touch? This is one of my favorites - but I do love owls :)

My favorite childhood book (which makes total sense now why I have rabbits) is The Rabbit is Next. I think I was secretly influenced by mom and da that resulted in me rescuing rabbits!