Road Trip

I'm headed out in the morning with my mom and dad for a five day trip to Michigan.  Your prayers are appreciated for safe travels, and that we would be a blessing to our family.

If all goes according to plan, I'll get to see Karen and Kathy on Monday for lunch!  Yay!

I finished the scarf I made out of that beautiful peacock colored yarn

and I started one in Navy blue!  I'm taking it along on my trip, but won't work on it on the road much, as I am hoping to do a lot of the driving.

Have a great weekend!  I hope I can post from Michigan, but I won't have a computer, so I'll have to try it from my phone.  

Take care everyone!

Skinny Chocolate

Amy, a new friend to Creekside Cottage blog, asked me about skinny chocolate.  My friends, if you are a fan of chocolate, but you need to lose weight or just are cutting out sugar for the health benefits, this is for you!

As you know I follow the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.  It has helped me lose weight, inches, and has helped to be healthier.  Skinny chocolate is one of the first things I made when I was just getting started.

The basic recipe is very simple.  Cocoa powder, coconut oil, and sweetener.   You can find this recipe here.

The recipe I made above has peanut butter, vanilla, and a bit of salt as well.  This recipe can be found here.

I made the skinny chocolate above with a candy mold I bought this year.  This was the first time I had used it!  It was so easy to use, but if you don't have a candy mold, any plate or shallow dish will work.  I used a wide but shallow dish for several years.  After you mix the chocolate and ingredients you pour it into your dish or mold and I put mine in the freezer.  After it hardens you can pop the candy out of the mold or break it up if done in a dish or pan, and I store mine in a ziplock bag in the freezer.  It can be kept in the fridge.  If you leave it out too long it will melt.

Its tasty, and once you get started making it, you can play around with flavorings and add caramel instead of vanilla, etc.  Some people make the skinny chocolate and pour it on frozen nuts (peanuts or almonds) and let it harden in the freezer for a nut cluster type candy.

If you don't like the taste of coconut oil, use the unflavored kind.  That is what I do, but if you like the coconut taste then use an organic coconut oil.

Let me know if you make it and if you like it.  

Hooks And Needles

My Pinterest board called Hooks and Needles is full of great knitting and crocheting projects.  I've not made very many of them, but I do like to pin and save patterns that catch my eye.

I have made several cowls which is supposed to be like an Outlander cowl that Claire wears.  I used the pattern with thinner yarn and made it mobius and gave it to my mom.

Knitting it with larger needles and a thinner yarn gave me a looser pattern that she can wear over her shoulders if she wants too.  This is great for her because she tends to be very cold especially around her neck and shoulders.

I used one of the baby patterns to knit this sweet hat

I'm working still on the second glove of arm warmers. 

You can find the pattern here.  FYI - the website for this pattern is a bit risque' but there is a link there for a pdf of the pattern and that is what I printed off and use.


I want to make this sweater for Kamryn, but I'll need a lot of help with that front edging!

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I bought a new skein of yarn today

Its a kind of blue green called Peacock.  Pondering what to make out of it.  Maybe a scarf for my auntie.

Better get busy!

Family Hike

Well, Tim and the kids anyway. (I can't do this kind of hiking with my bad lower back.) They took advantage of Rachel and Tim getting home early today, to get out into nature.  The sun is setting early these days so they left mid afternoon.  After their hike they picked up pizza for dinner, and when they got home, it was already dark.

They went to McCall's Ferry Park.

Here is an interesting post about McCall's Ferry and the painting of it that hangs in the White House.


As for me, I ran errands today, talked with a friend, worked on plans for my trip, did computer work, had a late morning deck date with my husband.  We are enjoying the autumn weather that has finally arrived!  I did the mowing of our property.  While they were gone I did some correspondence through email, and read.

I took this photo Friday while sitting in my van after I ate my lunch.  I'm enjoying my first ever jean jacket.  I wore it with this black and cream Old Navy graphic print knit dress, some leggings and my black boots.

I'm Hittin' The Road!

Fall is arriving bit by bit in our corner of the world.

I'm taking an impromptu trip with my Dad and Mom to Michigan at the end of the week.  My mom's extended family are all in Michigan, and we'll be visiting her Auntie (who is more like a sister) and Uncle, her cousins who are age wise my generation, but they are her first cousins.  The details are that my grandma was the oldest of 9 kids and her youngest sister is only three years older than my mom.  My mom is the oldest cousin and a few of her cousins are younger than me!

It should be fun.  I also am hoping to see my blog friends Karen and Kathy.  They are sisters in law.  Karen doesn't blog much anymore, but used to write Blue Barn Bulletin, and Kathy blogs at Kathy's Cottage.  I'm hoping the timing works out!



We went over to our friends home this afternoon and other friends were also there!  It was so fun and wonderful to spend a beautiful afternoon and evening together.  Roasting hotdogs, eating chili, salads, apple crisp and ice cream.  We enjoyed a fire and there was a hay ride too!

I am always grateful for time together with these friends.  Their friendships are a gift to us.

I hope your weekend was sweet as well.

Weekend

This weekend is full of the best things.

Breakfast this morning with Tim at our favorite place.  

Organizing my kitchen pantry.

Making skinny chocolate.

Making cookies for the family.

Preparing food for our fellowship meal after church tomorrow, and then for an evening gathering at our friends' home.

Dinner prep is going on for tonight as well.  

I'm loving my Pioneer Woman bowls that my sweet friend Amy sent me for my birthday.  There are three colors, red, aqua, and yellow and they each have a unique embossed design on the sides of them!  So cheery and useful!  I love pretty things for the kitchen!  It makes kitchen work much more pleasant, doesn't it?

I hope you all have a good weekend!

5 More Things I love About Fall

I wrote "Five Things I love About Fall" in late September.  If you've read here for any length of time you know there would be way more than five things I love about my absolute favorite season!


Apple Cider

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We love apple cider in the fall!  This brand is a Lancaster County brand and is really good.  Our favorite though, is from our local produce stand which is a minute down the road!  Its so good we served it at Emma and Vinnie's wedding!

Pumpkins



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Again our local produce stand is our source for our pumpkins!  It's been so warm, I haven't bought any yet.  Its going to be warm again this weekend and then it'll be more seasonal so maybe we'll get some this coming week.

Candles



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I burn candles year round, but not like I do in the fall or winter.  Our favorite candles are by Good Neighbors Candle Co.  This is my friend Becky's company.  She is also an owner at Pebbles and Lace.  They are soy wax with natural wicks that don't give off toxins.  I highly recommend her hot cocoa, hazelnut cappuccino, country store scented candles!

Boots


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My girls and I love boots!  I have tall boots, booties, ugg style boots.  My girls have tall boots, and combat style boots.  We all also have rain boots, and snow boots.  They look great with dresses,  leggings, or jeans.  You can dress them up or down.  Boots are great!

Knitting

For me this is a seasonal activity and I start back up in the fall.  






I do simple knitting, though I'd love to try knitting a sweater or two or three.  Grandgirlies, you know.


What are five things that you love about fall?