My Latest Obsessions

Hanging out w/ the goat at Kinnikinnick Farm in Caledonia, IL

Making pizzas = yummy!

CMC hanging w/ the chickens!

Getting ready for chores w/ Farmer Dave

Pistol Pete whipping up some yummy pancakes!

A little apple picking at Edwards Orchard

A dad + his oldest daughter

LOVE honey crisp apples! 

Happy Friday!  I cannot believe that we're more than halfway through October. How did this happen?! And I heard on the radio that there are 60 something days until Christmas = yikes! We're in Halloween mode around here. George is going to be Darth Vader (however, we seem to have lost the mask already). That is what happens when you buy a costume at the end of August! And MMC wants to be cheese (yes, stinky cheese!). And CMC is still undecided! Here is a halloween post from 2 years ago - they are getting so BIG! 

This weekend we have a few family parties to attend and hopefully CMC will finalize her halloween costume. And we'll be on a hunt for the Darth Vader mask. G$ casually mentioned he also would like to be a robot - love this classic homemade robot costume! 

The pics above are from our trip to Kinnikinnick Farm a few weekends ago. We had a blast! We love heading up to the farm - always a great time and the kids look forward to it every year. Here are some posts from years past at the farm (2012 visit, 2013 visit, and last year's visit). 

Have a great weekend! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves: 

• We've had some winners lately in our house dinner wise = Hooray! We're adding the following dinners into the rotation = Baked Chicken Parmesan, Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup, Macaroni Casserole and Turkey Sausage and Tomato. Some recipes I want to try = Winter Squash Medley, Pumpkin Brownies, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with dried Cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette and these Lemon Blueberry muffins. 
• Very interesting topic = The Lost Art of Conversation. 
• Wahoo = #25 on this list of best suburbs to live in = where I grew up! Go Wyoming, OH! This reminds me of our weekend trip a few summers ago to show the kids where I grew up. 
• Awesome partnership = Paperless Post + Rifle Paper Co. In love! How cute is this e-invitation for a halloween party? Or this Save the Date? 
• How to pose better in photos = great advice! 
• Check out this awesome cabinet hardware. LOVING the brass hardware. 
• 12 habits of people with homes that are always clean. 
• I definitely want to see Sarah Silverman's new movie, I Smile Back. Appreciate Sarah Silverman's openness on her own struggles w/ depression in this interview. 
• Something to keep in mind when putting together holiday cards = how to make your last name plural. 
• This weekend I hope to put together our summer photo album = 40% off shuttlerfly through Sunday. 
• MMC and I are on a hunt for a halloween craft for her Indian Princess meeting this upcoming week. We are thinking of these easy paper straw halloween necklaces. Cute! And the girls who are older can come up w/ more complicated patterns/designs and the younger girls can go w/ simpler ones like these. And how cute are these halloween straws?! However, MMC is more excited o make these Halloween Witch Hat cookies for the group! 
• How cute is this shirtdress?! Love it. What a great little swing coat. These black slanted zip sneakers are a fun take on all the sneakers out there. 
• One of my favorite homes of ours growing up was an old english tudor. Check out this gorgeous renovated english tudor in Utah. 
• This is awesome = Friday Night Meatballs: How to Change your Life with Pasta! How fun would it be to start something like this on Friday evenings?! Great idea! 
• Okay, the first few episodes of Homeland and The Affair have been awesome! Speaking of The Affair, check out Dominic West's london home. 
• I started Malcolm Cadwell's book, The Outliers a few days ago = very interesting. 
• One of my favorite crackers from Trader Joe's = the raisin rosemary crisps. Here is a copycat version of them. 
• I've been following this OP native's blog on raising her daughter (while she herself has ALS) and have found her to be super inspirational = Mom with ALS: My Disease will my Daughter Stronger.