2nd Annual BYOP

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you will remember our BYOP from last year. 

It's a night where we have our friends over to carve pumpkins and everyone brings a pumpkin flavored dish (which you know I loved because of how much I LOVE pumpkin!)

It's such a fun, fall-themed, night. 

This year we had:

A layered appetizer of cream cheese & pumpkin butter topped with roasted, candy coated pecans. The salty crackers made for the perfect combination. 

 These pumpkin nut muffins are the perfect treat if you're looking for something not overly sweet. They made a great breakfast this morning as well ;)

 Mary Claire brought these delicious pumpkin muffins as well. The chocolate chips in these bad boys make them to die for. 

 Our pumpkin spread (minus Melissa's amazing pumpkin bread that was devoured).

Our Pumpkin Chili is the recipe I want to share:

It comes from "Primal Cravings" Cookbook 

What you need:

2 pounds ground beef (grass-fed if possible)

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 4 oz. can diced green chills

1 cup beef stock

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons cinnamon (Jason only uses 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Jason also adds hot sauce--just a few shakes

What you do:

In a large soup pot, place beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat, 

stirring occasionally until the beef if browned. 

Add the rest of the chili ingredients. 

Let simmer, stirring every so often for 15 minutes. 

Be ready to be amazed. It's so delicious and has the perfect amount of "kick" to it. 

 and so it begins...and yes, that is a power drill. My man wasn't playing around. 

 I came to the conclusion that you don't realize just how much work carving a pumpkin is when you are younger. Then, there's always the chance that you will cut out the wrong piece and well, that's the end of it! 

 I love this picture. It perfect depicts their feelings about how their carving was going. 

 The finished products. Excuse the lighting--my goal was just to get the pumpkins!

Until next year. 

Happenings

I welcomed this weekend with open arms. 

We had the craziest/busiest week at school. 

Professional Development (with information overload) all day on Monday.

Our jam-packed day ended on a good note though--we celebrated Jason's birthday over at my parents house.  It was an evening full of good company, great food, and a lot of laughter. 

I am quite thankful I got to celebrate my man's birthday for four days rather than just one--he deserves it!

We had Parent-Teacher conferences all day on Tuesday. 

Then on Wednesday, my class took their first field trip of the year--which was so much fun! We went to the TOPSoccer Jamboree and it was a blast. Each child gets a t-shirt, a soccer ball, and a medal--all  for free! To top it all off, while at the Jamboree, each child is paired with a "buddy" (high school student) and let me just tell you--they EAT. IT. UP. Both the buddies and the kiddos.  It's good for a Special Education Teacher's heart to see people love their kids like they do.  I think it's the best program. I wish I could share with you all 250 of our pictures from that day! 

I had a girls night on Thursday with my mom and sister--which is always a welcomed happening. 

Friday, we had our first taste of Jacktoberfest, held in downtown Jackson, with Melissa and Ian. 

 I never get tired of looking at that face!

We ended the night kicking some butt in spades ;)

Today, we have the privilege of attending Dustin and Hannah's wedding. 

It was such a sweet, beautiful wedding. 

I shed a few tears. 

It's always such a sweet reminder to see others entering into the covenant of marriage. 

I never tire of hearing people say their vows and reciting them over in my head and remembering our wedding day. God is so good. 

New Orleans, Music, Family & Food=Birthday Celebration

My favorite man in the world had a birthday this weekend. 

I can't think of anything I would rather do than spend a day celebrating the person I love the most!

 THIS CAKE. Mmmmhmmm. 

 Jason's parents invited us to New Orleans for the weekend and it only made his birthday better! 

We went to the Louisiana Seafood Festival the first part of the day. 

 Where we had good food and even better company. 

 Then, we spent the rest of the evening eating wonderful food, perusing music shops, purchasing beautiful art, and listening to some pretty awesome music. 

 The Frenchmen Street Market--so happy we stumbled upon this little gem. 

At D.B.A listening to John Boutte

This morning, we got to have our favorite breakfast and walk around the city 

 Croissant D'Or--delicious and beautiful

 The Riverwalk

 The best antique shop I've ever been in. I could have bought everything in there. 

Our newest artwork additions--along with some really awesome coasters.

Jason Ellis, I hope that you had the best birthday! What a privilege and a joy it is to walk through life with you by my side. Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for you and all that you are. Here's to another year full of us, many laughs, and unconditional love. May this year be better than the last! 

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"

Typically, people associate that song with winter. 

But to me, the most wonderful time of the year is when the chilly temperatures of fall finally grace us with their presence. I love nothing more than using pumpkins for decoration, leaves changing colors, cooler weather, sweaters, boots, pumpkin-flavored anything, hot teas, chili & soups, Halloween, Thanksgiving, cute hats, and pretty much anything that falls under the category of fall. 

If fall doesn't make you happy, then I don't even know what to tell you ;)

I've got a bit of a photo dump post for you all--Here's a few things I've done to ring in these first 2 weeks of autumn. 

Check out this "cotton candy" sky

 Candles and fall, they go hand in hand.
This little gem was from Mary Claire and it smells amazing.

 Our newest lamp, which I love.

 This beauty that came from terrible weather on Thursday.
I haven't seen a rainbow in so long! I was so excited.

 This little peeping moon.

So, what's one of the most "fallish" things anyone can do? I'll tell you! It's going to THE FAIR!
Jason, Mary Claire, Grant, Melissa & I all made the trek to the fair grounds last night.
What all did we do?
Oh! Well now that you asked...we just ate.

 The guys were brave and tried something that you can ONLY find at the fair (thankfully). Let's just say, it was different.

Excuse out faces, we were too excited about the roasted corn to care.

 I love this sight! I love the lights!

 My sweet man, taking one for the wife and coming to the fair ;)

 These two goofs.

 Love these two so much.

 Ah! I love the "crazy houses" as I call them. I feel like that's "vintage fair".

 After such a night at the fair, we needed a relaxing Sunday Morning. What better way to accomplish that than with a good breakfast to start the day?
This little box is fall in food form.
Pumpkin Pancake Mix! Gluten free and tastes amazing
These were so good. I inhaled mine.
Thank you Trader Joe's for yet more, amazing food.
(Who wants to start a petition with me to get a Trader Joe's near by?)

 Pumpkin Pancakes paired with a homemade Chai Tea Latte, I was definitely feeling "fallish" this morning.

And last but not least, we got a few laughs from this picture at lunch today.
Thanks Mary Claire for having this one on hand!

Here's to everyone having a great week this week!