I love you, Autumn.

my favorite season. I am sure I've said that before [like, in the last post] and I'm sure I'll say it again. I can hardly believe that September is already more than half over. where does the time go? I have so many unfinished projects going on right now it's not even funny. most of them 'Summer projects' that I didn't complete. so now I decide: do I finish them even tho Summer is over? or do I wait and get them out again next year? hmmm.

for now, I would like to update with a few things. one completed, one VERY much a project in the works.



new KidWise Magazine issue. (yes, this is the 'one completed'.) since Autumn is my favorite season, this is one of my favorite issues so far. love the photos and the recipe, the whole 'back to school' theme of it. if you haven't already subscribed to KidWise, please do (it is free) and take a look. www.kicksclub.org will get you where you need to go to subscribe and download. the 'tomato pie' recipe I mentioned on here is in it. and I think I'm going to make one over the weekend [again]. :)

a movie. yes, a movie. (this is the 'one VERY much a project in the works'.) KICKS is doing it's first movie, so needless to say I have a very heavy involvement in that and I am SO excited. I honestly don't know how much detail I can give right now, but hopefully the next time I update there will be lots more to share. I can say this -- it will involve a lot of sewing. :)

I'm looking forward to the weekend. hoping to make some corn chowder (shared the recipe last year, looking forward to making it again!) and possibly some chili, and maybe some granola. I'm having a guest next week and she loves granola and I am SO in the mood to make it, so I may make a small batch before she comes since it's been a bit since I've made it. probably going to bake some gingerbread pear muffins and work on another 'in the works' project (a book! :D). I know I'll enjoy a football game and would like to get some gifts I've made packaged and ready to mail. fun fun fun. again and always, I love you guys and thank you for 'checking in' when you do. hope to keep the updates comin', even tho we are busier now than ever!!

xo!
Candice

woah. autumn already?!

okay, so really there are a few more weeks until it is *officially* Autumn (my favorite season). but still, the thought that it is only a few more weeks away is somewhat hard for me to fathom. this year has gone by SO amazingly fast. we have been very, very, very [allow me to say it one more time] VERY busy 'round here this year and particularly as of late. not a lot of sewing/crafting going on, but heaps of other fun, yet very meaningful things (and a little baking). I hope to share links to some of the things we have been partaking in very soon (one of which shall be the Autumn issue of the KidWise mag that I am currently finishing up).

for now I would like to share these things...

1. United.
Ashley and I (along with our darling husbands) had the amazing privilege of seeing [Hillsong] United a week and one day ago. I have said this a million times since (and will say it a million more) -- words can NOT express what an experience it was. an amazing time of worship and commitment. God really had his way in our hearts that night and it's a fire that we will run with. there is lots more I could say, and make this post longer than ever, but I will stick with 'words can not express' because that pretty much sums it up.
click this if you would like to see some photos.
also, check out the new Hillsong record -- This Is Our God. it's a current favorite listen.


2. Tomatoes.
we have harvested SO many tomatoes that I have not known what to do with them all! well, originally I didn't. but I've found a few very yummy uses and one is tomato soup. I had never made my *own* tomato soup (or ever considered it, actually) but last week I combined a few recipes and added a bit of my own thoughts and ended up with a pretty good pot of soup. :) also did the same with some tomato pie recipes and that is a new favorite. it turned out VERY yummy! (I will share recipes soon!) all of that to say -- branch out. try the unknown. especially if you are in a position, as I was, with something unexpected and overflowing. a little creativity can take you a long way. :)


3. Pears.
what's with me and the food?! :) this year, as I believe I mentioned in the last post, I have the BLESSING of having a pear tree in my back yard. you really can not understand how exciting that is to me, a pear-lover who hardly ever actually gets them, unless you too are a pear-lover. I have pears coming out my ears this year and have gotten creative with recipes for them. they are DELICIOUS fresh tho, and we have all been enjoying them. I'm surprised they are ready at what seems to be so early in the year, but they are. I have stuck many in the fridge, hoping to slow down their ripening (you're supposed to pick them before they're actually ripe) so I hope to have them for quite some time. yum. today after washing some they looked so pretty so I decided to take a photo.



and I will leave you with that. :) thank you again, to all who read this little blog. thanks for hangin' in there with us while blog times are slow.


xo!
Candice

p.s.
the zucchini plants did recover quite well and I have made 2 batches of zucchini bread since. I also have 3 more that have been picked and a few growing that I hope to make fried zucchini with. so, yay for defeating the squash bugs!

our apologies, boys and girls!

yes, yes. shew. why do we even have a blog? I often wonder. but, thank you to any and all who still check in and may happen to see this. we have been busy busy busy this summer. the past month has consisted of lots of sewing and cooking/baking (and spending time in the garden), yet we have not had (or, should I say, TAKEN) the time to document our happenings to share with the world. we also took some time to go to the fair and a concert which was way good times. also looking very forward to seeing United in a few weeks. it will be our first time and believe me, we are way beyond excited and expectant. it will be an experience, I am sure.

for now I will share some garden photos. this is my first year to garden, and it has certainly been full of learning. things are going well (overall) and we've had HEAPS of tomatoes and zucchini, until the squash bugs got the zucchini and now they are in the process of [hopefully] healing and getting back to fruit producing. we shall see. our neighbors also have a pear tree and some sweet basil which they have been sharing with us and that has been delicious. the pears aren't quite ready yet, but they're close and I am eager to get good use out of them. I LOVE pears -- what a blessing that I have a tree so close! anyway, the photos:


our cantaloupe






our strawberries






we also have sweet peppers but I'm not sharing photos of those today. maybe next time (but since that will probably be after all the peppers have been harvested and eaten, I wouldn't count on it. ;)).

now I am off to do housework, possibly some sewing, picking more squash bugs off my plants and of course dinner. love to all you faithful viewers, even when we are such slackers with giving you something fun and new to see. :)

xo!
Candice

quick, happy things.

this is fun for us -- today we sold some of our 'little somethings' products. :) it's been a while since we've had a sale (and longer since we've made anything new for it), so it really made me smile.

here's the site link, if you haven't been yet: http://www.kicksclub.org/littlesomethings/

hope to update with something real very soon. happy almost-weekend!

xo!
Candice

favorites...

we've been busy as ever around here! new issue of KidWise Magazine is now available, which kept me busy for a while! we had a delightful Memorial Day weekend and week to follow, and we have been super inspired with Summer nearly upon us. season changes are always inspiring! it has been some time since we've posted tho, so I feel the need. :) no photos for this one, but heaps of fun links of some of my [our] current favorites/inspirations. so, shall we? I think we shall.

music:
Edison Glass
Jon Foreman
United

books:
Sew U Home Stretch
Martha Stewart Baking Handbook
The Lady & Son's, Savannah Country Cookbook
Mere Christianity

ideas:
cloth banners
ironing board covers

what are some of YOUR current favorites?!



now I'm off to complete a VERY belated birthday gift.
hope all of our lovely readers are doing wonderful!
happy weekend to all!


xo!
Candice