Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Every year I think to myself that I am not ready for the holiday season to begin.  That I am not ready for pumpkin flavored drinks and breads and desserts.  That I still want to wear shorts and short dresses and flip-flops rather than rain jackets and boots and jeans.  And then it hits me...every year.

I suddenly find myself looking forward to the chill in the air, the gray rainy days, and pulling on a sweatshirt for our morning walk.  I remember the coziness of watching football under a blanket on the sofa.  And, find that the sight of pumpkins and mums puts an immediate smile on my face.  I remember just how much I love fall, particularly October, and this love of the season starts to show itself in my cooking and baking.  Cinnamon and nutmeg start to move toward the front of the spice shelf.  Pumpkins and apples and butternut squash start to find their way into muffins and breads and sauces.

I made these muffins a few weekends ago for Jack's soccer team snack.  They were practically inhaled by the children.  They are moist and sweet (In fact, I almost think I can cut back on the sugar which I may try to do...an excuse to make them again.) and satisfying by themselves as breakfast or a snack, but even better paired with a scrambled egg or a hunk of good cheddar cheese.  Baking them at a lower temperature for a longer time than a normal muffin will produce a very moist final product which I think you will appreciate.

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the FoodStephanie Lamarpumpkin muffins, breakfast, muffins Comment
Day Trip: Suncadia Resort, Cle Elum, WA
Day Trip: Suncadia Resort, Cle Elum, WA

This past weekend we spent Saturday at Suncadia Resort.  It is one of our favorite day trip destinations, and this time of year it is particularly lovely. We love going to the resort's Harvest Festival to spend a sunny afternoon getting lost in the hay maze, swinging on the rope swing, and just enjoying the festiveness of the season.  It was great fun to share our annual trip to the Harvest Festival with David's parents this year.  We all had a rejuvenating day away from the city and, as you can see in the below pictures, the boys are pretty smitten with their Mia and Popi.

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the AdventuresStephanie LamarCle Elum, Harvest Festival, Suncadia ResortComment
Day Trip: Apple Picking at Bellewood Acres, Bellingham

This past Sunday, we made our annual trip up to Bellewood Acres for apple picking with dear friends. The weather was perfect- sunny and warm in the sun, cool in the shade.  The children loved playing on the old tires and in the wagons as much, or maybe more, than picking apples.  We chose to walk out to the orchards this year rather than ride in the tractor and Rigby appreciated the stroll as a chance to fall sleep.

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the Adventures, the FamilyStephanie LamarBellewood Acres, apple picking, BellinghamComment
Five Months

5 months old?!  It's really hard to believe.  Even Jack who heard me tell someone that Rigby turned 5 months old over the weekend said, "Five months, already?!"

Rigby is a bright-eyed, flirtatious 5 month old babe with rosy apple cheeks and blue eyes that are full of expression.  He continues to be loud and has no qualms letting you know that he is tired or hungry.  He has also learned how to squeal this month and it is equally as loud as his cries.

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the FamilyStephanie Lamar5 month olds, Rigby JosephComment
Travel: Methow Valley, Washington

Pardon me while I revisit one of my favorite memories and share it for the first time here with you.  Last summer, we travelled to the Methow Valley in Eastern Washington, just the three of us (well, Rigby was technically with us, but we didn't know that for most of the trip).  It was a trip that we all needed, one that allowed us to recharge and to just be with each other in a stunning landscape.

We rented a two bedroom cabin from River's Edge Resort in Winthrop.  The cabin overlooked the Chewuch River and had a hot tub on the back deck which Jack could not get enough of.  David enjoyed sneaking out early in the mornings to start his day with fly fishing in our backyard.  And, the deer were abundant on the property.  They not only played in the river, they walked right up to the cabin porches to say hello.

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the AdventuresStephanie LamarLeavenworth, Mazama, Mazama Store, Methow Valley, Methow Valley Rodeo, Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Patterson Lake, River's Edge Resort, Sun Mountain Lodge, WinthropComment
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Salt

Jack has been adjusting pretty well to this new routine of Kindergarten.  He eagerly gets himself dressed in the morning, excited to wear his new clothes and shoes. He walks up the hill to school with pride, bouncing and telling me more stories from the day before as he processes what lies before him on this day.  He is making friends- one child even brought him a cookie yesterday for lunch- although he doesn't seem to know more than a few of his classmates names.  He eats a big breakfast in the morning after learning on the first day that there are no snacks before lunch; he told me "I couldn't play much on the first recess because I was so hungry that my belly hurt."

All of this make me proud as I watch him find his own way (aside from the being hungry part which made me incredibly sad).  But, I can also see between the lines and I know he still has some nerves that are being rattled, some fear over what this school thing is all about.  "School is boring" he said this morning, when I think what he really means is that it is uncomfortable, so full of unknowns.  Overwhelming unfamiliar.  And this makes me feel helpless and a bit worried for him.

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the FoodStephanie LamarChocolate chip cookies, Cookies with Kosher Salt, cookies, dessertsComment
Lemon Ricotta Muffins (& Friday Links)

One of the pleasures of deciding to stay at home this year is the opportunity to bake more often.  I decided that with the start of the school year, I would bake more breakfast foods since some mornings can feel so rushed and having breakfast already prepared can be such a lifesaver.  I also really love a good breakfast pastry and when you make it yourself, it feels less indulgent and, perhaps, even healthy.

To kick-off the school year, I baked a dozen lemon ricotta muffins.  I think I was channeling some of my yearning to travel back to Italy after seeing so many Instagram feeds during the summer featuring beautiful beachside Italian towns like Positano.

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the FoodStephanie Lamarlemon ricotta muffins, breakfast, muffins Comments