Fall Projects

There is something that happens to me every year when fall comes around. As soon as the air gets crisper & the leaves start to turn, I get the urge to make something. I think I've had it especially bad this year (can you start nesting in the first trimester?), so I've been pouring myself lots of tea, turning on BBC Radio 4, & pulling out my sewing supplies.

I have big plans for nursery sewing projects (a play quilt for the floor, a pink & purple quilt for the baby girl!, travel-themed cloth blocks, a rain & cloud mobile, etc.).

I'm also starting a quilt for our living room (5+ projects. See? I have it bad.). The quilt was inspired by this quilt and I am using random fabrics from my collection. We used a lot of my fabric as centerpiece tablecloths for our wedding, so it will be fun to see them around the house & in the nursery!

Hopefully this urge to make things will last long enough for me to finish all of these projects! It shouldn't be a problem, with a long winter ahead before my March due-date, an endless supply of Tetley tea, & so many great programmes on BBC Radio 4.

Minneapolis Road Trip

I love roadtrips and this weekend Daniel & I got to go on one of my favourites - a trip to Minneapolis. I lived in Minnesota for six years during junior high & high school, and every time I go back to visit, I am tempted to move back!

We drove up for the wedding of two good friends, Jason & Betsy, and had such a fun weekend! Lots of coffee, road trip snacks, and time with some of my favourite people.

Minneapolis is beautiful in the fall, and we soaked in the fall colours, fresh air, and lake views.

I got to introduce Daniel to some of my favourite Minneapolis places - Lake Harriet, Linden Hills, and Dunn Bros Coffee.

We had so much fun celebrating at our friends' wedding, and can't wait for our next trip back to Minneapolis!

Starved Rock Camping Trip

A few weekends ago, before the weather got cold, Daniel & I went on a fun camping trip. When we first started dating, we went to Starved Rock State Park with a group from church, so we were excited to go back this year.

We camped in a little spot in the woods and had fun walking around and seeing the other camper's sites. Starved Rock is about three hours from Chicago, and people are pretty serious about camping here: pop-up campers, picnic bench tablecloths, twinkle light, and coffee pots.

I packed some camping snacks (and of course muffins & the tea kettle!) and we enjoyed a night away from the city and reading time in front of the camp fire. The next morning, we went hiking at Starved Rock, then headed back to the city, feeling refreshed. I think we may have found a new yearly tradition!

Christy's Fall Playlist

The temperature is dropping, the leaves are falling & the hot beverages are delicious.

It's time for a Fall Playlist. Here's what I'm listening to...

Way Back When | Kodaline
One Day Like This | Elbow
Into the Blue | Sara Jackson-Holman
Let Her Go | Passenger
Oh My Stars | Andrew Belle
You're the One That I Want | The Lennings
All I Want | Kodaline
What Would I Do Without You | Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Live & Die | The Avett Brothers
The Shape of Us | Ian Britt

Enjoy! xx
Fall Playlist on Grooveshark

Our Favourite Fall TV Shows

We both love a good TV show. Here are a few of our fall favourites...

Agents of Shield
Agents of Shield is a little bit of Marvel every week. We both love this show so far. It seems like it needs some time to find it's feet & balance out, so hopefully it gets the chance. It did just get picked up for a full season; yay. Hulk smash.

Parenthood
Truly, this is one of the best shows on television, don't you think? It just nails what family & relationships really feel like. The Bravermans are the best. Who wouldn't love Zeek, Crosby, Max? (Catch up on the first 4 seasons on Netflix.)

Castle
Christy caught up on all 5 seasons of Castle in the last few months, that's how much she loves it. Nathan Fillion as a writer, people. It's great.

How I Met Your Mother
This show makes Christy laugh out loud every week. And she kind of want to be friends with The Mother.

Chicago Fire
Oh, the crazy drama of being a firefighter in Chicago. (If you haven't tried Chicago Fire yet, the first season is totally worth catching up on.)

Also, Christy is trying out Hostages, with Toni Collette & Dylan McDermott. Oh & The Michael J. Fox show is quite funny.

What shows are you watching?

Our Favourite Fall TV Show images: Agents of Shield & Chicago Fire

Apple Pancakes

It is feeling like fall around here! Last week I pulled out my fall decorations (orange candles, pumpkins, fall leaf garlands) & put out the plaid blankets & pillows. I love this time of year.

My landlord showed up on our doorstep the other day with a bag full of apples from the tree in the back yard. Besides feeling a bit like Anne of Green Gables with apples in my kitchen from the tree outside, I am having fun going through my recipes & choosing what to make. I thought I would share one of our favourite apple recipes!

Apple Pancakes
1 lb. apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3 T. butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 cup flour
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Melt butter in a skillet.
Cook apple slices until light brown.
Pour into a pie plate.
Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar.
Mix the rest of the ingredients & pour over apples.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Serve with butter & sprinkle with powdered sugar.

You can also double this recipe & use a 9x13 pan. I have also adapted this to be gluten- and sugar- free (just replace the flour with gluten-free all purpose flour + 3/4 t. xanthan gum. Instead of sugar, I drizzled honey over the apples then sprinkled the cinnamon on top... you could also use agave. And obviously, don't sprinkle them with powdered sugar! :) I made one regular & one gluten/sugar-free version.

These are not really like pancakes at all, but they are so delicious! My mom used to make this for dinner when she & my dad were poor newlyweds. It was fun to carry on the Childers tradition & make it for Daniel this week. Happy fall!

Fall is in the Air

Ok, it's time. Or almost time at least. Fall is in the Air.

We've been soaking in the last moments of summer. But suddenly the air has turned cold & we're craving Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Who doesn't love Fall?

We're in that sweet spot between the heat of summer & the cold of winter. It's the kind of weather where you can get away with shorts & a flannel shirt. Or you can go outside in jeans & long sleeves but still wear flip flops. It's like Seattle weather. It's the best.

We've got a few more weeks til October. But I think when it gets here, we'll be ready.

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."

F. Scott Fitzgerald