Fall, firetrucks and pumpkins



So I am posting less.  I want to post more I really do.  But I think this is better for me right now.  Posting all the time stressed me out before.  I would miss out on time with Jack or miss out on time with my husband, or miss out on time I should be working.   I also have gotten tired of feeling like I am competing for people to like me or to read what I have to say.  If people want to read and comment that's great, but I am tired of all the blogs out there asking for money that I just want to get back to what this is all about....us.

 

And WE went to a fire house party.  Jack got all dressed up in his fire outfit and had a blast a tour of the station.  Sunday we headed on over to one of my favorite places....the pumpkin farm We had some apple donuts, rode some ponys and took too many pictures. 

 

I hope all is well, and that you are enjoying Fall...the weather is beautiful here.

 

He is getting soooo big!!!

I'm a pumpkin head.

Some recipes are so good that I feel like I should post them twice.  This is one of those recipes.  I have expressed with you all my love for chocolate chip cookies before, and I of course I have expressed my love for pumpkin with you.  Put them together, and you have something that I can't even describe in words.  This has the best of both worlds; the cookie-ness of a chocolate chip cookie, yet it has the added spice of pumpkin.  These cookies have a sort of cakey texture to them, which make them irresistible.

I know we have a few more days left of Summer, but I just couldn't wait until Fall to make these.  And what better way to celebrate the end of the teacher strike then to share these with all my co-workers.  I am asked to make this year after year, and I hope you try this recipe out for yourselves.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups (12-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips

Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

First days....

 

Yes, my new teaching job is at a Chicago Public School.  And we are on strike, and it's not about the money like the news will make you believe.  It's about so much more that you can't know unless you experience the schools for yourself.  That's all I will say.

In better news, Jack started his first day of "school" today.  Because of his birthday he can't go to preschool yet, but he is going to a Parent's Day Out.  His first time being left alone with someone he doesn't know.  

He did fabulously: 

 

There were lots of hugs, but no crying from either of us, he was a very big boy.  

Have a great Wednesday. 

I'm co-hosting!

Happy Happy Friday!

Welcome to the new That Friday Blog Hop.

With your hosts: Rebecca @ Let Them Eat Cake and Chrissy @ A Lil' Dash Of Diva. and me as the co-host this week!   Hop around, have fun, and find lots of fun blogs to enjoy!

So here is what we ask from all of you lovely people.

1. Follow the two hosts
2. Follow the week's special co-host (that's me!)
3. Grab the button, share it everywhere to spread the word

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Hosts:

I would love it if you would all join this week, and please visit these two wonderful sites!

For everyone that is new visiting my site, Welcome!  I am a mom, a teacher and an Etsy shop owner.  You can check out my shop Smitten Image here! 

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you!

 

 

New school year, new me!

So I started my new job today....I made it.  I got through the day and it was good!  I met the kids, and survived the heat in our building with no air conditioning.   I am hoping this school year is  a good one and I hope I love my new job.

With the new year I am also looking to get to the new me.  Maybe it's the fact that I'm getting older, and noticing wrinkles and the fact that I'm tired ALL THE TIME.  So looking around on Pinterest I found Back on Pointe's blog.  These workouts will seriously kick your butt. 


Here is an example of one of the ab workouts:

I swear I could not even finish it the first time I did it.

And here is the September challenge I am doing along with my regular gym workouts. 

These workouts are quick, intense and perfect for at home before or after work.  They burn a lot of calories in a little amount of time, perfect for those working moms!

You can check out all her other workouts here, and let me know if you also choose to do the September challenge!