Leaf Hunting

The day after Cruz's birthday party, we decided to pack up our leftovers and head on a little road trip to the northeastern part of our state for some leaf hunting.  This has been a tradition in my family since we were little, and its yearly staples call us back year after year.  There's Shihata's Apple Orchard, their many varieties of apple butters and jellies to sample in their barn, wagons full of pumpkins, and famous apple cider that's the perfect balance of sweet and tart.  There's Pikes Peak and the familiar red winged sumac trees, the smell of charcoal grills, and the frequent stops to look out at the mighty Mississippi from the lookouts.  And then there's all our favorites sprinkled in between.  The Cannery for Mom and I, the fish place for Jordan to stock up on cheese curds and 'tits on a ritz', Kelli's love of Pete's Burger Stand, and of course, Dad's annual stop at Stark's for cheap liquor.  It's a little cheesy, a little far to drive in a day, and Beau and I have discovered just-as-pretty places in other areas closer to home, but there's something about this tradition that keeps us going back every year.  In fact, we missed it last year and our autumn just didn't quite feel complete. :)

So with blankets, cheerios, a movie for the kids, and a white chocolate pumpkin latte for me, we piled in the car and headed in our own little caravan to the border early one Sunday morning.  This time of year, you really never know what you're going to get as far as weather or leaf color, and we definitely lucked out in one area for sure.  It was a beautifully warm, eighty degree day and felt like summer.  And at first while I didn't think the trees were showing much color, the farther north we got, the more fall decided to show up.  And as we climbed the bluffs and drove up those familiar curvy roads to Pikes Peak, with the maple leaves raining down on us, I could feel that familiar feeling of adventure settle in my bones. 

We had a lot of leftover food from Cruz's party and ended up with a nice little picnic spread to start our day.  Jordan and Kelli don't always go with us, so this year was especially fun for the these cousins who love spending time together.  We had sandwiches and coleslaw, potato salad and banana bread, and lots and lots of cheetos, and the kids wasted no time rolling in the leaves and throwing them in the air like confetti.  We found a large and scary spider, and then found a playground, to which the kids filled their shoes with sand and went down the slide over and over again.  Mila learned to swing on the big swings, and felt very proud and safe with her daddy spotting behind her.  Soon, we found our way on the paths that walked us by the Indian burial mounds, the bright yellow maples that were just starting to turn, and into swarms of ladybugs, that ended up being quite the pests throughout the day.

After a pit stop at the fish shop for cheese curds and a ride on the big fish, we stopped at the Shihata's for some apple treats.  This was one of my favorite parts of the day, as the kids all made their way to a row of apple trees and grabbed a little treat to sample.  We all congregated here for awhile, Charly lounging on Papa, Mila and Hayes on Beau's lap, and Cruz finding himself in the middle of another family's picture.  The wind had picked up and the kids were starting to look sleepy, but these pictures are some of my favorite from the day...

We ended our road trip with a stop at Starks, enough wine and cheese to last us well through the winter, and two very tired kids.  It was a fun day, filled with simple traditions for the taking.  Fall brings out the best of them.

Our leaf hunting tradition, 2013, 2012, 2011  

"I think the thing about fall is that we know it won't last.  A few weeks and it's gone.  It's the shortest of the seasons; easily the most brilliant and beautiful.  I've always felt that the true beauty of autumn lies in its shortages.  In its rarity.  The earth dries to dormancy right before our eyes, and it's the most gorgeous thing to behold.  It isn't till she's long past her prime that our earth is at her most dazzling.  Isn't that something.  Easily the most blessed reassurance of them all"

-Natalie Holbrook 

 

      

An Early October Day...

A few pictures from our first chilly Saturday in October.  We keep telling Cruz "soon we'll have all the time in the world to hibernate inside," forcing them to get out and enjoy the fresh air before it's too cold to.  This particular Saturday included a bundled up trip to the farmers' market for breakfast burritos, rasta lemonades, pumpkin rolls, Indian corn, and focaccia for Sunday soup.  We sprawled out in the sunshine, shared our treats with each other, and planned our day.  The market was followed with a trip north to the pumpkin patch, where we petted horses and fawned over the tiniest piglet, road on a hayride all to ourselves, and Mila discovered a deep love for apple cider.  Sticky and a bit wind blown, we headed home for afternoon naps (for all four of us), before Beau and I met our friends, Aram and Katy for a cozy booth at Tony's for a little date night.  

Oh, October, won't you stick around a while longer?

Love these cozy Friday nights at home before our weekend starts.  We put the kids to bed, light all the pretty lights, and settle in, with books and big blankets, an episode or two of DVR catch-up, or this night, a visit from friends, a thrown together cheese tray, and a couple bottles of wine with some Otis Redding playing on our audio.  

Seriously, Mila loved the apple cider!

   

A Recipe // My Favorite Soup

I think I've made a fall soup every weekend since Labor Day.  I love the slow simmer of it on the stove top all afternoon as we go about our day, the amazing aroma serving as a frequent reminder of the good that awaits us at the end of the day.  I love soup paired with a crusty bread and a glass of wine, typically followed with baths for the kids, and a fire and books before bed.  

  
This is one of my all-time favorite soups.  I crave it every fall and literally lick the bowl when it's gone.  Whether you like squash or not, this is comfort food at its finest, a mix of savory and sweet with a little hint of cayenne to warm your bones on a chilly October night.  And it's just as good warmed up the next few days, sometimes with a spoonful of brown sugar if I'm feeling extra sweet.

Butternut Squash Soup...

1 small yellow onion, diced 
4 tbsp. butter
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 cups chicken broth + 1 cup water
4 cubes chicken bouillon 
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1.  In a large soup or stock pot, saute onions in butter until translucent.  Add squash, broth, water, bouillon, and spices.  Bring to medium high heat until boiling, then boil for about 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.

2.  Puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Return to pot and whisk in cream cheese.  Turn to simmer until ready to serve.  Do not allow to boil.

**I sometimes add in less cream cheese, depending on my mood.  I just made it with a half a block of cream cheese and it was just as good.  Other times, I'll add in a spoonful or so of brown sugar if I'm going for it a little sweeter.  

What are your favorite fall soups?      

42/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2015"

Cruz: His favorite toy from his birthday.  He likes Master Yoda, Chewy, and Chopper the best.  We are looking forward to a Star Wars binge soon.

Mila: Her beloved blankie and an episode of Dora cure just about anything.  I love how she takes a corner and presses it up against her nose.  And when she knows just when to yell, "MAP!" when Dora needs help finding something.