Just Checking In . . .

The weather outside . . . 
says November! It's so strange that it is November again. And already. The trees are bare. The world looks different; like the "sepia" setting on my camera. It's getting nippy. I'm still holding out on the winter jacket and wearing an autumn one. Next week it's supposed to get cooolld.  Today is in the 30's. It didn't feel too bad to me though this morning. I finally got out for a good hike at Devil's Lake. I sure didn't feel cold hiking those stairs. Worked up a good sweat and loved it! It felt great to get to the top. First time this year.

Last rose of the year. It's been a blessing these last few weeks!

I'm listening to . . . 
Doug trying ski boots on the kids. "Wiggle your toes. How does that feel?" We're hoping to make skiing (mostly downhill) the boys' winter sport this year. They have a ski team here but we are thinking they are not ready yet. Ski team meets twice a week, so I think Doug will bring the kids on the day ski team meets so they can see how everything works. I need to check on the days for the little Park and Rec gymnastics class too. I know Nutmeg will enjoy that to the fullest.

Can you see our giant spider?

In the kitchen . . . 
I've got some bread rising in the oven right now. We've improved our weekend routine around here. I used to always do my grocery shopping Saturday morning but we would always get so discouraged that half the day would be taken up shopping. So now we are making an effort to get it done Friday night. Doug takes the kids while I whirlwind around town. We are loving it! It gives me more time to relax on Saturday and also get some baking done for the next week. We love to have fresh bread and muffins for breakfasts and snacks for the week. It's been a nice routine this past month.

This week I made some beef bone broth in preparation for our first batch of borscht this winter. Our family loves this recipe! It is delicious and absolutely packed with nutrition. I'll have to copy it for ya'll sometime. It's from the "All Around the World Cookbook" by Sheila Lukins.

Fall turkey burger with pears, goat cheese, and caramelized onions.
And sweet potatoe fries. 

In our book baskets . . .
The kids and I just finished reading about Rose of Lima by Mary Fabyan Windeatt. We'll be moving onto The House at Pooh Corner this week. The boys are reading stacks of "Boxcar Children" books on their own. I'd like to move them on to some classics to challenge them a bit but I'll let them linger on these books for a while. It is their reading anyhow. I want them to read what interests them. I just finished Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather and recently started reading Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. I was a bit intimidated to even begin this book due to the sheer size of the book. I feel as if I could get carpal tunnel just holding it at night. :) But I have to remember that what I am holding is trilogy, so I don't have to read the whole thing unless I am really get into it. I may just start with the first book. But gracious sakes, I think I should have hunted down the volumes bound separately! This trilogy is Norwegian historical fiction and received the 1928 Nobel Prize for Literature. My mother's ancestry is entirely Norwegian, so I am pleased to be reading something from that area of the world. I don't know much about Norway or its history, so this should be a interesting venture.


Well, I had hoped to catch up some more with ya'll but I hear Mr. Mace waking up from his nap. I am afraid I won't get back on here to finish this off.  Time to hit "publish" and call it done.

I love and miss you all very much!!