Kapakahi (mixed up) Fall Post

  There is a chill in the air and Fall is definitely in full force here.  We have woken up to frost in the ground and iced over water dishes for the outside cat each morning.  The days are glorious with the cold start and then warming up a bit during the day.  The leaves provide the most beautiful display of colors and I love throwing on a cozy sweater and going out for walks to enjoy it all. :)

When the days get shorter and colder, Jeff and I crave comfort foods and so do my kids.  I have been busy making homemade mac and cheese to feed a crowd and then taking the leftover cheese sauce and making  broccoli cheese soup.  Venison stew, beef tips and homemade mashed potatoes have also found their way back onto the menu.  Fresh and crisp apple slices and popcorn have once again become the snack of choice.

Not only are the human family members enjoying this Fall weather, but so are the fur babies.  Daisy is often found curled up in a blanket and Molly is crawling under the covers at night to snuggle up in bed with me.  Gemma's new place of choice is the dog bed that she has commandeered as her own out on the porch.  Caesar is making the rounds from bedroom to bedroom, trying to find the perfect sleeping spot.

This season has brought us some unexpected and fun blessings.  We have been spent lots of time with my parents, first going to see them and then them coming over here for a quick visit to see all of us and spend time with some of their grandchildren and their great grandchildren.  Our time with our precious grandsons has been frequent and fun!  They are growing so quickly and we don't want to miss a minute of it!  Last week we got a phone call from one of Jeff's cousin in laws whom we had not heard from in years.  It was so good to reconnect, laugh and make plans to meet up and have some family time with them when they are back home for a visit.  Another dear friend, who is like a sister to Jeff and I and a second mother to our boys, was here this week packing up her household and moving a bunch of stuff to her new home in California.  We were able to help her with that and have a nice visit before she started the long drive back down there.  It was also good to reconnect with her sister and family who will be moving up here at the end of the month and to visit with her nephew who will be going to kindergarten at the school I sub at.

We are continuing the Food Stamp Spending Challenge and doing really well on it.  Jeff and I are still way below the the budget that would be allotted to us.  We were blessed with some free venison from our son, but even with including the monetary value of that, we have met the challenge and are enjoying some great comforting meals that for the most part are healthy too.