It's fall!

Fall is my favorite season (but, if you ask me in the middle of the winter, I might say summer). The trees turn to a beautiful orange color, the air is crisp, the hustle of summer is over, and it's the perfect time to bake. It also means I can break out the pumpkin. So, I think it's about time I shared one of my favorite fall treats. Pumpkin Whoopies. Even Mike (who does not like pumpkin) LOVES these. You need to try them at least once this fall. They are perfect to take to a small party or Thanksgiving Dinner.  My guess is if you make them once, you'll make them again :)

Timber!

 

Cookies:
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 c pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbs butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c powdered sugar 
For cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets.
2. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Store in covered container in refrigerator.
   
   
   Happy Baking!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Michigan + a new sister

We are so excited to have Aaron and Kelli back on the mainland!! They spent 2 years in HI while Aaron studied Geology at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. The last week in August, Michael and I drove to Northern Michigan for their wedding, where I officially gained a sister :) Aaron and Kelli have been together for at least 5 years, I think it's almost 6- so Kelli has been a part of our family for about 5.5 years, but thanks bro, for making it official. We were so excited to be there for their celebration and honored to be a part of their wedding party. For the bachelorette party, we went wine tasting on the Peninsula

and to Bubbas for dinner, where the guys happened to be eating as well. We spent Friday working on bouquets and getting other things ready for the wedding and had a great time at the rehearsal dinner. Then came the big day :) Since their wedding was later in the afternoon we had plenty of time to get stuff ready and head out. Mike and I had to make a pit stop at the hotel to drop champagne and  bride and groom chocolate covered strawberries I made on Friday night off at their hotel then head out to the venue.

It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for an outdoor wedding:)

Beautiful Bride

The vows

Dinner

One of the coolest wedding gifts ever, notice the HI & MI

They said "I do". We took our pictures. Then we danced the night away.

Little Dresses for Africa & Milton

A while ago one of my friends from high school went to Africa to serve at an orphanage. Her updates on Facebook were heartbreaking, to say the least. They often asked for prayers and reported on conditions and needs. When she returned home she posted an album with photos of the 18 babies that had gone to Heaven. These 18 lives were lost over a period of six months. Six months. I quietly uttered the captions and names to myself in disbelief as I struggled to blink the tears out of my eyes. I can remember reading her status one afternoon like it was yesterday. One sentence would change my life forever.

"Children are DYING, what are you going to do about it?"

I remember in those moments of realization what a selfish person I was. I cried out to God asking forgiveness and change. He is faithful. Michael and I have since been blessed enough to be able to donate to several organizations but my heart longed to do more. Something tangible. After hours of scouring the internet I came across the non profit organization "Little Dresses for Africa" out of Michigan.

Little Dresses for Africa

My Little Dresses for Africa

It sends simple dresses (mostly made of pillowcases) for little girls and shorts for the little boys for with missionaries all over the world. Mostly to hard to reach villages and to families who have to choose food or clothing, because they cannot afford both. Finally something I could do! I ran upstairs to our linen closet and pulled out an extra pillowcase. I pulled my sewing machine out of the closet and set up shop. The pattern is easy and only took about 30 minutes. I went to the local Walmart, Target, BB&B, and T.J. Maxx to scoop up all the clearance pillowcases I could find and along with some material to make additional dresses. By the time Michael got home from work that Friday the living room was set up as a sewing studio and I had bias tape, thread, elastic, measuring tapes, and pillowcases everywhere. By the end of the weekend I had completed almost 30 little dresses! I feel blessed that God would choose to use me in such a way that brings so much joy. Not only to me, but to the excited little girls that will receive them! It has been such an amazing experience :) We are also celebrating a new little boy that has recently come into our life. Meet Milton :)

Compassion, Int.

 After several days of praying we decided it was time to sponsor a child through Compassion International. We knew immediately  that we wanted to sponsor a child that had been waiting for more than six months, and in Africa. We looked through several pages of children, overwhelmed by the number of children that have been waiting so long we prayed about which child God would have us sponsor. We each said which children we felt led to. Milton being the only one we had in common, it was his birthday! What good birthday news!!

It's the thing to do, right?

Candace Paige Photography

Hey guys! I know I am a little late in the blogging world (unless my blog from 7th grade counts, ha) but... it's better late than never, right? :) I hope to keep friends and family updated on our new adventures and what we've been up to. This blog will hopefully be all about adjusting to life as newly weds, trying new recipes, (attempting) to decorate our home, and life in general. We'll see how it goes ;)

Mrs. Hunt