After Christmas Visit and Medieval Times

My niece and her crew returned for a visit! It was suppose to be a whole slew of them...my two other nieces and my nephew were coming for the new year. They were both on 2 different planes...one took off the other was cancelled with no other flights available. We had tickets to the Bulls game that LUCKILY I purchased insurance on. I never do that but I thought weather can be finicky and there were a lot of tickets. 

While it did put a damper on the trip as we missed them, this group ventured off to a rainy Chicago....

where we did some shopping. We did some bowling and swimming at their hotel and headed to the Medieval Times!

I had never been, but since we had two horseback riders with us...it was a no brainer!

I was certainly impressed by the horses. 

The food was great (everyone gets the same) and the show was amazing, however, my only complaint was ... give us some utensils! It was all doable with the food choices but it was distracting in the dark and messy even though they give you wet ones and napkins. 

Turned out to be a great trip and hopefully will see the others soon!

The holidays keep going with Valentine's Day around the corner.

Christmas 2025

 This year our Christmas to the song "A Christmas Carol" from the movie Scrooge with Albert Finney. One of my all time favorites. Listen as you scroll along. 

Sing a song of gladness and cheer

For the time of Christmas is here

Look around about you and see

What a world of wonder this world can be 

Sing a Christmas carol

Sing a Christmas carol 

Sing a Christmas carol

Like the children do

And the joy and beauty

Oh, the joy and beauty

That a merry Christmas 

can bring to you.

Merry Christmas!

We Love Visitors!

For a whole month I had to keep quiet that her cousin and her mom, aunt and oma were coming for a visit! 

I had mentioned all day that a Christmas gift was being delivered. When they pulled up, I quickly asked Amelia if she could go to her room so she wouldn't see us bring the "large" present in. Amelia's reaction, as we all tiptoed into the house and I said "you know, come on out, you are just going to have to open this one early"...was spectacular! I posted a video on Instagram of the frenzy.

First up we headed to the Christkindlmarket in Aurora! While the crowds were ridiculous and the lines for food were even more so, we had a great time! 

After a train ride into downtown Chicago, we headed to one of my favorites for lunch...The Berghoff. 

Santa was there! 

Did all the fun Chicago sites and some Christmas shopping as well!

Before the long weekend was over and it was time to say goodbye and see you in the summer!

Getting back to our regular Christmas schedule, Amelia finished up her ink wash painting that I used for our Christmas card. 

It is looking very much like Christmas!

Halloween

I was doing a boo basket long before it was a TikTok trend! 

Her cauldron is full of Halloween goodies...nail polish, sweatshirt, Lego, books, candy etc. etc. 

She brought a goody bag for a few of her friends at school too. That's an old tag Amelia used in Elementary school...one of our favorite photos her dressed as Zelda at the Eagle River Nature Center's Halloween Party.

I think her friends loved getting them too!

Before the trick or treaters...we had to carve the pumpkin. 

She picked a meme of Elmo that she loves.

Had a pumpkin pizza for an early dinner...

and then waited for trick or treaters!

Amelia skipped trick or treating this year. She was never a big fan of the trick or treating part and really wanted to give out the candy this year. We had about 10 (bought for 50) and when done we all popped popcorn and watched The Blair Witch Project. 

Next up...

Halloween Barn Party and Festivities

We love the Halloween Party at the barn. 

 I have handled all the games for the past couple years and this year Amelia was asked to do face painting! 

Did some Fall baking as well. We love this cake as it is not too sweet and gives just the perfect taste of Fall.

Pumkin Cake with Brown Butter Icing

Ingredients & Directions

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1  cup canned Pumpkin Puree

• ½ cup warm (110 degrees) milk

  Brown Butter Icing: see below

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line pan with parchment, and butter the parchment. Coat pan with flour, and tap out any excess.

  2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, and beat until combined. Add pumpkin puree and milk; beat until combined. Add reserved flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined.

  4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Let cake rest 20 minutes.

  5. Unmold cake. Using an offset spatula, spread icing over top of cake.

Brown Butter Icing

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons milk

  In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.

  Add sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk; stir until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon milk, a little at a time, until consistency is spreadable. Let cool 5 minutes. Use immediately.

  
  

  
  

  More Halloween to come!

No Man's Land - Time After Summer and Before Halloween

I am on a roll! So posting 2 times today (covering summer and fall)! See I knew once I posted one, I would be energized! 

Liz came back for another visit in September! This time we headed to China Town. We took the water taxi from downtown ... and will use this again for sure! Convenient and fun.

Hands down, the best Slushie in the world. 

This ... this ... was FANTASTIC. I think the only reason I would return to China Town was for that slushie and the food! We obviously ordered way too much, but everything was magnificent.

Short trip, but with Liz it's always a great time.

It was homecoming in October and we hosted a little get ready ... in the upcoming Halloween spirit!

I am hooked on Crumbl Cookie for a party appetizer or dessert. I purchased their cookie cutter, to give everyone a bite sized helping.

Had many of my standard Halloween Party musts including Rigabony Pie that I have served for years. Delicious and easy! Martha Stewart recipe from one of her early Halloween magazines. You can find recipe here: RigaBONY Pie

Headed to the movies in early October for non other than Taylor Swift's New Album Movie release!

Time for Halloween! My second (Amelia's like 5th) favorite holiday.