weekend lens {homecoming}

This was Homecoming week at our high school. Friday was the pep-fest (and football game) and the students all wore their class t-shirts. A lot of the Senior guys bought Zubaz pants and have been wearing them to all of the football games. {Brings me back to college days.:) }

Saturday was the Homecoming dance.

Jake and some hockey buds.

Jake and his date.

After the photos we parted and we headed to Sea Salt Eatery. It was such a gorgeous night which made it the perfect night to stop at this seasonal restaurant at Minnehaha Falls.

Sunday, Pete had plans on working on the 'Z' and Jake was working, so Drew and I used some tickets that my sister had given us for the Renaissance Festival.

Drew and I had a great time and when we got home Pete had the Z running again! So all is good :)

weekend lens {apple orchard & some cooking}

This past weekend was one of those perfect Fall weather weekends. We took advantage of the cooler temps and had an evening bonfire {which I may have worn a winter coat and my Ugg boots.}

I harvested a ton of tomatoes from my garden.

I chopped a bunch of them and seasoned them with garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and a touch of sugar and roasted them in the oven for about an hour at 400 degrees.

After they were done roasting I threw some basil fresh from my Mama's herb garden. We had this over ravioli~ so delicious!!

Pete, Drew and I made our annual trip out to Pine Tree Apple Orchard. We have been going to this orchard since Tyler was a baby, and I think we have only missed a couple of years. This has become a fun family tradition that always brings back lots of memories.

We took a tractor ride through the orchard.

And grabbed two bags of delicious Fall apples and some other bakery goodies.

I made  Pioneer Woman's 'Spicy Pop Pulled Pork.'  A very easy recipe that I threw in the crock pot and was delicious.

I also made an apple pie using {this recipe} which always turns out so good!

A great Fall weekend.

family dinner

The past few weeks have busy around here. We have had the normal back to school busyness, along with Pete working extra long days, Drew doing a lot of pre-season skating, and Jake working a lot on top of his school schedule.

With all of that busyness, our family dinners have fallen by the wayside. I would still cook, but it was everyone just grabbing food before they headed out of the door, or we would make a quick sandwich, or grab something out on the way. Not ideal.

This week our schedule {thankfully} finally slowed down enough that we were able to enjoy a family dinner the past 4 nights.  And it was awesome. We had time for a home cooked dinner with all 4 of us sitting around eating and sharing conversation and laughter.

And while we were missing Tyler at our family dinner, he has been having his own 'family dinners' over in Italy.

We Skyped with him the other day and he said his apartment of guys is hosting a family dinner and inviting over a different apartment of students in their group each week. They are doing this once a week and have hosted 2 of the 3 girls apartments so far, with one more girl apartment and one guy apartment followed by the professor and his wife that is traveling with them. I love the hospitality that this group of guys is showing! It is truly a lesson to all of us!

I snagged these photos off of Facebook and loved the caption on the food picture:  "Thanks boys for the yummy risotto!" I was super impressed knowing how much work making good risotto is, and wondered who the chef was in the group of guys. I asked Ty when we were chatting on Skype, and he chuckled and said that he made the risotto-- and 'Ya, it took a long time, but it turned out great.'  He said this is what he is making each week for the family dinner- it is his new go-to dish. :) Love it!

memory lane {1st day of school}

First day of Kindergarten..............................................and now a Senior!!!

{where has the time gone???}

first day of School

The mandatory first day of school pictures. :)

Drew is a Freshman in high school! My baby is growing up!

And Jake is a Senior!! 

Both boys took off to school together. 

And since I couldn't take Tyler's '1st Day of School' picture this year, I snagged this one off of Facebook: 1st day of classes in Italy!!! :)

weekend lens {labor day}

Our weekend started off early. Thursday we had Jake's senior pictures taken.

Jake had decided that he really wanted Jon Cochrane Photography to take his pictures. Jon used to be an art teacher at the high school and has done a lot of Jake's friends pics; especially the sports guys. This shot is pretty cool. :)

Friday afternoon was spent with a couple of friends. I had sent out an email the night before with a specific prayer request and within minutes, schedules were cleared and the afternoon was planned.  Friday brought warm sunshine, sitting by a backyard pool, talking, a Panera salad lunch, and prayer. True friends. Love them.

More treasures from the weekend...

 not one, but two bonfires.

And we had a chance to talk with Tyler via Skype for the first time since he left two weeks ago.

We laid low for the weekend because Drew ended up with a respiratory cold which brought a trip to Urgent Care. We needed him to kick the coughing crud so he would be feeling better for the first day of school on Tuesday.