Flip Flops or Pantsuit for the D.A.R.

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So what does one wear to her first D.A.R. meeting? Yes, this is my current quandary. Most of my knowledge of the Daughters of the American Revolution came from watching Gilmore Girls, and that certainly can’t be a good thing. . .

Although I haven’t joined the Daughters as of yet, I have been considering it since one of my second cousins joined earlier this year (and I didn’t even know I was eligible). She has done most of the legwork required to join, like names, relations and birth and death certificates, so that makes my path to membership quite a bit easier. 

That being said, I will be dining with ladies who have direct ancestral ties to the Revolutionary War, are grand supporters of patriotic endeavors and are advocates of historical preservation. Again, I ask, what do I wear?

I have little to nothing that resembles Emily Gilmore; in other words, no red pantsuit with gold buttons or crisply ironed white collared numbers with closed-toed pumps. Yikes! Do I need to adhere to the no-sandals-after-Labor Day rule; and if I could wear sandals, do mine qualify? My many pairs of open-toed shoes are mostly just sequined and beaded flip flops in disguise. I don’t even own a quality pair of dress pants these days — I ‘ve been a stay-at-home-mom for six years, for goodness sakes (and if they were in my closet somewhere, they probably wouldn’t fit).

Oh the quandary. . . just to pay tribute to my great, great, great, great grandfather and claim my right to this country’s history. I’m proud that he served his country in such a marvelous and historical way, but as I ponder my pants I can’t help but feel amazingly inadequate and completely superficial. So I’ve decide to pull up my big girl panties (no matter the style), pick out something nice to wear, and begin on a path that would make my very great grandpa proud.

My Favorite Fall Spot

My Favorite Fall Spot

Posted on by Mama

fall spot

It’s a drizzly, cloudy day here in the Midwest and since I can’t spend time at my new favorite fall spot, I thought I would at least share it with all of you. We had a lower back deck built about a year and a half ago and it’s just now beginning to come together in a homey sort of way. . . just in time for some beautiful autumn days.

I pieced together all the furniture between here and Oklahoma over many months, but my new favorite spot is this adorable bright green find from the Sparks fall flea market. It’s a comfortable outdoor rocker that doesn’t require a cushion (because let’s face it, it’s a pain waiting for cushions to dry after the rain), and I just love the pop of color. I almost bought a similar chair months ago, but let it go when the woman wouldn’t deal. I regretted that decision,  so when I found a similar, but cuter, version at Sparks I knew it was definitely going home with me. In the end, I got the better deal. . . and I love deals!

fall spot

The other seating area travelled over 200 miles on different occasions, but it turned out to be a great space for kicking back and visiting with friends. The bench is from an antique store in Claremore, Oklahoma, and the trunk was a gift from my mom in Verdigris. As it turns out, if you put my Mom on task for a certain item that looks just like the one she has in her house, you might just become a proud owner sooner rather than later. I happily took the large chest off her hands, sanded it in a few spots, touched up some stain and added rollers for the perfect outdoor coffee table.

fall spot

That large ladder changes with the seasons, but I really like my little pumpkin buckets hanging from the rungs. Those buckets are old and rusty and may not make it many more years, but I love to plant flowers in them during the spring and summer months. This is the first year for mini pumpkins, but I’m really digging their festiveness!

fall spot

While my little favorite fall spot isn’t quite finished — there’s still a need for wall décor and a few extra touches — it has become quite the cozy getaway to enjoy the autumn wood. I can watch my son play in the yard, catch a few glimpses of wildlife, read a good book and enjoy the view.

fall spot

 

My Favorite Apple Crisp

My Favorite Apple Crisp

Posted on by Mama

applecrisp

The fall signals apple-picking time to me, and we have some wonderful orchards here in the Midwest ripe with a variety of scrumptious baking fruit. My mom’s group has visited Schweizer’s Orchard near St. Joseph, Missouri, the last couple of years for some delicious apples; plus, the children love to start their morning with the apple tree book before a tour and love to end it with a picnic and time on the playground. If you live close, and want to pick some fresh fruit,  I recommend a visit.

Okay, so you know where I pick my apples, but how about the fun part — the eating of it all?  There are so many ways to prepare a good apple, but this recipe is definitely one of my favs. This apple crisp is super simple and small, which makes it a quick in-the-moment or after-meal choice. My husband isn’t a fan of any dessert that doesn’t contain chocolate so it’s a good thing we don’t have to share this petite little dish. It will feed four in a pinch, but two to three is more like it. I like to serve it hot with a dollop of whipped cream on top, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream would also do.

Easy Apple Crisp
Serves 2
A quick apple dessert for two or three
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 2/3 c. rolled oats
  2. 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  3. 2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
  4. 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  5. 1/4 c. margarine
  6. 2 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly.
  3. In a small baking dish, lay out apples.
  4. Sprinkle with the oat mixture on top of the apples.
  5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
Notes
  1. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Adapted from American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook
Adapted from American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook
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