Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Just 5 ingredients and a hand mixer is all you need to make this deliciously addicting dip....
just in time for apple season!

Of all the things I love about fall....and there are many....one of my absolute favorites is apple picking! There's nothing better than spending an afternoon outside, in the crisp fall air, munching on apples and filling our basket WAY past the point of full....and then heading home with a chill in our bones and more apples than we know what to do with! We've picked apples nearly every year since having kids, and every year has been a completely different experience. Here are some of the highlights:

Scotcheroo Muddy Buddies

All the flavors of Scotcheroos....all the fun of Muddy Buddies! 

Because some things were just meant to be together.

Hey, Everyone.....Happy Monday! I hope you had a GREAT weekend. We spent ours in Michigan, visiting my husband's extended family, and we had such a nice time! Truth be told, I was a little nervous about how it would go with 3 kids and a 6 hour car ride....but it was definitely worth whatever whining and arguing and construction delays we had to endure to get there! We stayed with his sweet aunt (who just happens to own a restaurant), we ate like royalty, we attended the Mint Festival Parade, and we spent time with family we haven't seen in 3 years! It was a relaxing, feel-good kind of weekend.....and the best part of all? How much fun the kids had!!

Back to School Ruler Crate

It's Back to School time...and this DIY Ruler Crate will help you get ready! All you need is rulers, plywood, chalkboard paint & Mason jars...and then you can fill and organize to your heart's content!

Remember, as a kid, when you were smitten with the idea of having your own office? With your own things to organize and your own work to do? I remember loving desks and office supplies and....yes....work (I also couldn't WAIT to have homework) and secretly wishing, when I played any type of make-believe involving these things, that my real life was more like the make-believe! The sad thing is I was WAY more organized then (in my playtime) than I am now (in my real life)!

Teacher Gift: {Colored} Pencil Holder

All you need is a tin can, some spray paint, and a couple boxes of colored pencils to make this adorable {Colored} Pencil Holder...the perfect back-to-school Teacher Gift!

Well, folks....we've officially reached that point in summer when I am convinced that school needs to start. SOON! One of the things I'm looking forward to most (in addition to having a couple more moments of sanity in my day)? The fact that Greta will be starting kindergarten!! I can't wait to see how her year begins, her excitement and nerves on the first day of school, what new little friends she makes, and, maybe most importantly, who her teacher is!!

Balsamic Cherry Crostini

Fresh mozzarella, sweet cherry preserves, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar come together in this delicious baked crostini. Perfect for an appetizer, an afternoon snack, or a last-minute drop-in guest!

When we first moved into our house, we had a pretty heavily wooded lot. Not like state park wooded, but definitely campsite wooded....enough so that within our first year of living here, we had definitely seen raccoons, deer, wild turkeys, possums, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, and mice. All in our yard. All within 15 feet of our house. NOT always alive....but that's a different story. In terms of privacy, it was amazing! Most of the time we had no idea what our neighbors were doing (or if we even had neighbors...) and coming from our tiny starter lot, it was great!! And then the wild cutting began.

No-Bake Butterfinger Fudge

The flavor of Butterfinger....the creaminess of fudge! A match made in heaven!!

*Note: I updated the photos and recipe for this by dipping the individual pieces of fudge in melted chocolate. The result is even better than the original! Enjoy!!

Hey, Everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by today.....I hope you had a GREAT weekend! Ours was SO nice! We had a fun family night, made s'mores for the first time all summer, went to our 1 year old twin nephews' birthday party, had some friends over for a barbecue, and Greta learned how to ride a 2-wheel bike! (No more training wheels....woo hoo!!) I love having busy weekends....and so do the kids.....but when the end of the weekend rolls around, it is always clear that the kids have been having too much fun....and not enough sleep! And last night was no exception.

No-Stir Risotto w/Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables on top of Creamy No-Stir Risotto - it only looks fancy!

(It couldn't be easier to make!)

It's no secret that I love having people over to my house, and it's definitely no secret that I love to feed them! There's something about feeding people that makes me happy....like I am really taking care of them....and there is no better compliment than someone having two or three helpings of whatever I made and being absolutely stuffed when they leave! Thinking back, it all started in college, as soon as I had an apartment. I loved the idea of inviting friends over for dinner, and in my tiny apartment kitchen I tried my hand at homemade gnocchi, bruschetta, pasta, and more. At the time, it felt so "adult" to me....and I quickly realized that I loved to entertain! When Ellia was little we had people over all the time - for brunches, dinners, cookouts, Packer games....and when Greta was a newborn I was still hosting a weekly dinner for friends while Jorden was at class. It wasn't until Nora came along that everything changed.

Strawberry-Basil Shortcake

Strawberry-Basil Shortcake....the Strawberry Shortcake you love, with a delicious twist of basil!
Because basil makes everything better!

Yesterday was such an exciting day here at our Lemon Tree Dwelling! We picked the first fruits from our little garden! Our poor little garden, that we planted too late and regularly neglect....truthfully, it's amazing that anything is growing at all. So what if our "harvest" consisted of a single strawberry....(yes, one measly little red strawberry)....that's okay. Because one strawberry is better than no strawberries. (Hey - it's the first time we've ever had a ripe strawberry in our garden....so we're making progress!) Sad, I know. But true! I'm just really terrible at keeping plants alive. I understand that they need to be watered regularly...and yet, I can't bring myself to do it. So....year after year, Jorden brings home plants...and I kill them. I kill all of them! So I guess one ripe red strawberry really does feel like an accomplishment. And better yet? It gets me one step closer to another batch of this Strawberry-Basil Shortcake!