must haves...

the crisp cool air has taken up residence in the valley... it is official... summer is over... 

i stumbled over to anthropologie  this afternoon to torture myself... here are my MUST HAVES of the season... even though i will not be having ANY of them... except for in my dreams.

enjoy.

can't you just see this with a wonderful scarf... 

love this bit of sass...

cozy wozy... put on some leggin's... light the fire... cook up some stew and in the meantime sip on some apple cider... yumm...

i think i could sell real estate in this...

this is for miss hot mama...

delish.

so sweet... i might have to break down and actually purchase this... it is too delightful... and imagine is under one of those fabulous coats above... yep.

didn't think the previous photo did the shirt justice... so here it is on a human.

ri-dic-u-lous. love the sass... yet again.

skinny jean to go with ALL of the above... 

new thing... i think it is called a jegging... not sure though... they are jean leggins... need 'em.

classic legging with a twist... stirrups. dig it.

i LOVE patterned tights. LOVE.

pinwheels. cute.

AH... these are SOCKS!  

speechless.

i have been on the look out for the perfect pair of black boots... i found my perfect pair of brown ones last year... now i need black ones... not sure if these are them... but they would do in a pinch... for sure.

ok now i am going a bit too far into my little fantasy shopping excursion... i live where it snows feet... multiple feet... over night... not sure these are appropriate... but oh so divine.

yet again... the snow... not sure suede... wedge... peep-toe heals would be a good idea... but then again i could just wear my sorels to my destination and then make a quick switch-a-roo upon arrival... yeah that could work... so problem solved... now just need to acquire these little buggers...

maybe these could work too with little grippers added to the bottom... 

what do you think of my winter wardrobe?

cake balls...

these are super easy... tons of fun... and REALLY delicious! 

a real crowd pleaser!

first cook your cakes... use a box cake... it gives you just the right fluff to sponge ratio...

i used one devils food and... 

(please forgive some of these photos... no idea why they have decided to rotate)

one yellow cake... mr. rooster's fav

then you take icing in the can... yes... in the can... i am usually TOTALLY against but for this... it TOTALLY works...  just the right sticky to fluffy ratio...

for the yellow cake i used cream cheese frosting with a few drops of yellow food coloring... to match the color of the cake... you'll see why in just a moment...

darn photo... sorry... so i used milk chocolate with the devil's food cake...

you will need some melting candies... i chose peanut butter chips... chocolate chips... green mint chips... and white chocolate chips... put those aside for just one moment...

take your cake (i used only half because i was making two different flavors at the same time and because i was rushed for time i didn't) crumble it up in the bowl with your icing... if you use half of the cake you will use half of the icing in the can... if you use the whole cake use the whole can... easy enough.

 mix them together...

then take a melon baller... spoon... or just your hands and start making the balls... whatever size you would like... no rules here...

 lay them out on a piece of parchment paper...

when you are finished making the balls put them in the refrigerator... or if you are in a hurry... the freezer... you need them to harden... you don't need them frozen solid!

now... go find those melting goodies... put them into individual bowls... pop 'em in the microwave for the time specified on the bags...

then dip the cake balls into the melted goodies... place back on parchment... sprinkle if you wish... and pop 'em back in the refrigerator...

here are the yellow cake balls with chocolate melty all over... oh and sprinkles...

here are the devil's food with milk chocolate and white chocolate... and green mint melty...

then you eat 'em!

there are lots and lots of different varieties you could make... let your imagination run wild... and let me know how it goes!

organization station...

i am thinking about getting us organized a bit better on the home front... these photos are inspiring...

lovely design

place to dream...

dream place

treasure hunting... first expedition...

                       look at this school house turned into a darling cottage...country living  showed it to me...

love the use of this VIBRANT color in a little bitty stairwell...

great use of solids and patterns in the again teensy tiny space...

i want this kitchen... minus a few things... and maybe my splash color would be something other than green...hmmm...

maybe no certain splash COLOR... but rather COLOR is the splash itself... yeah that's BETTER.

xo

apples and pumpkins past...

mr. rooster and i are going to get our pumpkins soon... i can't wait... i love pumpkin pickin' time... a few years ago we went to pick out pumpkins with his parents at a farm in wisconsin. i was so excited for the outing... i had it all planned out in my mind... it was going to be a cool day we would wear sweaters...drink apple cider... go out pick some apples... then move on to the pumpkin patch and locate just the right one...or ten...

well... that was all fairly accurate with the exception to the weather... it did not cooperate with my fantasy at all... in fact i believe it was 90 degrees that day out in the apple orchard and pumpkin patch... 

here is mr. rooster and his dad picking out some perfectly imperfect apple for us.

we had such a great time pickin' apples and pumpkins... i can't wait to go get our pumpkin this year!!

dear gary p. and colleen ellen...

hello,

i am a cockapoo.  i am the perfect addition to your family... i don't shed... i am smart. i am little (18-22lbs.) i LOVE people...

oh and i am CUTE... and i come in a BUNCH of different colors...

so... why don't you take a drive down to CEDARBURG... yes WISCONSIN... and see me...

http://cockapoolove.com/testimonials.html

mr. gary p... i am brownie... i thought you might like me...

mrs. colleen ellen... i am regan... i thought you might like me...

                                    

hey! don't forget me wiley... i am from cedarburg too!

{all images from: www.dogbreedinfo.com and http://cockapoolove.com/}

love, your future cockapoo