Yesterday's Top 10

Because I'm on a roll with the top-10 thing, I'm gonna post the top 10 loves of yesterday.

Morning exercise (how I run these days).

It was perfect: not too hot, not too cold.  Awesome.

Little Miss is independent on her two-wheeler sans training wheels, but wouldn't be able to quite keep up, so she rides in the stroller when we (I) go running. 

Both boys doing their math independently:

 Painting sugar pumpkins:

 Reading charts for this month...

 with fun Halloween stickers for the month of October...

Baking, in the late afternoon before dinner, and listening to the sounds of the kids outside with the neighborhood children, watching the filtered light through the yard:

 Watching the pampas grass wave in the wind...it was breezy and lovely all day...

Stories before bedtime:

 

(You can see evidence of all 4! children here)

Prepping (making) the kids' Halloween songbooks (one of our school Halloween activities) after they were in bed:

 Anticipating my weekend project for my front door that I'm so excited about...probably gonna do it on Saturday night when Mr. C.'s away at priesthood session...

And, lastly, THESE.

Oh. my. yummy.

I decided to bake some muffins yesterday afternoon and thought something fall-ish would be delish.

Searched some recipes, and decided on this one.

Ummmmm...if you're craving pumpkin and spice and everything nice...this is it.  

Bake some today!  

I modified this recipe just a titch from Taste of Home's recipe, but I'm listing it just as I made it.  The original recipe is here.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips 
• TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

Mix muffin goods all together, and fill 12 greased muffin cups.  

 Then mix the dry ingredients for the topping together and cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender...

 til the mixture is crumbly.

Generously scoop over all the muffins (don't skimp!).

Then, bake at 375 degrees just til toothpick inserted comes out clean (don't overbake!!).  For me it was roughly 18 minutes.

Divinity in a bite, I tell you.