October = Breast Cancer Awarenss, Baking, and Football (and a plug on "Moneyball")

Can we just take a moment here and reflect on the fact that it is October already?  I don’t know what it has been about the year 2011, but I feel like it has been moving too fast!  For some reason, I cannot wrap my mind around the fact it is fall already, let alone October.  My mind, recently, has been in a time warp it seems.  I am forgetting important dates and appointments; something I rarely ever do.  I’m not sure if the antibiotics I’ve been on for the last month and a half have been messing with my brain, or if it’s just early short term memory loss. Either of those options are probably not good. – Aghh.

Being the first weekend of October, I did exactly what I wanted to do...I baked...a lot, made some meals to put in the freezer to send back with Luke, watched Brad Pitt's new movie, Moneyball and spent time with Luke.

Moneyball was an amazing movie! I had heard that it was a good movie, but it really was the perfect combination of comedy, drama and inspiration.  I definitely recommend this to everybody! It's not just for baseball fans...but if you're a baseball fan, you will not want to miss this one! Just watch it!

Moving on to baking...

Beginning Thursday, I went to Richland's Gull Meadow Farms and bought a 1/2 peck of apples and made Apple Crisp to take down and share with my in-laws. Nothing is better than apple crisp with vanilla ice cream to go with a friendly visit with the in-laws. :)a

Friday, I went to Jackson to spend the afternoon with my mom and help her bake goodies for a benefit bake sale.  The proceeds are going toward chemo treatments for a family friend who is in the advanced stages of Breast Cancer and can no longer afford the treatments on her own.  Not only are we raising funds for her, we're raising awareness;which seems fitting since how October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. - So we baked cookies, Peanut-Gooey Bars and caramel apples.

Saturday, I put a pot roast in the crock pot for dinner, made homemade apple sauce to share with a neighbor, and homemade meatballs and sauce to bag up into individual servings and freeze (also to send with Luke).

Sunday, I baked 4 loaves of pumpkin bread (1 to share with a neighbor, 2 to send with Luke to share with his roommates and 1 to enjoy here), and 5qts. of chicken and dumpling soup (again - to send with Luke and some for here). 

All in all - I'd say that it has been a very productive weekend and Luke will be eating well!

Now, it's time to relax and watch my Packer's play some football!

 We made made plain caramel apples as well as some with nuts and some with sprinkles. :D

 I cheat and use this tool to peel and slice my apples for the apple crisp and applesauce...I'm not a very good apple peeler, corer, slicer without this thing.

 1 of the 4 loaves of Pumpkin Bread...Yum!

 Dumplings...

Chicken and Dumpling Soup.