never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker

Hellooooooo fall!

Compared to the calendar, its been "autumn" for a while now, but today is the first really crisp fall day in good ole' Oklahoma. I'm wearing a sweater for the first time, had to turn on the heater in my car and could see my breath as I walked into the office (OK, that part is a lie). I'm in heaven! I've been drinking apple cider (sometimes spiked...), burning apple and cinnamon scented candles and pretending its cold enough to wear sweat pants for a while now.... But something about it being iced cider and paring sweat pants with a tank top and flip flops just didn't feel right.

Even though the leaves don't reeeeally change color here, they still fall from the trees and need to be raked. As happy as I am that I'm about to NOT have to mow any more, raking has never been my favorite thing (cue the blisters, folks!). Luckily, my little friend Linus has given me some good advice..... "Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker!" Hopefully Chloe will be as helpful as Snoopy.

Considering its fall, everyone is all about pumpkin this and pumpkin that. I really don't like pumpkin spice lattes (go ahead and call me crazy), but I'll go for some pumpkin bread or cookies any day. I found this nifty recipe on good ole' pinterest and just had to give it a try. I accidentally grabbed chocolate chips instead of white chocolate, but it was still pretty tasty. If you're in the pumpkin mood like all of America seems to be, give these suckers a try. They won't disappoint.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cherries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; combine until all ingredients are incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips and dried cherries.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For those of you following the mouse hunt, I finally discovered the source of the smell. Chloe used her K-9 sense of smell and kept sticking her head in a basket of blankets I had. I figured she just wanted to shred the stuffed bear that was in the basket, as she has been in the destructive mood lately. But, after a few days of going straight to the basket every time she came in the house (and the smell not getting any better), I figured I better check it out..... Or get Cole to do it. Good thing I did...... When he pulled the blankets out and shook them, a dead mouse fell on the floor. GAG. Luckily, after getting it out of the house and throwing the blankets away, the smell was gone in a matter of minutes. Thank you, Chloe! I guess she is earning her keep after all. 

Also, for anyone interested, my latest issue of Pinto Horse is now posted online! Check it out here: http://issuu.com/pintohorse/docs/fall2012. 

Later alligator.