Pumpkin Patch Date!

Where I live there is an amazing place to go this time of year, the Laity Pumpkin Patch. It has been around for as long as I can remember, a staple field trip in elementary schools across the lower mainland. Leigh and I have been meaning to go since the first year we were dating. We just never got around to it, as you have to time the weather for a fun day instead of a wet and soggy day.

I knew when I woke up yesterday that it would be the perfect day. We ran some errands, including borrowing rain boots from my sister. We finally got there and our long awaited pumpkin date began!

our little pumpkin that came home with us!

xoxo,
Taren

Pre-Birthday Fun

Exciting news, if you haven't already heard. I officially completed all my requirements for my BCRPA Personal Training registration! Yay me! This was quite a process, one I definitely underestimated, but more about that in a later post. 

With so much going on, I wasn't sure if I would do anything for my birthday but we ended up having some friends over last minute. I barely took any photos, but here are a few I did take. I was bored yesterday morning so I played around with editing in Picnik.

Kyleigh and my nephew decorating cupcakes

 Whenever my nephew is around, he steals the show. He gave me a birthday present which was obviously picked out by his parents, my brother and sister in law. After I opened my new supercute sweater, I said to my nephew "Thanks Jack, I love it!" and he looked at me funny and replied "Of COURSE you love it!" lol too cute!

I got surprised with birthday cupcakes made by my friend Nicole! So sweet! Of course my hubby was instructed by Nicole to not, under any circumstances, let me make cupcakes for the party. He was sleeping when I made them in his defense!

I also got even more spoiled by Nicole, she gave me a new charm for my Pandora bracelet! She is also Pandora obsessed just like me! They are so addicting!

I am a very lucky girl! :-)

xoxo,

Taren

If you haven't seen this, your life is not complete.

This actually made my day, week, life...so freaking awesome.

Watch in order!

ahh I love them soooo much!!!

Showered with Love

Yesterday was my sister Jenn's bridal shower. I am a totally sentimental person and may have teared up while looking at cards and making her gift (a photo album of her stagette photos). It's just that she's my little sister and she's getting MARRIED! It's crazy how time flies. It's also crazy how now all three of us siblings will be married! 

Anyways, here's some pics from the shower, hosted by the awesome, hilarious Chris. Chris had everyone come in purple which looked so amazing and classy as you will see from below pictures.

Food!!

Andrei surprised Jenn by bringing flowers!

sisters!!

Our cousin Melissa made Jenn a bikini top from her present ribbons!

Grandma, moi, Jenn, Melissa

Jenn and her Maid of Honour (Carlyne) and Matron of Honour (moi again)

Jenn gave us amazing earrings as a bridesmaid present and also a bikini and cover up for Mexico!

Ladies of the family: Aunty Terry, Melissa, Mom, Jenn, Grandma and me!

All in all it was so much fun, exactly what a shower should be: full of the brides favourite ladies and lots of love. I can't WAIT for the wedding in Mexico!! less than 3 weeks to go!

xoxo,
Taren

Something to Look Forward To

One of my favourite things about life is always having things to look forward to. This time of year is always a bit magical. Beautiful fall leaves, cold crisp weather, the promise of holiday fun with loved ones. It's also "birthday season" in my family. I turn 27 in less than two weeks. This year we also have my sister's wedding which is in less than a month!

In honour of looking forward, a new movie trailer which sums up that feeling:

New Year's Eve!

I know people had mixed feelings about Valentine's Day (which this movie is sort of a sequel of, but with different characters) but I loved it and I'm looking forward to this one as well. I also love Garry Marshall movies/tv shows!

Enjoy!

xoxo,
Taren

Mini Maple-Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins

Sometimes, I just need to bake. I'm not much of a baker, I would much rather cook a meal than bake most days. I think it's because I have more of a savory tooth than a sweet tooth. Baked goods just don't really do it for me. But tonight, I was in the mood to bake something seasonal.

Soo, I turned to my little book that I bought last year:

It was a little hard to choose what to make out of this book. It has 74 recipes, all seasonal. I decided to make something I already had most of the ingredients for. I hate going to the store to spend $30 on ingredients just to make one thing. I needed buttermilk, so I searched substitutions and found out this handy little nugget.

These actually taste just like pancakes. I love mini food, because it's just enough to satisfy you so that you don't mind when your husband eats the rest.

Mini Maple-Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins

(recipe from Bakerella)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk (don't buy it, make it here!)
1 egg
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift together with a wire whisk.
• In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on the tops.
• Divide evenly among muffin cups. 
• Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are light brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins.

Let cool slightly and remove from the pan. You may need to use a toothpick around the edges to separate the pancake muffins from the pan.
Serve immediately with warmed butter if you like or even just with maple syrup.

You could make these for breakfast or to eat while watching Jersey Shore. Your call! :-P

xoxo,

Taren