Fall Photo Scavenger Hunt #FallPhotoScavHunt

 

Hey friends! If you haven't noticed, I love lists! I also love lists that get me to get out and do something. I especially love lists that help me slow down & appreciate what's around me during one of the best seasons of the year, fall. :) I'm obviously pretty biased.

In the past, I've been discouraged when I join in on a photo challenge but then miss days or take a photo & forget to post it on the correct day. Everyone else will be posting pictures of bunnies & I'm still on a pictures of my feet. ;) I have always felt behind & ended up giving up.

I want to have fun doing this & I want you to have fun, too, without all the pressure. Therefore, there are no real rules, except to take all the photos on the list by November 30th. Which is 2 full months. We can do it!

How it works:

Take all the photos on the list by November 30th. You can get as creative or basic as you want! Post them on Instagram or your social media of choice with #FallPhotoScavHunt. (If you post on your blog, please leave me the link to each post. So I can see them!)

Each week I will pick my favorite photos & blog about them. :)
Come November 30th, I will choose someone who's posted the whole list & send them something special. :) That's it! Easy, peasy! 

*Tip: Open this post up on your phone, click the image & "Save Image" to your photo library on your phone, so you always have the list with you. Also, if you're feeling extra generous, ;) :) post this photo on your own social media! The more people we have & photos to look at, the more fun! :)

Happy photo taking friends!

Texas Fall Bucket List

You guys, I think it got down to the 70's today in Austin. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord! It gave me glimmers of hope. And visions of fall scarves & magical colored leaf unicorns. (Can you guess what my favorite season is?!)  Fall is probably still months away for Texas, & vastly underwhelming compared to some parts of the country, but that's not going to stop me from posting my TX Fall bucket list & getting super pummmmmmmmmped for the fall season, even if we're in Texas! So here she goes, our 2015 TX Fall Bucket List!

Texas State Fair September 25 – October 15
 
Pumpkin Picking at a Pumpkin Patch (like a real one, not one in a Church parking lot)

Carve our pumpkins that we got at said awesome pumpkin patch

Make some Pumpkin Butter from the pumpkins we got at.. okay, I'll stop sorry.

Make an Apple Pie

Make Pumpkin Bread from the pumpkins we got.. okay. J/k. Not funny anymore, I know.

Decorate our back porch

Wear something plaid because I'm trendy

Go Camping

Pick Persimmons & Make something Persimmony

Pick Pecans

Have a Bonfire

Roast Marshmallows

Go to a Football game (It doesn't matter what kind! College, Pro, (<ya, right! We can't afford either of those tickets) high school, Little league, whatever, as long as it's football!)

Make popcorn Balls

Find a favorite fall candle

Make hand print turkeys with Sophie

Go to a Corn Maze

Hike Enchanted Rock

Host a Soup Party Sharing our Laoshan New Spring tradition!


Maybe Wurstfest November 6-15
 

What am I missing? What is on your Fall Bucket List? Tell me, tell me, please!
 

Pumpkin Carving

 

Our Halloween celebrations were endless this year! We had a High School Halloween dance to attend, Halloween parties in every class at school & lots of Halloween fun at home with our evening students. For Halloween, we had a 'market day' where our students used their 'money' they've earned in class the past few months, to buy some goodies!

The kids alos dressed in their Halloween best.

In China, there is usually a large bin at most grocery stores that will always & only have colorful masks, shiny capes & witch hats, as you can see above. Coco was, of course, the most popular of the party with her Elsa, Frozen costume!

 

Once everyone choose their pumpkins (we had 26 to choose from!) we started carving. Last year we carved some awesome pumpkins with our students but this year we had 21 students' pumpkins to carve among our evening classes, so we went with the plain and simple triangle faces. 

 

 

I accidentally cut this guys nose off, so I had to put him back together with a toothpick!

The kids had a great time & I'm not gonna lie, even though I cut 10+ pumpkins, it was still fun. Carving pumpkins will never get old, I think! I can't wait to have our own kids one day to carve them with!

Host a Soup Parrty

 

This year was the third year in a row that our Church has hosted a soup party. It's a tradition that I hope to carry on & host, no matter where we are. It's fabulous. What other time do you get to taste 15+ home cooked, delicious soups?! Fall isn't over & we're coming up to the really chilly part of the year, why not host your own soup party!!  

What's a soup party? 

A soup party is a party filled with soup, obviously! It should also be filled with lots of friends! 

Zachary and I at our last soup party! (Sorry these next two pics are a little blurry, but they're the only ones we got this year! :) I must post them for memories sake, ya know?! )

Zachary & Nik at the soup party! 

What do you do?

Invite your family & friends, ask them to make a soup & bring it in a crock pot! Once you have all your soups lined up and ready, the eating begins! Have everyone try each soup. Once everyone has had their fill & tried each one, hand out peices of paper for everyone to select their favorites! Give the first, second and third place soup makers a prize! 

What do I need?

-Invites

-desserts & bread (if you want, or ask friends to bring a dessert & bread with their soup)

-spoons

-napkins

-Large paper plates

-small cups to be placed on top of the plate &  used as bowls like so;

If you want to get real fancy, why not decorate, too?

These potted flowers  in a pumpkin are easy & beautiful. Why not try a cinnamon pumpkin tea light holder, too? 

Need some delicious soup recipes for your soup party?! Try these!

Roasted Cauliflower & Aged Cheddar Soup

Tom Yum Soup

Quinoa Vegetable Chili

Chicken Soup

Clam Chowder

Also, not to brag or anything ;), but I won last year with a recipe similar to this one. This years top 3 were delicious, mine this year didn't stand a chance!! #1 was a pumpkin curry soup. #2 was a creamy onion soup and #3 was a delicious taco soup! Click for similar recipes!

Also, why you're at it, why not 'Click' and 'Save Image as' these  Soup Party Printables I made for you!

 

Let me know if you host one! I promise, it's tons of fun!

Roasted Cauliflour & Aged Cheddar Soup

This soup has become one of my favorites this season. It's light, savory & delicious. I've made it 3 times in the last month!  I found this recipe on Closet Cooking, where I seem to be finding all my recipes as of late. Kevin posts so many delicious looking recipes, that there's not enough hours or meals in my week, to try all the ones I'd like to. You'll love this soup, friends. It's oober easy , made with very few ingredients, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen! Also, it goes perfect with this beer bread. Enjoy! 

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tablespoons oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup milk or cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss the cauliflower in oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in a 400F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

Heat oil in a pan, add onion & saute about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Add garlic & thyme. Saute one minute.

Add the broth & the roasted cauliflower. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & summer for 20 minutes. 

Puree the soup in a blinder. Pour back into the pan.

Mix in the cheese. Stir. *Don't bring back to a boil.

Mix in the milk & season with salt & pepper. 

Top with more cheese, bacon or thyme! Enjoy!!