Back-to-School, Back to Fall! – From Guest Blogger Jyl Nipper
Summer is winding down, kids are going back to school and the cool air is coming. I love fall weather. It is my favorite time of the year for many reasons, and this year I am especially looking forward to it. We have had several months with extremely hot temperatures this year, over 100 degrees most days, and that crisp cool air that smells of fall will be greeted with open arms. I love the changing of the leaves — all of the bright oranges, yellows and reds – and pumpkins dotting fields, ripe for picking, while children get excited to pick out their costume for a night of trick or treating.
I am not sure about most families but we officially end our summer on Labor Day weekend. We all gather together at my uncle’s place in the mountains and celebrate with great food, family and friends. People from all over migrate to this small town carrying a covered dish and most also bring a musical instrument. While there will be some sitting around making music, some will be making food however all will be making memories.
With the beginning of fall we start planning our trip to the pumpkin farm. The kids talking excitedly about what kind of pumpkin they want that year, what costume they will wear and what parties they hope to attend and most of all what kind of treat we will prepare the day after Halloween. We started this tradition several years ago when the kids were little and they would bring in way more candy than they needed. “What do you do with all of the candy?” was something that we were always asking. So, we started making bar cookies the day after. Each child gets to pick out a cereal and some candy to make their bars with — things like Mom’s Best Naturals Oats & Honey Blend and Snickers, or Mom’s Best Naturals Honey Nut Toasty O’s and M&Ms. The possibilities are endless in the types of combinations you can come up with and the bars never turn out the same.
The time spent in the kitchen together is priceless. My kitchen is the hub of our home. It is well used and looks it. I remember once my son was asked what his favorite food was, and his answer? Anything my Mom makes. That makes me proud. It also swells my heart to know that my kids would rather come home for a meal than to eat out with their friends and that most of their friends would also rather be in the kitchen with us. So as our summer comes to a close and we draw together as a family and embrace our friends along with us I hope that you will join together as we prepare for many more days of “making memories” that lie ahead.