Mini Apple Pies

Our family made a trip to the orchard this fall and I still had a huge bag of apples left over, even after my batch of applesauce and apple bread.  I wanted to find something different to make with it and I found this amazing recipe for bite-size apple pies at the Lady with the Red Rocker.  Did I mention I love bite size snacks?  And I have to tell you that I was not disappointed!

This is all you need!

1/2c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 pkg (2 crusts) refrigerated pie crust
3 tbsp. melted butter
2 medium apples, cut and peeled into 8 wedges (I used Jonathan apples)


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Cut the pie crust into 8 strips.  Coat each strip with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Wrap each apple slice into the crust by rolling it up.  I also coated my apple slices with the cinnamon sugar mix - you know, just to make sure they had enough :).

Getting all bundled up for the oven!

Place each apple pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Coat the tops with more melted butter and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar mix.  Bake for 10-13 min.

All lined up ready for baking!

My little helper :)

Here it is finished!  A quick, easy and yummy little treat!  I bet it would be perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream?  And a cup of coffee?

HAPPY BAKING!  ENJOY!

Easy Angel Costume

Last week, my sister-in-law asked if I'd have enough time to put together an angel costume for my sweet  niece, Olivia.  It couldn't be that hard, right? I was right!  So super easy!  The materials were provided by my SIL . . . she picked out white satin fabric (2 yds.) and silver sequin ribbon.  Here's how I made it (minus the wings and halo):

First, I measured Olivia.
          chest - 32"
          length - 41" from shoulder to ankle
          arm - 21" from shoulder to wrist

I unfolded the fabric and re-folded each side onto the center fold (this allowed me to use less fabric in order to have enough length).  Using half of her chest measurement, I measured from the fold and cut two pieces (for the front and the back).

Then I cut the length.

I used a T-shirt as a guide for my pattern.  I cut the width according to my measurements, allowing an extra inch or two for the seam.  I wanted the costume to be a little big so she could wear warm clothes underneath for trick-or-treating :) My chest measurement was 32", so the front and back needed to be about 18" each.  I took approximately half of that measurement and used 11" for my width for the pattern.

Using my arm length measurement, I used the T-shirt again as a guide for the sleeves.

I hemmed the neckline for the front and the back, then attached the two pieces together making a shoulder seam and the side seam with RIGHT sides together.

I attached the long side of the sleeves with RIGHT sides together.

 To attach the sleeves onto the body, I found it easiest to turn the sleeve back to RIGHT SIDE OUT and slide the sleeve into the body (the body should still be INSIDE OUT).  Line up the seam of the sleeve with the side seam of the body and pin.  Pin the sleeve all the way around the arm hole and stitch.

After both sleeves are attached, I turned the whole costume right side out.  I hemmed the sleeves and the bottom to finish the edges.  To give it a little sparkle, I added the silver sequin ribbon around the neckline and the bottom of the sleeves.  I've never sewn on sequins before, but I just stitched it right onto the fabric on each side of the ribbon - it was so much easier than I thought it would be!

And . . . voila!  Nothing fancy, but sweet and simple!

 I can't wait to see it with wings!

I'm BAAACK!

Geez, it's been so long since I've written a blog, I had to give myself a tutorial for the website!  What a busy summer!  Lots has happened since my last blog for Evan's dedication, I don't know where to begin.  The kids are getting so big - Evan will be 9 months on the 19th and is now crawling everywhere and pulling up standing next to, um, everything!  And of course getting into all sorts of new trouble :)

Abby turned 2 years old on September 4, and started dance classes this year.  She loves it!  I was worried she would be too young, but she does so good!

We had a great summer swimming and riding our bikes together.  Jeremy and I both got new bikes and bought a pull-behind trailer for the kids.  They have fun sitting next to each other riding on the trails and around the neighborhood.

We also took a vacation to Hocking Hills, OH late June.  We had a great time with Jeremy's family, where most of us stayed in a huge log cabin that we rented.  So nice!  Jason and Julie stayed in a nearby campground with their 6 kids.  It was so nice to spend that time together!  We made a day trip to the Columbus Zoo, which the kids loved!

Jeremy's youngest brother, Jonathan, and his wife, Kelly, got married July 9th.  A beautiful wedding in Holland on a scorching hot day!  At least it didn't rain!  Welcome to our family, Kelly!  We are so blessed to call you a sister now!

A more sad event was the passing of my grandmother, Rosemary Zaskiewicz.  She was 85 and had been in poor health the past few years.  In and out of the hospital on a regular basis, we all knew she wouldn't live much longer.  On September 27th, she passed peacefully at St. Mary's Hospital after a lethal diagnosis of pneumonia.  It gives me peace to know that she is in a better place and no longer suffering.

We recently put our house on the market for sale, as well.  I'm feeling lead toward being a stay-at-home mom, and we can't afford to stay in our house on one income.  It is bittersweet, since we built our house together.  There are so many memories here, from staying here for the first time on our wedding night to bringing home both of our children to this house.  All the meals cooked and shared, the laughs, the cries, the prayers, the birthday parties, Christmas parties, and the list goes on.  Pray that we can sell quickly and move onto the newest chapter in our lives!