It’s November! Let the holiday season begin! Here’s what’s currently going on in my life this month.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, so if you purchase something, I might earn a little coffee money 🙂
Current fun Family walks after Jimmy gets home from work. We decided that we won’t let cold weather and an early sunset keep us from being outside as much as possible, so we just bundle up and take Mavis and Sadie on a quick walk around the block before dinner most nights. It’s such a great way to connect as a family at the end of the day ❤
Currently making Homemade vanilla extract. The hardest part is waiting eight weeks for it to be ready!
Current drink Starbucks Holiday Blend, with a side of Mavis 🙂
Current question Does anyone else wake up first thing in the morning and just instantly have 600 random questions in their brain? This is me 24/7. For example, the other day I had the following questions floating around my head (among a million others) before 6:00 am:
-Why do camels have humps?
-What did manna look and taste like?
-Do Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes shed more?
-How do you sprout chia seeds?
-Is it possible to spray paint screws?
-Can you grind your own flour using a food processor?
Current food I’m totally addicted to this honey cinnamon peanut butter.
Current baked good Challah! My absolute favorite bread to bake. Word got around at our church that I’m an avid bread baker, and I’ve been getting orders for challah. So. much. fun.
Current book(s) When I Was White: A Memoir by Sarah Valentine (<–fascinating and based in Pittsburgh!) and the book of Exodus (still loving my new study Bible so, so much). Sadie’s current favorite is Babies Love First Words by Scarlett Wing. I’m pretty sure it’s how she learned to say ball!
Current beauty product Literally nothing. I have broken out in the most annoying, weird rash all over my body. I have no idea what it’s from, so I’m trying not to put anything on my skin. Bleh.
Current joy Savoring little moments. I spent a few minutes watching the sun rise this morning and just taking note of all the color changes and the smoke coming from chimneys in our neighborhood. It’s lovely to just pause and take things in, you know?
Living My Full Life 
The way your mind works and how actively it ponders questions reminds me of how I’m pretty sure Brady’s mind works! He is ALWAYS thinking and wondering. I’m like that to a degree, but maybe not quite as much. Still, I love how God created us all so differently. It’s the curious minds that discover inventions and solutions to problems!
You know I’m obsessed with Starbucks coffee too!! 🙂
I haven’t really been baking as much these days, but I hope to fix that with the holidays coming up. 🙂
I hope that your skin rash clears up! That’s so horrible. 😦 I know my sister (and my daughter) both have very sensitive skin, and the only thing they can use on their skin (if it’s breaking out) is CeraVe lotion. I’m not sure if that would help you out at all or not?
I must be signed in on my dad’s computer and he leaves comments as me, LOL.
I am glad someone else’s mind works like mine! I can’t wait to see what you bake for the holidays! I am going to check out CeraVe!! Thank you 🙂
Thanks for sharing Allie!
Love You!
Dad
That’s Ava’s mind – the questions. They’re nonstop. And now Owen has started in with the “Why, Mama? Why?” I think I’m going to outsource his questions to Ava and maybe she’ll learn to ask him her questions.
I’m so impressed with your challah bread skills. I keep meaning to try to make challah. I’m a bit intimidated by it though.
I hope your skin heals up soon! So sorry you’re having to deal with that.
Hahah, love your idea of outsourcing questions to Ava so then maybe she can ask Owen her questions, too!
Challah is a lot like baking other breads, just in the form of a braid (which you are great at doing with hair!). It’s so satisfying when it comes out! I am intimidated by sourdough bread. I just ordered a few sourdough cookbooks to the library, so hopefully I can tackle that soon 🙂
Thanks for the well wishes for this rash! I think it’s maaaybe starting to go away!
Good luck with the sourdough! My mom won a sourdough starter at some meeting she attended and she was on a real sourdough kick for awhile. One night she asked my stepdad what he wanted for dinner and he said, “Not sourdough.” That’s when she knew she had taken the sourdough too far. 🙂
I wish I felt more awake early in the morning haha. The only question running through my mind when I wake up is “how many times can I press the snooze button before I *really* have to get up?” 😅
I hope your skin heals soon. You mentioned that you haven’t used any new beauty products. Have you changed your brand of laundry detergent or fabric softener? Perhaps that might be the cause?
Oh wow, the challah looks amazing! It’s been so long since I last baked bread. You’ve inspired me 🙂
Hahah about the snooze! My sister is like that, too! She sets her alarm way before she needs to get up just so she can press snooze a few times and know she’s okay time-wise, lol. She’s a heavy sleeper, so I think starting to wake herself up before she needs to helps her slowly wake up!
I don’t think I’ve changed anything skin/laundry wise! It’s so weird. Maybe it’s a fall allergy or something?!
I hope you get a chance to bake bread soon!
Hahah I’m cracking up at your random thoughts, and I totally get those too!! Usually they happen if I wake up in the middle of the night around 3 or 4 am! I loved reading this post-so thankful I had a couple moments to pop in ❤ I have not heard of homemade vanilla extract- how does that work?! How cool! Perfect for holiday season coming up too. Also, that challah bread looks soo delicious! Thanks for sharing, Allie : )
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who has a million thoughts floating around in their head! I’m also glad you had a few moments to pop in and comment. I always love getting your comments, Mackenzie!
The vanilla extract is super simple to make! Literally the hardest part is waiting! Here’s the recipe I’m using: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/
Thank you for the recipe! Perfect time of year to give this a try 🙂
I love that you have orders for your challah bread! It seems like you have been making that for ages. Think you would ever be up for a video tutorial of how to do it? I used to make it pretty frequently years ago, but it has been so long now! I’d love to see your method!
The rash sounds terrible! I second the question about whether or not you have changed laundry detergent. I know that causes issues for a lot of people. I hope it clears up soon!
It has been so much fun making it for others! I do remember you making it way back in the day! Posting a video would be such a fun idea!! I usually do a six strand braid and start on the left side and use the method of “over two, under one, over two,” if that makes sense?! I guess that’s why a video would be easier to explain/show haha!
The rash cleared up! I still have no clue what it was from, but I am so thankful it is gone now 🙂
Oh! Oh! Oh! I can answer one of your questions!
You asked if it’s possible to spray-paint screws? Yes, it is. You may recall that about two years ago I was working as a factory hand for a signmaker. You can spray-paint a screw by rubbing the head with scotchbrite, then wiping any residual dust off with methylated spirits. Put a hole in a sheet of cardboard and poke the threaded part of the screw through it, and then you can safely spray-paint the head of the screw. I did this to make screws for literally every ambulance-station sign in the State of Victoria!
Yay! Thank you so much, Stephen! I am happy to report I used your method and it all turned out perfectly! Thank you 🙂 We now have black screws to go with our black hardware and it all looks great!
Also, how amazing that you did this to make screws for every ambulance-station sign in the State of Victoria! That is wild!
Aunt Jodi would love love love to purchase jalapeno cheddar bread but unfortunately I don’t think it would be very fresh when I would receive it so I guess you’ll just have to come and visit me and make it here
Aww, I would love that Aunt Jodi! Please come visit soon 🙂
I’m loving holiday flavored coffee too! Aldi has a bunch of flavors right now, like maple, pumpkin spice, and white chocolate! They are delicious and definitely make me feel very festive haha!
I hope that rash clears up, that sounds awful! Have you found out what caused it?
I just saw those flavors at Aldi and they sounded so wonderful! The maple was especially calling my name 🙂
I don’t know what caused the rash, but it’s gone now! Yay!
I love that you guys are still taking walks even though it’s freezing. That really does sound like such a nice way to connect as a family. ❤ How cool that you're making your own vanilla extract, I had no idea it took so long! I've gotta try that Starbucks Holiday coffee, love the seasonal blends that are coming out this time of year. 🙂 If I lived near you, I'd be putting in my order for some challah bread ASAP!
We have been keeping up with the walks and it’s something I look forward to each and every day!
The vanilla extract should be ready TOMORROW!!! Wooo! It has felt like a long wait, but I think it will be worth it!
Oh my gosh! So exciting that the vanilla extract will be done tomorrow!