cute pumpkins + lately

This is what my Halloween looked like... 

Plenty of candy. Charlie Brown. And a happy pumpkin face. 

My ideal way to spend Halloween... not much different from most years!  :)

Festive orange nails & a good quote from one of this week's Bible study sessions.

And... this week I was baking with apples again... This time I made apple bread.

recipe: pumpkin swirl brownies

The swirls of orange pumpkin & dark chocolate make this treat perfect for Halloween!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Ingredients for the pumpkin mixture...

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Ingredients for the brownie mixture...

1 stick butter 

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

pinch of salt

Directions...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 pan or spray it liberally with vegetable oil.

Start by making the pumpkin batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree & vegetable oil until combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.

Now, make the brownie batter:  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add both sugars and mix. Remove from heat. Add eggs and vanilla, mix thoroughly. Then, add the flour & cocoa and mix until well combined.

Now you are ready to layer the pumpkin & brownie batters into the prepared pan... Start by smoothing half of brownie batter into the pan. Then smooth half of pumpkin mixture on top of the brownie layer. Repeat to make one more brownie layer and one more pumpkin layer. Try to work quickly so batters will not set.

With a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. 

If you'd like, sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool in pan & then cut into squares & serve!

Yumm!

snapshots from lately...

I love collecting little pieces of fall! This time of year is almost over, so I am really soaking it in! 

All week I have been enjoying cute pumpkins, yummy apples, cider & farm fresh eggs from a local farm that I went to last weekend! 

Yesterday, I used some of the apples to make crockpot applesauce! Yumm! I will share my recipe soon!

We got our first snow last night & even though it's melted now, I am definitely in the Christmas mood...

So, yes, I have started listening to Christmas music on Pandora... maybe it's a bit early, but I can't help it!! :)

Last weekend, my family had a little movie, candy, popcorn night & we watched one of our favorites, The Arisocats!! That movie is so 

nostalgic for me... we always watched it with my grandma! Plus, there is nothing like the old Disney animation, it is so cute!

PS. I am loving Pumpkin Spice Kisses!!

Snapshots via Instagram

Follow me @ sarah_brightside

{photography} cosmos

I was surprised to come across these cosmos in full bloom a couple of weeks ago. 

Cosmos are one of my favorite flowers!! They are so pretty, especially in the gorgeous evening light!

{photography} autumn beauty

I took these shots last week, when I went on an evening walk.

There was so much beauty to be seen & felt...

Red & yellow leaves. Golden sunset. Crisp evening air. 

I am enchanted by the beauty of autumn!

To God be the glory for His amazing creation!

I am ever thankful.

snapshots from lately...

I look forward to October every year! Of course, because it's fall & everyone loves fall!! 

But also because it's a month of celebrating... It is full of birthdays (my mom, sister, grandma & more...) 

plus, my grandparents anniversary. Also, it definitely feels like the beginning of the holiday season. 

So, basically October through December is my favorite time of the year!!

Saturday was my mom's birthday! We had plans to go apple picking & on a drive to see fall leaves, 

but the weather was not so great for that, so we ended up going out to lunch & to the art center to check out

 their current exhibits. It ended up being a wonderful day with my mom, sister & grandma! On Saturday night, 

I started feeling like I was getting sick & now I have a full-blown cold... that is not such a fun thing about 

this time of year, but oh well.

I am loving my new yellow nail polish! I have tried yellow a couple times before & it was never the right

 shade or it painted on unevenly. This yellow, called The Perfect Trench by L'oreal, is the perfect shade of a

muted mustard & it painted on smooth. I think it will be one of my favorites this fall!

The leaves are at their peak beauty right now!! I was driving downtown today & the trees that lined the 

street were covered in golden leaves. The wind was blowing the leaves through the air & the way the sun hit 

them as they flew made them look so magical. It was like a little piece of heaven! God is so good!!!

All of these "snapshots" are via Instagram. Follow me @ sarah_brightside. 

{inspired by} fall fashion photography

- -  Photos from Ruche Fall Lookbook  - -
I love the fashion, but even more I love this photoshoot... so pretty!

love as He loves...

"Love the LORD your God, and love one another.

Love one another as He loves.

Love with strength and purpose and passion and no matter what comes against you.

Don't weaken. Stand against the darkness, and love.

That's the way back into Eden.

That's the way back to life."

- quote from -

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

* * *

{photography} picking daisies

These photos were taken during my trip to Pagosa Springs last month...

And I am just now getting around to sharing them!!