{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!!

snapshots from lately...

new fall-ish nail color, revlon raven red  ///  currently reading "the magic of ordinary days" by ann howard creel

favorite lunch lately: grilled cheese with tomato, chicken noodle soup & of course, candy corn.

my cute doggie, after getting groomed  ///  she loves when i share goldfish with her

this is a watercolor that my mom recently painted. it is so good, especially since it is one of her first.

time to start watching heartland, season 5  ///  goodies from the library

i love this beth moore quote from bible study  ///  items that a missionary to thailand shared with my church on sunday

Life has been good! Thank you Jesus, it's all from You!!!

{follow me on instagram @ sarah_brightside }

{recipe} pumpkin doughnut muffins

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffin 

with maple cream cheese frosting

To make the Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins...

3 cups All-purpose Flour

2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/3 cup Buttermilk

1 1/4 cups Pumpkin Puree

1 3/4 sticks Unsalted Butter

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups or use cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, & cinnamon.

In a small bowl, mix together the pumpkin and buttermilk. Set both mixtures aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture. Mix until combined.

Fill each muffin cup with the batter so that is is ¾ of the way full. Bake for about 30 minutes.

To make the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting...
4 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
2 cups Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup

Mix all ingredients together, using an electric mixer, until the texture is smooth & creamy.
Frost cupcakes. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup & a baked apple chip.


* * *
This time, I wanted to try a maple cream cheese frosting...
but a Maple-Cinnamon Glaze is also perfect for these!!


To make a Maple-Cinnamon Glaze...
1-2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1-2 cups Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons Milk

Whisk these ingredients together until it is smooth & the desired thickness.
If it is too thick, add more Milk. If it is too thin, add more Confectioner's Sugar.
Top each muffin with 1-2 layers of the glaze.


Oh how, I love the flavors of fall!!

{photography} pretty horses

These sweet horses came over to "say hi" to us while we were in Pagosa Springs last month.

Horses are my favorite!!!  :)

week forty memory verse...

see my verses from weeks...

one & two  ||  three  ||  four  || five  || six || seven  ||  eight  || nine || ten  || eleven || twelve || thirteen 

fourteen || fifteen || sixteen || seventeen || eighteen || nineteen || twenty || twenty-one || twenty-two  

twenty-three || twenty-four || twenty-five || twenty-six || twenty-seven || twenty-eight || twenty-nine  

thirty || thirty-one || thirty-two || thirty-three || thirty-four || thirty-five || thirty-six || thirty-seven

thirty-eight || thirty-nine

a beautiful view in pagosa springs...

{ me & my mom }

{ me, my grandma & sister }