Autumn Amelia

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Our Stay At Snowpine Lodge

Hello everyone!
Last weekend Erik and I finally broke quarantine...
We have been SO good for the last several months.
We haven't seen family or friends and have only gone to work, home, or the grocery store.

We decided it was time to finally stretch our limits a little bit in honor of our anniversary.

Each year we usually take a trip for our anniversary.

This year was supposed to be Hawaii...

Obviously, that wasn't happening so, we decided to do a staycation instead.

Last year I had the amazing opportunity to go review the Snowpine Lodge.

I have wanted to go back with Erik ever since and we decided now was the perfect time.

The drive up was absolutely breathtaking.

The Snowpine is located in Little Cottonwood Canyon which has started to make its slow transition into fall.

Pops of red, orange, and yellow lined the road the entire drive up.

When we arrived we checked in (with masks of course!) and immediately went to our room.

The rooms are very minimalistic.

Decorated in a neutral color scheme with wood furniture for added warmth.

A wood barn door seperated our room from the bathroom complete with a walk in shower.

Acrooss from the bed hung a large TV with an entertainment center and chair for lounging close by.

There was also a nook for extra storage space.

The best part of the room though, was the view.

Our sliding glass door opened out onto a shared balcony with seating areas and fire pits.

After exploring our room and getting settled in it was time for dinner.

Their onsite restaurant Swen's was closed for the season due to COVID...

But the Gulch Bar was open and offered select menu items.

We each ordered a Snowpine Burger and chose a spot on the patio to enjoy our meal.

The burgers were delicious.

Large, flavorful, and oh so juicy.

They were so good we decided we needed to try dessert as well.

We got a chocolate chip cookie skillet to split.

It was equally as delicious.

We agreed we would make the drive back up just for the food alone.

After dinner, we put on our masks and explored the hotel.

Each floor has a beautifully decorated common room where you can gather around a fire to watch TV or play games.

The hotel is nestled in between two mountain ranges so there are no bad views.

Even walking down the hall to the rooms you got to see the gorgeous mountains.

Once we had finished exploring we took a quick peek at the outdoor pool to see if anyone was there.

It was empty so we decided to claim it.

We quickly changed into our suits and made our way down.

The pool is heated which made it perfect for a September evening swim.

We enjoyed swimming back and forth under the stars then made our way to the hot tubs.

That's right tubs, plural.

The hot tubs are settled underneath a nearby awning bordering a seating area and a large fireplace.

We talked the night away in the hot tub enjoying the fresh mountain air and the sound of the crackling fire.

It was perfect.

The rest of the evening we spent eating snacks in bed and rewatching Stranger Things.

It was a much-needed break from this year.

I am so happy that we decided to take a day to celebrate each other even though it has been an unconvetional year.

How have you been holding up during 2020?

All my love,

Autumn

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Sunday, September 6, 2020

Reese Witherspoon's Summer Squash Casserole

Hello everyone!

Happy Labor Day weekend!

For most of us, Labor Day weekend is the time where we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall.

And Reese Witherspoon's Summer Squash Casserole is the perfect way to do so.

It's called a "summer casserole" but the squash and warm comfort food style make it the perfect way to welcome fall.

You will need:

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 White Onion, Chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 and 1/2 Pounds of Yellow Squash, Sliced

1 and 1/2 Pounds of Zucchini, Sliced

2 Teaspoons of Salt

3 Tablespoons of Butter

24 Ritz Crackers

1 Cup of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 Large Eggs, Beaten with 1/2 A Cup of Heavy Cream

1 Teaspoon of Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1/2 A Teaspoon of Freshly Ground Black Pepper

3 Tablespoons of Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Tablespoons of Chopped Fresh Parsley

Preheat oven to 375o.

Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and satué for 3 minutes.

Add the garlic to the onions and satué 1 minute more.

Add the yellow squash and zucchini to the pan with the salt.

Satué for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender.

Transfer the squash to a colander to drain away excess moisture.

Add the butter to the hot pan to melt and remove the pan from the heat.

Place the crackers in a large zippered bag, seal, and roll over them with a rolling pin, or a juice glass on its side, to create coarse crumbs.

Transfer half of the crumbs, along with the drained squash, to a large mixing bowl.

Combine 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, the egg-cream mixture, and the sugar, salt, and pepper and gently fold the mixture into the squash crumbs.

Transfer the squash mixture to the prepared baking dish.

Combine the remaining cracker crumbs with the melted butter, the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar, and the parmesan.

Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley.

Enjoy!

This casserole is super tasty.

If you grew up enjoying "funeral potatoes" you will enjoy this dish.

It tastes very similar but just a tad lighter.

How do you spend your Labor Day?

All my love,

Autumn

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Sunday, August 23, 2020

3 Easy DIY Dog Enrichment Activities

Hello everyone!
National Dog Day is this week (the 26th) and ya know what a dog lover I am.
After having two pups of my own to love and spoil I have learned how important it is to not only stimulate your dog physically but mentally.
Today I am going to share 3 of my favorite dog enrichment activities.
They are easy to throw together with things you most likely have on hand and, will give you some time to get things done while your pup is distracted.

Egg Carton

You will need:
An Empty Egg Carton
Newspaper
Treats

Open the egg carton.
Cut newspaper into short strips about 1 inch wide.

Roll treats into a few strips of newspaper and place into the empty indentations of the egg carton.
Roll the remaining empty stirps of newspaper into balls and place them into the other empty spaces.

Close the lid to the egg carton.
Give to your pup and let them go wild!

Muffin Tin

You Will Need:
Muffin Tin
Balls
Treats

Place treats into a few holes of the muffin tin.

Cover each hole with a ball.

Give it to your pup and let them have at it!

Hole Ball

You will need:
Hol-ee Roller Ball
Scrap Fabric
Treats

Cut the fabric into short strips about 1 inch wide.

Wrap treats in a few pieces of fabric.

Roll the remaining pieces of fabric into balls.
Take turns placing the treat-filled and empty pieces of fabric through the holes in the ball until full.
Give it to your pup and let them play!

All of these activities have been loved by me and my pups.
They love that they are getting a treat and I love that they are exercising their mind and letting me get some work done guilt-free.
A quick tip.
When starting these activities, use more treats to help pique their interest and to show them how they work.
Then slowly added fewer treats over time.

We don't want to give them too many treats so they can stay fit and healthy.

Do you have a dog?

If so, what breed and what is its name?

I have to know their name!