Welcome to another Monthly Scoop post – October 2020 edition! Holy moly – how is October over already?! Time is flying by! We’ve got lots to cover from this past month from scrumptious recipes, to horse updates to a VERY important question I need your input on! Let’s jump on in!

October Happenings

October is always one of my favorite months of the year. Temperatures are starting to cool down (we had our first snow!!!!), all the wonderful colors of Fall are in full swing and it’s the start of the holiday season. I just love it! Plus, October is typically when I get all of my Thanksgiving content done, so I’m in full Thanksgiving & now Christmas mode over here!

We also did another fun photoshoot at The Commonspace Studio! From chips & queso, to Dunkin’, to family photos (Christmas card material!), it was a fun day to spend with friends. It’s always great to be surrounded by your people!

Queso & Amos Update

To say that the past month with Ques0 & Amos has been wonderful would be a complete understatment. They have filled our hearts in so many ways and bring such joy and happiness! And nestled their way in to our little family. 

Heading out to the barn to go for a sunset ride, or even for a midnight snack, we love seeing our boys. It’s also been fun to get to learn their personalities more! Ques is definitely the leader of the pack. And little bro Amos follows along anywhere he goes. They’re both like big teddy bears – John even got the chance to snuggle Amos when he was laying down the other night! You would never think that these guys are only 4 and 5 years old. 

You know whats addicting about having horses? I mean, besides the obvious of the horses themselves, buying things for your horse haha! Online shopping has reached a new level… It takes some serious self control! Here’s some things we’ve been loving for our boys:

• Blankets – we had to make sure our guys were ready for the cold, snowy temps! We went with the maroon color for both of them and have to say, they look quite dashing.
• Halters & Leads – I went with maroon for Queso and John went with black for Amos!
• Leg wraps – we love these boots as they add a whole bunch of support and comfort! I went with the “wine” color – can you tell I like the maroon/burgundy/wine color on Queso?? 🙂
• Bit – we’ve been experimenting with a couple bits to see what these guys like best. They both do really well in this correctional and we also snagged these lower port correctionals for a more easy-going ride. 

October Recipes

October recipes really focused on seasonal. beloved flavors. From pumpkin spice, to apple cider and all the way to comforting pasta! You gotta get your hands on these reicpes! As always, I strived to create fun, delicious recipes with easily accessible ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen. Click on your favorite recipe below and get to cookin’! If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me an email, post a comment or share on social media tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany!

Monthly Favorites

1. Dunkin’ Donuts – I don’t know if you can tell, but my love for Dunkies is still going strong! My order is a medium iced oatmilk latte with caramel. If I’m feeling super indulgent: a chocolate frosted donut. Nicknames that I’ve come up with so far: Ba-dunk-a-dunks and Slam-dunkies. I’m pretty proud of myself.
2. Pumpkin butter – ok, I used this stuff for the first time this year and it is SO good! You can either make it homemade or buy it in store – I found it at Trader Joe’s!
3. Photography things I’ve been experimenting with:
   1. Godox flash – I originally got it for when I’m second shooting weddings with Haley, but I’m starting to dabble into using it with food too! We’ll see where this goes.
   2. Milwaukee light – ok, so I know this is technically supposed to be used for construction purposes, but I love using it for photos, too! It gives a good, neutral, warm light to reflect through glasses and such. Stocking stuffer!!
   3. LED Light Kit – you really can’t beat the price on these lights! I love that you can change the temperature and amount of light put forth by these little guys. I have been experimenting with these and combining them with natural light.
   4. Peach backdrop – this has been such a fun way to add a pop of color to my photos! I love it!
4. Annie’s gummie bunnies – these things are SERIOUSLY addicting.
5. Chick-fil-a brownies – ok, hold the microphone here because these brownies are INSANE. I’m not even kidding! Like how can a fast-food brownie be this good?!! They are perfectly fudgy, flakey-topped and loaded full of chocolate. I may just order a whole pan of them. 
6. Talenti Gelato – these are dangerously good. A fun midnight snack to keep stashed in your freezer! Especially the Salted Caramel Truffle one…

Important Question!!

Ok, so with it being November now, all the Thanksgiving recipes are going to be coming your way this week! SO excited for you guys to try these ones out! When I took a poll on Instagram, the majority of you said you wanted something different this year than the usual classic recipes – so get ready for it!

BUT, here’s my important question:

Do you want/would you prefer/would it be helpful to have videos of all the Thanksgiving recipes this year?

If so, how would you prefer those videos? Quick ones on Instagram or step-by-step? 

Tell me what you want below in the comments! 🙂