More Fall...

My wonderful husband built us a brick firepit this fall in the backyard. We are very excited to spend many future nights with friends and family enjoying time around the fire.

This is a photo of the kids "helping" with the building process.


We only waited a few days before planning our first event. I invited many of our friends over for a "smores" themed party. We served munches, chili, hot chocolate, and of course smores. I went a little overboard and made a "build your own smores" table. It was a big hit.

                                                               My Snicker Bar Smore

Halloween...yes in January.

I wanted to share a few of your Halloween memories from 2011. I know it is January now, but I didn't blog most of the Fall so I am catching up now.

The kids love the Lady Bug Girl book series. The first time we read Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy I noticed how much they actually looked like the children. (Dragonfly girl and Butterfly girl also had a strong resemblance their friends Olivia and Emma.)

 As Halloween approached the kids were not really sure what they wanted to be. One night I read the book to Preston. He announced after I was finished that he was going to be Bumblebee boy for Halloween. I said that was a great idea!! We asked Sophia if she was interested in being Ladybug girl and she thought it would be fun! So I set out to create the costumes. I made her a red and black tutu. I found the wings, antenna, and rain boots at Target. She used a read shirt she already had. For Preston I made him a cape and eye mask. I got very lucky that he actually already had a black and yellow striped shirt in his closet. I searched the Internet for hours before I realized he already had it! He went through many "stingers" before he settled on a wonderful stick he found in the front flowerbed. We had so much fun Trick or Treating!

The Camp, Murray, and Krimm kiddos.

I also HAD to make fun treats for them to give to their classmates. I found this fun treat on Pinterest from http://www.theidearoom.net/ 

Oreo Eye Pops

So easy and so cute. They even have free printables to go with the pops.

I took a few photos as I made them so that you can try it yourself (next year).

You will need:

Double Stuff Oreos

popcicle sticks

white melting coating chocolates

waxed paper

gummy savers

writing frosting gel(I used black)

clear goodie bags

ribbon

free printable tags

You first put the oreos on the popcicle sticks. Be very careful not to break the cookie. I only broke 3 !

The next step is to melt your white chocolate over a double boiler. I just used a bowl over a simmering pot of water. Dip your oreo sticks into the chocolate. You can also used a spoon to help coat the tops. Place the sticks onto wax paper. Before they cool completely drop a gummy lifesaver in the middle of the oreo.

Then just dab a dot of writing gel in the center. Allow the pops to cool completely before wrapping them up. Enjoy.

Fall Belated

Okay this Fall went WAY to fast. I feel like I had no time to blog at all. I am going to spend the next few days looking back on some fun in the fall, great ideas you may want to try next year, and recipes you can do anytime!
Early October:
We went on a few fun fall adventures. The first was to Todd’s Family Fun Farm in Dyersburg ,TN. If you are in the area I would recommend it. Our wonderful friends the Duffie’s joined us. The children enjoyed jumping in a truck full of cotton, corn maze, pig races, swimming in a corn silo, and a nighttime hayride. Here are a few of my favorite photos.


This is Preston at the pumpkin patch. We went together on morning while Sophia was in school. It was nice to have that time alone with him.

This is an October trip to the zoo. Sophia had a special connection with the animals. We told her she needed to say with the monkeys… she didn’t think that was a good idea.

With the change of the weather I had to decorate of course!!
I found a few cute ideas on Pinterest. I thought these table pieces were so cute and easy to make. I took a few old vases I already had and layered in split peas, red beans, and corn. I matched up the colors with some fresh pumpkins and fall leaves. I used a simple gold charger to hold the pumpkins I got from Good Will for $1.00. You will also see it used in my Christmas photos.

More Fall tomorrow...night night!!

Charming Wine

I had so much fun creating these unique wine charms. I saw this idea in a magazine a few years ago. They used plastic buttons and hoop earrings. I knew I had TONS of shell buttons given to me by my Granny that where collected by my Paw Paw for years. I decided to also include beautiful glass beads. I had a little difficulty locating the silver hoops, even when we had more than the average amount of craft store in the area. I ended up finding them on e-bay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Silver-Plated-25mm-Earwire-Hoops-Wine-Charm-Rings-/180654440245?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0fd7ff35. They were very affordable and I could make tons with one order.
I decided to make sets of 6 to 8. I paired the button color with the similar bead color. I love the way the came out. Every guest will easily be able to keep up with their own glass. You could of course mix up the colors or add more or less.
These make wonderful hostess, birthday, teacher, or just because gifts! I would love to see photos of any that you create.
Cheers!
Toni

I have been a little busy.

So sorry I have not posted in so long. I have been busy with Birthdays. Since we meet 13 years ago, Allan and I have had fun celebrating our birthdays a week apart.(We also say we have to “break-up” the week between our Birthdays because he is to old for me for that week, and we also use the time to gather “new material” since we know everything about each other.) Some years are a little more exciting than others. We have done everything from Mexico to nothing at all.

This year I have to say was a fun one. I threw Allan a party at our house on August 26th (when he returned from a road trip). I grilled burgers, bought a huge pork roast, and got him his dream cake. It was a Girl Scout Thin Mint ice cream cake. I have to say it was WONDERFUL! All of our friends came to celebrate with him.

For my Birthday I decided I wanted to go out. We invited everyone to join us at the Crown Winery (only 5 miles from our house.. very nice!) Everyone brought finger food. We were able to do a full wine tasting and buy what we liked. The music was great, the company was even greater. My dear friend Lara made the most AMAZING carrot cake I have ever eaten! She said she would give me the recipe. Maybe I will ask to share it for everyone to enjoy. I savored the last few pieces for a few days after the party. I wish I had a close up photo of the cake, but my camera battery was dead and I didn’t have the self control to wait to get another. LOL!

Friends at the Winery.

Blowing out all 32 candles on the wonderful carrot cake.

 

HAPPY HAPPY TIMES!!

I love this new necklace.

I have to admit I am pretty good with a glue gun. If I can find a project that only requires a glue gun I will try it. I found this beautiful necklace tutorial the other day online.
http://www.littlemissmomma.com/2010/12/pom-pom-bib-necklace-tutorial-lmm.html
I HAD to try it. Now I am in love. They are so cute.
I decided to use a nice linen fabric. I believe these will be so great for the fall. I have already made three.

Summertime means…

Oh how I have enjoyed Summer. One of the best parts of Summer is the fresh fruits and vegetables. We actually planted our first garden this year. It has been so wonderful to eat food that we grew ourselves. I always look forward to grilling out, watching the kiddos run around in the back yard, and relaxing in the warm sun. I will miss the Summer when it leaves us soon. But, Fall is my second favorite season so I will be okay.

Here are a few of the wonderful meals I enjoyed this season.

This was a strawberry I got earlier this Summer. It just made me smile!

Yes this is a b.b.q. bacon cheeseburger. I LOVE grilling!

This is a grilled romaine steak Caesar salad. You have to try grilling the whole head of romaine lettuce. It adds a wonderful flavor.

I made fresh strawberry cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting for the Hollis church wedding reception. They were SO GOOD!!

This is one of my favorite desserts for the summer. Fresh blueberry and peach cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream. It has to be HOT so the ice cream melts all over it!!

Double decker BLT with fresh  toasted French bread and tomatoes from the garden.

Roasted Vine ripe tomatoes (from our garden) stuffed with creamed spinach and topped with fresh mozzarella cheese.

Sophia begged for weeks to get a REAL coconut so she could “get a straw and drink the coconut milk out”. Well it finally happened. She wasn’t as impressed as she thought she would be! It didn’t taste like sweetened coconut.

Preston’s favorite lunch. PB&J with grapes and cantaloupe.

I also made a 2 layer Key Lime pie last week. But it was eaten before a photo could be shot. LOL! I know it will be made again very soon!

That is all for now. I am getting hungry now!!

I will be posting tomorrow about a fun craft project I just tried. You must see!!