How’s that for enough pics? Ah, I can never get enough of my boys! The in-laws left this morning and I have laryngitis but feel pretty good – it’s awfully quiet around here. I’m looking forward to class parties at the elementary school this afternoon.
The in-laws are here and while Don and his dad were hunting pheasant and turkey, Grandma and the kids and I went to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch – surely one of the greatest pumpkin patches in history (and all right here in Gretna!). I will post enough pictures to make up for my lack of a post yesterday, however, I’m drop-dead tired and will have to post them tomorrow or the next day! Stay tuned…
These white pumpkins are creepy – and kinda pretty. I found the pic and ideas at homemadesimple.
Okay – I couldn’t find my mummy cupcakes (they were like Kara’s except the lines were mostly horizontal only having chocolate cupcake underneath and leaving a swath where the eyes would be so you could just peek at the cupcake and then having red dots for the eyes). They were cute but I have no witnesses – sorry!
I did find an old mummy cheese log surrounded by crackers that I had made for a church event. You can make any recipe cheese log you’d like. Pre-made and purchased worked great for me. Just make a savory cream cheese based dip, fill your piping tube and mummify the orange cheese. Olives for “eyes” and other veggie accoutrements work great, too. Use your imagination!
One of my favorite magazines for a Mom with and a home based business is Working Mother. I no longer subscribe but they have the best time-saving tips, recipes, etc. I think every Mom should read it – just to save time (isn’t every mother strapped for time?). I don’t think I got this costume idea from there, but…one of the easiest, cheapest and cutest costume ideas I’ve ever seen was this mummy – this was Jack in 2006. So very scary. Ah, the memories…they are growing too quickly for sure!
I was out to lunch yesterday with a friend and we stopped by the bookstore to look at some quilting and knitting and design books and she said, “What is up with cupcakes? They are everywhere these days!” and I’m not sure what I replied but I wholeheartedly agree. They are everywhere – and for good reason. It’s the perfect little sugar package.
Fast forward to this morning, I open my email and another friend, Kara, has started a new blog. Kara is the sweetest (and one of the prettiest) girls you’ll ever know. It makes complete sense that everything she makes is ultra sweet and adorable. She had more talent in her pinky toe when we met (she was 10 and I was 20) and she still could teach me a few things. Anyway – her new blog is all about cupcakes and I wanted to share her beautiful creations with you! There’s some adorable Halloween ideas here. I made the mummy cupcakes a couple of years ago – I’ll see if I can’t dig out a picture of my own from way back when!
Another Beautiful Set of Cupcakes…
Another adorable blog that is one part sugar, one part presentation is Amy Atlas. I do not personally know her but wish I did!
Yummy “candy” centered apple circles!
I have a bushel of apples so I’m getting good at thinking up treats for my kids. We exhausted the caramel apple dip recipe over the weekend and here is another.
Mix 2 T. peanut butter with 1/4 c. uncooked rolled oats and about 1T. honey (or to taste).
Core your apples and stuff ’em with the mixture.
Slice into desired thickness and eat – it’s like having a “candy” center! My kids love this. I used my Pampered Chef Crinkle Cutter today but it’s absolutely not necessary – but cute.
Picking up the parents!
The boys taking a ride.
Adorable – I love this witch!
Yummy steak dinner afterwards – Jack looks afraid, no?!
This was one of the best years yet! Everyone was in a good mood and feeling good. We bought a bushel of apples and had the best time (hooray for homemade caramel dip). Homemade Caramel Dip recipe: 1 brick softened cream cheese (best at room temp), 1/2 c. or more to taste of brown sugar, squirt vanilla and OPTIONAL item a) half bag of toffee chips or b) broken up skor bars. Even my kids will down a bunch of apples with this dip – but it’s great for all types of fruit. Enjoy! It really does taste like caramel, I promise. It’s amazing!
I love these ghosts. I love these spiders. The ghosts make me sad, though, because several years back we created a set even cuter than these (but same concept) and put them around a tree in my parents’ yard and they were stolen on the first night. So sad! Anyway, if you get these you might also want to get a dog to protect them – they are just that cute. I am a huge fan of the Frontgate catalog but mostly like it for ideas!
I like pumpkins on my porch but this is even cuter. Found it here. They have other vegetables with other styles (some on clearance for $4.88 – check out the zucchini dog). Love it. I probably won’t buy any until we’re moved but still wanted to share.
