snowflakes in October...

Snow hasn't fallen in our neck of the woods {as Al Roker likes to say} in October for over 30 years. 
The kids spent almost all day outside snowboarding and making snowmen.  Being we are a family who enjoys snow we're hoping this is the year of the "big" one.

So we'll get through trick~or~treat tonight and then it will be time to bust out the Christmas and winter decorations to help encourage the snowflakes to fall.  My Christmas music is all loaded on my i-pod {yes, I'm one of those who can listen to Christmas music year round} so let's start rockin' around the Christmas tree {smile}.

Happy Halloween !!

friday night lights....

It's Friday night, which means it's football Friday.  We love going to football games.  High school football Friday night and midget football Saturdays.  This was our eight year olds son first year of midget football and to say he LOVED it doesn't even come close. 

Last night was their last night of practice.  It was the most fun those boys have had at practice all season.  The picture of the helmet should give you a little insight as to what his white practice uniform looked like {smile}.

These boys had the best coaches we could have asked for.  What a blessing since it was the first year for all these boys to play football.  Now we are going to sit and watch what happens over the next 24 hours.  Our local weather is calling for a nor'easter {yes, in October}!!  How awesome would it be if these boys get to play in the snow {keep your fingers crossed}.

crochet...

My daughter is involved in our local 4-H club.  It's a great program that teaches kids awesome life skills and costs very little to participate in {added bonus}.

This year she took year one crocheting.  It required her to make a scarf and a potholder, both of which earned her a blue ribbon at our local fair.  And although she did a great job, she's eleven and doesn't really want to spend all her free time crocheting. But while browsing the isles of a craft store I saw this beautiful ream of yarn and couldn't help but think of all the beautiful infinity scarves that are everywhere. 

 So I've asked her to try to make a infinity scarf for me. Even though she just started it, I love it already and can't wait for it to be done.  Here's a sneak peek of what she's done so far.

It could be her calling, although she tells me she doesn't hear it {smile}.

it's my birthday...

Today is my birthday.  I have always loved birthdays.  To me it's actually when I start my "new" year.  It's my start date for what I would like to accomplish over the next year.  And while I know many don't enjoy birthdays, I truly count it as a blessing.  A blessing that I got to spend another year with the ones I love.

{my family}

And this is a perfect way to start the day.  Pumpkin spice coffee in a Keith Urban mug {of course}.

And how could this not also start your day of perfect?

Oh, and did I mention Keith Urban and I have celebrate the same birthday?  That's right, my favorite artist of all times has the same birthday as me.  I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple weeks ago and shared that we had the same birthday.  He said he'd never met a fan with the same birthday and thought it was very cool {smile}.

Have a great day everyone.  And if you're lucky enough to live in a city that has one of the cool and delicious cupcake shops, stop and have a cupcake for me.

eeewwww...

This is a bit embarrassing to show you my cookie sheets.  How do they get so gross?  Oh I know exactly how they get like that.  They get used for the everything under the roof.  Chicken nuggets, french fries, moon sand, shrinky dinks.  You name it and it's probably been cooked on it.  But with the holiday season right around the corner {I know I can't believe it either} it's time to whip these babies back into shape.  This year I would like my cookies to not taste like they need a little ketchup.

I found a pin on pinterest {talk about addicting} that had a recipe to clean your pans.  It showed a dirty side and a clean side.  I must say, the clean side put me in a trance giving me flashbacks on the days when I had nice shiny pans.

So I gave it a shot.  I made a paste out of baking soda and peroxide and rubbed it over the pan.  I let it set up for about 5 minutes or so before I gave it a scrub.  And right before my eyes I could see shine. 

I might have to make cookies today.

{this is my actual pan}

I know it surprised me too!  Now I just need to find someplace to hide these until cookie season {smile}.

wooooo went the wind and out went the lights....

Picking pumpkins is one of my favorite things to do.  It screams fall to me.  I have a very vivid memory of going to the pumpkin patch when I was a kid.  One time sticks out in particular {I had to be younger than five} and I remember standing in the middle of the pumpkin patch crying because all the pumpkins were dirty.  I of course wanted a clean one {smile}. 

~ left one belong to child # 2, middle one is child # 3 and right child #1~

This is our final creation the kids did on Saturday night.  Isn't it cool how they turned out so differently ?

p.s.  I've read several places that spraying the insides of the pumpkin with lemon juice help keeps it fresh longer.  We tried it and I'll keep you posted.



While writing this blog I have found so many inspirational blogs that I don't even know where to start.  But one caught my eye in particular.  It's a place where she lets "newbies" shine.  Check it out if you have a second.  And if you are also a "newbie" like me join in.

Happy Monday !!

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/2011/10/halloween-decorating-newbie-party.html

color...

These pictures were taken at our favorite vacation spot.  We weren't able to get there this year because of the kids activities but I love looking back at them.  I love the colors that Mother Nature provides in the fall.  Even though we aren't at our favorite spot we're still looking forward to a fun weekend of hayrides, pumpkin picking and chilly football games.  Happy weekend !

dog days...

Well I guess it's time to face the fact that the dog days of summer are over.  I'll miss you flip flops !!

it's raining, it's pouring....

This has been the rainiest year where we live.  Typically I don't spend a lot of time walking around the yard in the rain.  But, when you have a 14 week old puppy you don't really have a choice.  

I found these really cute boots and ordered them right away.  I told my husband they were part of the necessities I needed to buy for the dog {smile}.  I'm thankful the man who drives the brown truck dropped them off on Monday because I am so going to need them today!  Practical and cute {love it}.

waiting for the bus...

Raise your hand please if you rode the bus to school.  I never really did, except for all the sports I was in.  My mom often would take my sister and I to school.  I'll never forget one day the horn in her 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo would honk by itself every time you turned the wheel.  It beeped turning into the school.  It beeped as she turned to pull up along the curb.  It beeped as she turned and pulled away.  And it beeped again as she pulled back out onto the main road.  Talk about a little embarrassing, especially when you are in middle school.
My children have the luxury of being picked up right at the end of the driveway {I don't know if they see it that way}.  There's not really any opportunities to embarrass my children, right ?!  I decided to ask my daughter {the middle schooler} if there was anything I've ever done yet to embarrass her.  Her reply "not really".  My interpretation... oh there is.  She is just not the type of child to come out and tell me.  My boys, well that's a different story.  They would have no issues telling me how embarrassing I am.  Anyway, after reminding my daughter of a few things I did that I thought she might be thinking about she finally said "well there is one thing".  "Okay what is it?" I asked her.  Her reply... "it is a little embarrassing that you wear your pajamas in the driveway".  I couldn't stop laughing and I nicely told her that if that is the worst thing I do, she is going to be just okay {smile}.

And then they drove away on the big yellow bus.  Have a great day!

fall...

Fall has definitely arrived and I am loving it.  The sun is warm and the air is so crisp but there is still one thing missing.  Apple crisp.  I haven't had a chance to make it yet with all kids activities that are keeping us busy.  So, I put it at the top of the to do list this morning right after all the kids were off to school.  I'd love to share the recipe {smile}. 

5 apples                1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup sugar         1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon     1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup flour            1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar

Pre-heat oven for 375 degrees.
Peel & slice apples.  Place apples in a greased 13x9 baking dish.
Combine sugar & 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Sprinkle over apples.
Mix flour, brown sugar, quick oats, baking powder, nutmeg & remaining cinnamon.
Cut in butter until it crumbles.  Sprinkle over apples.
Bake @ 375 degrees for approx. 50 minutes. {Note bake time varies depending on type of apples you use.  Harder about the 50 minutes.  Softer a little less}

The last part is the hardest part of the whole recipe.  Waiting a whole 50 minutes for it to come out of the oven.  Enjoy !

another fall weekend....

I don't know about you, but this week flew by.  Another weekend full of kids activities and can't wait to catch the Penn State football game.  We are PENN STATE {I love doing that at the games} !!
We've almost had our puppy for 2 weeks now.  I can't believe how much bigger he's getting already.  Last week at the vets office he weighed 4.12 pounds {smile}.  This picture shows how he enjoys spending his afternoons in the backyard.  Hope is gives you a smile.  Happy weekend.

our playroom...

Our playroom is quite possible one of the heaviest rooms in the house used by the kids.  When we built this house six years ago {man time flys} this room was originally the dinning room on the plans.  But we are by no means fancy people who needed a dinning room.  So instead of it basically being wasted space we use it as the playroom.  This room is only 13 x 13 so to make the most of it it must be organized {oh how I love that word}. 
The boxed shelf unit {Ikea} holds the most.  Bins on top hold all of the drawing supplies on one side and on the other all the DS's and ipods.  Then things for school on the second row on shelves usually.  Next all of the bins house tons and tons of cars, trucks, tractors, fake food and more books.  It truely is what helps keep this room together.

The black amoire houses the computer and other art supplies in the bottom drawers.  I love {just can't express that enough} love that the doors shut and we don't have to stare at that madness behind the doors.

The next projects are the most meaningful to us.  We wanted to give the kids someplace to chalk.  So rather than put the chalk on the walls we painted it on a piece of 4x4 birch and screwed it to the wall.  That way in years to come when they don't use it anymore we can just take it down and not have to worry about getting chalkboard paint off the wall.  Note.. we painted magnetic paint under the chalkboard paint so it works great for holding kids projects with magnets.

And finally the wall of art projects behind the sofa.  This displays all of the beautiful masterpieces my children bring home.  Love that you can switch it out as often as you want.

 
Hope you enjoy the small sneek peak an thanks for stopping by today.

special delivery....

These sweet concoctions were delivered to my house last week.  Who knew you could ship cupcakes ?!  I think deciding which one to eat first was the hardest decision.  Carrot cake won.  Then maple chocolate chip.  Oh and the red velvet was delicious.  Wait... they were all delicious !  I mean I didn't eat the whole dozen, I did share with the family.  But I also took a bite of out of my kids every time one asked if I wanted to try theirs {smile}.  I mean what kind of parent would I be if I didn't make sure the cupcake I was about to let them eat wasn't the most delicious thing their little taste buds were about to encounter ?!

happy weekend ...

It's the weekend.  Hope everyone enjoys the beautiful fall weather wherever you are.

it's about that time of year

This is the busiest time of year for our family.  We have several birthdays, football games, soccer games, school events and the holidays to get ready for.  I have to clean out all the shorts, pull out all the hats and gloves and figure out why the jeans I just bought my children three weeks ago don't fit them anymore. But ever since I had my two youngest children, one was born in November and the other in December I've started to think about the holidays in October.  Some people think I'm crazy... I like to think I'm organized.  The first thing I do is make a list with everyone's name on it that way as I pick little things up and things that are on sale I write it on their list.  Without this list I would never remember what I have already gotten. 
One of my favorite things this time of year are all the holiday magazines that start popping up at all the checkout aisles.  It's like they know I'm coming.  I love flipping through all the pages to see how people decorate or to see that really clever DIY project and think I can do that.  Well I happened upon this magazine online and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.  So check it out if you have a couple minutes there are some very cool ideas.  http://networkedblogs.com/o1GsZ
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twinkle, twinkle little star..

Snickerdoodle had another 2:00 a.m. calling.  So I shuffled through the dark to try not to wake the rest of the house up to take him out.  Oh my, am I glad did.  When we got outside the brisk fall air sure did wake me up quickly.  When I stepped outside it was like I was stepping into a planetarium.  The entire night sky was filled with every star possible.  It was the most amazing site.  I just stood there are stared like I had never seen a star before (which I have, one of the benefits of living in the country).  I wish I knew the names of all of them.  So I guess I'll have to add learn constellations to my list.  So I challenge you in the next week to go out in the dark and just sit and look up.  Believe me you won't regret it.  Until then I'll still be humming "twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are......"

2:00 a.m

I'm sure it will play out as I write this blog that you'll quickly learn I am not a morning person.  But keeping with the checking off the list I am trying.  So, I set my alarm for 2:00 a.m. this morning.  It wasn't because I wanted to see what the world looked like at 2:00 a.m.,  it had to do with our newest addition to the family Snickerdoodle.  Snickerdoodle is a 12 week old mini goldendoodle.  We have wanted to add a dog to our family for a while.  And when I say "we" that includes my 3 children and myself, we are still working on my husband.  Although I did catch him talking doggie talk to Snickerdoodle last night (smile), so I think in secret he loves him as much as us.  Hopefully these 2:00 a.m. wake up calls won't last long because if they do I foresee stock in coffee going up.  It's a good thing he's so cute.

This has been the year of checking things off my bucket list.  I've decided that instead of waiting until you think you don't have any time left, I'd like to check the list off on the way.  One of the things on the list was to start a blog.  Why?  Well frankly I'm a talker, it has been a life long issue.  In fact in grade school I used to have to write sentences or stand in the hall for talking to much.  Actually laughing was truly the issue if I'm being honest.  Now that all of my children are in school all day I thought this was the perfect time to start.  So I hope you'll enjoy my living with cheese curls life.  It's a fun, crazy, exhausting journey that I wouldn't trade for the world.