Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 - I think it was great...

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It is hard to believe another year has come and gone and it is time to step back and take stock of what happened here on the Chic Crafty Chick Blog.

January
I began the new year with the wonderful intentions of getting more vegetables in Sawyer so I began my Deceptively Delicious Recipe Review Series. If you go back you can see some of my video blogging at its finest. It is hard to believe how much Sawyer has changed in the last year. He definitley is more a little boy than a baby.
http://chiccraftychick.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html

February
February brought us Leap Year as well as the birth of my Fabulous Favorite Friday posts where I like to share new products and stuff that I find. I like when folks tell me about cool things, so I figured my blog would be a great place to do that.

March
My March posts had me sharing Easter pictures and reminded me that poor Sawyer got the roseola. What is it about us getting sick around holidays this year?

April
In April we took a trip to Nags Head, NC and I also blogged about earth day.

May
In May I made a major announcement that I was expecting another baby. And, I also was able to share in those posts that we were going to be blessed with another sweet little boy.

June
In June I discovered Twitter and started twittering with the rest of the world. My appetite also came back after having morning sickness and I blogged on different recipes and featured the recipes submitted to me by some of my friends.

July
July brought posts about our neighborhood 4th of July parade and Sawyer's 2nd birthday done up Curious George style. And unfortunately we unexpectedly lost dh's granny that month.

August
In August we all watched in awe and wonder and the summer Olympics and a new hero was created in Michael Phelps. In August I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes which made it hard to blog and just really stunk.

September
September was a scary month for my pregnancy because they thought I was going to go into preterm labor. So I had steroid shots and bed rest to contend with as well as insulin shots for my diabetes. It is amazing to look back now and see how God answers prayers and takes care of our needs.

October
What a busy month that was. I was still on bed rest at the beginning. We saw Sawyer transform at Halloween into a monkey. And, the best thing was Logan made his appearance on October 29th.

November
The blogging had to slow down as I've adjusted to having a new baby and crazed 2 year old. But, I did share brunch recipes as well as some Fabulous Favorite Friday picks. We also sent out a shout out to Uncle Eddie with a picture of the boys for Veteran's Day.

December
This month I've shared holiday light pictures and posted about my neighborhood's cookie exchange. And I also discovered that I had Kevin Bacon's baby with Logan's crazed hair.

When I look back on 2008, it wasn't the easiest year but it was a good year. It looks like we are going to end the year healthy, definitley not wealthy (at least not from a monitary standpoint), but hopefully wise.

I can't wait to see what wonderful things will happen in 2009 with both of my little guys and I look forward to sharing the journey of the year with y'all. I'd like to thank all of y'all who read my blog and check in. One of my resolutions is to blog more this coming year (if Logan will get into a sleeping routinue that will happen).

So, I raise a champagne flute to each of you and wish you peace of mind, financial stability, comfort and warmth for the new year. Blessings to each of you and a Happy New Year!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Checking in

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I had really hoped to do a Fabulous Favorite Friday post, but we aren't feeling to Fabulous here this Friday. I hate to say it, but this was the worst Christmas I've ever had. The night before Christmas Eve I came down with a stomach thing and it was not good my friends. I have not thrown up that much in a long time. And the Immodium took a while to kick. So, sadly we had to cancel Christmas at our house and didn't get to have the family over. Christmas eve morning Sawyer woke up throwing up. We thought he was doing better yesterday and he relapsed today and threw up twice. Fortunately for me I was only sick 24 hours. Dh has been great about helping me clean up the messes and try and keep Sawyer hydrated. So, we are hopeful that he will be on the mend and that we can have Christmas in the next day or so.

Even though the little guy has been sick, he has been in good spirits and Santa came to see him. He has been able to play some and the best present Santa brought were more episodes of Curious George for him to watch.

I hope things will stabilize here so I can get some video uploaded to show y'all some awesome Christmas lights we got to see over the weekend. They are going to knock your socks off. The pictures and videos I took don't do them justice. One display we saw has actually been featured on HGTV.

If you are sick at home I wish you a speedy recovery. And if you are well, I pray you don't catch this nasty stuff. So, that is the update from here. I hope to have a more cheery post soon.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Ho, Ho, Ho Holiday Lights Tour

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Happy Holidays everyone! We have been crazy busy like I'm sure you are. It is hard to believe tomorrow is Christmas eve. Our shopping is finished and we are trying to just enjoy the time.

The Winner of the Major Award!
First, I wanted to say congratulations to the winner of the free box of Chex Turtle bars. The random generator picked poster number 1, so Paula you win! Enjoy your box.

Here are your random numbers: 1
Timestamp: 2008-12-23 21:00:38 UTC

For those of you who didn't win, I have one more box to give away and I will do it sometime in the next week. So be sure to check back and post.

Holiday Lights Commentary
I wanted to share some holiday light display pictures with you. I hope to share more in the next few days. Tonight we are headed out with some good friends and we are going to visit some primo big lights displays. I hope to get a little video of some of them too. It is so much fun because we will go to Sonic for dinner first and then we head out in our cars. Pre children we rode together and now we caravan in two cars and we use walkie talkies. We also rate the homes on a scale from 1-10. Of course the little ones don't really understand that and in years past we've gotten some ratings of 100 for some of the really great houses. LOL

Below are a few that we have seen in recent days. I thought I'd give you a little preview.

The first few pictures that are done all in white are of my house. I want to take another picture to show y'all the cool snowflakes we have strung in the trees on the side. But here are a few for now to show you.

It takes dh two days to put all this up and we seem to add a little bit more each year. I just love the horse and carriage. This is the first year we've put it out.































Here is another display that was so cute. This picture doesn't do it justice. They had water and a tropical Christmas theme. See the palm tree?








I love this one with the Santa and flying reindeer on the roof. There was a lot packed into this yard.







Friday, December 19, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Happy Friday everyone! It is hard to believe that this is the last shopping weekend before Christmas. We are in pretty good shape fortunately, so we aren't having to stress. We can sit back and catch a few Christmas movies and eat some Christmas cookies I got from the cookie exchange.

A Major Award & Give Away
My first pick for this Fabulous Favorite Friday is the movie "The Christmas Story". This is the story of young Ralphie who wants a Red Rider BB Gun for Christmas. I love this movie because it has a lot of heart and it really captures the magic of Christmas for kids.

If you are familiar with this movie, they have ornaments at Hallmark commemorating the movie. This year I know they have the leg lamp ornament. It comes in a minature crate. So, the movie and the ornament bundled together would make a great gift for someone. We have a tradition that we watch the marathon on TBS. It starts at 8 on Christmas eve and they run it all day Christmas Day.

And in honor of the movie and Ralphie's father's major award, I'm doing another give away. I have another box of the new Chex Mix Turtle bars to send out to you! These would be a great snack to eat while watching the movie. In order to win just leave a comment on this post. I will be taking comments until midnight Monday, December 22nd.

My second pick for this Fabulous Favorite Friday is the Venus Embrace razor. I recently tried this razor and I love it. It is a disposable razor and is a bit pricey as far as disposables go, but it is well worth the money. This is the first razor I've used where I didn't nick my knees when shaving. I usually end up either cutting my knee or around my ankles and not once have I done that while using this razor. I also felt like I was able to use this one longer than other disposable razors I've tried. I just recently purchased a new one at Wal Mart. They had a kit where you got the razor and it came in a cute little makeup bag with a small can of shaving cream. So, this could make a great stocking stuffer for someone you know.

I hope y'all are taking time to enjoy this holiday season. Remember to take time to stop and smell the Christmas cookies. And aww heck, eat a few while your at it. Check back on Monday. I hope to have some Christmas lights pix to share with y'all.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

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Well, folks today we are one week away until Christmas Eve. I know there are some folks who like to do last minute shopping, but whether you are trying to cross folks off your list now or wait until next Wednesday, everyone needs stocking stuffer ideas. So, I've come across a few things to suggest that might help out with especially difficult people.


Stocking Stuffers 2008


Technology
My first suggestion is to get a digital key chain. The digital frames that are out are really cool, but can run you over $25 for the models I've seen. I've seen in a number of ads where you can get a digital key chain for $14 to $20. These can be purchased at Wal Mart, Target, and Macy's. With these being portable, it is a great way to have current pictures of the family.

Paper
Another suggestion is a magazine subscription. There are so many different subjects to choose from that you should be able to find something for everyone. One new magazine subscription I've seen out that looks intriguing is the new Food Network Magazine. If you've got a Nanna or Mimi that is hard to shop for then this subscription might be right up your alley.


One other magazine subscription is one called The Family Handyman. A few years ago dh learned about this magazine from someone at work and subscribed to it. He found it an interesting magazine.


Young Children
I have to say that getting stocking stuffers for a very young infant and a two year old has been a bit of a challenge. But, one thing that I found that was so cute to use this year are little rubber ducks. Sawyer loves playing with them in the bath tub. We actually have rubber ducks as his bathroom theme. In the infant section at Wal Mart, they have the cutest holiday rubber ducks. They had three different ones. One is a Santa, another a Christmas tree duck, and a Snowman duck.

Pampering & Health
As y'all know, I'm a huge fan of things from Bath & Body Works. B&BW has been running a lot of great sales. With the cold weather here and the heat running, dry skin is such an issue. A few years ago I discovered the sugar scrubs B&BW sells. I recently purchased some and it has really helped my skin feel better. They sell it in a number of different scents.

BB&W has also had their antibacterial soaps on sale. These make a great gift since we are in flu and cold season. Along with the antibacterial soaps, the little antibacterial hand sanitizers make a great gift too.


So, these are just a few suggestions for you to consider as you finish up your holiday shopping. Or, you could consider a Jelly of the Month Club subscription. As Eddie says in Christmas Vacation, "Clark, its the gift that keeps on giving."

Happy shopping and be sure to check back for more holiday posts this week.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Cookie Exchange and Chex Mix Turtle Box Winner

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Happy Tuesday everyone. I've taken over dh's laptop. Something has happen to my trusty laptop and dh is having to reformat it. I feel like Linus without his trusty blanket (we've watched Charlie Brown Christmas at least 12 times already).

So, first I'd like to announce the winner of the free box of Chex Mix Turtle bars. I used the Random Number Generator and this is the number it picked.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:2
Timestamp: 2008-12-16 14:08:47 UTC

Southern Inspirations/Suzanne is the winner of the free box. I will have another box to give away this week on Friday so be sure to check back and make a comment on that post. I am hoping to have more posts before Friday, so check back before that too. LOL

Cookie Exchange
Last night was our neighborhood cookie exchange. This has been a tradition in my neighborhood for the last 7 years and we all look forward to it. Along with exchanging cookies, we all bring an ornament to exchange. That part of the party is so fun because some folks get ruthless when it comes to stealing the ornaments. I personally never steal them because I hate when I get mine stolen. But, I do enjoy seeing the whoopla.

This year I made a cookie recipe that I've made before that I really like. It is a Southern Living recipe and is for White Chocolate Macadmia Nut Cookies. They are so yummy. And, they make a huge batch.

As you can see in the picture, I was able to find the Nestle White Chocolate Chips that are the green and red swirls. So, my cookies looked really festive. I love those chips, they are so cool.

Everyone does a great job with the cookie exchange and I always love seeing the cute containers that folks come up with for the exchange.

The way we do our exchange is that you bring 1/2 a dozen bagged cookies for each person and then you bring about a dozen on a plate that everyone gets to sample.

Check back this week for more fun holiday posts.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Friday Give Away!!
Happy Friday everyone! I know you are checking out the Chex Mix Turtle picture and saying, "Didn't she blog about that last Friday?" Well, yes I did. It was one of my Fabulous Favorite Friday picks. And, I'm happy to let y'all know that I was contacted by the folks who represent this wonderful product and offered a free box. Well, this tired and hungry momma was tickled. In the spirit of the season of giving and since I love my blog readers, I asked if it was possible to hook up my posse (no I didn't actually put that in the email but what if I had - LOL) to get a free box to give away on my blog. The kind folks said they'd love to spread some holiday cheer and so I'm happy to let y'all know that today I have a free box of Chex Mix Turtle bars to give away.



So, in order to be eligible to win you just have to leave me a comment on this blog post letting me know your favorite cookie recipe (feel free to include a recipe). I'm going to a cookie exchange Monday night, so I really have cookies on the brain. Be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch with you. I will take comments until midnight on Monday, December 15th and I will announce the winner on Tuesday. I will use the random number generator to pick the winner.

I'm so excited that I have this wonderful give away. BTW, I was thinking that these little snacks would make great stocking stuffers. You know that bottom of the stocking is always so hard to fill. Also, if you have to be in the car anytime over the next few weeks, maybe traveling to grandma's house, these are a good snack to keep you from biting off your arm in the car.


Fabulous Favorite Friday Pick
Well, today's Fabulous Favorite Friday pick I have to share with you is another holiday beverage. I was in the store this week and saw that 7Up has this Pomegranate soda for sale. It was on sale for 89 cents, so I figured I'd give it a try.

It has a very interesting flavor. Definitely a fruit flavor, but not a real sweet taste. I have to say I didn't love this one like I did the Sierra Mist soda I recommended a few posts ago, but I didn't hate it either. I think this could be a great soda to use in a punch or maybe some kind of mixed alcohol drink. My mother in law was here on Sunday and tried it and she said she thought it was different. She didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. So, I'd say give it a try if you are looking for something different.

Holiday Thoughts
Dh was going out the door today and asked if I had a bowl he could use for potato salad because they are having a holiday luncheon at work. I stopped for a minute and was a tad sad because I remembered how much I enjoyed going to the holiday luncheon when I worked. Oh how my life has changed in the last two years since I quit work. But, looking at my two wonderful boys I know being with them is worth it. I did chuckle to myself because a holiday luncheon here these days consists of having the Ritz snowflake crackers with peanut butter on them. LOL So, I guess we will pull those out today and have our own holiday luncheon.

Be sure to leave a comment so you can try to win the Chex Mix Bars. And next week I hope to have some posts with holiday lights displays. Oh, and there may be another give away next week.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Holiday Lights, Kevin Bacon's Baby, and Holiday Give Aways!

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Hello those of y'all out there in blogland/internetville. I have wanted to blog for a few days, but these darn kids keep wanting to be fed and have their diapers changed. What is wrong with them? Add to that my laptop has something squirrley going on and it hasn't worked out.
So, I thought I'd show you some two pictures of what life has been like around here. Yes, these are shameless proud momma pictures.

As you can see, Sawyer has taken up kick boxing thus the red face. Just kidding. The child LOVES ketchup. And thank goodness for whoever invented ketchup. Otherwise I don't think I could get any meat in the child. The only way I can get him to eat meat is to try and disguise it with ketchup.
The next picture is of Mr. Logan hanging out in his pack n play. I took this one about two weeks ago.
This picture does not do justice to the amount of hair this kid has. And, when I give him a bath and it dries, it sticks straight up. No matter how I comb it. It is hilarious! Oh, and so soft. We love that Johnson's baby shampoo smell.

So, in my sleep deprived mind at 4 a.m. one morning, it occured to me that the childs hair looks like Kevin Bacon! So, I've been saying I had Kevin Bacon's baby. Yeah, we are Footloose. LOL
Holiday Lights
I have finally had a chance to get pictures of our holiday lights and I took some video, so I hope to share that with y'all in the next week. We have ridden around looking at lights a few nights and we are supposed to go tomorrow night, so I hope to take the camera and get video or pix of other displays to share them with y'all. We are nuts about Christmas lights. It is one of our favorite things to do during the holidays.
Big Give Away Annoucement
I will definitely be posting a Fabulous Favorite Friday post tomorrow and I'm pleased to tell you that I've got an awesome sponsor who has given me the go ahead to offer a give away to the readers of the Chic Crafty Chick blog. So, be sure to check back tomorrow to find out the details.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Hi everyone. I feel bad for not posting in a while, but things have been crazy. Sawyer has been fighting a cold since last Monday and has been so grouchy. We finally started him on an antibiotic today, so Lord willing he will get well soon. Between him being sick and not getting tons of sleep, it has been a tad rough. But, my one saving grace is that my sweet little Logan is such a good baby. If he were collicky I don't know what I'd do.



But, I did want to get back on track this week and at least get a Fabulous Favorite Friday post in. I hope to at least keep up the Friday posts.





So, my first item I'm featuring today are the Chex Mix bars. I've tried the Turtle and they come in Dark Chocolate. I got the dark chocolate for dh. The turtle ones are so good. It is a nice snack to throw in your purse to go.
My second FFF pick is the 2008 Toyota Highlander. That would be my new car! With having a second child, we were in desperate need of a vehicle that could hold two car seats comfortably and that I could haul around the double stroller. We've been shopping around for months and because of the great deals we were able to purchase one of these. This picture (found online) looks like mine. I wanted white, but ended up getting silver but I really do like the silver.

I've never had a brand new car, so it has been exciting getting this vehicle. We picked it up on Black Friday (thus the reason for no post last week). The ride is so smooth and I like being up a little higher to see the road. The V6 engine lets me kick it so those truckers don't come up on me and the babies too quick. LOL

And one of the silly things I like about it is the big knobs on the radio. It helps to have those knobs right there so if I need to turn the Christmas music down to calm a screaming two year old, I can do that.

Another positive about the car is the smooth ride that will get a fussy baby to sleep at 11 at night. Fortunately I've only had that happen once. It also has great little storage nooks and the seats are so comfortable. We have always been big fans of Toyota, so I'd highly recommend checking out the Highlander if you are in the market for a new vehicle.

So, those are some things going on in my neck of the woods. I hope all is well for you and that you are enjoying the holidays. It is hard to believe Christmas is 20 days away. Yikes!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Brunch Recipe - Patt's Stuffed Baked French Toast

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Happy Wednesday everyone! I'm sure many of you are busy with getting ready for the big day tomorrow. My birthday! Seriously, tomorrow is my birthday. Oh yeah, and a little holiday called Thanksgiving. Didn't you know that the Macy's Parade is really a parade for my birthday? LOL

I am going to my sister's tomorrow, so I don't have to do any cooking. I'm bringing the sodas. She is a great cook and always does a great job. I'm looking forward to spending time with my family. My brother in law will be deploying to Iraq sometime in the next few weeks, so this will be our last holiday with him before he leaves. So, tomorrow we will be thankful for him and the time our family has together.

We also will be thankful for little Logan, the newest member of our family. His first Thanksgiving. I've got a cute little Thanksgiving sleeper for him. I'll try to post a picture of him in it at some point.

So, I guess we will stick some candles for me in the pumpkin pie. I'm glad that my birthday isn't always on Thanksgiving. But, the years it is I certainly don't want birthday cake with turkey. Since we don't eat pumpkin pie year round, it is still cool having candles in that.

I hope all of y'all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

So, on to my recipe post. This is a recipe I got from my friend, Patt. With the cold winter days here, this one sounds like a real winner.

STUFFED BAKED FRENCH TOAST
16-20 slices country potato bread (or can use cinnamon raisin and don't add cinn.)
6 large or extra large eggs
4 cups half & half (do not sub. milk -- it won't set up)
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
dash nutmeg
cinnamon (if using potato bread)
Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large or extra large eggs
grated lemon rind (about 1 tsp. or so)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups fresh fruit (we like blueberries best)
Spray PAM on 9x13 baking dish. Cut crusts off bread and arrange half the slices in dish so the entire bottom is covered. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, half & half, vanilla, sugar. Pour half of this liquid over the bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste.
In another separate bowl beat cream cheese until well creamed, add vanilla, eggs, lemon rind, and sugar, and mix well. Spread all of it over moistened bread. Put fresh fruit evenly over top of filling.
Arrange the other half of the bread over the top of the filling & fruit. Stir the rest of the egg mixture, in case any undissolved sugar has settled, and pour evenly over bread. Sprinkle with nutmeg and more cinnamon to taste. Cover with foil and let stand overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes. Test for doneness with knife in center. Bake 5-10 minutes longer, if needed. (May need even longer for high altitude, especially if you used all extra large eggs). Serve with syrup and powdered sugar.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Brunch Recipes - Country Grits Casserole

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Well, I feel bad that I didn't get in a Friday or Monday post. I've been really dragging with this sinus infection and I got a prescription for an antibiotic yesterday so I'm hopeful that it will start to work and I'll be able to enjoy Thanksgiving.

I'm going to try my best to continue with the brunch recipes over the next few days. I wanted to make sure I definitely posted this one so it would be out there before Thanksgiving. If your family is one to eat in the early to late afternoon, this is a great thing to have for breakfast that will keep you full until close to the time you eat. The great thing about it is you can make it the night before and put it in the fridge and just bake it in the morning.

Country Grits and Sausage Casserole
Southern Living Recipe

To punch up flavor, use one pound of mild sausage and one pound of hot sausage in this casserole. If you're really brave, use hot sausage exclusively!
2 pounds mild ground pork sausage
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking grits, uncooked
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Paprika Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs (I don't usually add this and the recipe is fine)
Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles. Drain well, and set aside.Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, and stir in grits. Return to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add cheese and next 3 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in sausage and eggs.
Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish; sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until golden and heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Make-Ahead: Prepare grits mixture as directed above, but do not bake. Cover and chill overnight. Remove from refrigerator; let stand, covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake as directed.
Yield: 10 servings

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Brunch Breads - Recipe #3

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Well folks, I'm sorry I missed posting yesterday but by the time I was able to do it I had a terrible sinus headache that wouldn't quit. So, the blogging had to take a back seat yesterday. I hate this time of the year because my allergies are always worse this time of the year. So, I've been taking sinus medicine praying it will keep me out of the doctor's office. I usually end up on an antibiotic for a sinus infection at least once a year.

But, as the disco era song goes, "I will survive."

Here is another recipe that I've made that tastes great and is perfect to consider for brunch. This would also make a nice hostess gift for this time of the year. And, since you use canned peaches it is nice that you can make this any time of the year.

Peach Bread

3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups diced canned peaches,
drained 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
2.In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Blend in the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix just to combine. Stir in the peaches and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3.Bake for about 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Brunch Breads Week Recipe #2

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Happy Tuesday everyone. We had a few flurries here early this morning. It didn't amount to anything, but was pretty to see. Unfortunately it is too cold to take the little ones out, so it is going to be a looooong day inside.

Here is the second recipe for you this week. I found this on a website somewhere and made it a few months ago and it was really great. So, the note in the recipe about the frozen berries isn't mine, but sounds like a great tip. Have a great day!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (you can use up to a Tablespoon. It just depends how much cinnamon flavor you want)
1 pint fresh blueberries, coat with some flour before adding to mixture (I use frozen blueberries for this bread, cheaper and works just fine.
Quickly mix in 1 tsp. of flour with the measured out blueberries before you fold them into the batter so they won’t all sink to the bottom)Preheat oven to 350° F.
Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar.
Fold in the zucchini.
Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini ­loaf pans. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Brunch Ideas Week One - The Bread Edition

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Hello everyone. We are hanging in there and still not getting much sleep. I think I'm asking Santa for a good night's sleep this year. LOL

I thought it would be fun to start a running theme of posts for the next two weeks that focus on brunch recipes. In the last few years, I've started making brunch foods for us on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I've found having a few things like this is great to make things festive, but also keeps us filled until it is time to eat a later lunch or dinner with our family.

While looking through my recipes, I found that I have a number of different bread recipes. So, every day this week I'll be sharing a bread recipe with you. My first thought was these are great for brunch ideas, but with times being tight for a lot of folks, making something home made as Christmas gifts is something to consider too.

Today's recipe is a Paula Deen recipe I saw her make on her show. I made this month's ago and took it to our MOPS group. It got rave reviews and many folks asked for the recipe.

Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, pecans, and zest; set aside. Separate the biscuits. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal. Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture. Place the biscuits, curved-side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12-cup bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack). Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Happy Friday everyone! I had hoped to get this post up earlier, but with all of the feedings and then we had to get haircuts this morning, it just didn't happen. I am so tired, but fortunately not every night has been bad. I think our little guy is going through a growth spurt. We took him to the pediatrician on Wednesday and he had gained a whole pound in a week.



For today's Fabulous Favorite Friday pick, I wanted to share with you these crackers Ritz has out. They are in the shape of snowflakes. How fun would it be to use these with the holidays coming up? I have so many dip recipes and end up either making it when we have the family over, or take it to their house that I love having fun crackers to go with the recipe. I found these when I went to Wal Mart. So, you might want to check these out if you are doing any entertaining soon.

Ok, the other item I wanted to share with you is a product I'm so in love with. It is called the SwaddleMe. I had one of these with our first son, Sawyer, but because he was on a heart monitor and also didn't like his arms swaddled, I really didn't use this a lot. So, I had one that was pretty much brand new. I pulled it out with Mr. Logan and I have loved, loved, loved this product. Even though I can swaddle with a blanket, my two little houdinis have always managed to get out of them. With this product, using the velcro tabs makes it so easy to swaddle and I don't have to worry about the baby wiggling out and having a loose blanket in the crib.
The other feature that I love is that on the bottom of it there is a slit so you can put your baby in their car seat and they can be buckled up. With winter coming, this is such a great way to bundle the baby.
As you can see from the picture above, you can get these at Babies R' Us. I haven't looked recently, but I think you may be able to find these at Target also. They come in two different sizes and a bunch of different colors. The one I bought is fleece, but I did also see them in cotton so if you are having a summer baby, you may want to consider one of those. They run $9.99 and are a great gift. I highly recommend them as a gift. I like mine so much I have bought 2 more. Because my little guy likes to pea through his outfits. LOL
I hope you have a great weekend. Stay warm and have a cup of hot chocolate or cider to keep warm.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Happy Veteran's Day!

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Happy Veteran's Day! We thought we'd give a shout out to the boys Uncle Eddie who is currently away from us. We sent him an email this morning so he could get this special message from the boys. We hope this will brighten his day.
Today was Logan's due date. And tomorrow he will be 2 weeks old. We are doing well. It is an adjustment trying to nurse a newborn and get breakfast for a demanding 2 year old. LOL But, we are hanging in there. Logan is such a good baby so far. We are keeping our fingers crossed.
We love that crazy hair he has going on. When I give him a bath, I can brush it straight and once it dries it sticks straight up. It is so soft and smells so good with the Johnson's baby shampoo.

It is tough getting used to not sleeping through the night, but we are making it.

I am hoping to get in a Fabulous Favorite Friday post this Friday and then see if I can post a few more posts next week. These little guys have momma hopping.

We hope you are having a good week! BTW, how do you like the new Thanksgiving look for the blog?

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Logan is here!

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Hi everyone. We have a bouncing baby boy! Mr. Robert Logan made his appearance at 3:11 p.m. yesterday weighing in at 6 pounds 11 ounces. He is 20 and 1/2 inches long. And he has a ton of brown hair. He has very long fingers and is just perfect. He has the squeal of a little piglet and fortunately so far we don't hear that too often. He has been very content.

They had a very difficult time taking the stitch out of Logan's mommy's cervix. It took two doctors to do the procedure. Thanks goodness for an epidural! Once they got that taken care of labor progressed quickly and smoothly. We have fabulous doctors and nurses and we are very excited.

Logan's big brother Sawyer is on the go and too busy to stop long to check him out. We are sure that will change once he realizes that little bundle is coming home with us. LOL

Logan has enjoyed meeting his family and getting lots of love from them. Here are some pictures. Thanks to all of you who have kept us in your prayers over the last several months. We are thrilled so much that he is here safe and sound.

























































Trick or Treat! Like my frankenstein hat?






















Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Maternity Leave

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Well folks, if you are reading this blog on Wednesday either I'm at the hospital in labor or I may have already had little Logan. I am writing this blog post Tuesday night. The doctor decided to wait until Wednesday morning to take the stitch out of my cervix so that we wouldn't have to worry about me going into labor during the night and everything could just be monitored at the hospital. We were really happy with that decision. Especially since I love my doctor and it makes it so nice that we know he will be there and not someone on call.

So, the blog is going on maternity leave. I will check in as soon as I'm able to post pictures of our newest addition to the family. We are hoping things go smoothly so we can be home on Halloween. I am trying not to be nervous, but it will be nice when everything is over.

Y'all have a great weekend and wonderful Halloween!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Creepy Crafts

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I thought I'd show y'all a picture of the Halloween flip flops I made last year. I've been wearing them out since we haven't had a bad cold snap yet and I have gotten lots of compliments on them. I bought a craft book at Michael's last year that had this idea in them. They sold these cute pumpkin flops last year, but I haven't seen them this year. If you can still find black or even orange flip flops you could make a pair.
I purchased the Martha Stewart multi ribbon pack that Michael's sold last year (I think they had it this year) and I'm trying to remember but I think I cut each piece of ribbon may an inch or inch and a half. I'd recommend taking your first piece of ribbon and tying it around one of the straps and then cutting it and then using that first one as a template to keep all the others the same length. Since this ribbon pack came with about 3 or 4 different ribbons, it is nice to alternate them so you have a really full look. The orange squares with black dots are chipboard buttons by Making Memories and were scrapbooking supplies I thought might add a little more. I just sewed them on to the ribbon near the part where the straps come together.
So, if you live in an area where it hasn't gotten cold or you are a big flip flop fan, I'd highly recommend making these.
This morning is a big morning for us. I'm headed off to the ob's office to have the stitch taken out of my cervix. Then if I don't go into labor, they will induce me tomorrow (Wednesday morning). So, our new baby boy will be here on Wednesday. I will definitley be posting an update and pictures as soon as I can. Barring any issues we should be able to be home in time for Halloween. Please say a prayer for us. With everything we've been through we are excited and nervous.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Halloween Monkey Business

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Happy Monday! We had a great weekend. The doctor sprung me from bed rest, so it was wonderful to get out and do some things. It was great to be out and about.

One of our little friends will be turning one on Halloween, so we attended a birthday party for her. It was Halloween themed and was so cute. They had pin the nose on the jack o lantern and pumpkin cake. They asked that everyone come in costume. Sawyer wore his monkey costume. He LOVES Curious George, so I knew this would be the perfect costume for him this year. Also, I have a feeling this might be the last year I have a say in what he wears.

We had to get my mom to get this costume for us because all of the 2T sizes in our area were sold out at all of the Toys R' Us stores. Fortunately they had it in her area. Well, when she brought it and when he tried it on a few weeks ago, she and my mother in law laughed because it has a belly on it that sticks out. And with me standing beside him it was pretty comical with me having the pregnant belly and him with the pouchy monkey belly. So, we decided to take a picture of the two of us when we got home from the birthday party. Who has the bigger belly? LOL







I hope y'all are having a great Monday!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Happy Friday everyone! Still haven't had the baby yet. It is hard to believe that we have way exceeded expectations and made it to 37 weeks plus. I have an appointment this afternoon, so hopefully things will still be good when I go to the ob.

I wanted to share two different things today for my Fabulous Favorite Friday picks. The first is this Celestial Seasonings Tangerine Orange Zinger tea. I usually drink Constant Comment Orange tea, but when I sent dh to the store this last week they didn't have it. So, he called and asked if it was ok to get me this and I said yes. I have really enjoyed this tea. I love orange/citrus flavored tea so this was a nice change. It is caffeine free, so I have been enjoying a cup of this every evening. Once I get rid of this gestational diabetes, I'll be enjoying a cup of this tea along with some pumpkin bread. If you are a tea lover, I would recommend giving this a try.

My second pick is a tv show that dh and I usually dvr every week. It is called Pushing Daisies and it comes on Wednesday nights on ABC. This show is so cute and something about it hooked us from the beginning. If you've never seen the show, it isn't too late to start watching. It isn't a show like Lost where you'd be completely lost if you hadn't seen all the episodes.

In a nut shell, the show revolves around a guy named Ned who is a pie maker and owns a place called The Pie Hole (and man they have some good looking pie on that show). He has a secret gift to bring things back to life. If they are alive more than a minute then something else has to die. He works with a private investigator and they go to the morgue and bring folks back to life for a minute to ask who killed them. Then he and the p.i. collect the reward.

In the first season he brings back to life his childhood sweetheart, Charlotte. So, there are twists and turns from him doing that and the dynamics between the two. Also, there is a waitress who works at The Pie Hole that is madly in love with the pie maker, but he isn't in love with her so you have that working as well. The girl who places the waitress, Olive, used to play on the West Wing. Her name is Kristin Chenoworth. She is trained as an opera singer and used to be in Wicked on Broadway. They've had her sing on the show and she has such a cute personality. So does the actress who plays the pie maker's girlfriend Charlotte, aka Chuck.

I know this show probably sounds strange and morbid, but really it is a clever show and is very entertaining. And for all you knitters out there, the private investigator on the show knits. So, grab a cup of tea and a piece of pie on Wednesday nights and sit down to watch Pushing Daisies.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Ghoulish Grub

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This year I've seen such cute ideas when it comes to food to make for Halloween. So, I thought it would be fun today to pass on some of these ideas. I'm sure a lot of folks will be doing Halloween parties this weekend, or it would be fun to make some of these before you head out to Trick or Treat a week from tomorrow. Kids are usually so excited about leaving to get their candy that it can be hard to get them to focuse on dinner. So, having something exciting for them to eat can help get a little bit of grub in them before they start their sugar high.
I received this recipe idea from an idea from Pillsbury. I love ideas that use the premade pizza crusts.


Chicken Mummy

1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
2 tablespoons garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese (from 6.5-oz container)
4 oz thinly sliced cooked deli ham
1 jar (7 oz) roasted red bell peppers, drained on paper towel
6 oz thinly sliced cooked deli chicken
4 slices (2.7 oz) thinly sliced provolone cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
Sliced ripe olives, if desired.


Directions:
1.Heat oven to 400°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; stretch and very lightly press 1 short side of rectangle to about 11 inches wide. Stretch to length of 14 inches. Form shape that is nearly triangular, pressing in sides so small end measures 6 inches across.

2.Spread garlic-and-herbs cheese in 3-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of triangle to within 1/2 inch of each end.

3.From the wide end, mark dough 3 inches down from center on both sides of cheese strip. At that point, layer 2/3 of ham, peppers, chicken and provolone cheese on garlic-and-herbs cheese to 6-inch end. Starting at corners of wide end, using scissors or sharp knife, make cuts (see diagram) at an angle 1 inch apart down long sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling. To form head at wide end, place remaining 1/3 of filling ingredients, ending with bell pepper, in circular pile over cheese spread, leaving 1/2 inch space from body filling. Fold and shape 3-inch section of dough over filling to make rounded head, leaving opening for eyes, exposing bell pepper. Starting at mummy’s neck, alternately cross remaining strips over filling; folding bottom 1/2 inch up before crossing last 2 strips.
4.In small bowl, beat egg. Brush over dough. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

5.Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Place olives between "bandages" for mummy's eye. Cut into slices.


High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

When I saw this picture I knew I wanted to post this one. I've made punch before with the hands,but I've never seen it where you could get the hands colored. I love this idea and if I were to do it, I'd use something like gummy worms because they would look creepy and show up well. This recipe is also from Pillsbury.

Witches Brew Punch

6packages (.09 oz each) chewy fruit flavored snacks
2 plastic gloves
Cold water
Punch
1cup boiling water
1box (4-serving size) orange-flavored gelatin
1can (46 oz) pineapple juice, chilled
1quart (4 cups) apple cider, chilled
1/4cup lemon juice
1 bottle (33.8 oz) ginger ale, chilled

1.Place 3 packages of fruit snacks in each plastic glove. Pour cold water over fruit snacks, filling to within 1 inch of top; tie end of each glove. Freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours.
2.In 3-quart pitcher or bowl, pour boiling water on gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice, apple cider and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate.
3.Just before serving, peel off gloves; place ice hands in punch bowl, fruit snack side up.
4.Pour punch into punch bowl over hands. Gently stir in ginger ale.

Halloween Cookie Pizza

1 (18-oz.) roll Pillsbury® Refrigerated Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup candy corn
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Icing
1/4 cup vanilla ready-to-spread frosting (from 16-oz. can)
Directions:

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; grease foil. Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices; arrange in bottom of greased foil-lined pan. With floured fingers, press slices to form crust.
2.Bake at 350°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.
3.Using foil lining, lift crust from pan; carefully remove foil from crust. Place crust on serving platter or tray. Spread peanut butter evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with candy corn and chocolate chips.
4.Melt 1/4 cup frosting in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until thin and of drizzling consistency.* Drizzle icing over cookie pizza. Cut into wedges or squares.
I hope you get an opportunity to try some of these recipes. I love how you can get creative with food this time of the year. Let me know if you decide to give any of these a try.
We are still on baby watch and I go back to the doctor tomorrow. Things are going well.
Check back tomorrow for my Fabulous Favorite Friday post. Have a great day!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Howl O Ween

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Since the doctor said I could ease up a little bit on my bed rest, tonight when dh came home we all hopped in the car and headed out to Petsmart. Last year was the first year we did this. They have an event called Howl O Ween where they take your pets picture and they have a costume contest. Unfortunately we weren't able to do the costume contest this year. We actually won 2nd place last year. I made a costume last year for our Boston Terrier, Miss Zoe. She was an Ipup.

They have a really cute frame they put the picture in. Last year we all got in the picture and we did that again this year. Our little boy has a Halloween shirt with a Boston Terrier on it that has horns on it, so he wore that. My sister bought it for him. They have them at Target. It actually turned out to be a cute family picture. They use this as a fundraiser, so it is a nice event to support. They gave us a bag of treats for the pup.

Since we got there later, we didn't see many dogs in costume. I had grabbed the camera in hopes of catching some to show y'all, but we only saw one dog in costume. But, we did see a white parrot that was very loud. The girl who had it was afraid the bird would scare my son, but he just stared at the bird like it was crazy. That is the funny thing about him, things that would normally scare any other 2 year old don't scare him. There are very few things that scare him. He was fascinated with the bird.

So, that is another Halloween tradition we've started. We are crazy dog people and must celebrate the holidays with our pup. LOL

Did any of you attend a Howl O Ween event at your local Petsmart? Do you plan to dress up your pet?

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

We've fired up the lights

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Happy Tuesday everyone! Well, I have reached that magical mark of 37 weeks. I am so excited. My ob didn't think I'd make it this far, so we feel so blessed. Such an answer to many prayers. We will actually have a full term baby. Such a long journey.

Tonight when dh came home he got out our Halloween decoration box and strung some pumpkin lights on the rails of our front porch. We also have these circle kind of lights that hang in two of our windows. One is a witch and the other a black cat. I bought these at the Dollar General a few years ago. This is the first Halloween that our little boy has paid any attention to this kind of thing, so it was neat to see him looking at the lights once everything was turned on.

I have to say I love seeing lights for winter holidays. Yes, we are becoming the Griswold's, especially at Christmas. We especially LOVE seeing Christmas lights and drive around many nights. I think the reason I like them so much is that with it getting dark earlier and earlier, seeing lights at my house and at others is so cheerful. It is nice to see that cheery glow in the distance.

So, do you put up Halloween lights? If so, what kind do you have?

Monday, October 20, 2008

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

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Happy Monday everyone! We decided Saturday evening that we would pull out our DVD of It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and watch it with our little boy. This is the first year he has been old enough to sit down and really watch it with us. It was so cute seeing him engrossed in the adventures of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Sally, Linus, Lucy, Pig Pen and the rest of the gang.
Dh and I grew up watching this and it was so nice to start sharing it with our son. Every year it has gotten harder to find out when they air this on tv, so it was great last year when DH bought a three DVD set that has this along with the Thanksgiving and Christmas specials. So now we can plan on a night that suits our family to make sure we get to watch these great classics.
We are now in the final stretch of the month, so be sure to make time one evening to break out the popcorn and watch this Halloween classic.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Happy Friday everyone. I am still hanging in there. I'm writing this post Thursday evening to post bright and early Friday morning, so hopefully I will hang in there during the night. I am supposed to go to the ob Friday afternoon, so we will see what he has to say during that appointment. He did say on Wednesday he didn't think I would last another week.

For my Fabulous Favorite Friday picks, I wanted to show you some fun, fall sweet treats. We got these Little Debbie Fall Marshmallow Treats for my little guy. He loves Rice Krispie Treats so he likes these. They are such a cute orange and yellow. So, if you are looking for an easy way to get into the fall/Halloween spirit here are some easy snacks to do that you don't even bake. I love seeing something like this in cool colors. As you can see below, they also have some other types of all cakes. Oh, and if you're not a chocolate fan they come in a vanilla cake too.
I hope you have a great weekend and I hope to check in Monday. Unless of course we've had a baby over the weekend. Which whenever that happens, I will try to get some kind of post up to let folks know.










Thursday, October 16, 2008

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Pumpkin Patch

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I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and the doctor has said he doesn't think I'll make it another week. So, we will have little Logan with us soon.

A few weeks ago, I noticed on my way to the doctor's this really cute display at one of the pumpkin patches on the way. I finally remembered to pack my digital camera because I just had to get a picture of this to share with you. I am a big Wizard of Oz fan, so I was excited to see the Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Lion and Scarecrow hanging out. This is a small pumpkin patch and I thought it was such a creative, eye catching way to get people's attention.
I hope this brings a smile to your face today. If you have any unique Halloween displays in your area, I'd love to see pictures. Have a great day!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

She's Got Legs..

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Ok, I guess the bed rest is addling my brain because I was trying to think up a catchy title for this post and that ZZ Top song came in my mind. LOL
I got this project sent to me in an email I got from Better Homes and Gardens. Their recent emails have had such cute ideas and when I saw this I knew I had to share it. I just love this different idea for decorating a pumpkin, especially one that is tall because they seem to be harder to come up with ways to decorate. What especially drew me to this project was the cute use of the grosgrain ribbon. If you go to BH&G website, they have a template you can download that will help you with painting on this design.
I know Halloween is two weeks away, but I think it is fun to start looking at ways to decorate, including picking out stencils. We have a number of the Pumpkin Master kits that we've bought after Halloween in years past, so I always like using those. We usually try to do our carving no more than two days before, especially if the weather is warm. I usually like to carve them on the 30th of October. I like my pumpkins looking as fresh as they can on Halloween.
I was doing some searching and found this website which has some cute free stencils.
If you've already started thinking about decorating your pumpkin(s) or have one that is already decorated, I'd love to hear or see what you've done. I hope this gets your creative juices flowing.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Spooky Moldy Oldies

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HappyTuesday everyone. What a great day. I have made it to 36 weeks in this pregnancy. God is good.

I was surfing the net and remembered something cool I'd seen in the stores bbr (before bed rest). Wilton has these really neat silicone molds you can buy and make mini cakes with them. I love this pumpkin mold because you could easily use it for Halloween and for Thanksgiving. I think these would be so cute. I'm guessing you could even make pumpkin bread in them. I just love this shape. The nice thing about this size is it is just the right size for a nice dessert, especially after having a heavy fall meal.

Here is another cute mold that has spiders and spider webs. I found the pictures for both of these on the Wilton cake decorating website. I believe Target and Wal Mart sell things like this in their seasonal sections. I have seen little cake/cup cake decorating supplies at Wal Mart. Usually you can find stuff like this, cup cake liners, sprinkles, etc.
So, do you plan on making any tasty, tempting treats for Halloween? Hey we all can't be Martha so grab a box of cake mix and have some fun. No one says they have to be home made. Well, maybe you can say they are home made if you make them in your home. LOL
A tip I'd recommend if you are interested in making something quick and easy is use a cake mix as the base, but add to it. I love getting carrot cake mix and adding coconut, pecans, and golden raisins. I'm guessing you could probably get any cake mix and add some pumpkin fillling to it to get that seasonal taste.
As always, I'd love to hear some feedback if you decide to make some tasty treats for your little ghosts and goblins.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Fall Make Over

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Well, I thought in honor of fall and Halloween, I'd pick out a different template to get my blog a face lift. So, I hope you are enjoying this pumpkin orange color. I was fortunte enough to find out about this cool place to get them called Aqua Poppy. There is a button near the bottom of the blog if you are interested.

I love thinking about Halloween and doing fun food and drinks. In years past, I've done punch and had a hand floating in it. If you haven't seen how to do it before, all you do is get a plastic glove and fill it with water. Use a rubber band or some string to tie up the end. Place in the freezer over night. Once the water is frozen you can cut up the glove and it will be in the shape of a hand. I saw this year's ago on Martha Stewart's Halloween special. Which by the way I saw recently again on the Fine Living Network.

I do a search for fun Halloween treats and thought this recipe looked really cute for a Boo Beverage and thought I'd share it with you today. The ingredients make it sound like something that would be good if you were doing a brunch. Oh, a Boo Brunch. How cute would that be? Pumpkin pancakes. You can see where this is going. LOL
This is from the Allrecipes website. Don't you just love this picture of it?
Boo Beverage
INGREDIENTS
2 cups orange juice
2 cups milk
2 pints orange sherbet
4 ripe bananas
2 cups whipped topping
18 miniature chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
In four batches, process the orange juice, milk, sherbet and bananas in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses. Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; fill with whipped topping. Pipe a ghost shape on top of each beverage. Position chocolate chips for eyes.


I'd love to hear if you are planning a Halloween party and if so what good things you plan on doing.

Friday, October 10, 2008

More Boo for You!

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Happy Friday everyone! I am still hanging in there. It is hard to believe we are almost to 36 weeks. I am hoping this will be a quiet weekend. I have had some contractions over the last few days and checked in with my obs office this morning. They said if I have more than 6 in an hour to call. Fortunately I haven't had anything like that.
I am tired of the bed rest and hope the ob will ease up on that next week. I'll see what the doctor says next Wednesday.
Since I haven't been able to go anywhere, I've been wracking my brain to think of things to share with you for Fabulous Favorite Friday. And, I decided today might be a good day to share with two books that are big hits here at my house. The first is a book my little boy was given last year called Biscuit's Pet & Play Halloween. Biscuit is a puppy and it talks about him going out on Halloween. The cool thing about this book is that it has different things on each page for a child to touch. The first page has a furry cat and then the other pages have things like a scarecrow's scratchy straw, etc.
My sister's sister in law has been helping keep my son while I've been on bed rest, and she was so kind to bring this book as a present this week. My son LOVES Curious George and when she saw this book at Target she picked it up for him.
I love how this book has different tabs on the sides and it shows George participating in a number of different Halloween things including a Halloween party. My son has loved flipping through this book. I love the illustrations and have always been a Curious George fan too.
So, those are my two picks for this week. I hope y'all have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Crafty Boos

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Well, now that we are into the month of October, it is that time of year when we break out the pumpkins and fun decorations to get ready for Halloween. I wanted to share these two projects with you that I received in an email from Better Homes & Gardens.

I am really drawn to fall/Halloween decorations that have a classic look to them. So, when I saw the email that had this project it really caught my eye. I thought the white boards and pumpkins were really striking.

You don't actually have to paint your steps, you use pieces of wood you can put in front of your steps.

If you don't feel like painting the letters, I have seen that Michael's sells some big letter kids in Martha Stewart's Halloween line. So that may be something to check out. Here is a link to the instructions on how to put this project together. http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/outdoor-decorations/halloween-outdoor-makeover/?sssdmh=dm17.339579&page=19&esrc=nwcu15_09a&email=197605287


Here is the second project that I loved. This is a great way to "go green" for recycling your tin cans from around the house. These little luminary cans are just adorable and something that you could do as a Saturday project with older children.

How cute would these look lining your walk way for Trick or Treaters on Halloween? I like the idea that you can do different designs.

Here is a link to the directions for doing this project. http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/outdoor-decorations/tin-can-luminarias/?sssdmh=dm17.339579&esrc=nwcu15_09&email=197605287

If you decide to do either of these projects, I'd love to hear back from you. Or, if you are doing something else creative to decorate for fall and Halloween, please let me know. I'd love to share them on my blog.

Happy Thursday everyone!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Let's talk Halloween

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Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. I love to decorate and do fun things to get ready. It is nice that Halloween is at the end of the month so you can start to do things on October 1st.
Of course this year I haven't been able to do the decorating I wanted because of being on bed rest, but I have been able to work on a few cards this weekend.



This card I made by stamping the pumpkin and the Boo message onto paper. I love this ribbon. It came in a pack of ribbons I got last year in the scrapbooking section of Target.
When I make cards, I usually keep them pretty simple because I haven't graduated to the level of some card makers who can put lots of details and layers in their cards. But, I'm working on it.
If you are interested in trying to make some cards, but don't want to invest a lot of money or you want to do a cheap project with your kids,
check out Michael's crafts. The pumpkin stamp and boo stamp on the first card, and then the skull and cross bones stamp on the second card are all wooden stamps I bought for $1 at Michael's. The brand is called Studio G. They usually have these stamps for various holidays, not just Halloween.
Even if you buy Halloween cards at the store, these stamps are fun to let kids stamp on the outside of the envelopes.
The top card is actually going to be a topper for a treat bag. I'll try to post a picture of one of the finished treat bags when I put it together. Who doesn't love some good treats?
Check back tomorrow for more Halloween chatting. I've got my next doctor's appointment in the morning, so my next post might not happen until the afternoon. We've reached another milestone today, 35 weeks!

Friday, October 3, 2008

Fabulous Favorite Friday

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Happy Friday everyone! Another week down and we are marching forward towards week 35 of this pregnancy. We got a good report from the ob on Wednesday. I'm still on bed rest, but I'm hopeful that if I can make it two more weeks to 36 weeks the doctor will ease up on that. He said we are taking this week by week. When they did my ultrasound on Wednesday, they were pleased with how the stitch in my cervix is holding up and the baby was responding well and the amount of fluid was good too. He is weighing approximately 5 pounds 3 ounces, so his weight was good to. Getting that good news at the appointment has really lifted my spirits. After 3 weeks of being on bed rest and house arrest, it is good to hear that what I've been doing is working. Hopefully this little guy will hang on a little bit longer.

And now for my Fabulous Favorite Friday picks. Before I went on bed rest, I saw this soda in the store and we were finally able to find it in diet (have to do that because of the gestational diabetes). But it comes in regular and diet. It is Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash. I LOVE this soda. I can tell that I would like it in the regular, even though I've been drinking the diet. The diet reminds me of how Diet Dr.Pepper tastes the closest to regular Dr. Pepper.

Apparently Pepsi has this out as a seasonal soda. I highly recommend this soda. I can see this being one where it would be great as a mixed drink (think Sandra Lee and her cocktail time).

So, if you are looking for something new to try, check out Sierra Mist Free Cranberry Splash.




My second Fabulous Friday pick are these slippers from Target. I LOVE these slippers. My sweet sister sent these to me. Aren't they cute for Halloween? Before I went on bed rest, I saw them and I know they have different designs too.

Last year for Christmas my sister got me a pair for Christmas pair and I have loved them. They stretch so it is a one size fits all and they run $4.99. Also, the bottom of these say Meow that is made of a material that will keep you from slipping around in them.

If you saw my previous post this week about Booing, these would be really cute to put in a Boo bag. Or, if you plan on doing Elfing for Christmas, keep your eye out for the Christmas ones. They'd also make a great stocking stuffer for someone.


Have a great weekend. If you get either this soda or these slippers, I'd love to hear that you did and see what you think about them.

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