Halloween Hijinxs

Stop by all week for creative tricks and amazing treats to help you celebrate this Halloween. Want to play along? Grab our button and post it on your sidebar. Next week you'll have a chance to share your best tricks and treats!

Halloween Calendar Countdown

I don't know about you but, my four year old is not going to make it to Halloween. Between the Halloween decorations, pumpkins on the porch, and his costumes hanging in his closest he is about to burst!! (My eight year old is coping much better with the time frame!) To help him along, I decided to make a Halloween Calendar Countdown. I think he is old enough to grasp the concept and maybe he will ask me a few less times this month:

Is today Halloween?

What you will need:

• Scrapbook Paper
• Cardboard
• Mod Podge
• Sponge brush
• Rickrac
• String
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Candy

Mod Podge the front of your cardboard with paper.

Take a ruler and evenly mark spaces for your candy pieces. My board was about 12 inches (across) by 12 inches (down). I did 3 inches across by 1 1/2 inches down. According to your size of card board, mark your spots where you think is best.

Where you have marked, hot glued string. The string is how you will attach the candy. To cover up the strings I glued a strip of rickrac over the top.

Attach 30 pieces of candy.

On the thirty-first they get to take off a little blow horn to celebrate Halloween!! I hot glued a loop of rickrac across the back , so he could hang it in his room.

If you feel like 31 days is too long of a countdown for your little one, or October 1st has past, make your countdown 15 days out or even 10. Just have fun!

Linking up:

Homework

Field Trip Friday ~ Sheep Herding Championships

For the last seven years, Solider Hollow (Midway, Utah) has held the Soldier Hollow Sheep Herding Grand Championships and for the last seven years we have talked, and talked, and talked, about going...until this year. On Monday we finally went, we drove up to Solider Hollow and watched. Now, I do not want to sound over dramatic about this, but I was entranced, enthralled and on the edge of my seat the entire day. Watching the border collies and their handlers...was a sight to behold.

Solider Hollow is an amazing venue, it was created for the 2002 Winter Olympics and was home to several events: biathlon, cross-country skiing and nordic combined. It is picturesque and beautiful with Mt. Timp in the background.

If you have ever seen the movie Babe, then you know what I am talking about. The border collies herd the sheep through a timed obstacle course and at the end, corral the sheep with the help of their handler to a white pen in the middle of field.

Not only was there sheep herding, but duck herding, a dog trick show, vendor demos, and splash dogs (if you have never seen splash dogs before, which we had not, take a look at this video.) Splash dogs was our boys favorite, they could have watched that all day.

I have been to alot of spectator events and never have I met more friendly, lovable, helpful spectators then at soldier hollow. Our boys had so much fun watching all events.

Participants came from around the world: Scotland, So. Africa, Canada and America. The man in the middle with the black hat and tie won the entire sheep herding competition with his border collie Sly!

Mid Week Munchies ~ Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Bars

The first time my friend Shanelle made these for me, I thought I had was in cookie heaven. Shanelle is a great cook and an even better "cookie chef". When we get together, I always put her on cookie duty. So, this is her recipe:

Peanut Butter Bars:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour (I live in Utah, 1/4 cup less if you don't live at a high altitude.)
• 2 cups oats

Cream butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, salt, soda, and oats. Dough will be sticky. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease 10 by 15 pan.

Because the dough is sticky, Shanelle taught me to just spread the dough with your fingers. Grease or flour your hands and push the dough evenly around the pan. Cook for 15-18 minutes, until dough in slightly brown in corners.

Measure out 1 cup of smooth peanut butter. (Can substitute crunchy, if preferred.) Place dollops of peanut butter around pan immediately after removing from oven. This allows the peanut butter to warm up and spread easily after about 5 minutes.

Allow dough to completely cool. Place in fridge if necessary.

Frosting:

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons Hershey's cocoa

Spread frosting on top of cookie dough and peanut butter. Cut and serve with ice-cold milk.

Value Tales

Anyone have these growing up? My family did and I loved them. Value Tales were my favorite books. I loved Florence and Helen and Abe. Several months back on some social media site I saw that Value Tales were being re-published and that got me thinking...does Mom and Dad still have our old Value Tales books. (Interesting tid bit here on the books and resale.)

You betcha! Mom even had all the read-a-long cassette tapes. Priceless people, not to mention unbelievable, I didn't put a single thing away from ages 3 to 18 so for her to have all 20 original tapes...give the woman some credit. Way to go Mom, and thanks for letting me have them.

I am really excited to share these stories with my boys. I think they will really enjoy the biographical stories of the heroes and learning "the values" of each books character. Who else had these growing up or still do??

Get Inspired for Halloween

Over the weekend, me and the boys got out all our Fall and Halloween Decorations. I love Halloween, but really who doesn't? The ghosts, ghouls, witches, pumpkins, black cats, candy and much more. I've got big plans this Halloween and I am inviting you all to come and play along: crafts, parties, ideas, recipes, giveaways and more.

Isn't she sweet?

Found this couple at a great little store in San Fran.

In a couple weeks I will be linking to great Halloween ideas. If you've got one, email me and let me know!!

Field Trip Fridays ~ Storytelling Festival

For the last 20 years each Labor Day, The Mt. Timpanogos Storytelling Festival has put on a weekend of laughs, workshops, dreams, puppets, fun, exhibits, and of course stories!! This year, I had the great opportunity to participate, with my family, in this years events.

On Saturday we went up to Provo Canyon to Timpanogos Park and watched a puppet show. For a mom of two boys I couldn't have been more pleased, my boys were entranced by Drew Brinley. He was an impressive "story juggler" and I think it was the first time, my boys saw juggling in real life.

Timpanogos Park had an impressive line up of tents with storytellers spinning tales through out the day. It was fun to pop in and listen to stories throughout our activities with the boys.

Saturday evening was "Laughin' Night" at the Scera Shell. It is a beautiful amphitheater with lots of seating, although it was packed by the time we got there! Note to self: coming 45 minutes earlt is not early enough to get a good seat. But, there is also plenty of grass seating and I luckily remember a blanket. With our bucket of chicken and treats for the boys, we had a wonderful night of laughs, smiles and giggles.

My favorite story of the night was by Charlotte Blake Alston. She told the story of ginger bread girl and her trip to the circus and her close encounter(s) with all the animals of the circus. Coincidentally it was my 7 year olds favorite story as well! All the storytellers were amazing. I can't wait until my boys are older and can be inspired to create their own stories. Can't wait for next year!

*As a side note: I am sure you are wondering...where are the pictures? We'll I remembered my camera I just didn't remember to put the media card in it!! Doof! That was a bummer!

Pasta e Fagioli

Even though school is back in session, we still seem to be eating dinner on summer hours. When the sun is right about here (see above), my family is sitting down to dinner. Eating late has it's advantages: kids play, fiddle and fun in the yard, relax, enjoy the sunset.

I thought I would share what we had for dinner last night. A hearty pasta recipe my husband learned while living in Italy:

Pasta e Fagioli

It is easy, all it takes is a few simple ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Sweet Onion
• Basil
• Tomatoes
• White Beans
• Salt and Pepper
  

In your blender combine: 3 T. olive oil, 2 springs of basil, 3 medium size tomatoes or 5 small tomatoes, 2 gloves of garlic, 1/2 cup onion. Blend.

Add: 1 can of great northern beans, rinsed. Salt and Pepper to taste. Blend. The beans absorb alot of the salt, so I would be generous with the salt.

Pour sauce into large stock pot and cook on medium. Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer. Sauce will change from pinkish-orange to redish-orange. Once sauce is simmering add noodles.

When I add my noodles, I like to break them in half. Place right on top of sauce, then, take about 2 cups of water and pour into pot just covering noodles. Stir periodically on simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes ~ until water is absorbed.

Fagioli has a yummy beany flavor. My fresh tomatoes and basil make it the perfect summer dish and my kids love it too!

Vintage Propeller Swap

I belong to two quilt groups. Each one is very different; different women, styles, talents and purpose. From each quilt group I learn alot and am inspired. I enjoyed working with this pattern. It was fun, easy (relatively speaking) and I loved using Aunt Gracie fabrics. There is something special about coming home from quilt group with a stack of blocks you didn't have before you left!

Glamorous Girly Giveaway

It's OFFICIAL! I've picked a winner for my glamorous girly giveaway. Thank you to everyone who entered. I loved reading all your sweet comments. and visiting everyone's blogs. I love blogland!

The winner is: drum roll please....

#88 Deb who said: "I'd love to win your giveaway!"

Deb, please contact me through email and I will send off your package. If I do not hear from you in three days I will pick a new winner.

Thank you everyone for participating!

Mid Week Munchies

One last summer recipe! This recipe is refreshing, simple, and berrylicious. I love to make this recipe for friends and family: it is a crowd pleaser.

Frozen Berry Desert

Crust:

• 1 cup graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter

In Cuisinart: crush graham crackers, add sugar and butter.

Pat crust into 12 inch fluted pan. This is the best pan to use, it makes removing and serving dessert easy!

Berry Blend:

• 1 8oz. pkg of cream cheese ~ softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups chopped frozen berries
• 1 pkg cool whip ~ softened

I love to use my frozen summer berries: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. (*If using fresh fruit, reduce juice to 1/4 cup) I like to chop my strawberries just a little to make them more manageable in the pan.

In Kitchen Aid: beat cream cheese and sugar throughly. Add juice and berries and mix.

Fold in Cool Whip. Pour into pan with graham cracker crust and chill in freezer for at least 4 hours, can be chilled overnight if necessary.

My sister got this recipe from the Kraft website about 5 years ago. I have searched many times for it, but have yet to find their original recipe.

***Don't forget today is 09-09-09!