Candied Apple Delights

Fall just wouldn't be Fall without things like playing in the leaves, hot cider, molasses cookies and of course, caramel apples.  We were inspired by all the sights, sounds and smells of our afternoon yesterday at the Fall Festival that we decided to stop by the store on the way home to pick up the fixings to make our own caramel apples.  Honey and L opted to let Miss B and I do the creating, but they would definitely take part in the eating.  :)

We dipped and decorated the apples with various toppings like sprinkles, candy corn and a special "double dipped" one for Honey with melted Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  (That one didn't last long!)

I absolutely love this time of year and all the yummy treats that go along with it.  :)

Now I just need to finish decorating . . . 

A Little Fall Family Fun

Today the original plan was to take a trip to an apple orchard, however the weather decided not to cooperate.  Temps in the low 30° seemed more appropriate for picking out a Christmas Tree than for picking apples.  However, the day was not to be lost!  A local greenhouse was having a Fall Family Fun Event, so we bundled up and headed over to check it out.  And boy are we glad we did!!

First stop was the mini corn maze . . .  which ended up being a game of hide & seek from Mom.  :)

Then we headed inside, where it was warm mind you, to where they had face painting. While we waited, we snacked on free popcorn and apple cider & admired the beautiful home decor items they had on display.  (OK, I admired.)

Then it was back outside, where there was a bounce house & slide  . . .

Tractor races . . .  (This was B's favorite, I think.  She could have ridden all day if we would have let her.)

and a train ride for the kids, which we found out went through a small hidden apple orchard at the back of the property.  Who knew!  

We (meaning me!) couldn't resist a little photo op in the over sized Adirondack chair. 

 Notice the gorgeous mums at the base of the chair?  They were Buy 1 Get 1!  To good a deal to pass up, especially since I had the perfect spots for them.  Honey graciously picked out a beautiful orange one and yellow one.  I can honestly say with the additions of those, my outdoor decor was complete. (Look for that post a little later)

We were very impressed with this event!  Everyone had a great time despite the chilly weather.  I'm not going to lie, I had my first official hot cocoa of the season as soon as we got home.  :)  But it was well worth it when I looked at the smiling faces of my little kitty & "scary" bat.   Happy Fall!

Proud Parent Moment

As our eldest C is just finishing up his mid-terms at college, I thought I would take this opportunity to say how unbelievably proud of him we are.  He is doing extremely well in his classes in addition to working part time.  He was also elected to his Residence Hall Student Government, which is right up his alley.  During our last conversation, he was telling me about all the events he's helping coordinate.  It makes a fellow "party planner" at heart smile to know that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.  :)

These are pictures that were taken the day that C left for college this year.  And yes, there is a reason why I kept my sunglasses on.  One would like to think it would be easier the second time around to send him off to school.... Nope it's not.  :(

  

One of C's "special" talents is to make a otherwise difficult situation, or this case sad, a little easier for the younger kids.  It's true when they say laughter is the best medicine.

He truly is an AMAZING Big Brother!  Love, love, love my kids!

While I know that he misses his "human" family, there is just something special about the bond between a boy and his dog.

Keep up the great work C!  We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished! Loves....

DIY Spooky Eye Wreath

It's officially October, so bring out the Witches, Ghosts, Goblins and Spiders.  :)  I love decorating for Halloween.  It's that special time of year when the "spooky" becomes the spectacular and the "creepy crawly"  are considered creatively cool.  I have so many fun holiday ideas and traditions to share, so let's get "BOO" it.  :)

As seems to be the case with all the holidays lately, my front door was in need of something new.  So my mom & I created this "fantastically frightening" wreath that I am in LOVE with!

We started with a 14" white foam wreath (spray painted black), 2 black feather boas with silver accents (measuring 2 yards each) and the largest wiggle eyes I could find.

First, start by hot gluing the end of one of the feather boas to the wreath and then wrapping it around so that it covers approximately half of the wreath.  Then we placed a little hot glue at various intervals on the wreath to secure the feather boa to the foam.  I recommend wrapping the boa around completely before gluing to ensure that you have the right coverage. 

Then repeat the same process with the second boa.

I'm not going to lie, when we got to this point, I was already grinning from ear to ear.  :)

Next, we added the wiggle eyes.  Start by arranging them in pairs at various spots on the wreath.  We started with five sets to get a base design in place.

Once we determined placement, then we began gluing the eyes to the wreath.  Use a large amount of hot glue on the black of each eye.  Be careful not to press the eyes onto the foam base.  You want to adhere them to the boa only, to give the look of "floating" amongst the feathers.

Then depending on your preference, add more wiggle eyes where you see fit.  It was at this point where not only was I grinning but literally squealing with excitement at how amazing this had turned out!

Last but certainly not least, was to attach a hook to hang it on the door.  We used a black pipe cleaner, folded in half for added stability.  

After deciding where we wanted the top of the wreath to be, Mom poked two holes in the foam base about an inch apart.  

Fill the holes with hot glue and insert the ends of the pipe cleaner.  Twist the pipe cleaner to make a loop and give it added strength before hanging.

I am absolutely in love with it and couldn't hardly wait to see the kid's reactions when they got home from school.  L's response was "That's awesome!"  Miss B looked at it with wide eyes and promptly asked if she go in the house through the garage instead of using the front door.  :)  "It's creepy, Mom."  I had to chuckle... if she thought that was creepy, wait til she saw the rest of the house.  :)

D is for Door

I am so excited to show you my new front door decor, made with love by my amazing Mom. I was lacking an "in between holiday" decoration and she was gracious enough to help me fill the void.  After a trip to Hobby Lobby, for an entirely different project mind you, we came home with all the supplies needed to create this amazing "little" gem.  (I say little, because it's actually quite heavy!)

It's just fantastic!  We didn't have time to work on it together so being the wonderful Mom that she is, took all the pieces home, along with our vision & created this masterpiece.  :) Thank you Mom!!  I was also beyond thrilled to find this purple mum on a recent trip to Lowes.  It will go perfectly with my Halloween decor!  Now all I have to do is keep it alive until October, which for me is easier said than done.

Now I am off to watch the Season Premier of Dancing with the Stars!!!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE that show!  

Ponytails, Pigtails and Pink Cleats, Oh My!

It's official . . . the Fall Soccer season has begun at our house!  Only this time it's not with L, it's with Miss B.  She is following in her Big Brother's cleats, so to speak, and playing soccer with our local Park Board.  We couldn't be more excited for her!  She absolutely loves going to practice and is bound & determined to score a goal.  After watching her today, I have to say it just may happen sooner than we thought.  :)

She had no problem getting in there and going after the ball.  I have to admit I was pretty surprised at how "scrappy" she was.  This shouldn't really surprise me considering her personality.  :)  Spunky and sassy (in a good way) are two words that come to mind when describing Miss B.

And with Honey as her coach, I know that she will learn the rules and regulations of the game & have a blast doing it!

Speaking of Honey, I have to take a minute to say how proud of him I am for coaching our kid's teams.  During the 5 years that he coached L's team, parents were constantly telling me how much their child enjoyed playing for him & how great a coach he was.  It never got old! It just made me feel more and more blessed to be his wife and mother of his children.  I have no doubt that he will do just as well with Miss B's team.  He takes the time to teach them the difference between being on offense versus defense and where they need to be on the field. One of the first things that he told the parents was that he is "anti-herd" ball.  It may take a little more practice.  :)  But they are definitely off to a great start!

As far as Miss B is concerned, I also couldn't have been more proud!!

I believe this is the "Hey, I'm open!" stance.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the Line Judges for today's game . . .  L may not be playing soccer this season but he can still be a part of the action in one way or another.  :)

Looking forward to a great season!  Especially when I get to take pictures like this . . .

Oh and in case you were wondering, I did get to wear my new Soccer Flip Flops!  Accessories must coordinate with the activity, don't you know.  :) 

Last Day of Summer Vacation

It's so hard to believe that today is the last day of Summer Vacation.  But we were determined to finish it off in style!  We started with lunch . . . joined by our good friends the S Family.  

Then it was off to finish one last thing on our Summer Bucket List, Mini Golfing!  

Once the logisitics of who went first, second, third and so on were figured out, we were able to play.  With only a few minor "hazards" along the way.  :)  

Then the unthinkable happened . . . Miss B hit her first Hole-in-One!!  Check out that smile!!

That of course set the boys on a mission.  They were determined to try to match her "skill". However, next up was the dreaded "water hazard" hole.  :(  After the first ball ended up in the water, it was destiny that the rest would follow.  oh well, at least they are smiling . . .

Group shot in front of the 9th Hole Fountain . . .

Just as we were about to finish up for the day, it happened . . . B got her SECOND Hole-in-One!!!  I think she may have taken private lessons from her Uncle T when we weren't looking.  

Last stop of our day was the local soda shop for an old-fashioned chocolate milk shake, complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

I chose to upgrade mine to a Caramel Crunch Sundae.  YUM!!

It was a tasty way to end the day.  :)  Now home to pack lunches and lay out First Day of School outfits.  Bye-Bye Summer . . .  I can't believe how fast it has flown by.  It's sure has been a great one!!  Until next year . . .