Even though we are only a week away from Halloween - I am still decorating!! There are so many great ideas out there...if only there was enough time to do it all. Here is a center piece that I made in under an hour (including drying time!) How can you go wrong?
Here was the original concept of my table (which will be painted black pretty soon!). I thought that I would purposely let my flowers dry, wilt and die to create a "Mortica Addams"-like decor....well...it looks like I just forgot to throw away my flowers. No spooky, just sloppy.
Late last night while staring at my sloppy table scape I had in epiphany! 3 items. Quick to create. Can be done during nap time....I was going to do it!
You will need:
A vase
Sticks & twigs spray painted black
And these lovelies...
These mini pumpkins from Paramore Art Works I have been trying to think of how to display them and this was a perfect opportunity! Get some!!! They are GREAT!!
Place your spray painted sticks in the vase first and then fill to the brim with mini pumpkins (be careful they are delicate)
Then display along side the rest of your Halloween decor!
Are you guys dressing up for Halloween? I usually do, but this year I'm sitting out - too focused on Baby S. and his costume. Let us know in our new poll! (up on the upper right side)
Have you heard of Pinterest? We both joined a few months ago and have become addicted to it!! Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where you can keep track of online ideas that you like; it's a little like bookmarking a site you want to remember, but it's much faster and more fun. We use Pinterest to keep track of recipes, craft projects, home decor ideas, cute clothing, printables...and many other things that we want to remember. You can organize your ideas by different categories and then refer back to your virtual pinboards whenever you want. Even better, you can share your pins with your friends and see what your friends are Pinning, which gives you even more ideas. With Halloween coming up, Pinterest has an abundance of Halloween ideas to get you inspired, help you decorate, and assist you in choosing a costume. Here are some of our favorite Pins for Halloween!
This wreath from Just a Girl inspired me to make my own spooky wreath for our front door
Growing up dinner on Halloween was always thrown together at the last minute (now that I'm a Mom I understand why). I love menus that reflect the holiday and there have been quite a few menu items on Pinterest to give you ideas for this Halloween. (photo credit: i.imgur.com)
You can also find some FANSTASIC costume ideas like this one from Pink Suede Shoe! When I have a little girl I know what we will be for Halloween!!
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All you have to do is:
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Happy Soon-to-Be Halloween!! I haven't even started to get my decorations out - have you? You probably have, no one can procrastinate like I do!! Well I have seen these book-turned-into-a-pumpkin crafts all over Pinterest lately and have really wanted to try them out. Our local library here takes old books that they don't use anymore and puts them out for Free....so can you guess how much I paid to make these cute little pumpkins? NOTHING. NADA. $0.00....don't you love crafts like that?
The size of your pumpkin is based on the size of the book
A list of things needed: Old books (that you can take the covers off easily), Sticks/Stems, Ribbon, box cutter & mat, clamps & heavy cans, sissors, orange ink pad, pencil and glue....and I would like to also add a glue gun for one part of the project.
1. Take off the covers from the books. These were paper backs so it was an easy removal process. I used one half of the cover to create my template. Just like you are cutting out a folded piece of paper into a heart, you create the same half-shape for the pumpkin. A slight bend at the top and a flat bottom so it can sit up by itself. Trace your shape onto the book.
2. Take your box cutter and start following your line. Over and over and over again
3. You will have rough edges. If you want you can sand them down with some sandpaper, but I like the rough edges.
4. Once cut. Take the two books, glue one side and place the other on top. Weight it down until the glue has dried.
Once it has dried, pick up the pumkin and connect the other side together. If you like the fullness of it move on to the next step. If you want your pumpkin a bit fuller add another book. (In my pictures it took 2 books for the large pumpkin and three for the smaller)
When you are ready open the book so the spines are open and up. Hot glue your stick into the spine. (I used regular glue and it didn't really stay put). Once the stem is in you can glue the other side together and weight it down until dry. Once dry set your pumpking up to look at the fullness. If you see any gaps, take those pages and glue together securing with binder clips and weights as needed.
Take an orange ink pad and rub the edges of the book with the ink. For the life of your ink pad I suggest inking the pumpkin across the pages instead of up and down. Ink until you are happy with the color.
Tie a cute decorative ribbon around the stem.
And there you have it! Your paperback pumpkin. The best part? You can keep these up the entire fall season if you want to. Let me know if you tried it, I would love to see your own paperback pumpkins!
So what is your most hated candy? Come on, we all have one. I fondly remember coming home Halloween night and organizing all of my Halloween candy by type. I would trade all of my Tootsie Rolls (including Pops) with my brother for his one Reeses peanutbetter cup. Look on the upper right and vote for your most hated Halloween candy.
It's officially October! This is one of my favorite times of year...I love the cooler weather, the shorter days, and the crisp autumn-y smell in the air. Although Mr. W and I currently don't do much to celebrate Halloween and don't yet have children to dress up, we still have fun wandering the Halloween aisles in the stores and checking out the decorations and costumes. For those of you who may be in need of costume ideas, here are some of our favorite Halloween costumes from the past!
Nan 1 - Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band -- Michelle, Anne, Natalie and I decided we wanted to the the Fab Four for Halloween in eighth grade (I was George); luckily for us, we have awesome moms who miraculously agreed to make our costumes. We had so much fun going around each other's neighborhoods and ended up singing in several people's living rooms. It was one of the highlights of that year.
2 - Witch -- I know this is a pretty common one, but we went all-out when I was six or seven. I had a wig, a giant fake nose that my mom glued to my face, and green makeup on my face. I looked pretty dang spooky. My friend's mom didn't recognize me when I showed up trick-or-treating; considering that I played with that particular friend nearly every day, that was a pretty good indication of how well-disguised I was!
3 - Morticia from The Addams Family -- This was another costume that my mom sewed for me. It was a great dress and I loved the black wig, but the thing I remember most about it is the makeup. For some reason, my mom couldn't help me get ready and my dad did my makeup. My dad is a mortician and has only done makeup on people who are dead -- so I had to lie down for him to do it. My mom laughed SO HARD!!
Michelle
1. Forever and ALWAYS will be the Sgt. Pepper costumes - I don't think there will be another costume to top it!
2. Second Head. Mr. S & I (as well as Nan & Mr. W) are BIG fans of The Office and the second season Halloween episode where Micheal has a second head inspired us to make our own. We did it old-school with paper mache and balloons and had a blast. We worked so hard on them that we still have them so we can use them again. In fact, Halloween 2009 Mr. S was sick and couldn't help pass out candy at the trick-or-treat parade in our churches parking lot so I wore his head so we were passing out candy "together".
3. Punk Rocker. It was hard to narrow down my third costume, but I think my punk rocker choice embodies one of my favorite reasons to dress up - you can be something/someone totally different than yourself. I would have to say that a punk rocker is my total alter-ego. The teased up hair, black nailpolish and layers of goth-like clothing (which also can keep you warm on those cold Halloween nights) - it's fun to mix & match everything in your wardrobe to create a really fun look.
What are you dressing up as this Halloween or what have your favorite costumes been in the past?
Jana Martin our in-house RD is here to talk to us about ENERGY!!! It's something that we need. Something that we want. Jana is here to tell us how we can have it!
photo credit: google search
1.EAT A BALANCED DIET:
-Eating a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean meats and lean dairy, helps you meet your body’s nutrient needs. When your diet is lacking, you can become deficient in vitalnutrients. This can cause you to feel tired and drained. Don’t fall into the trap of following fad diets!
2. GET UP AND MOVE!
-It may seem like getting up and moving is the last thing that will help when you’re feeling tired. Researchshows the opposite is true. Even a 10 minute walk can increase your energy for hours. Regular exerciseis also shown to improve mood and self esteem as well as decrease stress, which can help increase energy.
3. DON’T SKIP MEALS
-Skipping meals is an easy way to zap your energy. Think of your body as a vehicle. If your “vehicle” doesn’t have any fuel, it can’t function properly. The same is true for your body. When a meal is skipped,you won’t have adequate fuel and your energy levels suffer.
4. EAT SMALLER, MORE FREQUENT MEALS
-Think of a log fire. If you put a big log on the fire, it will burn slowly. If you put a small log on the fire, it will burn faster. If you don’t put any logs on the fire, it can’t burn! This is similar to how your
metabolism works. Eating smaller meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism burning.
5. EAT MORE WHOLE GRAINS
-Eating whole grains provides a steady release of fuel which helps control blood sugar and keep energy levels more constant. Doing this throughout the day can lead to feeling less tired by the end of the day.
6. EAT LESS SUGAR
-Consuming concentrated sweets (Juice, regular soda, sweet tea, ice-cream, candy, cakes, etc) causes a spike in blood sugar which gives an initial burst of energy...but is followed by a quick decrease
in blood sugar, which will leave you feeling drained. Constant ups and downs in blood sugar will bottom out your energy.
7. DRINK MORE WATER
-Thirst is commonly mistaken for hunger. Thirst can also be confused with fatigue. Being dehydrated can cause you to feel tired and lethargic.
8. DRINK LESS ALCOHOL
-Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but will interfere with deep sleep. Even if you get a full night’s rest, you’re likely to be tired throughout the day.
9. DON’T EAT YOUR FEELINGS
-Stress, anxiety and anger, if not dealt with properly, can lead to feelings of physical exhaustion. Instead of dealing with problems, many people turn to food. Find ways to deal with these feelings by doing some-thing relaxing to you such as taking a bath, reading, exercising, journaling...NOT over-eating.
10. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS
-Your Dr. may have recommended you take certain vitamins. Take your approved vitamins consistently. Do not begin taking a new supplement without talking to your Dr. first.
We've all been there - being asked to do something that we don't really want to do. It's hard to say "No" sometimes, we may feel guilty - but we shouldn't. Being able to say No can help you and can also help the other person too (ever worked with someone that didn't really want to be there?). We all have busy lives and commitments learning to set your priorities and your limits will only make your life easier - and you can say No nicely, you really can!!
First, Smile when you are saying No. You aren't trying to be rude, you are just setting your boundaries and letting the other know it in a kind way. Smile, even when the No is being said over the phone.
When you are answer is No be sure that it is clear. Saying "maybe" will only prolong the process of getting your No out. I think for many people they are afraid that saying No will offend the other, in many cases leaving the other on a string waiting for your actual answer is more offending.
If the request is something that you would really like to do, but the time isn't right, offer a Rain check. I remember one instance where the high school in my town was doing a local "American Idol" and I was asked to be one of the judges. It was something that I really wanted to do, but the date coincided with the due date of Baby S. I told them that while I couldn't do it this year that I would want to be considered next year.
Redirect. Sometimes a person can't do their request by themselves and are asking you to help them with it, if you can't (or don't want to) offer them names of others who might be able to help them. One night Mr. S was broadcasting a high school football game his color announcer called in last minute (day of the game) to say that he couldn't do it. I asked him if he knew anyone else and he offered the name of another local guy. It worked out so well!! His redirection lead to another who could do it for the rest of the season. Sometimes a redirection can also come in the form of an alternative job for the project: i.e.: I can't organize the luncheon, but I can bring a salad.
Give encouragement. Sometimes a person may need a little boost to let them know that they can do it. I work with a local youth theater group and I am constantly asked to direct the plays that we produce. It's time consuming and there is very little help offered my way from the director of the board. Just recently she suggested that we produce "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and wanted me to direct it. I told her ( I have learned that only straight No's work with her) that while I think that the play would be fun I had no interest directing this project and suggested that she was very capable of directing it. It took some time encouraging her that she could, but we are now going forward with the project with her as the director of the show.
You don't need to go into lengthy details. This is something that I've inherited from my Mother. I feel like I have to explain myself telling the requester my entire life story. You don't have to. Your business is your business unless it is necessary, like the American Idol judge thing I explained that my due date was around that day, but I didn't start my explanation with the conception and the stats of babies that come on their due date.
Still need a list of ways to say No:
"Sorry I have other plans"
"Now is not a good time. How about we reconnect at {scheduled} time"
"Last time I {did the request} I was too stressed/financially strained"
"Yes, I would like to {do request}, but currently can't fit it in to my schedule"
"I'd love to do this, but I can't due to (A. Prior Commitment or B. Different need)"
"Right now I can't take on any new projects"
" I really don't enjoy doing {the project}" (if you don't like doing it letting them know to cross you off the list is the best for you and them!)
"I hate to split my attention {among projects, children, priorities} at this time"
"I need to focus on {my personal life, family, children, another project} right now"
"I need to leave some free time for myself {family, children, schedule}" (it's not rude to be honest)
My favorite, it's nice, short, direct - "I want to see how long I can go without saying Yes" or "I've decided to dedicate my life to the art of making linguine" :)
Late one night me & Mr. S. wanted something to munch. Mr. S wanted something crunchy and I wanted something gooey. Mr. S. wanted chocolate and I wanted marshmellow...S'mores!! But it was late and starting up a fire wasn't really something we could do...S'more Popcorn was born!!!
Now pardon me for not having the exact measurements. I think it was Rachel Ray that said, "You're not conducting experiments for the government, just feel your way through" I whole heartedlly agree!! So I will give you a rough estimate to give you an idea, but don't hold yourself to it, feel free to add or subtract as you desire.
Popcorn (abt 8 cups)
Chocolate Chips, melted (1 Cup, more if you want it chocolatey)
Mini Marshmellows (1 cup - I would rather put in 2 cups, but that's because I love me the mallow!)
Graham crackers (about 6 rectangles, you want them chunky not crumbs. You could also use Golden Graham cereal)
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Pop your corn. Put your chocolate chips in a microwave bowl and cook for 20 SECONDS and then stir. If you need more melting time put in for 15 seconds. Repeat every 15 until it is melted.
(BE CAREFUL not to burn your chocolate. If it's looking like fudge - it's a gonner.)
Once the chocolate is melted, pour over the popped corn and stir until the popcorn is coated. Then add your marshmellows and graham crackers. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake in the oven stirring every 10 minutes. It was very late at night when I made this and I want to say that I went for about 30 minutes. When the popcorn is feeling baked (I really don't know how to describe this feeling. It makes me want to have you all with me so I could show you. As you are stirring it will feel like the popcorn is separating itself - not as gooey with eachother) and the marshmellows are melting.
Spread onto wax paper and let cool ...if you can stand it.
Enjoy!!
Ooooh do you see that gooey marsmellow?? Sooooo good! Let me know how you like it!
