Reminiscing...

I was just trying to remember where we were and what was going on 3 years ago at the time of my last post before yesterday.  Ironically enough I think Chad had just deployed to Iraq, like a day or two before.  It was still very fresh.  Now we are gearing up for a deployment to Afghanistan but he won't be leaving so soon like in 2010. 

I managed to get some window clings on the front windows, paper plate ghosts hung all over the house and my awesome witch set up on her perch in the kitchen.  Addison made a black and orange paper chain that is now proudly hanging in the entryway from the front door.  I also put a couple knickknack type objects out but not much.  I still have wall cling bats to put somewhere and all the outside stuff to do.  I hope to get a lot of it knocked out today since it's the only day for a while that I don't have anything going on. 

I started to take pictures but I just wasn't into it.  I feel like i'm not decorated enough yet to give a good picture of what's here, but at the same time, I don't plan on doing too much else.  There will be pictures coming I promise, just not today. 

3 years!?!?

I can hardly believe it's been 3 years since I posted on this blog.  Wow!  This year I hope to get back into the swing of things.  My oldest, Samuel, is now 11 years old and in 5th grade.  Addison is 7 years old and in 2nd grade and Eli is 4 years old and in Pre-K.  We are still an Army family and my husband is actually going to deploy to Afghanistan, in the near future, for a year. 

Normally I would have my home completely decorated by now, but I don't.  I have started and will work on it in little bits as time allows.  I will start sharing photos of little things here and there.  I have become more of a minimalist in the past few years because i'm not in love with my decorations anymore but it's too costly to replace them all with more up-to-date items.  Trust me, I have plenty of visions in my head of how I would love for my house to look at Halloween, it's just not a reality right now.

We did already get our pumpkins, a couple weeks ago actually.  My husband was getting ready to start working 7 days a week until the middle of October so we decided to go early so we could do it as a family. 

   
Decoration pictures to follow!

Happy October!

Another year has passed and October is already upon us. I'm way behind with my posting this year and I can't say that it will get any better. But i'll try!

We have already made a trip to the pumpkin patch. We wanted to fit it in before my husband deployed to Iraq. The place we went is out in the middle of nowhere, at least it seemed that way with the dirt road (literally) directions I got from Mapquest. It was nice though and we all had fun. We only got a pie pumpkin for each of the kids. I'll get the big pumpkins at Walmart or maybe we'll go visit another patch.

My decorations are up, but very toned down compared to year's past. I just don't have my heart in it this year. Plus I have to take everything down and put it away by myself with Chad being gone. I'll try to get some pics up very soon!

Our pumpkins....

Addison's pumpkin.

Chad's pumpkin. It looked really cool with a red light inside it.

My pumpkin, of course.

Eli's pumpkin.

Samuel's pumpkin.

Creepy Crawly Bugs

This recipe is from the 2008 Taste of Home Halloween Party Favorites magazine. I'm going to make these for the meeting i'm hosting Wednesday night.

You will need:

1 tube refrigerated breadsticks
8 smoked sausage links or hot dogs
1/2 to 3/4 cup potato sticks
Ketchup and/or prepared mustard

1. Separate dough into strips. Unroll and cut eight strips in half widthwise; set remaining strips aside. Cut sausages in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of dough around each sausage, leaving the rounded end showing. Place seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Place reserved breadsticks on baking sheet.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bugs to a serving plate and cool 2 minutes.

3. Insert potato sticks into baked dough to resemble legs and antennae. Decorate with ketchup and/or mustard. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings

I'll share pictures after I make them Wednesday.

8 days until Halloween......

WOW, can you believe it? We are so close to Halloween. Is everything ready? Are the costumes done and tried on?

We have made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch and got lots of big pumpkins and lots of pie pumpkins as well. We rode the hayride, fought our way through the corn maze and emerged in a pie pumpkin field where we picked our own pumpkin. We were able to pet a calf and a goat in the petting zoo and the kids bounced in the bounce house. Then we climbed to the top of a hay bale pile and took pictures.

The costumes have been purchased but not yet tried on. I must get that done this weekend so I have time to make adjustments if need be. Samuel is going to be a vampire, complete with face paint and spray painted black hair. Addison is going to be a cute little witch and Eli is going to be a green dinosaur. I'm going to be a witch, as usual.

I had many crafts that I wanted to complete BEFORE Halloween but I haven't had a chance to start anything. Maybe this weekend I can take some time just for this and then i'll have some pictures to show you.

More later!

Welcome Fall!

Yesterday late afternoon was the official beginning of fall. The weather was gorgeous with temps in the 50's most of the day and edging up to the 60's by late afternoon/evening. By bedtime it was back in the 50's with another very crisp morning today. I so totally love this weather. I could live in sweatshirts and jeans year round and be happy.

Leaves are starting to fall, which is sad because it is just getting cool enough for them to begin changing color. I want pretty leaves! Halloween will be here before we know it.

I plan to start decorating this weekend, on top of the birthday party hoopla and such. Pictures soon!