My Carnival Party Featured!!

Cooper's Carnival Birthday Party is a couple months behind me now, but I'm still hearing about how much fun everyone had! Click here to read more...

I've also been getting rave reviews from around the blogosphere ~ check out my feature at The Birthday Blog today!!! Click here to check out the Birthday Blog. Stacy offers a ton of great ideas for all kinds of parties for all ages.

Wendy's Halloween Adoption Program

Did you know that Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's, was adopted?

Nearly 20 years ago, Dave Thomas started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

From their website: 114,550 U.S. children are in foster care, waiting to be adopted. They have been removed from their homes as victims of child abuse, neglect or abandonment and are left without a family. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption works on behalf of these children, because we believe every child deserves a permanent home and loving family.

Obviously, adoption awareness is a topic that is dear to my heart. You can help by purchasing some of Wendy's Trick or Treat Frosty coupon books for just $1. I plan on picking some up and including the Frosty coupons in the treat bags for Cooper's school.

"Not only does the coupon program generate national awareness for the Foundation, but the support it provides has been extraordinary,” said Rita Soronen, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “Initiatives like the Halloween program provide the resources for the Foundation to continue to ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive in a loving and permanent home.”

Click here to visit the Foundation's website to learn more.

My Fall Mantle and Fall Scripture & Subway Art Printables

I'm not big on Halloween decorating. There are no skulls, spiders, witches or ghosts around my house. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing other's homes all decked, but we're never home on Halloween, so it seems like a bit of a waste to me. I have, however, found that I really enjoy decorating for FALL. Now I don't call myself a "decorator" by any means. I usually leave that to this lovely lady. But alas, she can't do everything for me, so I hope I've done her proud with my newly decorated Fall mantle.

Don't ya just totally dig the mirror? It was a beautiful old wondow that my personal decorator gave to me, and I just had a mirror put in it. (Please ignore the ugly red brick fireplace. I haven't yet worked up the guts to paint it white. I just can't decide if I'm ready to make that kind of commitment...what do you think? To paint, or not to paint???)

I decided not to buy anything new this year, so everything you see was from shopping the house and pulling out things I used last year.

I created a couple of printables in Photoshop, and put them in frames that I already had. The handprint turkey came with the frame. Just kidding! It's my son's from last year. I love to personalize this space with photos or other kid-made items.

If you would like them, I've included the digital files. Just click on the image to enlarge, right click and save. Print size is 5" x 7" for the scripture, and 8" x 10" for the subway art.

If you're new here, welcome! I'm glad you're here!! Feel free to take a look around and let me know if you like what you see. I've had a couple of requests, so I've added a place for you to subscribe to my blog. Hope to see you back real soon!

I Love You Mama

We were on our way home from preschool today, and Cooper was buckled in his carseat, reading the new borrowed books he had just received as part of their "Raising a Reader" Program. He was telling tales of the pictures he saw, and gently pushing my seat with his feet.

As we were pulling into the driveway, he looked up and said "I love you Mama," and went back to talking about his book.

That moment took my breath away.

My son has a very tender heart inside his very active body. He is stubborn and willful and loud. He runs from me at bath time, then screams that he doesn't want to get out. He climbs out of bed five times before finally settling down for the night. He refuses to eat his dinner and deliberately throws playdough on the floor. 

The past several weeks have been rough with this little boy. He is struggling with independence, and I am struggling for control. Through it all I have moments when I question the sanity of my choice.

But at that moment, all of that melted away and my heart swelled as a wave of joy washed over me. I was reminded of why I am a mother. 

I looked at my son in the rearview mirror and was taken back for a moment at just how big he is getting. He used to look so small in that carseat, his toes barely reaching the edge. Now his blonde curls are peaking out over the top and his legs are kicking my seat. The little baby sounds he used to make have been replaced with tales of dinosaurs and dragons. I realize that he is growing up and soon enough he won't be there, and that awareness makes me cherish these moments even more.

How We Got Through a Rainy Weekend

It's been a dreary few days here in the OC. What is usually a warmer time of the year, has turned wet and cold. We spent our Sunday indoors (much to the kid's disappointment). Usually on a day like this, I would be tying on my apron (ok, so I don't actually have an apron, but I'm sure I would look damn cute if I did). Anyway, I would probably be baking BUT since my oven is BROKEN, that didn't happen. Sooo, to combat the running around the house and jumping on the couch, I announced that we were going to make playdough. My son cheered and I was THE BEST MOM EVER. (Ok, so he didn't actually say that, but it IS true).

Since the You Capture challenge for the week is "ORANGE" I knew this was a perfect opportunity to create my subject.

Yellow and red make ORANGE.

"Children's games are hardly games.

Children are never more serious than when they play."

~MONTAIGNE, Essays

Photography 101 was taught by this guy (shown here with his ORANGE drink):

I'm slowly learning the buttons on the camera, and how and why to use them. My photos are a little grainy, but apparently that's because the ISO was set too high and the aperture too low. Or something like that.

And for those of you who have never made the easiest "toy" in the world, here's the recipe.

Homemade Playdough

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
3 cups water
1 Tblsp cooking oil
1 Tblsp cream of tarter
Your desired coloring (Food coloring, Kool-Aid packet, even Tempera paint will work)

Pour all ingredients into a pot and cook until the sides start to pull away from the pan, stirring intermittently. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, them transfer to wax paper, or a large cutting board to cool (you don't have to wait for it to cool to start playing with it).

I didn't have any on hand, but I love using Kool-Aid packets, because it not only adds a beautifully vibrant color, but a great scent as well. You can also add different extracts to create your own scent (peppermint, lemon, vanilla, etc). Throw in plastic knives, rolling pins and cookie cutters and this is a great rainy day activity to keep your kids busy for hours!

Meal Planning Week of Oct 17

I really need to get back on track with my menu planning. I've found it to be easier when I use a basic plan, rather than try to stick to a meal set for each day. I put together a list of meals based on what I have on hand that can be served anytime during the week, depending on how much energy I have!

I must point out that I have no oven. I do not know when I will have an oven, as the part that is needed is on backorder.

AND my microwave cooker is cracked. I won't have a new one for at least two weeks.

AND the starter on my BBQ won't ignite so "someone else" has to start it with a lighter. Not me 'cause fire freaks me out.

AND we are trying to reduce the amount of times we eat out, especially fast food. Gah!

So, I have had to be a little more creative and employ stovetop and crockpot cooking a little more than usual. Eventually, I would like to do that whole 30 meals/1 day thing, but right now it just ain't happenin'!

Here's this week's menu:
1. Grilled Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies (Take note: Even the picky princess likes this meal!)
2. Skillet Herbed Chicken with Pan Gravy, Rice, Veggies
3. Grilled Asian Style Chicken , Pineapple and Mandarin Oranges, Salad
4. Crockpot Tri Tip Strogonoff
5. Beef Stew
6. Chicken Fried Rice

Day 7 will be leftovers.

So this is my plan for the week. What's on your menu?

Skillet Herbed Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce (aka I Totally Rock)

I earned my "Betty Crocker Wannabe" title last night.

Before I even tasted it, I looked at my plate and told Rick, I have to take a picture of this so I can post it on my blog if it's good. I got "the look." But I did it anyway.

It's really nothing fancy, or too exciting, but the man sure thought it was. He must have told me five times how good it was, at least during his first helping, and a few times during his second. I'm not sure if it was out of sheer pleasure for the meal, or surprise that I could come up with something this tasty. The boy who hardly eats anything had THREE HELPINGS of chicken, and was swiping leftovers off the plate in the kitchen as he walked by.

I knew that anything that won that much approval from my family must be shared.

Skillet Herbed Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce

Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground pepper
butter or olive oil

Sauce:
1 can Healthy Choice Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup lemon juice

Slice chicken breasts into 1/2 thick pieces. Combine flour and seasonings in a Ziploc bag and add the chicken, shaking to coat. Heat butter or oil in a large saute pan. Add the chicken and saute until no longer pink. Remove chicken from the pan and stir in soup and lemon juice, scraping the drippings from the bottom of the pan. Simmer about five minutes.

Serve over buttered noodles or rice. Makes about six servings.

Enjoy!