Happy Halloween . . .

From this witch

And her littlest pumpkin!

{thanks LJ for the cute outfit!}

The Haunted Part of My House . . .

Welcome to a spooky part of my home I rarely photograph, and certainly never ever when it looks like this {which is approximately 98.3% of the time}. I like to refer to it as "The Hub". Not to be confused with The Hubby, who actually really despises The Hub because it is the first thing he sees when he walks in the door from work and for some reason {hmmm. . . still trying to figure it out} it is not even remotely possible for it to ever be clean, unless I've shoved most of it into a drawer because we have guests coming.

The Hub is command central - you have one in your home too, I'm sure - where the phone and calendar reside along with random pieces of leftover schoolwork and forms, bills to be paid, a gathering of pencils & almost inkless pens cohabiting with dull scissors and maybe a letter opener, coupons from last week's paper and coupons that expired months ago hiding under a letter from a friend you've been meaning to respond to. I could go on and on and you'd be able to find ALL OF IT at The Hub.

If you're wondering about now why I'm rambling about this shameful little mess in my kitchen, get ready, here it comes: I want to know which spot in YOUR house is always the messiest and why. I want you, Dragonfly readers, to take a picture of your spot in its current condition and email it to me. And then we're going to commit to making it better TOGETHER! Maybe I'll even post some of your before and afters with permission. Because really, I hate The Hub. I hate that this little corner continues to make me feel like I don't have control over anything at all when it comes to the cleanliness of my home. And I am ready to fix it.

So say goodbye to 1) the pile of paperwork 2) a calendar I can't use because it's covered with stuff, 3)leftover Halloween costume materials 4)the bowl of pacifiers 5)postcards needing to be mailed 6) the jar of family home evening ideas 7) this dysfunctional, not used file box 8) things that need to go to the baby's room 9)leftovers from our bout with flu and 10) Hannie B's excusal note {what is that still doing here? see why we need to change?}

If your daring enough to participate, just click on my email link to the left and send me your pictures.

Three Word Thursday . . .

Somebody. Stop. Me!

Gosh these Grannies sure look naked. Crisp, sure. Green, check. But some how lacking.

The solution? A half hour of unwrapping these bad boys! {Seriously though, do they have to make the wrappers so thin and static clingy?} Of course I had to sample a few to make sure they were fresh. And they were. I added a few tablespoons of milk, let 'em melt in a double boiler and . . .

Peace. Harmony. Synchronicity. A perfect pairing and all seems right in the world. But wait! It gets even better. {Ooh, weird, I can see my reflection in that caramel. I've never looked so tasty.}

Yeah, we had to go there. Double dipped. In milk chocolate. And rolled. Oh, the rolling is what makes it, people! Our choices today were Skor bar, roasted almonds and M & Ms for the kiddies.

I planned to show these wrapped up all cute for our friends and neighbors, but unfortunately, they didn't make it. {How fortunate for us!}

Falling For You . . .

{Lucky, lucky Krisanne! A little Fall is coming your way.}

I'm pretty sure my favorite season is Fall, with Spring coming in a close second. There's just something about this season that appeals to me besides its cooler temperatures wiping away the uncomfortable heat of Summer. And since I'm in the spirit of enjoying this season, and especially this week with all its festivities, today I'm going to tell you ten things I am loving about Fall 2009:

10. Crunching leaves under the wheels of the stroller as I walk with Ollie.
9. Opening the windows and letting a cool breeze run through the house.
8. My Honey Pear Cider Scentsy candle warmer from sweet reader Suzanne.
7. S'mores on the firepit.
6. Putting a hat on Ollie and watching him bust out a goofy grin.
5. Flannel sheets on my bed and counting down the days 'til the feather comforter joins them.
4. Scarves! So fashionable and a warm neck too.
3. Soup. And chili. And bread. All together.
2. Snuggling up to my Hubby at night.
1. Nursing a baby in a cool house but feeling absolutely warmed by his tiny body.

Tell me, what's your favorite season and why?

A Little Fall Yumminess For You . . .

I think I'll just let this picture do the talking for a few seconds.

Oh, you've got a little drool spilling out of your mouth - that kind of reminds me of Ollie. Cute on him, but not on grown adults, so let's get down to business.

This cake is good looking, isn't it? I entered it in the Harvest Carnival Bake-Off at our Church this weekend full well knowing it could win based on looks alone. The good news is that this cake tastes as good as it looks! My dessert took home one of the three prizes awarded not because I'm an amazing chef, but because it's a fool-proof recipe. And now, because I love you so much {and because I believe every gal should have hips like mine}, I'm going to give you the recipe. Just don't tell anyone else how easy it is to make . . . because it's totally faux gourmet.

Decadent Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

1pkg. yellow cake mix

1 15 oz can pumpkin divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

11/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 8 oz tub Cool Whip

1/4 cup caramel or caramel chocolate topping

1/2 cup candied pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9 inch cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup of pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave in pans and cool completely on wire racks. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, remaining pumpkin and remaining 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in Cool Whip.

Remove cakes from pans; cut each layer in half horizontally with serrated knife. Stack the layers on a cake plate, spreading cream cheese mixture between each layer. Do not frost top layer. Drizzle with caramel sauce {I prefer caramel chocolate sauce from Target} and top with candied pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Now, please go make this cake and share it with a bunch of people you love {it feeds about 16}. You can thank me later.

Congrats to . . .

Krisanne! Early riser and first guesser wins a fall package from me! Ollie will be an Owlie for Halloween, and I've gotta say, this costume is going to be so cute {and a little hilarious too}. Can't wait to show you the finished product. Thanks for all the guesses.

Handmade Monday . . .

Today is handmade Monday, which is also known as "Guess what the Dragonfly did this weekend Monday?". Here's a picture clue to help you out.

I'll post an answer by 4:00 EST today. First person to guess correctly (specifics) gets a little fall package in the mail from me . . . so leave a way for me to contact you. Happy Guessing!

Ps. Here's what I DIDN'T do this weekend: I didn't go to church or any other really public place with Ollie and therefore we didn't get the Swine Flu.

Similar . . . But Different

These two flowers, both zinnias, were part of a much appreciated bouquet brought to me by my friend Melaney when my Uncle Kirk passed away. After admiring them carefully, I knew I had to get Edward out and snap a few photos.

Aren't they beautiful and fascinating?! Beautiful because their colors are so rich and vibrant and their petals are so delicate and intricate. Fascinating because these two flowers, though from the same family, the same garden and probably the same seed pack, are so very, very different in appearance!

Over a year ago, when I first learned I had a sister, my emotions expectantly covered a very wide range. And though I couldn't admit it at the time {because I felt ashamed} one of my initial reactions was that of pure selfishness.

I worried that I would get lost in an endless train of comparison to my new sibling. I was afraid that when the comparing occurred - and I knew it would occur - I would be the one coming up short every time. I feared that people would no longer see me for me, but would instead see me as the former only daughter or the new little sister or the less accomplished child. Basically, I was okay to welcome the change, but only if it wouldn't change anything for me.

Yeah, I know. Lame.

Luckily, time, understanding and a year's worth of experience have given me a gift I never expected to come from this entire situation. And seeing these two flowers a few weeks ago was a sweet reminder of this tender mercy the Lord has awarded me as I've gained a sister.

Just like these zinnias, my sister and I have many things in common. We're both tall, slender blonds. We both love to read books and hunt for great bargains at thrift stores and garage sales. We're both devoted to being mothers and wives. We both enjoy close friendships with women and are actively involved in religious faiths.

But the blessing of our sisterhood is that while our similarities bring much to our relationship, it is our differences which enrich it beyond what I could have ever realized. As my sister and I have enjoyed minutes, hours and days together learning about each other, it has become very clear to me that my fears over a year ago were unfounded. In fact, I have come to know myself more than ever before because I have a sister.

God does not expect us to be the same as everyone else. He does not want us to feel like we fall short. He loves each of us because we are his individual children. And he has absolutely confirmed to me that I am valued beyond measure and so is my sister. It is so wonderful to be different! It is so glorious to be distinct! There is no one else like me or you. And just like the flowers from Melaney, we are each, in our own way, absolutely unique and beautiful.

If You Give An Owlie An Owl . . .

He might sit and pose for picture.

And if you're lucky, posing for that picture might lead to a conversation between bird and boy.

But eventually, if you give an Owlie and owl, it can only end in one way:

With the owl becoming lunch. What a hoot!

On Our 'To Boo' List . . .

A talk given in General Conference by our prophet has been on my mind lately. In the talk President Monson mentioned a man who asked his children each night at dinner what they had done for someone else that day. This idea really resonated with me. The Hubby and I decided we should implement it in our own family to help our children become more natural at serving others on a daily basis. We also realized we had the perfect venue to teach them this idea at our weekly Family Home Evening {Monday nights at our house}.

Traditionally during the Halloween season we "Boo" families in our neighborhood with some goodies and a ghost to put on their door. This year we decided we would "Boo" four new families in our church congregation to help welcome them. Here's how we accomplished our service oriented goal:

First, we gathered supplies. I found darling bat boxes at Target and filled them halfway with sweets. Did you know DOTS makes ghost and bat candy at Halloween? Consider yourself informed! Each family needed a box of goodies, a note explaining the "Boo", a ghost and some ribbon to tie it all up.

Next, we turned to my little blue and white superhero for some semi-homemade yumminess. We love these little Halloween cookies with the ghost and pumpkin themes. They're cheap, easy and frostingless, which makes it easy to package them without a mess. My friend Angela came over while I was baking the cookies and stated with alarm, "Oh, I didn't think you did THAT." I guess my dirty little secret is out . . . I'm a premade cookie dough lowlife.

But see how festive they look in the bat boxes? You can totally understand my inability to resist, right? If not, just remember, I have a cranky, non-sleeping newborn.

I found a great ghost graphic, a poem about the "Boo" {which I altered slightly to fit the parameters of our families} and a little "Boo" tag over at the Blonde Designs Blog. These girls used to work for Martha Stewart and are a class act.

We tied it all up with some appropriately colored ribbon and then let the kids ring and run as they dropped goodies off on doorsteps in the night. If you haven't done this before, you should try it! The kids love plotting out their getaway plan and we get a huge laugh out of watching them try {and fail} to be stealthy, especially when it involves setting off motion detector lights that freak the kids out!

If there is one thing I've learned, it's that when serving other people is fun, my kids love to do it. Another fun activity and gift to others checked off our "To Boo" list.

Easy. Peasy. Lemon Squeezey. . .

Remember back in the 90's when fake ivy in that dead space atop the kitchen cupboards was totally acceptable? Well, those days are over. Don't feel bad if you still have ivy there. But do stop reading this blog and take it down right now because I've got the perfect use for it! And it won't even matter if it gets dusty. In fact, that will make it even better!

I took some ivy that had been sitting in my basement stash of faux greenery {always on hand in case I'm in a pinch . . . I've even used some on a cake before in the middle of winter to make it look purty} and hauled it out back where it met its fate in a can of black spray paint. Now I've got some great blackery {ha ha, get it? it's a pun on GREENery} to stick in my urn for Halloween.



It looks great in the dining room with the plates and the spiders and this guy who was a steal at Michaels for only $6.99, which is surprising, since it's from the Martha Stewart line. He'll be around for years and is so versatile! Who doesn't love a versatile skeleton? Maybe next year I'll have him coming out of a kitchen cupboard or on the mantle. Or maybe I'll scare the poop out of one of my kids by putting it in their room while they sleep. Oh, yes, I can see this is going to be very, very good.



Everyone who knows me, knows that I hate spiders. Hate them. Hate. Them. But I am in love with these plastic spiders that came in a package of 40 from Wal-mart for $2.99. I have used the entire lot of them all over the house. I think they are solely responsible for keeping the real spiders away, so I've decided to leave them up year round. Not really, but they do make me smile - especially when they're following one another up a wall or down a fireplace like a happy spider family {think Harry Potter}.

My spiders are attached to surfaces using Joe's Sticky Stuff.
It was a gift from a sister-in-law and I love, love, love it for securing spiders or picture frames to any wall or surface! Handy.

One day Ollie and I took a little walk with the stroller and some hand held garden pruners. We were on the hunt for spooky branches in our neighborhood's wooded area. Once I found a good branch, I brought it home, spray painted it black and put it in a bucket filled with white beans. Our "Halloween Tree" is decorated with little spooky ornaments and black and white ribbon. You could easily enlist the kiddoes on this one. Have them make bats or ghosts to hang from the branches.

And now, if you've endured long enough to read ALL THE WAY to the end of this post, here comes the payoff! Many of you asked how I edited yesterday's photos to look so old and spooky. I found this great Japanese website that takes modern photos and makes them look a hundred years old. Go check out the Bakumatsu Koshashin Generator here, but I'm warning you, it can become VERY ADDICTING! Before you know it, you'll be aging all your photos of your dog, your kid, or heaven help me, your cat!

Happy Tuesday! Tomorrow I'm going to show you how we checked something off of our "to boo" list this week.

Ghoulish Decor 2009 . . .

If you don't already know, we've got a little Halloween love going on in our family. The Queen's got skulls and rats aplenty, as well as some creepy framed bugs and a death mask of my younger brother's face. Weird? Yes! Spooky? Absolutely!

My photobro has an interesting assortment of dental molds and assorted tooth specimens he brings out around this time of year. I have a theory that his fear of dentists has caused him to warn all the little kiddies about the danger of too much candy through his seasonal decor. Yeah, we're strange like that!

At my house, we lean a little more towards the child friendly Halloween. But only a little. Here's a sneak peek at this year's fare:

Pumpkin under glass.

The plate wall in the dining room has some new visitors. Arachnophobes beware.

What little eight-legged friend wouldn't want to live in an urn of decrepit, black ivy?

Our family's version of "Thing" {name that show} holding test tubes full of creepy, crawling friends.

Whimsy & Warning - perfect for All Hallows Eve!

Spooky black branches adorned with skull & bone ornaments and black and white ribbon.

Anatomy of a skeleton - it's important for the kids to learn, you know.

A skull candle just waiting to be lit on the big night with rats standing at attention.

Stay tuned 'til tomorrow when I'll give the how to's on a few of these EASY, CHEAP decorations.

Three Word Thursday . . .

I. Heart. Pumpkins.

Yep, it's that time of year! Our front porch is bedecked with all the fall goodies, from pumpkins and gourds to mums and ornamental cabbages. Leaves are falling faster than we can rake them, but we don't mind because the sound of them crunching underfoot can only mean one thing: Autumn has arrived! Take a look at some of the other pumpkins around our place this year.

This little fellow is definitely resembling a carved pumpkin with gaping holes in his mouth where teeth used to be. I give the other top tooth a week before it's gone and we have a certified lisper in the house.

These cuties remind me of jack-o-lanterns all aglow from the fire light. The weather has finally cooled considerably, making our firepit out back an ideal spot for making s'mores, telling ghost stories and getting warm.

And then there's this beauty. I can hardly talk about it without running to the kitchen to grab a few. I've eaten enough to guarantee three things: a new cavity, a sick stomach and no chance of losing lingering baby poundage. But I don't care, because they only come around once a year and are Oh. So. Yummy.

Happy Fall to you all! We'll be in Philadelphia tomorrow meeting up with our California Grandies. Come back around on Monday to check out some of this year's Halloween decor.

In His Humble Opinion . . .

See this picture here? See the inappropriate hand gesture my three month old is making? Yeah - that's pretty much how he feels about sleep. He doesn't care for it, doesn't need it and by golly, he's gonna scream if you try to make him do it, so back off sister!

The issue isn't getting him to fall asleep. He does that like a champ. It's getting him to STAY asleep. The current trend is leaning towards "mini-snoozes" that last about 15 minutes a stretch. Not cool!

I've tried it all - white noise machines, sleeping him on his tummy for naps, nursing him, not nursing him, ferberzing hime, letting him cry it out, having a special nap time ritual, having a special nap time blankie, having a special nap time place and nothing seems to be working. And now I am going to go curl up in the fetal position in a corner and have myself a little nap time breakdown.

My sweet little Ollie needs some sleep. His sweet little momma needs some time to check her sanity.

Any advice {or condolences} would be greatly appreciated.

{And no, I did not pose him for this picture. My intent was to get a shot of him using his Bumbo chair for the first time. I guess he told me where to go.}