happy friday + halloween + some things.

it's friday. i'm happy. i'm looking forward to a fun family weekend. tonight we are having pizzas, pumpkin carving and decorating sugar shortbread cookies. cooler weather has settled in and it's feeling like halloween. i know my children are very anxious to put on their costumes and start trick-or-treating!

i you hope have a very happy halloween weekend and perhaps you'll enjoy some of these things-

ultra-creative halloween cocktails

pomegranate mimosa cupcakes

i'd like some glitter for my cupcakes too

bite-size pumpkin pie... yum!

or pumpkin and chocolate chips

and, a great idea to get rid of all that candy after halloween night

i'll share pictures of my little trick-or-treaters when i see you back here on monday. above is a picture of elle last halloween. she was a beautiful butterfly!!

hope you have a happy halloween weekend!!

halloween time.

it is seriously feeling like halloween around here. i've been busy in the kitchen making pumpkin spice bread, sweet scarecrow cookies and even a double batch of pumpkin spice play dough. it's the same play dough recipe i talked about here. tonight, i am finishing up one last halloween costume so that we can spend tomorrow evening carving our pumpkins!

p.s. - my little sia dressed up as olivia the pig from the ian falconer books for her preschool party today... i just love the ears!

thanksgiving garland.

i know my family is just starting to get excited for halloween, but i had to share this wonderfully crafty thanksgiving garland i found. the tutorial was posted today on marta writes.

tiffany bird of simply modern mom shared her idea of how to count down the days until thanksgiving with meaningful blessings from her family. i truly love, love, love this idea. i hope to do it this year with my family.... which means i need to have it ready by november 1st.

i guess, i better start crafting!! (that is, after i finish making just one more halloween costume!)

photos via martawrites

camping party.

we celebrated slade's seventh birthday with a camping themed party right in our own backyard. as the boys arrived, a sign instructed them to "check-in" and grab their camp pack.

the packs contained a flashlight and compass, which were used to play some of the games. the color of their bandana designated teams and had to be worn by the campers at all times.

the "camp rules" were posted along the path to the campsite.

a campground wouldn't be complete without a firepit to sit around.
(which was a favorite spot for the adults)

signs were also posted to direct campers to
the campsite, hiking trails and toilets.

sweets included: buckets filled with gummy frogs,
candy fishes and chocolate pebbles.

and of course, we roasted marshmallows and
made s'mores once it became dark.

finally, after singing happy birthday, campfire cupcakes
were served along with marshmallow ghosts.

happy birthday slade!!

happy weekend.

photo by carly taylor via hwtm daily blog

okay... so, it's saturday at 8:30pm and i am just getting around to wishing you a happy weekend. my in-laws had been visiting all week and left early this morning. needless to say, it was a wonderful week and definitely had our home buzzing with happiness.

after a busy week, it ended with a baseball game last night and then pizzas at home. i made four pizzas this week! slade had another baseball game this afternoon, which was after the annual fall festival at the school.

so, right now our home is quiet again. and i am relaxing. (for now, that is. we are expecting visitors again on monday!)

i hope you have a happy weekend and hope you'll enjoy some of these things.

commission a painting for just $200

create your own chocolate bar

yum... love the idea of these cocktails

pumpkin patent leather (really like these!)

fur ball & string monster cupcakes

and, an amazing halloween sweets table

seven years.

it's hard to believe my little boy is seven years old today. how can time quickly slip by just like that? seven years ago today, nervously excited jeff and i rushed to the hospital with anticipation of finally meeting a baby we already loved more than life. the simple words "its a boy!" brought such proudness and happiness to our world. seven years ago today, our life was blessed with more joy than we could ever imagine.

today, i am wishing a very happy birthday to my sweet little boy, slade.

happy monday.

wow! a week's gone by.... i'm sorry, i haven't been paying attention. i've been so busy over here. school activities. baseball games. a sick little boy. birthday party planning. and visitors coming. i've hardly taken any time just to sit down.

i'm here now. it's a happy monday! and glad i'm back!!

p.s. - my sweet elle sketched this picture for me last week. she told me it was our happy home!

i'm a winner.

yay! i won. so, sometime soon, i will be wearing that sweetest feather bracelet from blue poppy jewelry that i posted about here.

thank you designmom for an awesome giveaway! you made me very happy today with the news that i'm a winner!!!

the weekend + some things.

it's friday. what are you plans for the next few days?

our weekend will be much of the same as last week- pizza night tonight, baseball games, a birthday party and hopefully some family time spent in our backyard around the fire pit and a date with my wonderful husband.

i am loving the fall weather that has finally come our way. it inspires me to start baking. i love filling our home with aromas of sweetness and spice. i am seriously considering baking these and these this weekend, or maybe this cake. all so tempting!

whatever your plans are, i hope you too enjoy all the goodness of fall. and perhaps, you'll enjoy some of these things too-

a teen's photos of lovely things (like the one above)

saw these state food prints, wonder what n.j. or ga. would look like?

welcome true- baby happiness!

sweetest feather bracelet

parisian tea towels

what to do with grandma bling

still heart these pumpkins- i'd like some

hope you have a happy weekend. happy fall!

(photo by honey&jam photography.)

a note from above.

my dear son slade loves to write notes. i find them everywhere. i had to smile when this note dropped down into the living room from the upstairs above me. it came when all of my children should have been asleep! very cute.... but, it was time for bed!!