Bootastic Bash with the Beaver's!!

The treats and festive touches.....from pumpkin cookies with maple glaze, to snickerdoodles, to chocolate crinkles and Buffy's delicious pumpkin cheesecake trifle...

The folks behind the bash...just a bunch of YARD ART!!!!!  Our little garden gnome wouldn't wear her hat...daddy as the flying pig--which he thoroughly enjoyed wearing...and mommy as a pink flamingo!  I love how we were accidentally color coordinated!  Don't forget the "junk"yard doggy!

And the Characters that made the night extra special!!  Some of our favorite creatures!!!  Ladybugs, tigers and spiders...OH MY!  Greasers, cowboys and cowgirls and to really heat it up...a devilish momma!  Luckily a zoo keeper came to keep this bunch under control!!! 

We had such a blast celebrating and look forward to next year!  We even took the little ones to trick or treat at the neighbors!  P had her first piece of candy--and loved it!  Thanks to all who made our Spooktacular event extra-special!!!

Picture Perfect Weekend!

We have been on a different adventure everyday this weekend since Thursday!  Mini and I had lunch with a great friend and her new baby Thursday afternoon and watched daddy and Chad do their annual pumpkin carving that evening!

 
 On Friday we baked away lots of goodies to complete the treat part of our trick or treating bash!  We have lots of FANTASTIC cookie recipes to share!!

  Friday evening we headed to a Halloween village designed for the wee little ones!  Lots of nursery rhymes, hayrides and fun!!

 
 
 Saturday morning we got up bright and early and participated in a family Halloween walk where the munchkins dress up and get a little exercise!  We needed that because we had LOTS of goodies planned for the big frightful evening!


To Be Continued.......

Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget...

No matter what you are shopping for it is good to have a little research under your belt, a set budget and expectations.  The older I get the better I get at such things.  But still, I think its human nature to kind of long for the upgrade! 

This morning Mini and I had to go get two tires repaired.  We acquired to semi-flat tires in our weekend adventures which could turn out to be pretty dramatic when you only have one car in your family!!  We made it to our local tire shop and they fixed us right up!  On the way home I decided I would stop at a Bernina sewing machine shop since its on the way home and I have been gathering information on sewing machines trying to decide which one to get.  DISCLAIMER--I had NO idea how much these little beauties were before going into the store! 

I have only used Singer machines...my grandmother's, Janet's and Kim's.  So I have been planning on getting myself a Singer.  In fact, I did the research 6 months ago and decided on one that Martha Stewart recommended for someone with my skill level and the type of projects I plan to do but CANNOT find the note I made myself telling me the model.  Grrrr...so I decided one of the sweet ladies at Bernina might be able to help!  Oh could they!  The sweet lady walked us around showing us everything and asked what type of projects I like to do or wish to do.  I told her I make simple blankets but would like to get better at quilting, making drapes, bedding, pillows...mainly household things and possibly some simple children's clothing but nothing extravagant or fancy stuff.  Then she brings up embroidery.  Hmmm...I would have said no right off the bat but several of my friends have recently invested in embroidery machines so I wanted to know more...what's the craze all about?  Then I saw a few treasures made with the embroidery machine.  Well, I MIGHT be interested...then Janet, Tiff and I could all benefit from this machine right?  So if its a little more expensive but we ALL get use out of it, might be worth it.  So I will listen.  Like all good sales people, they never give you any inclination what these treasures might cost.  But the more she showed me, the more I felt like I was in a multi-million dollar house and had a budget of $150,000.00.  Or just slipped on a $15,000 wedding gown but had a budget of $1,000.  It feels so good at the time but when you reach for your pocket book...chirp chirp chirp!  Luckily Mini started squirming so I asked for a few brochures and prices so I could look everything over and come back in for more demos when I had some extra hands to help with the babe. 

Again, before letting me know how much the three dream machines we "test-drove" were, she let me know I would have a free two year bumper-to-bumper warranty, free sewing classes and a few other things I can't quite remember.  So I was getting excited!  Everyone is getting something bedazzled for Christmas!!  As I look at the price sheet and listen to her I realize the numbers she is saying are in the thousands???  I must have misunderstood?  I looked at the sheet...no, it was not a misunderstanding.  I have just test drove three machines that range in price from $2800-$3600!!!!!!!!   I honestly didn't know they could get that expensive...no wonder there is a "bumper-to-bumper" warranty!  They cost as much as a car!  So I went from looking at a sewing machine that costs $150, to one that costs $3600.  I am sad to report that you all should stop getting excited about your embroidered treasures for Christmas this year.  Its not going to happen!!! 

Lesson learned...I will be cruising up to Target later to pick up a trusty Singer that fits into my budget and as Kim said, "You've been using mine for a year now and it never did you wrong, now did it?!"  Nope, it didn't and it certainly won't require a 15 year mortgage!  It will probably be a while before I stop dreaming of that Bernina...she sewed like butter and did tricks your wildest crafting dreams couldn't even begin to imagine....If you are a sewer and want to waltz through dreamland, google the Bernina Aurora 440-Quilter's Edition.  Or if you want to purchase it and send it to my house, send me a message and I will gladly send you shipping information:) 

Dear Santa, I have been a VERY good girl, please send me the Aurora 440 Quilter's Edition...I will never ask for another sewing machine if you bring me this one!!!!!  xoxo, heather

P.S. If any of you are sewer's and have a good recommendation for a machine, let me know!  I am going to go with a Singer but can't decide which model yet...

Oh Martha...

I have gone back and forth over the years on if I really can handle Martha Stewart.  Not because I don't like her as a person--she is just so intense that I was always intimidated by her projects and recipes.  She always says they are easy but really you would need 6 months and a staff of designers and chefs to complete anything.  But, this past year I have grown to love her...I have made several of her recipes thanks to my friend Leah and her projects seem to be toned down a bit.  I catch her show every once in awhile and she seems less abrasive too.  Anyway, I really want her new crafting book and am crushing on this pumpkin centerpiece from one of her blogs. 

Isn't it magnificent!?!  I may have to give this one a try this year.  Wouldn't this be fabulous as the centerpiece at a fall wedding!?!?!   

The Black Plague

The Beaver family came home with a not-so-pleasant party favor last weekend--a really nasty stomach bug!  Paige started the lineup on Monday with mommy going downhill very early Wednesday morning (just in time for Tyler's birthday!) and daddy finishing the family off yesterday.  I will leave out the disturbing details but it has been a pretty horrible week!  This was Paige's first, official illness and first time throwing up:(  Nothing a mommy likes to see or clean up! She is back to her self today but still crabby with sleepy time. 

The champ of the week is Oscar!  He has been by my side every second.  Its so amazing how dogs just know what to do--its times like these that I know, he knows, he is my dog!  He LOVES Tyler and Paige.  So much!  Tyler runs with him, takes him places and worries about his feelings all of the time.  So it kind of seemed like he became everyone's dog after we had Paige and I focus more of my attention on her.  But when times get tough, he sticks with his momma.  When I would rock Paige he would lay his head on my lap and stay out of the way.  When I got sick, he laid right next to me-never moving a muscle.  When Tyler got sick and I got stressed from more germs and nearing my limit of disgustingness...he did not go lay with Tyler...he stayed with his mom. 

And here are a few oldies but goodies...

This was the last time Tyler got sick...my 26th birthday!

 Isn't he delicious?! 

Looking through these I think Oscar may just be an Opportunist.  He seems to capitalize on others' feelings and knows he can get on furniture and lay on top of people when they are at their worst!  I love this furry guy and whatever his motives, he sure helped us all get through this horrific week of yuck!  Our brown bear turned three last week!  For his birthday, we went to a local BBQ joint and had lunch at the park and he dined on polish sausage.  Then we got him his favorite toy--a Kong Wubba!  He shreds the main part of the toy in a day but the ball inside is the real treasure.  It lasts about a year and he carries it EVERYWHERE!  A year is a long time for a toy when you have a doberman!  He just destroyed his old one last week. 

Snicker-Delicious!

As reported, I made Tyler's favorite cookie for his birthday...Snickerdoodles!  It was the first time I have ever made them because I am just not a fan.  But these were actually decent...Ok, that doesn't sound convincing, I know...But Tyler loved them.  Here's the skinny:

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

For rolling-
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon


Directions
 
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

2.) Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy (30 seconds).
3.) Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
4.) Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
5.) Using a large cookie dough scoop, make balls of dough, and then roll each ball into the bowl of cinnamon/sugar.
6.) Place dough 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
7.) Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove from baking sheets and cool on a cooling rack.

Recipe source- Glorious Treats
I will get on one soap box today...I highly recommend investing in good, quality vanilla for your baking!  It makes a WORLD of difference in your cookies!  Its a few dollars more but you will never go back!  I purchase a few varieties from Williams-Sonoma that I just LOVE.  Or if you happen to vacation in Mexico, definitely bring back a big, glass bottle of vanilla--YUMMO!

The Cowboy's Birthday...

Tomorrow is the Mr.'s birthday so I have been trying to decide what sort of treats to make him!  He loves snickerdoodles (I despise them) but I figure its his day, you know?  So I will whip a few up!  But I think he is going to enjoy the pre-birthday celebration with some DELISH Cowboy Cookies--he may not be a cowboy exactly but he does look fab in cowboy boots so that counts right? 

They are thick, soft and wonderful!  They even include a few of his favorite ingredients...cinnamon, oats and vanilla!  I think these will be my go-to for cookie exchanges this year...and maybe some chocolate crinkles.  Sooo good!  I can't wait to dunk one in coffee in the morning!  The house is smelling good enough to eat right now.  Paige is chasing me around the house saying "BITE!" "PEEEEEAAAS!"

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups sweetened flake coconut

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute)

4. Gradually beat in the sugars until fully combined.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.

6. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.

7. Combine chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans in a large bowl, then add that mixture to your dough.

8. Using a large cookie scoop, place large balls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.

9. Bake 9-11 minutes.

10. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.


Once I stop eating these, I will snap a photo so you can see how scrumptuous they are!

Oh! Most importantly...here is my source!  I am in love with this blog and printed about 10 recipes the first 5 minutes I cruised around!  Its called Glorious Treats and I have no doubt all of them are glorious!  I am going to make her pumpkin cookies with maple glaze later!