Happy Halloween

Happy halloween, I hope you enjoy the spooky recap from our party...

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

Pumpkins

This summer we had a few pumpkin plants volenteer in our garden. We got about 17 pumpkins but they were all small. The largest was about the size of a volleyball.

Anyway they were too small to carve so we decided to paint them. We have some large bottles of glitter glue, and Eric began to paint. He put so much on that it ran down the sides. By the time it was dry it had all run down the sides. It looked so awesome that we had to do more that way!

These Pictures just don't do them justice. With all that glitter they look magical.

Ouch...

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails.
That's what little boys are made of.



Wings and springs and crazy things.
That's what Eric is made of.

Tickles and play and instacare copays
That's what his dad is made of.

Cuddles and sighs, and why do I try?
That's what his mom is made of.

Sat. we went to the Elder's Quarm party. When we got there I told Eric he needed to stay in the gym. Well in the first ten minutes he comes back into the gym from a classroom,with a paper towel on his cheek. (ah-oh sound effect) He is all serious, not crying, just serous. "Mom, I got hurt." just as calm as can be. He cut his cheek on the metal tray at the bottom of a chalkboard. It was bleeding so I sent Robert out to the car for the first-aid kit. Pinched it back together, (because it was gaping every time Eric talked) and slapped a butterfly bandage on it. "So Eric," I said, "Do you want to go to the instacare now or eat dinner here and go after?" (insert winy voice here for Eric) "Why do we have to go to instacare?" (insert voice of patients of saint here for me) "Because I don't want to have to call you 'Scar'." (think Lion King) He chose to go after dinner. After all they were serving hot dogs (insert voice of sarcasm here) and who would pass up hot dogs.

Did you notice that I carry butterfly bandages? Its from experience. I'm on my second box you know. I bet you didn't know that butterfly bandages are the only band aids that don't stick permanently. They come off way too easily, and the ones you want to come off takes a layer of skin with it when you rip it off.

I also have to put a plug in for "Dermabond". What did mothers do in the old days when the Dr. had to stitch up every cut? Its so much easier to tell your little boy the Dr. is going to "glue" your cut, then to tell him the Dr. needs to sew it up. We have done the stitches too, glue is so much better. Three cheers for Dermabond!

Now go out there and live life on the edge! (Just not the chalkboard edge.)

Farwell Soccer Season

Here is Eric's soccer team playing on Tues. He is the fourth from the left. I only got a few pictures before the sun went down and I lost my light. He regularly plays on Sat. but last Sat. it was snowing and blowing. It was such a relief to find out it was canceled.

Yes, that's right it was the first snow of the season. We got enough to cover the grass, my sister in Lehi got 4 inches! It was too wet for snowmen this time, but just wait...

Eric and Robert at the game

This is the last soccer game of Fall. Eric is #7 and he is a fire ball on the field. He loves playing and it seems as if he will never run out of energy. He is fearless he gets in there with kids twice his size and doesn't blink an eye. He rolls with the punches, literally. (not the punches, but the rolling) When he trips or is knocked down he just rolls right back onto his feet, and keeps going. It's very entertaining.

Halloween

As many of you know we enjoy celebrating holidays and food is just part of the celebration. So now that Halloween is upon us, I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes with you.
But first I do need to offer a cation, if your children or spouse get spooked or grossed out easily don't tell them the title of the recipe, or better yet let them help make the dish. Goblin toes are not very spooky if you helped cut the hotdogs and wraped them up.
Lucky for me Eric and Robert are great sports when it comes to my Halloween recipes, the grosser the better.

Pumpkin Gut Nachos
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. sliced almonds
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. red chili powder (optional)
1 bag tortilla chips

Mix together all ingredients except chips. Spoon mixture over chips and broil until the cheese is melted. It would be really fun in those scoop tortilla chips. (Mine looked better than the picture, if I do say so myself.)

Wild Lice (basically mac and cheese with ham)
2 c. orzo (this is a rice-size pasta)
1/4 c. light cream
2 Tbsp. butter-melted
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley-chopped
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 ham steak

Preheat oven to 350, Prepare the orzo according to the directions on the package. Drain the orzo, then pour into a large bowl and add the cream, butter cheese, parsley and pepper. Toss well. Grease a casserole dish with the vegetable oil. Place the ham steak in the dish and then cover it with the orzo (lice). Bake for 20-30 minutes. serves 8
Delicious, only gross to those who know what lice are.


Kitty Litter Cake (ok, this one is over the top. It even grosses me out, but it is so much fun)
1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 white cake mix
2 large pkg vanilla instant pudding mix,
1 large pkg vanilla sandwich cookies
green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls®

1 new kitty litter pan
1 new plastic kitty litter pan liner
1 new pooper scooper

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).

Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.

Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it too soggy. Combine gently.

Line a new, clean kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box. (P.S. I am too cheap to buy the litter box but the scoop is a must for effect, try a dollar store.)

Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything -- this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.

Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect!

Further notes: I had a reader write in saying this recipe only needed half the amount of pudding. I personally liked the cake with the amount given in this recipe. But feel free to use this as a loose guideline, use more or less as you see the need. Also, since the layer of cookies (with the chloropyll green specks, covers the top, you could really use any flavor or flavors or cakes underneath. Last but not least, you can also opt not to crumble the cakes, but rather layer them in the pan with the layers of pudding in between (much like you would layer a trifle into a trifle dish), sprinkle the top layer of pudding with a heavy layer of crumbled cookies. Same effect, different texture entirely to the dessert.

Goblin Toes

Cocktail wieners
6-inch tortillas
Ketchup or mustard
Toothpicks

Directions1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a wedge into the end of each cocktail wiener to make a toenail.

2. Cut the tortillas into strips about 4 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Discard the ends.
3. Soften the strips in the microwave between damp paper towels for 10 to 30 seconds.
4. Roll each wiener in a tortilla strip and secure with a toothpick.
5. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove them from the oven, then fill the toenail with ketchup or mustard. Remove the toothpicks before serving.

Well I have some new recipes for this year, Bone-a-petite, cocroach clusters, witches fingers (an old favorite, but with new dipping sauces) and Russell's Famous poop-corn balls (By the way for those of you who don't know Russell, he is Eric's pet rabbit). I'll post the recipes later, I don't want to spoil the fun at the family party.

Saturday at the Conference Center

We were lucky enough to get two tickets to General Conference, Sat morn. (thanks Mom) I was excited to take Eric, since he is now old enough to go. (When your boy is eight there are not may "firsts" to experience.)

We had a Family Home Evening lesson about how a new apostle is called and we talked about the First Presidency. Eric was excited, he woke up early Sat. Robert drove us down and dropped us off. (Horrible traffic, glad I wasn't driving and trying to park.) As we stood in line to get in we talked about the people handing out pamphlets, who incidentally were much more polite than those I have encountered in the past.

When we got inside we found seats and sat down. We talked about when the Prophet entered how everyone would stand up to show our reverence and respect for him. So when President Hinckley walked in Eric knew exactly what to do. Our seats were on the Plaza level east side, and on the isle, so Eric could stand out in the isle and see Pres. Hinckley walking in. It was so quiet and you could just feel the Spirit in the room. As we sat down Eric and I talked about the special way we felt as the Prophet walked in.

As the choir began to sing, I remembered how I love to hear them sing in person. You can just feel it all over. We spent most of the meeting watching the big screen, because the speakers were minuscule. But it is still so different, so much better watching with thousands of people and the speakers really being right there. I just feel the Spirit and the faith of everyone around me. We are so blessed to be close enough to experience Conference in person.

Eric was remarkable good and attentive throughout the meeting, which is more than I can say when we watch at home.

After Conference we threaded our way through the crowd to find the first aid room, where my Mom is a nurse. (That's how she got us the tickets.) We left about a half hour after it was over, and drove home with Mom.

We watched the rest of the sessions at home, and as Pres. Hinckley spoke during the last Sunday session I felt somehow sad the there would not be any more until next spring. It really was a wonderful weekend. I look forward to the Nov. Ensign so that I can read it all again.

P.S. Eric was excited to go through a metal detector at the doors, "Just like at the airport!". He commented in his excited little voice, that "It didn't go off." when he walked through. Don't you wish for the eyes of a child again? How much more fun we would have!

My sister Amy lives in Lehi. One of the great things about the city is it has a Reading Center. You can sign up to take classes and it is completely free. Both of her kids have learned to read here, and with so many young children in the schools it is a wonderful resource for kids that need extra help, and adult too. The woman who started this reading center is Hesther Rippy. This 70 year old woman has been nominated for the national Woman of Worth award, if she wins, the reading center will get a $25,000 donation. The winner is selected by online votes, so please help this wonderful lady win. Vote for her at www.womenofworth.com before October 15, and be sure to tell your family, friends, and anyone else to vote for her!!! P.S. you enter your email address but they promise not to use it for anything else. Just click on the address to vote.