Happy Halloween!!

Hoping you have a fun Halloween day, you get lots of candy and don't get scared by any ghosts!!!

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Patch

It has always been a tradition here that we go to the Pumpkin Patch... and because I'd been so sick we weren't sure it was going to happen... but yesterday, my dear hubby decided we needed to keep it going and took us our favorite Pumpkin Patch... and we had a great time. There were a few disappointments... because it was so late in the season... a lot of the pumpkins in the field were picked over... so we had to settle for the pumpkins in the bins... There was the pony rides and bouncers... which are always up... but of course they weren't because of school field trips, and they wouldn't be up and running until the evening... so Rainee was a bit sad about not being able to ride her favorite pony and go on the bouncers. But I would have to say... all in all for a last minute trip... it was a wonderful day full of tradition and I love Steve for keeping it alive.

Happy Birthday Card...

I've been really bad about doing my birthday cards... even getting them out has been hard... don't know why, but it has. Awhile ago, I had several done... but when I needed one for a belated birthday, I didn't realize they were all sent out... so I'm going to be making birthday cards the next day or so... but I just had to share the first one.

I love popsicle sticks and I've wanted to do something with then for awhile... plus I love this DCWV's "Sweet" Stack it's just so yummy... I bought it in the 8x8 because the designs are smaller and somehow they are too 'sweet' to resist in that size.... Anyway... Here's my card... now I'm off to make some more.

As for me... I really thought I was on the mend, even with the cough and being so tired continued to linger... but yesterday, I decided this was lasting way tooooooooo long, so I went to the doctor and to my surprise she put me on antibiotic for a sinus infection, ear infections and bronchitis... I've had them all before, but this time I didn't have all the normal symptoms... who knew! So now I really WILL be better soon... Thank goodness.... and thank you all again for the lovely comments and well wishes for me to get better... Have a lovely day, take care of yourself, your family... and please stay healthy!!

What's Cooking Sun{day}

I know it's not Sun{day}... but who cares I have a recipe to share with you... This morning when I woke I started thinking of what I'd like to make for dinner tonight... I know it sounds silly 5am thinking about what's for dinner, but for whatever reason I couldn't stop thinking about what to make...

This is what I decide on... it's a recipe I haven't made it in awhile, but I just love these... Salmon Cakes! While flipping channels years ago I found the wonderful British cooking show Nigella Bites with Nigella Lawson and I've loved her ever since. She makes everything she cooks look so easy. But I have to say, out of all the recipes I have of hers, this is my favorite. Over the years I've changed it up a bit with a couple of little things... like adding bacon and I never have matzo meal in my house when I need it so I started using bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese. Tonight, I'm also making Roasted Asparagus with a Lemon Vinaigrette.... I can't wait for dinner tonight. Yum!

Salmon Cakes

• 2 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled, bacon fat reserved
• 1 1/2 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 2 (5 ounce) cans salmon
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1/2 of lemon zested
• salt and pepper lightly
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup green onions finely chopped (just the greens)
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup Olive oil for frying

Directions: Mix butter, bacon, caynene egg, green onion, lemon zest, salt & pepper in a powl. Add the salmon and pototo, mixing gently after each addition. From the mixture into small patties (approx 12). In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, add pepper to taste. Coat the patties in the bread crumb topping. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, and cook the salmon cakes in batches until golden, about 3/4 minutes er side. Add more oil, ass necessary. Arrange ona serving platter and serve.
Well, I need to get my potatoes going their cold when I need them for the Salomon Cakes later... Let me know if you try this... I'd love to know what you thought of it. Have a lovely day!

I'm Better... Plus... My {{Favorite}} Season Project

Well it's been over a week since I posted last... I really didn't think I'd be sick as long has I have. The flu really did me in. The only good thing that happened while I was sick (as if anything good could happen - when you're sick) was that Rainee and Steve didn't get what I had. Super Thankful about that!!! Now I'm just praying it continues! Granted I'm still not 100%, but I am able to get out of the house and get some things done... and sit at the scrap desk for little bits of time... I still get tired easily... but over all... I'm doing soooooooooooooo much better! I want to thank you all for your kind words of encouragement, they mean the world to me.

In the last couple of days, I have sat at my scrap desk a few hours. While I was sick I thought a lot about what I wanted to do for my layout/project for the favorite season challenge over at 'WhatIsYourFaveThing'... My favorite season is fall... I love the candy apples, crisp nights, crackling fire, sweater weather, Starbucks pumpkin lattes, my birthday is in the fall (which is always something to look forward to) I love Halloween, Thanksgiving... and the bright colored leaves that crunch when you walk.... so it really wasn't a hard decision. Although I love the other season when they come around... fall always brings warmth and beauty to me.

Even though I was sick as a dog... I was able to sketch a few layouts I'll be able to scrap once I'm back to a 100%... But for this challenge I decided to do something I could do with Rainee...

I decided to do a Fall themed wax paper/crayon window. I've done a few of these now... my Valentine window and the Summer window which I did a video for. But I wanted to do something different like my cousin MJ did with her window for her mother.... I didn't want to fill the whole background with shapes like before... I wanted to make a fall scene.... and this is what I came up with... I just love how it turned out... I put it in my kitchen window... so even though, here in California, we don't get all the beautiful colors of the leaves changing... I can still have my own little colorful fall tree...

What about you? What's your favorite season??? Which season fills your heart with joy? Whichever it is... why not document it with a layout or project... you still have time to enter it in the challenge over at 'WhatIsYourFaveThing'... Thanks so much for stopping by... and thanks again for all the lovely thoughts and comments while I was ill... Enjoy your day!!

Materials: Wax Paper: Stater Bros., Crayons: Crayola Crayons, Frame: Walmart, Paper: Vintage Book, DCWV, Ink: Ranger Disstress Inks, String: Martha Stewart-EK Success, Tree, Leaves & Birdhouse: Cricut Stretch Your Imagination Cartridge, Bird: Scrapbook Etc. Paper Piecing Templates

Down with the Flu

I am always the one in the house to make sure everyone gets the flu shots.... and on the day we were going to get it.... I woke up sick... I have the flu. I won't be posting anything for a frew days... but wanted to let you know why....Stay healthy....

National Dessert Day

Did you know today is National Dessert Day? Make your own dessert, buy one or two... or have one at every meal... it really is okay, today you have excuse! So, go back on your diet tomorrow and celebrate today!!!

I know I've shared these before, but I thought since it's National Dessert Day I'd share them again... since they have one of my favorite desserts on them... And just for today, don't think twice about passing up a dessert today... just have something small... and celebrate the day!!!

But if you want to 'be good'... I also thought I'd share just a few non-fat treats from a few blogs I love to visit... my wonderful friend, Jen, over at jencropable has some new fun fall digi stuff... she takes amazing photos and her digi work is well like wow!!! My friend Karen at Lilacs & Luprines is the guest designer for Firecraker Designs... I'm so happy for her... woooo hooo Karen!!! Besides her lovely cards, she does amazing videos... you have to check them out!!! My cousin MJ does such wonderful photos... at her blog Pewaukee Daily Photo... she takes a photo of life around her daily... I love seeing what she does, her photos inspire me to be a better photographer and to take more photos... daily!!! My dear dear friend Joan at September Tea just posted some beautiful cards... and they are just lovely! And my friend in Slovenia... Jana... at Preprosto Bogastvo (Simple Abundance)...her scrap lo's are so artfully done... I love the beauty of her pages!!! Now for Julie... at Life with the Tucker Wolek Clan she amazes me... I'm always awed by her lo's and how many she gets done... I go from laughing to crying! One of my newest friends... Deana over at (Diva)logues does such lovely scrap pages... and right now my favorite treat has to be the super fun mini tag book she did... it's a must see!!! Amanda at One Scrappy Blog... has been doing some amazing techniques with her Journaling Pages... they are so artsy, bright and fun... I can't wait for next one. My friend Pam at One Gals Trash... has the most wonderful vintage things... I love love love vintage!!! I love seeing what her next find will be... my recent favorite was the Turquoise! Lovely just lovely. I also wanted to share Melanie's blog over at ScrappilyEverafter she made some of the "Halloween Treats" from the last video and sent me her link... they turned out so wonderful I just had to share them with you!!!

So, whether you celebrate today with or without dessert, I hope your day is delicious!

Capture The Happy Me Time...

This layout is for the challenge for WhatIsYourFaveThing blog... the challenge this time was to scrap your favorite times of day... and this... this is mine... my 'Happy Me Time'...

For me when I was working full time... I always got up early for that little bit of quite time before everyone woke up and the day started... and now that I don't work out an office anymore... I kept the same schedule going... and I still get up extra early... I've found over the last few months I've been staying home as a 'Stay@HomeMom'... I'm a much happier wife and mother... if I have that little bit of me time before the day gets started. It's my time to do whatever I want... exercise, read my Bible, scrap, blog, plan my day and get in some computer time without interruptions.... I try to stuff as much as I can in this short time... I know it's not a lot... but it's mine. Steve thinks I'm a crazy person... getting up so early, but he's seen me on the days when it hasn't happened and he realizes I'm a happier person when I get up early...

What is your favorite time of day?? The challenge ends in a couple of days... so you still have time to share it... so go check it out!!!

Doggie, Foot & Shoe... The Puppet Show

A couple of nights ago, Rainee decided instead of watching a movie, playing games, cards, scrapping, coloring or reading books... she was going to do a puppet show 'just for mommy'. This was a first, actually... she usually wants me to do all the talking and she moves the puppets... or she tells me what to say, and again I do the talking and she moves the puppets. But this time... she really let her imagination go... she did it all... and of course, I loved it!! Her puppets aren't your normal puppets... they are anything she can put her hands on or in... and this is pretty much how it went... with a cast of Doggie, Foot and Shoe...

This is doggie and this is foot.
"Hi, I'm Doggie. I am nice and sweet and love to get hugs."
"Hi, I'm Foot. I'm smelly, I stink... and love to step on things." THE END

This is doggie and this is foot.
"Hi, I'm Doggie and I can run and jump."
"Hi, I'm Foot. I'm smelly, I love to jump on everything... ants are my favorite thing to step on." THE END

This is doggie, shoe and this is foot.
"Hi, I'm Doggie. I love licks and kisses."
"Hi, I'm Shoe. Have you seen my foot? Because I need to stomp on something."
"Hi, I'm Foot. I don't want to go in the shoe anymore, he is stinkyyyyyyyy! I like to run and play and step on ants. No more shoes for me." THE END

After each little puppet show ended, Rainee would take a bow and of course I would clap. What about you... do you remember your first puppet show? Don't you just love it when one of those immeasurable everyday moments will plop in your lap! They are the gems in life. Enjoy today with or without shoes!

Who's Making That Noise???

Did you know October is National Book Month? Well, I thought it would be fun to do a scrapbook page to remember a favorite book and the time Rainee and I have together reading every night. For this layout I used, the title of a favorite book we love to read nearly every night. 'Who's Making That Noise?' by Philip Hawthorn & Jenny Tyler, is a wonderful book full of hidden little surprises. Rainee loves opening every one... she has them memorized. I thoughtI'd put a little hidden journaling on this layout as another memory of the book. We love the whole book, but one of the last phrases is our favortie... "Now who could be making that hullabalu, it's surely not me and it's surely not you. Do you want to know more than open the door."

There have been many times when we've recited this phrase... just for the heck of it during a day. We just love reading together, so doing a layout to remember a favorite book and our time together, is a nice way to put a different kind of memory on a scrapbook page. What about you... do you have a favorite book or does your child have a favorite you'd like them to remember? If so... now is the perfect time during... National Book Month.

Bewilderment And The Dental Assistant...

Something happened to me yesterday that reminded me of a story... after this little interesting and amusing anecdote, I'll give you my version of 'Bewilderment & the Dental Assistant'.... both of which are completely true.... to my astonishment. I wasn't going to say a word to anyone... but after telling my dear husband each of them, he thought I should... if for nothing else than to let others know... life has a funny way of pushing the replay button with a twist! This should make you smile... even laugh a little... or maybe a lot... and then my hope is... it never happens to you.

Anyway... I was told this true story many years ago... at a women's conference I went to... This woman woke up on one particular morning feeling quite splendid... Everything she did was going right that day... there was no bad hair that day... it was perfect... her outfit, was just right all the way down to her shoes. She was very pleased... and because she was so please with how she looked she went all over town... she went to the the hardware store, the post office, every errand she could think of, she did. Her last stop was the grocery store... she was having one of the best she'd had in a very long time... and as she was going down the frozen isle... she thought she'd take a look at her exquisiteness... she couldn't believe how great she looked that day....

then... she spied something down at her feet... what was that... and she realized they were pantyhose... she was wearing the same pair of pants she'd worn the day before... and somewhere in the midst of her day... they must have slipped out and were now being drug behind her... her face went bright red... and she slowly bent down to pick them up... then ran out of the store... embarrassed... then it hit her... she went everywhere that day... how long had they been hanging on without her noticing???

So are you laughing yet??? Now my version... 'Bewilderment & the Dental Assistant'...

I had done some laundry the night before... put them all away... except for my clothes which were sitting on the dryer... I was all ready except for getting dressed... I needed those pants sitting on top of the dryer... I grab them, put them on... and proceeded to finish getting Rainee ready for school... then we were out the door... I did errands while she was in school... I went to the phone store, the post office... I was on a roll... I came home dusted and vacuumed the house... I had accomplished quite a lot in a short time... but now it was time to get Rainee... I picked her up... we went to the bank, then the grocery store... we came home ate lunch and we were off to the dentist. I had teeth cleaning appointment. I was hoping to go to Walmart before the dentist office for a few more things, but because of traffic it would have to wait. We got there right on time... we checked in and while we were waiting... I read Rainee some books. Then my name was called... Rainee and I followed Luzie down the isle to our little cubby...

then...Luzie came back and asked me, "Did something drop out of your purse? Did you drop something as we were coming back here?" and I said "No, I don't think so."... and she said, "Well, let me bring it back here for you to see if it's yours, okay?" .... but you know what she was really saying... whatever it is it has to be yours, because you're the only one who's come down that isle.... so she comes back with something wrapped in a paper towel cupped in her hand.... and proceeded to show me what it was...

With bewilderment on my face... I realized this was mine... ugh!!! It was a pair of my panties... but how could this be??? Then I remembered, I was wearing pants that had just been washed... the panties must have been stuck inside the leg... and they finally decided to come out right as I was at the dentist!!!

Ya know they couldn't have fallen out when I was at home vacuuming.... going to the car, doing errands... even picking Rainee up from school... the grocery store was better then this. With much embarrassment, I shyly took them from Luzie. As I sat waiting for the dental technician... I was reminded of the the previous story... things like this happen... I'm not the only one... but still couldn't it have happen somewhere less awkward???

So...... the moral of the story... check inside you pants legs before you walk out of the house... ya never know what could fall out when you least expect it!!! I hope this brought you a little giggle if nothing else and I do seriously hope it never happens to you. If you have any stories that would give me a giggle, I'd love to hear them...

Pumpkin Patch Fun...

Here is another fall Pumpkin Patch layout... it's from last year venture to the pumpkin patch. I love the fact that I was actually in a photo!!! What a shocker!!! Right now, we're in the process of figuring out now when to go this year... you know, you don't want to go too early or the pumpkins will go bad and on the other hand we don't want to go too late and the pumpkin patch will be all picked over. So, it's looking like sometime in the next couple weeks... we're waiting on Steve's schedule before we set a date... but I'm excited!!! I can't wait to see what pumpkin treasure will be coming home with us... and the photos of the day. Can't wait!! I'm also very excited, because this year as Rainee's first field trip, for school, they are taking the class to a pumpkin patch... the kids don't know it yet, they're keeping it as a surprise. I'm hoping to be able to go... at our school to help on a field trip you have to be fingerprinted, and mine hasn't come back yet. So, I'm doing the waiting game... ugh! I'm going to be very disappointed if I'm unable to go... I know, it's going to be such a fun time... and I'm not in Kindergarten!

So, how have you been enjoying the fall weather? I've been loving it... I've had a few of then these last several days... you know the kind of days, where you wake up and you're not sure you really want to get out of your cozy warm bed because it's just a bit nippy.... but, when you finally decide to, you sit down and enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate (with marshmallow's, of course) and it warms you all through, I love mornings like that! Here in California, our weather isn't like other parts of the country or world, but we still have brisk days and are able to appreciate the wonders of the fall season. Ya know I think it's my favorite! What fun things have you been doing for fall?? Have you gone the the 'pumpkin patch' yet?? What are some of your fall traditions??? I hope you get the chance in your day and next few weeks, to enjoy the wonders of fall wherever you are.

One Sweet Ride...

Over the weekend I was able to participate in a few of the online crops at CropAddict.com... I was able to get this layout done...

I love this photo of Rainee riding the pony and Steve in the background. Rainee loves going the pumpkin patch and doing literally everything there... besides picking the perfect pumpkin... she loves riding the pony (several times), going on the bouncers, playing on the hay stacks and of course you can't forget petting all the farm animals. I think it's become one of our favorite things to do in the fall...

And this year is no exception... while I was working on this layout she kept asking... when are we going... so it's a trip we'll be making sometime very soon... where new memories of a fun day will be made... Like Rainee I can't wait.

I don't see old...

I have to share something with you Rainee said to me last night... at some point lately Rainee's heard me say... I'm feeling old... and she's started thinking that when I have my birthday I'm going to be 'old'... but I didn't know she was thinking until last night... when she said themost precious thing to me...

We were justabout to read our books for the night and she wanted to know why it wasgetting so cold.... and I said winter was coming... and that means, Christmas,snow, Papa's birthday, Thanksgiving, being good for Santa and Mommies birthday... Allthe while I was telling her what winter held, she was happy and smiley,but when I mentioned my birthday... she got really sad... and I askedher what was wrong... and she started drawing in the air... and I triedguessing what she was so sad about and what she was drawing... then she finally said...

"Mommy I don't want to you have a birthday, because you're going to be old, I don't want you to be old!" And she nearly started to cry... then I asked her, "Do I look old to you?" and she said the most precious thing....as she put her hands to her face to make little glasses...

"I don't see old, I see my mommy."... she did this several times by getting really close up to my face and saying it over and over again.... "Mommy, I really don't see old."

So I asked her what she thought old was... and she said, "Papa is old but you mommy, you're not old... I don't see old." When she said this my heart was so overcome with emotion... she is so precious... it's amazing what we see and what a child sees.... I may feel older and I may even see older in the mirror... but Rainee only sees her mommy. She doesn't see old in me. I'm still overwhelmed with her words.

What a wonderful way to wake up... remembering what my daughter sees.... she only sees her mommy!

Here is one of my most favorite photos of the 3 of us... and when I look at it now... I have new thoughts about it... I see what Rainee sees... and what she means when she says, Papa is old... and ya know what Papa is old... he's celebrating his 84th birthday this year... so even if I'm feeling old... I know I'm not old.... it' just me, Rainee's mommy.

One Crazy Day Scraplift...

I'm having so much fun at the crop!!! I thought I'd share the layout I just did for one of the challenges... I had to find a layout I liked and scraplift it... I've been looking at this photo of Rainee and I've been trying to come up with something fun and quick... and this was perfect... I can't wait to see what else I can do this weekend!!! Whooooooo Hoooooooo!!

Seriously if you have some time this weekend... check out the CropAddict online crop!!!

Online Crop @ CropAddict

There is an online crop is going on all this weekend... at CropAddict... starting today until Sunday... there are games, challenges, and yes there are prizes!!! You will want to check this out!!! I'm off... to CropAddict.... have a great weekend!!! By the way... it's Eastern Standard Time for the crop... bye!

Halloween Treats Video...

I've been a bit out of it this week... Rainee has been out sick... and it's been hard doing pretty much anything... I'm so thankful she's better now and back to school! This week, while she was taking her naps... I was able to get this Halloween Treat Video together... yeah!!!

I don't know about you, but I'm a huge fan of purple and orange together for Halloween... even more thank the traditional orange and black... it's just so cheery and festive. This Halloween Treat project can be done in any color you like... you can give it to someone special or do a bunch of them for your child's class party! I've made templates for you to download. I've also made a sheet of the "Beware & Warning" for you to download ... just something fun for this project or for something else you'd like to use them for!!! This is simple little thing to do... but it sure makes a treat extra special!

Enjoy the video and as always... I love hearing your comments! Have a super spook-tacular day!

P.S. A little side note... I've started participating on another blog... Inspirational Tip, Techniques & Tutorials... There are a ton of great things over there and I'm happy to join in... check it out you're going to love it!!!

(Materials - Paper: DCWV, BoBunny, Stickers: Creative Memories, Ribbon: Wrights, Buttons: Joann's, Spider: Martha Stewart, Stamps: Studio G, GlitzDesign, Punch: EK Success, Templates for Beware and Treats- EverydayScrapbook)