Project 52 - Happy

The theme for this week's Project 52 is Happy.  The kids got these wax lips for Halloween.  We had fun playing around with them yesterday afternoon.  Margaret looks terrified in this first one!  (They said they hated the way they tasted and couldn't wait to get them off!)

Project 52 - Halloween!

The theme for this week's Project 52 is Halloween!  We had a Cardinals baseball player, a leopard and an 80's girl.  It was a fun Halloween!

Apple Streusel Bread

So this is what I made with the rest of our apples...  It was one of our favorite apple recipes that we tried.  Enjoy!


Apple Streusel Bread
recipe source: Semi Homemade Mom
makes 1 large loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups apple, peeled and diced
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat butter, sugar, and eggs until creamy. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture until just moistened. Mix in apples until combined. In small food processor (or you could cut in with a fork) add topping ingredients and pulse until crumbly. Spread half of apple batter into a greased loaf pan.

Sprinkle half of streusel topping over batter. Repeat layers for 2nd half of batter and ending with rest of topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 - 60 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

Halloween 2012

It was a wonderful Halloween this year.  I helped with Margaret's school party in the morning, then I was in charge of Griffin's school party in the afternoon. (We made monster hands and owl cupcakes and played Halloween Bingo!)



Then we dressed up for the night!  Mamie wanted to design her own costume this year.  She was sort of an 80's style girl.  Griffin went as a St. Louis Cardinals baseball player, and Margaret was a leopard.








We went to a neighborhood Halloween party/dinner where we met a lot of our new neighbors, and then we had a fun night of trick-or-treating!



And then the candy sorting, trading and negotiating began. It even continued on until this morning! Man, we got a lot of candy. I'm planning on making some fun stuff with all the leftovers. (I also froze a lot of our leftover candy last year to decorate our Christmas gingerbread houses.)

Halloween Activities

I have been having lots of fun in the kitchen with the kids this week.  It was Griffin's turn for some one-on-one time with me, and we made these cocoa crispy treat spiders.

I also made them a Halloween dinner on Monday night.  Hummus & Carrots (from October's Family Fun magazine), mummy dogs and candy corn parfaits (with pineapple, oranges, and cool whip).

This was their school lunch on Tuesday...vanilla yogurt ghosts, mandarin orange jack-o-lanterns, and candy corn pizza (idea from here).


We also carved a pumpkin, and the kids diligently separated out all of the seeds, which we roasted.  We seasoned 2 cups of seeds with 2 TBS olive oil, Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt and Cayenne Pepper.  I roasted them at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, until toasted!

And lastly, these are the cookies that I made for the kids' school Halloween parties.


Happy Halloween, friends!

Project 52 - Leaves

The theme for this week's Project 52 is Leaves.  I am loving these fall temperatures and the beautiful changing leaves!

Fall Destin trip

Last week, Richie and I went to Destin.  October is probably our favorite time to go to the beach.  The weather is perfect, and it is not crowded.  We are so thankful to have willing grandparents who helped out with the kids while we were away!  Here are a few pictures from our trip.