Icing on the Cake

This year we decided to try our hand at a halloween party.  The kids were each able to invite a handful of friends, and between pinterest and our imaginations a party took shape.

For teenagers we decided lots of food, treats, and a handful of games would give them plenty to do. Sid created a Halloween playlist on spotify that was full of great tunes.  We began with one before dark activity, a scavenger hunt where clues led the kids to all areas of the farm and in different directions.  This was my first experience with a scavenger hunt.  One clue led to the next and it turned out great, however it was a comedy of errors to get it laid out and make sure that each teams clues worked!

Inside we had slices and bat wings to eat, along with a number of spooky libations.  There were blood samples, a caramel apple making station, and a guess how much candy is in the jar station

B lit a Swedish torch.  Of course there was an energetic game of hide and seek in the dark and the boys did a late night trampoline jumping session.  It was much harder to try to get any pictures of the boys because they were constantly moving!  They are really turning into little men with varying degrees of deeper voices, laughing as they jump and solve the worlds problems.

To top off the sugar high, Sidney made a birthday cake for her friend Mia.  This was a bit of a different party.  Charles had a great time with his friends, but this was the first time that Sid wanted to be very involved in the planning, setup and execution.  It was fun to watch her going around making sure everything was just right...Icing on the cake.

Samhain

This day of cold blustery winds will be stripping the trees bare of their remaining foliage.  The origins of our current day all hallows eve are deeply rooted in Celtic belief. Today, as we light candles in windows and in jack-o-lanterns, we mark the end of our harvest and beginning of the darker months. The sounds of  laughter and running shuffles through leaves will fill the air as children of all ages run from home to home performing in their costumes for a treat.  When we return we will warm ourselves with a shared meal, hot apple cider, spiced wine and apple cake.  As the kids settle in to count their cache, the adults will be thankful for glowing warmth in the darkness a bountiful harvest and remembering those who came before.

#tbt First House

circa 1995, halloween right after we bought our first house in Las Vegas.  Carrying on my families tradition of carving the giant pumpkin, this beauty drove back from CA with us in the back seat of our car.

Random 5 Friday

1.  A secret:  I love the holidays.  I always go all out, and make the house feel festive and warm or spooky, whatever the case may be.  We participate fully in the event, suspending our disbelief wherever possible. But when it's over...it's over.  Halloween came down first thing this morning before work, and what remains is the harvest decor that will last through Thanksgiving. 

2.  Finally:  After two full weeks of battling the funk I finally get to meet our latest little tastebud today!

3.  Oh Poo!:  One of our tasks this weekend is to give the hen house a thorough once over and freshly bed the ladies down for the winter.  Fun stuff.  Ha!  At least the compost pile will be happy!

4.  Cured:  We cut into our homemade pancetta last night to give it a taste.  Oh my!  All I can say is there is more curing in our future!

5.   Treats:  These bar cookies are to. die. for.  I am always amazed at how some things that I imagine are difficult simply are not.  Take the ten minutes to make the homemade salted caramel for this one!  Happy weekend!

Silent Sunday

I'm Here!

::  just busy enjoying time with visiting family

::  prepping for Halloween

::  taking the first steps in a new business venture ~ I must be insane! ;)

::  readying for the last two away games of this half of the soccer season, then a break

::  soaking up the extraordinary late fall light

Happy weekend my friends!

Time Flies

 I took this picture out of the airplane a couple of weeks ago.  This is Bryce Canyon, Utah

Wow, I have no idea where the last few days have gone!  Upon the arrival of two large pallets of furniture from Gram's house we've been very busy.

I got the call at 9:30 am on Thursday that the delivery was headed to the house.  Once I got there we determined that the semi was so large that our driveway wasn't going to be able to accommodate it, then managed to get it part way up over by the barn.  Much to the drivers distress, the tailgate lift was malfunctioning and couldn't be used!  Therefore, we had to unwrap and tear apart the shipment piece by piece from the back of the semi and carry it up to the house.  B was dealing with an emergency at work, and so it was me and the Fed Ex guy.  Who by the way was an angel.  He happened to have been a furniture mover in a former life and we got the truck unloaded.  He single-handedly got two very large pieces off by himself (keep in mind there's a four foot drop off the back of this thing and one of these items was Gram's dresser).  Perfectly unscathed!  We both worked hard for about an hour and fifteen minutes, and he even got the big pieces up on the porch for me.  His job was to drop the pallets on the driveway and he went so far beyond!  Thank You!  Thank You!  I resisted un-packing for a while and managed to caramel apples when the kids got home too.

On Friday, with a little discussion, and stories of how Uncle Billy and I did it several times, we convinced the kids to switch rooms.  This allowed Charlie to keep the bunk-beds that he won't part with and Sidney to get Gram and Grandpas bedroom furniture.  So, with one kid at B-Ball camp and the other helping clean at the stables, we got the rooms switched.  Wow, that was hard work, but so worth it, everyone is happy and everything fits!  We still have some fine tuning to do but the bulk is completed. 

Friday evening and all day yesterday I spent at the Dekoven Center preparing the Great Hall for our technician Stephanie's wedding.  Needless to say, my head hit the pillow last night and I was asleep.  So, what's on taps for today??  Well it's Halloween of course!  So since, I've neglected a few things this week, we'll carve pumpkins this morning, head to Fright Fest at Six Flags this afternoon and get home in time for the last hour of trick or treat....

See why my posting week has been sparse ;-)

Through Their Eyes

 I am forever excited about seeing things through the kids eyes.  This weekend we did some Halloween decorating.  I've got a number of simple window clings that add to the atmosphere without being too cheesy.  We divvy up the stuff and the kids go to town with their creations.  Several years ago we received this awesome glass window hanging from our friend Todd.  It has adorned a window now in two homes and has found it's final spot (shown above).   Sidney was drawn immediately to it.  To her it was the perfect Halloween moon for her witch to be flying toward.  As I look at it through her eyes, I totally agree!