Punkin' Party!

Friday, I hosted (with the help of two good friends) a "Punkin' Party" here for Frazier's friends and mine! By my count we had about 14 mommies and 25 little punkins and we had the most wonderful time!!

It was B.Y.O.P (bring your own pumpkin!) for each kid to decorate.

Pumpkin decorating was followed by a yummy lunch al fresco...A pumpkin seed spitting contest...

...apple bobbing...

And cupcake decorating!

And there was a doorprize drawing in there for the mommies. :)

The weather was BEAUTIFUL--just perfect for an outdoor autumn party--we couldn't have asked for a better time...or a better bunch of friends to share it with!

Since I was busy "hostessing" during pumpkin decorating time, Frazier didn't get to decorate his pumpkin at the party, so once everyone went home, I set him up at the little table we'd moved out the patio and let him have at it with all the paint and glitter. He didn't seem to mind going it alone...he's pretty focused when he works. :) The result (which now graces the coffee table) is, in fact, a true work of art. He's talented, my kid.

(and if you paid close attention to the pictures and you're wondering about Frazier's wardrobe change...two words: apple. bobbing. ;)

Happy Day-Before-Halloween!

Harmonicist

You know, just a typical afternoon...sitting in the laundry room...in the dark...playing the harmonica. :)

A Weekend In Dallas

The fact that it's taken me a whole week to blog about it should in no way reflect how much fun we actually had in Dallas last weekend! We drove over and stayed the night to see Josh's Aunt Lori and Uncle Joe who were there from New Jersey for a conference and Grammie and Grampa Jim. It was Frazier's first time to meet them and we hadn't seen them in awhile so we were sooooo glad to see them and it was really a great visit!! We just wish Hannah and Paulie could've been there too! :(

(Also had to run by Ikea and Central Market while we were there.)Am I the only one who wishes she had a big artichoke in her front yard?

All Things Autumn

I can't imagine there is anyone who doesn't like fall. It's such a perfect time of year; a time of refreshment after summer and anticipation of winter and the holidays. It's finally getting cooler here so we've been celebrating autumn. I've made pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pecan pie and a few cool weather dishes in my crock-pot... ...and last weekend, when Grammie was visiting, we went to a pumpkin patch!

We've also been enjoying the parks...I've had to drag Frazier away kicking and screaming a couple of times already. The weather may be perfect, but we just can't stay there all day!

Lastly, I have to mention this little piece of fall happiness that came my way today via my friend, Ellen. It's a caramel apple from (and I quote Ellen here) "the best candy shop in the midwest", Betty Jane's. And. It. Was. Yummy. All that's sweetest about fall...on a stick.

Happy fall, ya'll!

Life Can Be Messy...

...which is precisely why you shouldn't leave boxes of it sitting around where your toddler can get to them.

Lesson learned #18,402.

Addendum to Pop-Tart Post

I think it prudent after my rant and in reply to Anonymous's comment, to mention that once upon three times, I did make my own Pop-Tarts. So for those of you concerned about the state of toaster pastry affairs and your kids...this is an option. Good idea, Anonymous! Here is Alton Brown's recipe, though I've got to admit it probably isn't a whole lot healthier than Pop-Tarts you don't have to make yourself. The real benefit would be that you could choose your own fruit flavor...and have them unfrosted to your heart's content. Here's the recipe I used, still probably not much better, but I did use whole wheat flour and cut the amount of butter almost in half.

Believe it or not I actually made blackberry, raspberry rhubarb, and Nutella (which, for the record, we didn't eat for breakfast and Frazier didn't eat at all). So Pop-Tart people, if you're looking for new flavor options I submit for your consideration Unfrosted Raspberry Rhubarb and Unfrosted Blackberry.

If you aren't into making your own Pop-Tarts, I have bought Nature's Path Toaster Pastries on several occasions and though they only offer four unfrosted options (but that's four of thirteen), they do have fruit flavors like Wildberry Acai and Cherry Pomegran. And there's some whole wheat flour in there. And they're organic...so there's that to make you feel better about them. :)

Happy Saturday With Frosting On Top

Remember when the standard toaster pastry didn't have icing? I really think that used to be the case...or maybe that's just what my mom lead me to believe. I always thought only special Pop Tarts were frosted. I don't often buy toaster pastries, Pop-Tart or otherwise, but in a rare lapse of nutritional judgment I did so recently. Twice. And I was astonished at how difficult it was to find unfrosted ones. The boxes I bought (conveniently) came with a Pop-Tart flavor card on the inside of the carton (presumably to mark off the ones you try) and I was disgusted at the flavor options they offer. Here's the lowdown (because I know you're all as interested in this as I), Ten of the 27 flavors are fruit flavors (and this is counting Frosted Strawberry, Unfrosted Strawberry, and 20% Fiber Strawberry as individual flavors), four include fruit- at least in the title: Strawberry Milkshake, Apple Strudel, Chocolate Banana Split, and Blueberry Muffin. And out of 27 flavor options...only three are unfrosted: Strawberry, Blueberry, and Brown Sugar Cinnamon. Brown Sugar Cinnamon? Really? You can get UNFROSTED Brown Sugar Cinnamon, but Raspberry and Cherry are only available with frosting...and sprinkles? Maybe I wouldn't be so flabbergasted if Pop-Tarts didn't tout their product as a breakfast food...for children...and then offer flavors like (I kid you not) Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Yeah, you read that right... FROSTED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH POP-TARTS. Also available are Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae, Frosted Chocolate Fudge, Frosted Cookies and Creme, Frosted Chocolate Chip and Frosted S'mores (you can also get the Chocolate Fudge with 20% Fiber...for the health conscious, I guess?) This is what's wrong with the world...(among other things). I shudder when I think of the day Frazier can ask for things at the grocery store...like Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts. Because I'm not buying them. I draw the line there. What is the world coming to, I ask you? It's a sad state of affairs if you ask me, the day kids' breakfast food comes in flavors adults should be embarrassed to buy in ice cream.

Maybe the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

A big frosted one.

Okay, so I'm just kidding about the frosted basket thing. But the issue really shouldn't be sugar-coated. They're ridiculous, these flavors. Ridiculous.

How 'Bout Them Dawgs?!