Fun As You Make It

Mother's Day Ribbon Banner

2011-05-06T11:22:00.000-04:00

If you know me at all, you know that my favorite crafts take just a few "ingredients". This one calls for a couple sheets of accent scrapbook paper, 3 sheets of colored cardstock (or less), a coordinated ribbon (I prefer grosgrain), a 3 inch circle punch, 2 inch scalloped circle punch, double sided tape, a stapler and a computer printer.

My accent paper is Sandylion/Disney 'Mini Flowers' design (RMDWSCB83, the same I used for my Paper Pyramid favors). For the cardstock, I chose bright pink, peach and yellow. Then I printed the letters of "Happy Mother's Day" on all three sheets, using capital letters in the Diamond font at font size 54. Don't forget to add an apostrophe after the letter 'R'!

The 3 inch accent circles get stapled to the ribbon, then the cardstock circles attach to the 3 inch circles with double sided tape, covering the staple.

The ribbon loop at the top of the hanging ribbon is not a knot (hee hee). I cut a separate piece of ribbon, about 7 or 8 inches, and made a figure eight with it (stapling its center), then tucked the hanging ribbon over that staple.

Hang one in the doorway of a mom you love:

I folded my banner and tucked it inside a cardstock favor box from Dollar Tree (8/$1) and put on a few foam flower stickers to fancify it.

I leave you with my favorite quotation on motherhood, by Mildred B. Vermont:
Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs, since the payment is pure love.

Happy Mother's Day to all you great moms out there!

Two Dulcet Darlings

2011-05-02T22:37:00.001-04:00

This weekend, with both days with heavenly temperatures in the high 70s/low 80s, we took the girls to our first Renaissance Festival. There was the requisite headlining act of jousting between two noble knights,

an array of sideshow street performers throughout the day - aerialists, jugglers, contortionists,

a petting zoo and an exhibit of rescued birds called 'Parrots of the Carribean'.

The most thrilling part of the event is that we met ROYALTY! The rest of the world can "ooh" and "aah" over William and Kate in London, but my two daughters were rubbing elbows with King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn right here in the USofA!

I was not expecting them to be so cordial with us commoners. What was even more adorable was they had a little ceremony to induct all the fair maidens to become 'Princesses of the Realm'.

First, they had to learn how to properly curtsey to the queen.

Then the queen herself taught them the secret (shhh!don't tell!) poem for them to address their subjects:
"Elbow, elbow. Wrist, wrist...

Touch your crown, and blow a kiss."

The little lasses were so intent on the queen's instructions. They all wanted to get it right. (All except for one hungry maiden, who was NOT abandoning her roasted corn on the cob, even when the queen was handing out their princess proclamation scrolls.)

I hadn't heard the royal poem before. Maybe that's why my legion of two are so insolent! At least they still blew their 'Queen Mum' a kiss.

Eggs, Eggs, Everywhere

2011-04-24T21:20:00.000-04:00

We are inundated with eggs!

Eggs to DYE

Eggs to PAINT

Eggs to EAT

-and-

Eggs to HUNT

A beautiful weekend with my beautiful girls. I hope you all have had a wonderful Easter.

Today's Inspiration IV: Apothecary-Style Candy Dish

2011-04-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

Lots of apothecary-style candy dishes were prevalent leading up to Halloween last year, most notable the simple-as-can-be tutorial on Dollar Store Crafts. I'm not exactly what you would call "speedy", but I consider getting one assembled before a year has passed pretty good for me. Easter candy tastes just as good! Supplies: Covered Candy Dish, Candlestick and powerful glue.

Ready...

Set...

Fill!

I know they're not fancy but for just about $2 a piece, they are perfect. So, how many days before they're empty?!

Ingenious Eggs

2011-04-22T21:20:00.003-04:00

Plastic eggs abound this time of year. We've got several dozen around the house already, and we haven't even attended an egg hunt yet. So, what to do with the abundance of eggs now that all the treats and trinkets have been consumed/stashed away? Try what my daughter's preschool teachers did:

There are single syllable rhyming words written on each egg that can be changed at the turn of the shell (jet/let/pet/get; top/hop/pop/stop; etc.). What was also clever was that since they didn't want one child picking up a half dozen "-at" eggs, they used markers to draw color coded dots at the bottom of each egg cup to be sure that each child received all the variations.

One of my most favorite bloggers, Lindsey at Filth Wizardry, has created her own version called a 'Spinny Speller' on which uses small-sized duplo blocks for each letter. Then for early readers, she uses stickers with sight words on the wider duplo blocks to construct sentences.

These eggs are just a simpler, less expensive way to accomplish the same result. A bag of eggs and a Sharpie. Doesn't get much easier than that.

So by the way, does anybody out there remember the jingle "The Incredible, Edible Egg"? Looking forward to eating some of the chocolate variety this weekend.

A McSorley's Initiation

2011-04-12T21:59:00.001-04:00

Life is good when you get to gather with friends. Well, this trip was really about gathering with the hubby's friends. We were celebrating a milestone for him, after all. And what better place to celebrate than in NYC.

I have heard for YEARS about McSorley's. The fact their window advertises "We've been here since before you were born"; the sawdust covering the floor; the floor to ceiling eclectic array of memorabilia (including wishbones dating back to WWI); the crackers, cheese and pot of mustard tray; and of course, the half pints of beer they serve - light beer or dark are the only two beverage choices available - that are impressively served twenty at a time.

So, this "saloon" has been in existence for 157 years. And, oddly, even though I attended high school just one block away from McSorley's, I had never partaken of the darks and lights until 2011. However, I have a deep, meaningful relationship with McSorley's since 2003, when I was pregnant with my first daughter, and together, we read this Joseph Mitchell book:

In it, we found a perfectly fitting name for our daughter. Just like her turn-of-the-(20th)century predecessor, our turn-of-the(21st)century girl has a heart of gold, and hopefully a strong connection to the city her parents love. Cheers to my hubby's 40 years. I love you, honey!

Four Basic Food Gr...What?!?

2011-04-01T21:21:00.000-04:00

Don't you think every kid's lunch box deserves a little

PLAYDOH?

Well, they do say it's non-toxic!

Alright, folks, go check your calendar. It's April Fool's Day!

Thought it was worth a little laugh. Hope you were able to pull off a few pranks before day's end, too.

Seuss-inspired Daisy Gear

2011-02-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

You've read 'Green Eggs and Ham' and 'The Cat in the Hat', but can you name another even rarer than that?

We are certainly BIG fans of Dr. Seuss in this household,

but we share a special fondness for this little-known work written by Theodor Seuss Geisel:

Daisy-Head Mayzie was written by Dr. Seuss in the 1960s, yet it was published posthumously. It was made into an animated special for Hanna Barbera cartoons back in 1995, and as I just discovered on Wikipedia, is being made into a Disney/Pixar film in 3D. Wow!

So, how would you like to be just like Mayzie and have your very own daisy sprouting up from your noggin?

It's simple! Gather a sheet of white poster board, some yellow cardstock, a green foam sheet, popsicle sticks, and white daisy-shaped die cuts. (I used a set of daisy paper coasters from the Martha Stewart collection.) Other necessary tools: scissors, scallop paper punch, packing tape, double sided tape, tacky glue, exacto knife, stapler.

1. Start by cutting bands from the narrow end of the poster board, close to 2" tall. This band should be wide enough to encircle the head of any child.

2. Use the scallop punch to cut two yellow card stock centers of the daisy, one for each side of the daisy. Use a thin strip of packing tape to attach the popsicle stick to the daisy base, then use double-sided tape to adhere the centers, with one center covering the top of the popsicle stick.

3. Cut a leaf shape for each daisy from the green foam. Use the exacto knife to cut a slit in the widest part of the leaf. Slide the leaf onto the popsicle.

4. Put a few drops of tacky glue at the base of the popsicle stick and press onto the poster board band. Reinforce with packing tape.

5. When all the daisy "stems" are attached to the bands, the bands can be sized and stapled around the heads of the children you are going to read Daisy-Head Mayzie to. Take a photo of their happy faces, then send it to me!

I hope you have an opportuny to pick up your favorite Dr. Seuss book and participate in Read Across America Day on March 2nd.

Sugar Cookie S'mores

2011-02-21T22:06:00.000-05:00

Shhhh...don't tell our dentist!

With temperatures in the 70s this weekend, we grilled dinner out, and then of course we needed to roast some marshmallows over the warm coals afterwards.

Since there seemed to be some leftover Valentine sugar cookies in the kitchen (and let's face it, you know there is never a shortage of chocolate at my house), I figured what better way to use them up than to make Sugar Cookie S'mores?

Beats a run of the mill graham cracker s'more any day. Well, at least any day that tops 70 in February!

Added bonus: Sloppy melted chocolate smooches, and a five-year-old who uses her marshmallow on a stick as a fairy wand. Introducing my little Marshmallow Fairy. The sugar intake nearly did make her airborne.

Cupid's Peppermint Truffles

2011-02-14T12:06:00.000-05:00

Do calories count on Valentine's Day? I sure hope not, because these little beauties are WHOPPERS!

I hosted a children's cookie decorating party at my house last Friday and I wanted to make some special treats for the moms coming as well. I had never made Oreo truffles myself before, but I have savored *a few* at a friend's home.

I came upon a recipe for WHITE CHOCOLATE OREO TRUFFLES on ehow.com and tweaked it a little. So here goes:
1 pkg. Oreos (or Newman's O's)
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese (Neufchatel or full fat, your choice)
1 12 oz. bag of white chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Wax paper
Sprinkles and toothpick "arrows" are optional.

Start by crushing the Oreos inside of the package. I did this just by using my hands, but you could use a rolling pin or other blunt instrument to help you get the job done if necessary. Next, blend them into the room temperature cream cheese by hand with a spatula. It will look very mushy, but don't worry.

Roll this mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. All of the handling can make the mixture become warm and difficult to keep its shape, so you may want to chill the mixture in its bowl to make it easier to form into balls. I was able to produce 34 truffle balls.

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for at least a half hour before you begin to chocolate coat them.

When your truffle balls have chilled long enough, get your white chocolate coating ready. Place the 12 oz bag of white chocolate chips in a microwave proof bowl or pyrex measuring cup with the tablespoon of canola oil. Melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals until completely smooth.

Skewer each truffle ball with a frill-top tooth pick (I bought mine at Publix) and dip each one in the melted chocolate, spinning slowly to allow the excess chocolate to drip off.

Finally, sprinkle each truffle ball with a few Valentine hearts (mine came as a topping with a tub of Pillsbury frosting) before the chocolate hardens.

Serve on a fancy plate, and use a paper doily if you have one!

Any math geeks out there (like me) who are wondering about the full calorie count?
Full package of Oreos: 2100 cals
Full block of cream cheese: 560 cals
Full bag of white chocolate chips: 1680 cals
Full tablespoon canola oil: 120 cals
Total calorie count = 4460 calories
Yield: 34 White Chocolate Oreo Truffles,

making each truffle 131 calories each. Not really too bad...if you can manage to cosume only one!

Happy Valentine's Day, and I hope you enjoy somthing a little sweet with someone you love!

Snowcation (Day Five)

2011-01-15T22:48:00.000-05:00

Yes, folks. We have made it to the end of the school week, effectively without sending the children to school. If you remember I reported we had five inches of snow Sunday night into Monday. Apparently according to my friend Christy, there is a standard ratio in Georgia that one inch of snow is equal to one day off from school. Or as I heard a Weather Channel meteorolgist report, "Five million people, five plows. You do the math." So yes, we were at home once again. Or were we?

NO! We broke free from our house arrest and we ventured out into the wild white yonder. No problems to speak of, except for a few shady areas where sunlight hadn't had a chance to fully melt away the ice pack.

The girls and I went out for lunch (Mmmmm, yummy burritos at Moe's) and then went on the hunt for more Rainbow Fairies books. My oldest just can't get enough of them, and I figure if she hasn't been in school all week but keeps pleasantly busy reading to herself, then I will do my part to keep her happy.

So with today's addition, 'Juliet the Valentine Fairy', that brings the count up to 10 that the girls own. The girls not only love to hear the stories and act out their own vignettes, they have also decided that the black and white illustrations inside the books are too mundane, so they have begun coloring the pages of the chapter books, too. That's a lot of mileage out of a paperback for $4.99 (or 75 cents if you're lucky enough to score one at a consignment store!).

Snowcation (Day Four)

2011-01-14T22:34:00.004-05:00

OK, we're on to Day 4 of this snowy week. We've got to start getting creative to keep from going batty. Thankfully my two girls have deep wells of imagination, and they are proficient at entertaining themselves.

For instance, M is still getting a thrill out of her Rainbow Fairies books.

And B can find fun just in playing hairdresser to her Doggie and ballerina.

While I spent an hour 86-ing some of our expired pantry items (ew),

the girls were excited to decorate the remaining Hello Kitty cookies (purchased at the Target bakery) from M's birthday party. B's are the top two which were given pink grins and eyelashes; M's two have "rainbows" over Hello Kitty's head and a cherry pattern on her jumper.

We had some neighbors join us for indoor fun like making jewelry with pop beads and more hairdressing.

And now that our mail delivery has resumed (!), M was able to open a couple more gifts that were delayed by the storm.

Our mail lady even paid us a compliment and said our driveway was the best clearing job she had seen by far. Do we own a shovel? Um, no. My husband dug through the garage and came up with a tile scraper he had bought at a home improvement store 3 years ago.

It's not meant to clear snow, but it sure beats a sheet of ice on our downhill driveway. Then again, he probably unearthed my ice skates while searching for the tile scraper, so maybe the sheet of ice would have been useful after all.

Snowcation (Day Three)

2011-01-13T11:37:00.003-05:00

What's on the docket of fun for Snow Day #3?

Get a manicure from Mom

Play a few more games on the new laptop
(Get excited for your little sister when she gets 10 out of 10 right)

Bundle up like characters in 'A Christmas Story' and head outdoors
(Do not attempt to lick any sign posts)

Try out a makeshift cardboard sled

Get excited when neighbors come to the rescue with snow tubes

Come in to warm up with a toasted bagel;
Design a zen garden in the cream cheese with a fork
(This is not a 'Snow Day thing' - my daughter has always done this.)

The girls also spent a half hour chatting with their friend in England on Skype, and an hour playing with neighbors at a friend's house down the street. During that hour I inflated our air mattress intending to have a movie night by the fire, but the girls wanted to use it as a landing pad instead while they practiced their flying skills as 'Ruby' and 'Icilina' the Ice Dance Fairies.

I know some parents are having a hard time coping with the kids being home from school at length, but we are having a really fun time spending long mornings in our pjs just not having to go anywhere. It would be nice to have the mail delivered sometime soon, though. We have had no deliveries on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. What is the possibility they will make it through on Day 4 after the storm?

Snowcation (Day Two)

2011-01-12T15:39:00.008-05:00

Looks like it's going to be another day at home. Let's see what kind of fun can be had on Day Two:

Try out the new "laptop" from Grandma (runs on 2 AA batteries)

Catch up on your "Rainbow Fairies" book series while snacking on Doritos

Take a break from reading to watch a neighbor shoveling the roof of his SUV

Craft some necklaces with a new bead set from Aunt N & Uncle J
(all of these are original designs strung by my 5 year old - I only had to tie them off)

Spend a little time outside collecting ice "trays"
from the top layer of snow

Scout the neighborhood for five foot snowmen

Ask Daddy to join you in a Shaun T "Insanity Workout" directly after dinner (even if there's a fire blazing and you are wearing pants, long sleeeves or fleece jackets)

Pretend you are a workout instructor and make up
new moves like "Twist Kick" and "Flower Grow"

Snowcation (Day One)

2011-01-11T11:56:00.004-05:00

Well, the weathermen were right about the crippling snowstorm in the South. We had FIVE inches of snow on Monday. And if you can remember how much of a tizzy a third of an inch caused last year, you can imagine the shut down five inches of snow brings about.

To start the day off right, with just the right amount of sugar, I put together these edible snowmen.

Start with a mini powdered donut, add regular chocolate chips for the eyes, mini chocolate chips for the "coal" mouth, and a triangular slice of a marshmallow dipped in orange sugar sprinkles for the nose.

Other clever moms would have saved a handful of candy corn from Halloween for a proper nose, but I'll just have to be more diligent next year. You could also use orange m&ms if you had those around, too.

Roads are treacherous and cars have been abandoned all over, and they are predicting that temperatures won't get above freezing until Saturday, so we'll have to wait and see if the kids make it to school at all this week. We'll make plenty of good fun with the white canvas we have outside our door.

Finally: A Gingerbread House!

2010-12-29T22:39:00.001-05:00

Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus. And, yes, M&B, our gingerbread house will get done. (That is in answer to the 750 times they asked if we could make it, while I was vacuuming or preparing dinner, or when we were expecting company, or when it was 10 minutes before bedtime.) Well, the stars and the planets must have aligned last night because we were able to construct our very own edible edifice.

Step One: Open the PRE-CONSTRUCTED box of gingerbread walls made by Anna's Swedish Bakers, often found at IKEA. Ours came from Carolina Grandma.

Step Two: Heat up the 1/4 tub of Duncan Hines frosting you were keeping on the top shelf of the fridge for just the right occasion. Pour the microwaved frosting where you need to attach walls and the rooftop.

This step is a lot easier if you have a handsome architect on hand.

Step Three: Patience! Let the walls harden so the house doesn't implode when you try to decorate it!

Step Four: Open all the mini packages of colorful candy that ~~mom didn't consume~~ you saved from Halloween. Sample every package you open to make sure the gummies and m&m's are still fresh! :)

Step Five: Have at it! Get your frosting spreaders and decorate from north to south, east to west.

Step Six: Smile with your sister and your finished product!

If you have no Duncan Hines frosting in your fridge or pantry, this is the halved recipe from the Domino's powdered sugar box that I used for Day 2's "mortar". (Didn't think I needed the full recipe which is supposed to be enough to frost a 2-layer cake.) I urge you to splurge on GOOD vanilla. I used Costco's Kirkland brand 100% pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla and the result was divine!

All it takes is 1/2 of a one pound box confectioners sugar; 1/4 cup butter; 2 Tbsp milk; 1 tsp vanilla.

Don't bother sifting the powdered sugar. It will be mixed with a hand mixer. Place all 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, then mix on LOW speed (to avoid the powdered sugar dust cloud). If the final product is too stiff, add a mini, mini, mini splash of milk from a teaspoon until you reach the desired consistency. But remember, you don't want the end product to be too moist, because it will take longer to harden.

Anyone else make a gingerbread house this year?

Christmas 2010 Wrap-up

2010-12-25T22:51:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas to Everyone! Ours was one of much joy and many sweets...

Cookies for breakfast? Check. Skyping with family on East Coast and West? Check. New Christmas outfits for Doggie and Teddy? Check.

Very own Pillow Pets to squeeze tight? Check.

Fistfuls of Rolos in stockings? Check.

An adorable husband to sit by the fire with? Check.

And snow making a white Christmas to top it all off? Check!

I hope you've all had a wonderful, memorable Christmas wherever you may be.

Tasty Tradition: White Chocolate Chex Mix

2010-12-13T22:42:00.001-05:00

I like baking. I do. But the kids elbow to elbow over the oven? Not too keen. And the cleanup afterwards? No thank you. How about a DELICIOUS salty, sweet, and crunchy treat that only takes 2 bowls and the ease of a microwave? Sign me up!

I have been making this mix for at least four years. And I'll tell you why. The ingredients are not too expensive, they can all sit at room temperature, and even the youngest sous-chef can scoop the required amounts. Also, once assembled, the mix keeps really well after you make it. Not like some baked treats that start to go south a day after they come out of the oven.

First, grab a Santa hat to get in a jolly mood.

Next, print the recipe and find two bowls: one small for melting the chocolate and shortening in; the other LARGE for mixing the whole concoction without tossing it over the sides.

Then, grab your favorite aunt and start the fun!

White Chocolate Chex Mix

5 cups mini pretzels

4 cups corn chex cereal

1 cup salted peanuts

1-1/2 cups M&Ms (or Reeces pieces)

2 cups white chocolate chips (12 oz.)

1 Tbsp. shortening

In a large bowl, combine the pretzels, cereal, peanuts and M&Ms.

In a separate microwave-safe bowl, microwave the white chips and shortening for 1-2 minutes or until chips are melted, stirring every 30-45 seconds until smooth.

Pour over cereal mixture and mix quickly.

Spread onto a 15x10x1 inch baking pan lined with wax paper. Allow to cool completely, then break apart into small morsels. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Makes about 4 quarts.

Oh, and when I say store in an airtight container, I mean a husband-tight container, because if you make a batch tonight, you may not see any of it left tomorrow.

Sidebar: If you buy your holiday m&m's at the after-Christams prices, you can stash away the red ones and make this mix as a Valentine's gift, and you get to snack on the green ones all through January and February! Happy eating!

Special Day for Family

2010-12-03T17:11:00.000-05:00

While celebrating Thanksgiving last week with visiting family was nice: the turkey, the trimmings, the pies and ice cream; this past Sunday was even more special.

Even though I attend church and my girls are being brought up in my faith, I had never made the formal arrangements to have them baptized. Typically in the Catholic religion, children are baptized within the first few months of their birth. What took me so long? First off, my husband is not Catholic, so that makes it complicated, and secondly, all of my family lives 1,000 miles north of us. Not to mention, I have a certain reputation as a procrastinator to boot.

But lo and behold, we had a Thanksgiving miracle! I was able to schedule a dual baptism when my mother, my sister and her husband would be in town for Thanksgiving. The girls with their new godparents at their backs, and Grandma to my side.

My girls looked lovely and they had a truly special day. What the priest mentioned, and I had been thinking myself, too, is that they may actually remember their Baptism. M even wrote about it in her weekly at-home writing assignment, and has been telling all our neighbors. And in recapping the day's event with my mom, who is of few words these days, she mustered, "That was beautiful." So I know that it meant a lot for her to share the day with us too. A day I wasn't too sure would ever come to pass, but it has, and I am so grateful. I am blessed to have a supporting family and a sweet husband who understood how much it meant to me.

Happy Blog-o-ween!

2010-10-31T23:01:00.001-04:00

I made it, folks! A whole year of blogging. Not the most prolific year, but a year nonetheless. I wish to thank each and every one of you who ever stopped by to see what was going on in the Fun As You Make It lineup.

Halloween is a great time to celebrate, and boy, did we ever. We had a send off party for friends at a restaurant on Friday night, a MOMS Club party Saturday morning, a neighborhood party on Saturday night, and our traditional Halloween bag-filling and trick-or-treating today. Quite a fun-packed weekend.

Here are my two beauties tackling the 87 bags we filled, which turned out to be insufficient.

For the record, I had to use backup lollipops and Smarties that I had leftover from our Paper Bats craft and Candymen I made for the kiddies, AND open another bag of chocolates I had set aside for a special occasion.

The girls were more than thrilled to don their costumes multiple times. Daytime, nighttime, twilight - it's all good. Have you ever seen a prettier pumpkin or more unique unicorn??

Can you spot them at our annual MOMS Club party at our Town Green? Mom and Dad had a chance to get in on the costumes, too.

Happy Halloween from yours truly, 'Benjamina' Franklin!

Double the Cookies, Double the Fun

2010-10-30T22:59:00.001-04:00

For today's back-to-back Halloween parties, I decided to bring a bunch of cookies. But I was not about to bake several dozen cookies from scratch. Instead, I made a set of 'Witches' Hats', like I did last year and Chocolate Drizzled Mint Cookies.

My cookie arsenal:

The Witches' Hats consist of Fudge Stripe cookies, Hershey's Kisses, and frosting tinted orange or melted orange candy melts. With the cookie upside down, dab on a bit of the orange frosting or melts, then adherre the Hershey's Kiss on top. Can't get any simpler than that!

For the Chocolate Drizzled Mint Cookies, I started with prepackaged mint cookies, drizzled them with a bit of white chocolate, then a bit of melted orange melts, and finally a tiny toss of Halloween sprinkles on top for extra color.

Final product of cookie deliciousness:

But before the orange candy melts made it to the cookie trays for their dainty decoration, they first made a detour via the piping bag to my pajamas: a nice bright orange sash across the front of my shirt, down the leg of my pants, to the top of my slipper and onto the floor. And, no, the carnage didn't stop there. There was a broad splatter on the countertop, as well as the crack between the counter and the stove, the cabinet door, and the cabinet knob. Not so dainty. It was like Amityville Horror, but with melted orange chocolate instead of blood.

All was not lost, however. There was even some melted chocolate left over to make a few tasty skulls.

The skulls made a nice addition to the tower of treats I made with gummy worm skewers winding up around a styrofoam cone topped with a creepy rubber spider.

Gruesome and tasty. Hope you've had your share of Halloween treats too!

A Halloween Homecoming

2010-10-29T12:57:00.003-04:00

My daughters have a friend who was born in the US and lived here up until the age of 5. Last year, she moved back to her parent's homeland. Last weekend she arrived for her first visit back to the States, so we celebrated with a Halloween-themed homecoming party.

First were the hugs and squeals to pass around.

After much playing and giggling, the girls in attendance got down to serious craft making.

My thanks to Mama King for supplying the idea of these simple prepare-in-advance paper bats that also serve to hold a lollipop.

There was the obligatory kid's requested pizza party. (They thought was funny that they all sat at the kitchen table and mom and dad were relegated to the kids table!)

To wrap up the evening, we had drop in guests of neighbors and the mom/dad/lil brother of one girl arrive just in time for the scavenger hunt and dessert. The kids had to search for clues around the yard that lead them to the sweet toppings (frosting, candy corn, m&m's, marshmallow ghosts, and orange sprinkles)

to decorate their own Devilishly Good Cupcakes:

A very special night of reconnecting with friends and getting us in the Halloween mood. I hope to get back to you with more of the great Halloween fun I've been knee-deep in this month but haven't made time to post about yet.

Pumpkin Fever!

2010-10-26T22:56:00.000-04:00

What is one to do when Pumpkin Fever strikes? Make as many pumpkins as possible!

Friday: The girls painted a pumpkin patch - using water balloons (inflated to different sizes) dipped in orange paint, and a green marker for the vines.

Saturday: They assembled 3D paper pumpkins. Eight strips of orange cardstock (each just under an inch wide), two small brads to connect the ends, and a loop of green construction paper glued to the top for a stem.

Then they drew jack-o-lantern faces on orange paper sacks, stuffed them with balled up newspaper, and added contruction paper leaves and a pipecleaner stem they had coiled around a pencil.

Sunday: And last but not least, they broke out the paint brushes once again to jazz up their mini pumpkins.

Next Saturday we get to carve the big ones!

Lighthouse with a View

2010-10-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, we headed over to South Carolina to visit my in-laws. They live on a salt water creek that puts on a daily display of nature's wonders. Steadfast sweetgrass in the changing tide, numerous water birds (heron, ibis, cranes, laughing gulls) and regular dolphin sightings. We witnessed one family of dolphins 'storming' the shore line, making almost ominous waves in pursuit of their shrimp dinner.

B and I spent a good deal of time spying on a couple sting rays circling around the dock, stirring up the fluff mud in search of food. The two of us were also invited by a neighbor to watch him cast and haul in his shrimp net. Along with some decent sized shrimp, he also netted a young flounder (about 7 inches) and a mini squid which he taught us appears white on the surface, but turns black when released to the water again.

One afternoon, the hubby and I were able to venture out on our own and take a walk on the beach at Hunting Island State Park. It is an incredible spot, with enormous trees dotting the coastline, downed by the encroachement of the sea. This is our 7th year coming to this beach, and it's the 1st time we took the opportunity to climb the lighthouse. The only lighthouse in the state of SC open to the public, mind you.

After climbing 167 steps of the spiral staircase...

this was the view of the beach from 132 feet in the air.

Personally, I kind of enjoyed the view from one and a half feet directly in front of me. :)

Good Deal and Good Fun

2010-09-27T12:06:00.000-04:00

My girls needed a pair of new toothbrushes, and as I was scanning the dental care aisle at Target, I spied this little number:

The Firefly Toothbrush that blinks for one minute at a time. Of course, in typical American consumer culture, there were Barbie and Hot Wheels varieties available, too. But I thought the light up factor was special enough to please my kids. And for $1.02 each, it's even a great price for a toothbrush, period!

Now the girls brush their teeth for one minute in the dark, then mom or dad check their teeth for another minute. It's kind of freaky seeing their cheeks and nostrils illuminated in red, but if it keeps them brushing, I have no problem with it.

A little added bonus: the dentist has recommended that my oldest use a fluoride rinse every evening, and according to the directions on the bottle, the child should swish for an entire minute. So now my daughter doesn't have to trek back and forth to my nightstand to observe my alarm clock, she can just reset the Firefly and after one minute, she's done.

Going on a Nature Hunt

2010-09-15T20:27:00.000-04:00

Recently our family took a picnic lunch to a park that has a 1 mile walking trail around a lake. After playing at the playground for an hour, followed by feeding the ducks lakeside, my oldest did not want to embark on a 1 mile hike. My youngest followed suit, feigning that she, too, was uninterested.

Well, I didn't want to walk the trail alone, and I wanted to see my kids getting some exercise. Somehow, I turned up the charm only the way a mommy can, and I offered a "magic" bag to contain a nature collection for our walk. (Yup, that's an empty tortilla bag. Didn't you know that ducks like tortillas?)

So, off we went, just my youngest and I, trying to find leaves from as many different trees and plants as we could find. Turns out there were a lot of varieties.

My reason for this post, (aside from the obvious one of me schooling you on our local ducks' diet)?
Well, I hope that what my daughter did following our Nature Hunt is a good indication of a happy childhood.

Now get out there and find some HAPPY leaves and sticks of your own!

What are you going to do with all those shells?

2010-09-13T23:09:00.000-04:00

Design custom mermaids of course! Add a few gems, pearls, pipe cleaners (?) and paint strokes and you'll have a few fine maids of the sea.

M wanted to draw her own mermaid. Then she was so pleased with her first design, she replicated a second one to bring in for her art teacher. Check out the mini corkscrew shell earrings!

B let me design and cut out her first one (the largest version at top), then she took a stab at her own, more diminutive mermaid.

When the creating is complete, your little mermaids or mermen may enjoy a reading of Mermaids on Parade by Melanie Hope Greenberg. It's a story about a young girl in Brooklyn who joins the annual Coney Island parade to mark the beginning of summer. I'm still holding on to the last rays of summer sun before fall takes a stronghold.

Summer Cool Down, Target style

2010-08-31T23:02:00.004-04:00

Oh Target, My Target. How I love you so. Especially during summer clearance time. I mean it. Seriously. How can you top a Slip and Slide for $2.49?!? Obviously my girls don't think you can.

(We learned pretty quickly that we had to move said Slip and Slide from a level area to an area with a downward slope. Phew! That saved a lot of energy previously spent dragging them down to the end. My arm muscles were still sore the next day.)

Then to add applause to admiration (my own saying that's the reverse of 'adding insult to injury'), I also scored a Sunbeam 1 qt. canister ice cream maker for $12.50!

The girls were ready to bring it home and start making ice cream right away. Of course I had to explain to them that the canister had to set up in the freezer for 24 hours.

That gave me time to gather all the ingredients for this recipe:
Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream

(yes, I know it's 'backwards', but that's what my daughters call it)

2 cups 2% milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

3 drops green food coloring (optional)

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, stir together the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and peppermint extract until the sugar has dissolved. Color to your liking with the green food coloring.

2. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After about 10 minutes into the freezing, add the chocolate chips. After the ice cream has thickened, about 30 minutes later, spoon into a container, and freeze for 2 hours.

It really helps to prechill the ice cream mixture (actually pre-freeze for 20or 30 minutes) before pouring into the canister. Room temperature ingredients are tough to solidify!

And did I mention that the Target ice cream cones were .92 cents?!

~Bliss!~

Homemade Htipiti

2010-08-22T23:02:00.002-04:00

What is Htipiti? It is an outrageously yummy dip made with 4 ingredients...and a processor. If you're like me and enjoy Greek food (evidenced in a previous post) you must try this!

My recipe is inspired from a local restaurant my family frequents called Athens Kouzzina. I am never disappointed by any dish that I have tried there, from traditional salads and gyros, to pastas and seafood. My kids like it because they are allowed to draw on the paper tablecloths.

You will need

a 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers
4 oz feta cheese
a splash of olive oil
a pinch of pepper flakes (optional but strongly encouraged for a good KICK)

First step, drain the roasted red peppers in a colander and then blot over a couple of paper towels. This keeps the final product from becoming runny. You also want to wipe off as much of charred skin as possible. (Caution: this will turn your fingernails red/orange for a day.)

Then you need to drain the liquid from the feta and slice it up.

Next, dump the peppers and feta into a processor. Toss in a pinch of pepper flakes, as much as you can handle, and about a tablespoon of olive oil. The olive oil is just to keep the mixture moving, not as a substanial element. The traditional method of making this dip calls for a pepperoncini pepper instead of the pepper flakes, so if you have any on hand, try one of those instead.

Pulse the processor until your chunks of are broken down, but you want a textured final product, not a smooth paste.

We are wild about this dip on warm pita trianlges, but today I was bringing the dip to serve at a potluck reception, so to avoid each person at the buffet table having to spread the dip individually, I decided to spread the dip inside of tortillas and cut them into self serve portions.

Slicing tip: Make sure to wipe the blade of your knife after each complete cut. That way you won't be spreading the schmear of the dip onto the top of the next slice. Hope you like it!

Swap Success

2010-07-29T17:32:00.001-04:00

The "I'm a New Blogger, Follow Me" Swap was a tremendous success. I found some pretty original bloggers out there. Many from the good ol' USofA, and two ladies from Tanzania and Singapore, too.

@ Sharissa (sharylove) http://www.blog.sharylove.com/
Advice for pregnant women and new moms by Shary, a certified doula, and her own adventures as a mother of 1.
@ Rochelle (stampkrl) http://threeturnstohome.blogspot.com/
Sewing and quilting projects galore, an embroidery machine afficianado.
@ Joni (QUEENQUISA) http://wwwtrainmama.blogspot.com/
The swap organizer and definitely a queen in the coupon swapping kingdom.
@ Ambrosia (LadyAmbrosia) http://www.birth-ofa-notion.com/http://www.birth-ofa-notion.com/
Ambrosia loves all things mail: post cards, vintage stamps, wax seals, and tricked out homemade envelopes. Oh yeah, and Bon Jovi.
@ Jessica (icalea) http://jeffjessandmaxbrown.blogspot.com/
This mama makes all kinds of fab creations: felt flash cards, bed roll, camera straps, ouchie cold packs. Tutorials would be great (!) but hopefully her etsy shop (BambinoBazaar) will be filled with her wonderful wares soon so we can all enjoy them.
@ Jessica (sparsileactivity) http://sparsilevacivity.blogspot.com/
A fellow Georgian providing toy/game reviews and make-up reviews.
@ Tima (teemis) http://nisbetfam.blogspot.com/
Pictures, recipes, and observations of a Canadian mom living in Tanzania with her husband and 4-year-old son.
@ Pauline (scrappinauntie) http://scrappinauntie.blogspot.com/
A California geocaching grandmother, strawberry-loving, scrapbooking MACHINE! She has made over 200 pages so far this year alone.
@ Samantha (mireillie) http://neomuyeppeo.org/
Reviews of iPhone apps games and discussions/video posts of current music trends in Asia.
@ Crystal (3stairs) http://3stairs.com/
A graphic designer and homeschooler living in Texas. My 10th swap partner – glad I saved the best for last. She made a pictorial review of her 10 partners. Nicely done.

I do enjoy browsing other blogs, but it's been especially nice to find somebody reading mine for a change. Thanks you to all the lovely ladies who stopped by to find out what "Fun As You Make It" is all about. I truly appreciate your thoughtful comments.

Calling All New Bloggers

2010-07-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

Back in April, I joined
.

The reason I joined was because the Dollar Store Crafts blog challenged its readers to a) give up shopping for new craft supplies for the month in the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' spirit of Earth Day, and b) to find someone on swap-bot to exchange surplus craft supplies with.

It has been a lot of fun seeing the types of swaps that people create. It seems that there are a lot of swaps intended to find pen pals or to exchange recipes, postcards, treats, and craft ideas. They can revolve around a theme of some sort (a specific color, a cartoon/anime character, a holiday or season) or they can be centered around what the recipient writes in his/her profile.

I have learned some new lingo involved with swapping, too, like newbies, flakes, sender's choice and angel. (**You swappers know what I'm talking about.**)

This week I found an intriguing swap. One that introduces 10 other swappers to your blog. In return, you also follow 10 swappers blogs as well. I think this is a fantastic idea because I love to hear what others think about my blog, but it appears that I have few readers. Hopefully this swap will cure my no comment blues, and maybe I'll make a couple bloggie friends along the way.

A Spoonful of Sugar

2010-07-18T21:53:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know that song is from "Mary Poppins", but it seemed to aptly fit tonight's family activity: watching the 1971 version of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory".

A few months back, we read the chapter book of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl to the girls. They were on edge while Charlie and his impoverished family were on the brink of starving, they were ecstatic when Charlie found the last Golden Ticket, and they were filled with wonder of the fantasy-filled rooms in the mysterious Wonka Chocolate Factory.

I am delighted to share with you that the girls were equally captivated by the movie. I was impressed that even several months after we had read them the novel, they recalled so many details. B told us that they didn't show the room where 'the square candies look round' , and M noticed that they didn't have the room where the squirrels sorted the good nuts from the bad nuts. (FYI: Wikipedia has a long list of other rooms that are mentioned in the book, but which were not visited by Charlie and the other guests.)

On occasion, the girls do ask for popcorn when they have friends over to watch a movie. But since we're not a family that has regular movie nights, they didn't even ask for popcorn tonight. Instead, to 'sweeten' their movie experience, just when Willy Wonka opens the doors to the chocolate room, I treated the family to a scrumdidilyumptious selection of confections. (Am I beginning to sound like Willy Wonka himself?)

While searching for a few pictures to add to this post, I also learned a cool tidbit about Roald Dahl's inspiration for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. According to Wikipedia, the story's origin was based on the feuding of the top two British chocolate companies during Dahl's schooldays. Cadbury would often send test packages to schoolchildren in exchange for their opinions on new products. At that time (around the 1920s) Cadbury and Rowntree's often tried to steal trade secrets by sending spies into the other's factory, posing as employees. Because of this, both companies became highly protective of their chocolate making processes. It was a combination of this secrecy and the elaborate, often gigantic, machines in the factory that inspired Dahl to write the story.

My two aren't about to steal any secret recipes from the big players in the world of chocolate making. But they are willing to sample their wares at every possible opportunity. Hope you enjoy a sweet moment with your family.

July 4th Paper Rosettes

2010-06-28T23:20:00.000-04:00

I'm always looking for a diversion when I'm in the passsenger seat during a long road trip. Sometimes I browse through a stack of magazines. Last year, I made these pinwheels in the car on the way to our Fourth of July beach destination.

And of course for a car trip, I don't want to be juggling a dozen different craft supplies, which makes this craft a winner. Three (cheap!) materials needed: a roll of crepe paper streamer, tissue paper and pipe cleaners.

Cut a length of the streamer that will be the background piece, about 9 inches. Then cut a strip of the tissue paper in the same length, but slightly more narrow so that the red will show on either side of the tissue.

Fold the two strips together, accordian style for the length of the two strips. Pinch in the middle and twist an inch or two of the pipe cleaner around the center. Finally, fan out the folds so that the edges of the top and bottom meet on each side to form a circle.

You may want to use glue dots or a glue stick to keep the rosette open, but if you don't mind your rosettes not being a perfect circle, then you're done!

My thanks to Tricia at Oh So Crafty for the inspiration of these rosettes. She linked her rosettes together to hang as a 4th of July banner. I just made a big bunch and scattered them around the table like confetti.

Also, hers were assembled with 3 strips of material (yay, a fellow recycler!) trimmed with pinking shears, but I took a shortcut with a tissue paper that had a white background and blue foil circles.

Star Spangled Headband

2010-06-25T22:57:00.000-04:00

Today I have my first guest blogger. My daughters. While I was taking a shower this morning, my two girls were transforming an ordinary elastic headband into something a LOT less mundane. Very simply, they just tacked on all sorts of other mini clips they had on hand: stars, butterflies, rainbows, Boots the monkey, glitter clips and ribbons.

When I came out from the shower to take a look, I told them how impressed I was, and M told me that I should blog about it. Well, since our trip up to NY has kept me away from regular posting, I figured it's worth getting back on track with something!

So, feast your eyes on these beauties, so proud of their creation and the idea to post it for all to admire!

Hip, Hip, Hula Hoops - Hooray!

2010-06-03T16:18:00.004-04:00

Our county library has a great children's program, and this week they threw a "Beach Party Kick Off" to introduce this year's summer reading program. Regrettably, I did not have my camera with me to document the librarians in floral leis and grass skirts hula hooping to a Beach Boys CD.

After enjoying this exhibition, I figured it was the perfect time to get the girls a couple hula hoops, but I was not in the mood to shell out $10-15 for a couple plastic circles at Toys R Us. So I checked out my trusty Dollar Tree which has a giagantic luau/summer party section featured this month.

I was not disappointed: Hula hoops for a dollar. And not some flimsy cheapo hula hoops. They even have those ball bearings inside that make the fun swish sound as it rotates. Yay!

My six year old had a style all her own. I have NEVER seen anyone take her approach, and with seven grown nieces and nephews and a few years in childcare, I've been around a lot of little ones. Big fan of originality. Take a peek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik3Opn3BlYo

They were actively playing with their hula hoops for close to an hour. They even broke a sweat! If the hippy spinning of your hula hoop is too monotonous, you could also try to

Flip it up and over your head to use it like a jump rope.
Throw it in the air (baton style) and try to catch it on your arm.
Stand it up on its edge vertically and roll it, like they did in olden days. See whose goes the furthest.
Lay it on the ground and have a toss game, making your kid(s) take a step away from it after each successful throw.

You can spin it around your neck, the way my 4 year old mastered. How do you hula hoop?

Use What You Got

2010-05-29T23:19:00.000-04:00

After a trip to the zoo, my oldest daughter decided she wanted to make animals out of the petals from the 'foam flowers' my girls used to pre-decorate our Christmas tree in this post.

So, I went to gather some simple supplies: sequins, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. The rest was supplied by imagination.

The girls started with two horses and a ladybug:

Then B went on to other free form objects. A 'playground' and a 'roller coaster':

Followed by a hot air balloon and a 'sum-barine' (known to most as a submarine):

Finally, my spider and butterfly:

By the way, do NOT leave B in the room with a new tube of foam glue. Very sticky ending to an otherwise fun craft!

Bonjour Butterflies...

2010-05-29T22:05:00.000-04:00

You'll never guess who went to a 'Fancy Nancy' party this weekend.

They were all decked out with sunglasses, tulle skirts, pink boas and gloves, and the birthday girls' mom even laid down a red carpet for them to strut their stuff.

I think even Fancy Nancy would agree that they looked tres chic, non?

Today's Inspiration III: Got Buttons?

2010-05-13T23:10:00.002-04:00

Back at Christmas in 2008, I made a batch of apple butter in honor of my mother-in-law. She had introduced me to it the summer prior, and when the holidays rolled around, I figured that would make a thoughtful, homemade gift for her to enjoy past the holidays. Then, for Christmas 2009, she filled the same jelly jar with a giant bunch of funky buttons for me to ooh and ahh over.

Surprisingly, it only took me 5 months to make something with them! Thanks to Amy Cluck's tutorial on Style Crush, I put together a cute creation that I sent to my mother-in-law for Mother's Day.

Very simply, pick out any buttons that stack up (snipping off the 'shank' on the back of the button if necessary) and glue them in size order on a ring form. You can pick up a ring form at any crafting store that sells jewelry making supplies. Then let your masterpiece dry. Told you it was simple!

Just to make the presentation a little fancier before sending it in the clear-topped tin you see above, I punched out a 2 inch flower from bright pink cardstock. Then I slit an opening in the middle of the flower with an exacto knife to "plant" the button ring in the center.

Brunch Idea: This Frittata is Delish

2010-05-06T23:36:00.001-04:00

Mother's Day is almost upon us. Traditionally, brunch is in order. If you are planning a brunch and are in need of a tasty main dish, this is a recipe I tweaked from Gourmet.

Their version requires a few vegetables to be steamed, then shocked in ice water. Breaking news: blanching is NOT a flavor booster! Plus, why would I want to create more dishes to wash by using a steaming pan and a bowl of ice water? I say, you're already using a saute pan for the peppers and onions anyway, just saute the other vegetables and pump up the flavor at the same time.

Speaking of flavor, my version has the addition of parmesan cheese, because in my opinion, you just gotta have cheese! Lastly, I share with you a tip that I learned from Emeril Lagasse (over the many years I served as his couch potato apprentice). In any dish that has multiple layers, you need to season each layer as you go. It makes SUCH a difference in the final outcome.

Spring Vegetable Frittata

1 pound thin asparagus

2 sweet bell peppers (red, yellow or orange)

3 shallots, minced

1 medium zucchini, semi-peeled and diced

3 scallions

12 large eggs

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

1/2 cup heavy cream

¾ cup parmesan cheese, divided

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. WAIT to preheat oven (to 350°F) until all your vegetables have been washed and prepped.

2. Trim asparagus from the stalky ‘breaking point’, then slice what remains into 1 inch pieces. Dice the bell peppers and mince shallots. Peel the zucchini, partially, leaving thin strips of green for color, and cut into small dice. Trim the scallions and slice thinly. Wash, pat dry and chop the parsley (not too finely).

3. Melt a half tablespoon of butter in a nonstick sauté pan. Add the diced bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned, 5 or 6 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

4. Add the other half tablespoon of butter to same pan. Sauté the asparagus and scallions for two minutes, then add the minced shallots and diced zucchini. Season all with salt and pepper, then sauté for another two to three minutes.

5. Now preheat your oven, and butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish (3-quart).

6. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, cream, parsley, and ½ cup of the parmesan cheese. Pour this custard into the baking dish. Evenly distribute the vegetables over the egg mixture. Sprinkle with another few grinds of pepper, if desired.

7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle on the final ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, then bake for another 15 minutes until golden and set.

8. Cool frittata on a rack briefly before slicing. Serves 12.

Time Saver: You can make this frittata a day ahead, then refrigerate it after it has cooled completely. Rewarm in a 200°F oven for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Now put your feet up, pour yourself a mimosa, and enjoy your brunch with the ones you love.

Super Simple Paper Pyramids

2010-05-03T16:01:00.001-04:00

These paper pyramids are so simple. I promise! They make great table favors at any party, or because they are so inexpensive to make, you can fill a bunch and give them as gifts during Teacher Appreciation Week!

First, find a brightly decorative paper that you like. Cut into rectangles that are 4"x6". One 12"x12" square scrapbook page will make 6 pyramids.

Use double-sided tape one one of the short ends, then roll the paper up like a toilet paper tube.

LOTS of tubes to fill!!

Pinch one end and fold over to close.

Fill your pyramid with tasty treats. (This size pyramid holds 6 Hershey's Kisses.)

Next, pinch the other end, but in the reverse direction (ie, if your first side is folded over in a north-south sense, the other end will be folded in an east-west sense).

Optional embellishment: Punch a hole in one end's fold. Cut a piece of ribbon 6-7" in a coordinated color.

Pull both ends throught the hole, then pull the two loose ends throught the loop you created to keep it in place. Voila!

Go Greek Tonight

2010-04-19T21:51:00.001-04:00

I am not Greek myself, but I love Mediterranean style food: briny olives and capers, salty feta cheese, vinegary dressings. One dish that has become regular in my rotation in the past few months is this Greek style meat pie made with zucchini and feta.

This recipe is adapted from a Kraft recipe which I came across in a "Quick and Simple" magazine. You can view the original recipe at the Kraft Food website. In my version, I use a bit more meat and breadcrumbs, and I keep the zucchini peels on when I grate them. (FYI: This guards the vegetable fiber and antioxidants, plus it adds color to the final product, so that the pie is not entirely brown.)

The most important redo I do that saves a ton of time is to replace the filo dough in the Kraft recipe with store-bought pie dough. You won't have to spend any time spreading multiple layers of melted butter on expensive filo dough.

My recipe:

2 medium zucchini, washed but unpeeled

1 tsp each salt and pepper

3/4 lb. ground beef (I buy a full pound, but make 2 small burgers for my kids and use the rest in this recipe)

4 oz. container crumbled feta cheese

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp. milk

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 sheet of a 9" pie crust

1/2 Tbsp butter, for greasing pie dish

1 Tbsp half-and-half, or milk, for the crust

First, grate the 2 average-sized zucchini over a bowl lined with a double layer of paper towels. After 10 minutes or so, fold up the corners of the paper towels and squeeze the excess water from the zucchini shreds. (You could do this step with a dish towel, but I use dryer sheets for my laundry, and I prefer not to have the zucchini come away with the taste of Bounce.)

Then, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and get the ground beef in a pan to brown it off. Season with the salt and pepper as it cooks, then drain.

In a large bowl, blend the seasoned ground beef, feta, eggs, milk and bread crumbs. Butter your 9" pie dish. Lay out the store bought pie crust inside it.

Pour the combined filling into the pie shell, using the back of a spatula to make it even all the way around. You can get as fancy as you want with the edge of the crust. I just folded the minor excess over to bulk up the edge. Plain and simple, no fluting or crimping for every day fare. Then use the tablespoon of half-and-half (or milk) to baste the entire edge. This will keep the crust from drying out.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. Remember, the beef has already been cooked. You only need to bake it off in the oven to cook the egg binder and bake the pie dough. If you feel like the edges are getting too brown, but the interior needs more time, you can place foil around the edges for the final 10 minutes.

Cool a few moments, then slice into wedges and enjoy! My husband enjoys topping his with mango chutney. I like to pair it up with a quick prep salad of tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and feta, tossed with a bit of Geek or Italian dressing. Warm, savory meat pie and a cool, crisp salad. Super tasty!

Today's Inspiration II: Paper Coasters

2010-04-12T22:24:00.001-04:00

In keeping with April's green goals to avoid buying new craft supplies, I decided I needed to de-shelve an idea 'from the vault' and turn a green inspiration into reality.

Thankfully in the last week I had come across Jessica Jones' recycled magazine coasters (here) that only require 6 pages from a magazine. And I do have magazines around (believe it or not!), just right for the job.

Trust me, you want to use her tutorial for the instructions. It's not quite origami, but you do have to make multi-step folds. The six starter pages are halved, making 12 rectangles. Those twelve rectangles are folded in half, then into thirds, and they will eventually look like these 12 Vs.

The Vs are woven together, like a double-sided pie crust. Six down and six to go...

Unlike Jessica's instructions, I did not cut any of my loose ends. For instance, the tab that's bent up in the photo below, I refolded back under the square with the red checks. For some of the ends that were edges, I tucked back into the center itself.

I tried to expose the most colorful sides of the paper on the topside of the coaster. The underside, seen above, is practically all typeset. If I were to make more of these coasters in the future, I would definitely make a few dozen strips first, then match them up by color family before weaving.

So, critique of the final product. It was a moderately fun activity. Not as much fun as, say, browsing the internet for cool craft projects, but I considered it an exercise for the hands, and for the mind as well. My daughter's opinion? "You did a really good job, mom." Then she asked if she could put her drink on it. Passes the test.

April Awareness: Think Globally, Act Locally

2010-04-05T23:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I can't get any more local than my own closet, and the mighty craft stash within.

With Earth Day looming, I have seen more and more ideas about 'stash busting', or basically, 'use what you've got', instead of continuing to ACCUMULATE. With the convincing argument of Heather at Dollar Store Crafts, I pledge to participate in the April Stash Bust. I am *forbidden* to buy more craft supplies 'just because'. And to encourage others to resist the temptation of buying more STUFF and put what they are no longer using to good use, you can also participate in a swap of what you are no longer using, or simply have too much of, as it is in my case.

If you would like to read all of Heather's great ideas of why YOU should take the leap and bust YOUR stash, you can find it here: http://croqzine.com/?p=364

But, but...I have a coupon for Michael's...(sniff, sniff). Stay tuned for the swap results.

Balloon Bubble Bath

2010-03-28T20:53:00.001-04:00

I found a quick way to entertain the girls today. I blew up a ton of balloons (less than 100, because there are still some left in the package) and filled up an empty laundry basket. Then they dove right in!

For added fun, we tried to stick them on from head to toe (fleece jackets helped a lot in this department). And we had a balloon 'snowball fight'. Not bad for about 65 cents worth of balloons!

Taste a Rainbow

2010-03-17T22:09:00.007-04:00

Have you ever wondered what a rainbow tastes like? Now you can find out.

Just be prepared to spend a lot of quality time with your Pyrex measuring cup, because you'll be using it over and over as each layer needs to be prepared and allowed to set up individually.

First, gather up all the flavors of your rainbow. Mine was a sort of Franken-jello assortment.

Then choose a CLEAR vessel for your jello rainbow to take form. You definitely want to be able to SEE the layers if you are going to go through the trouble of creating them. I chose 'Clear Cut Crystal' cups from Chinet, but the mega-rainbow in a trifle bowl I saw today on 4 Crazy Kings is perfect for a large group (and less toil in the kitchen), not to mention a show-stopping centerpiece on anyone's St. Patrick's Day dessert table. Find it here:

http://4crazykings.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-st-patricks-day.html

After blending color #1 in the first cups of boiling water and cool water, pour the first color evenly amongst the cups. I started with blue at the bottom, and worked my way up to red. Allow to set up (at least one hour) in the refrigerator. Then repeat with the remaining jello mixes. To speed up the solidifying process a bit, add ice cold water (minus the ice) for the additional cup, not just cold water from the tap.

One point I picked up from another blogger was that her red and orange layers bled so closely in color that she was not able to tell them apart. So to set my red apart, I added a few drops of red food coloring before pouring to make sure the red was deep and vibrant.

When all the layers are set and all your little leprechauns are ready for dessert, top each cup with a big whipped cream cloud and for a wee bit of extra charm, tuck in a chocolate gold coin. As an alternative, for those with milk allergies or lactose-intolerance issues, you can use mini marshmallows or Fluff to top your rainbows instead.

FYI: These five boxes of jello mix filled nine 9 oz. cups to the BRIM. I am sure you could fill ten if need be, but the layers would be thinner of course.

Counting Down the Days 'til Dad Gets Home

2010-03-12T23:20:00.009-05:00

My husband has a trip out of town. A BIG trip. A LONG trip. And he's not just going out of town. He's leaving the country. Fourteen days in Beijing, and 4 days in Tokyo.

To help my girls better grasp the idea of how long he'll be gone - better yet, how soon he'll be back! - I took the idea of an Advent calendar countdown paper chain and turned it into a "Countdown 'til Dad Gets Home" project. Every morning while he's away, they get to snip off one ring of the chain.

Also, to give the girls a little cultural lesson and to specify where their Dad is, each link is designated, somewhat, with the characteristics of his host country's flag:

a yellow star added to solid red cardstock for the flag of China,

a red circle centered against white for the flag of Japan,

and red, white and blue ribbons for the USA (days of his departure and arrival).

We plan on working our way to the top, and we look forward to reaching that final ring on March 31st!

Wet Snow = Indoor Time

2010-03-02T21:11:00.008-05:00

A new (half) blanket of the white stuff came to Georgia again today. It stuck on the grass, rooftops, and parked cars, but not much else.

There were several hours of rain before the snow arrived, so even the snow that accumulated was too wet to play in. My two little ones are a bit under the weather anyway, so we took advantage of our time indoors and read some of our favorite snow-themed books.

Snow, by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
A quick read and appeals to anyone with a deep, nostalgic appreciation of snow (it spans a generation of snow-appreciating rabbits):
The Snowflake Sisters, by J. Patrick Lewis
Twin sister snowflakes, Crystal and Ivory, take in the sights of New York City. The poetry in this book has an unusal flow - in a good way - and by that, I mean if your book stash is heavy on Dr. Seuss material, you will enjoy it.

Snowballs, by Lois Ehlert
The most creative parts make up this snowman - pieces from nature, fabric/cloth from different parts of the world, and other recycled materials.

Then for lunch, I made the girls a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup. Did I say make? Uh, between you, me and Mr. Campbell...

I have one child who is fond of soup (well, at least the carrots and 'doodles') and the other, not so much. So I always try to provide a little selection of accoutrements that they can dunk or crunch on along side their soup. Today we had biscuits, crackers and pretzels on hand, but I often offer toast triangles, croutons or Goldfish.

Maybe your kids would enjoy corn chips, bagel rounds, itty bitty pita triangles or Shirley Temple's favorite - animal crackers. Another must: be sure to add an ice cube or two so they can stir their soup to their preferred temperature.

Come on, you know you want some...

2010-02-26T22:21:00.008-05:00

Looking for a sugar rush? Look no further!

Today we made some rice krispie treats as an end-of-the-week treat, only I made a sinister move and substituted sugar-loaded Fruity Pebbles for the traditional Rice Krispies.

Honestly, I was going for the effect brought out by the color of the Fruity Pebbles, but WOW!, it was a real sugar shock compared to the ordinary mild-mannered snap*crackle*pop variety. Seriously, your first reaction will be WOW!, followed by uncontrollable chills as the sugar is released into your system.

Here's the recipe (since it's not printed on every Rice Krispie cereal box like it used to be):

1/4 cup butter or margarine
5 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
5 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal

(I usually use less cereal than is required because I like more gooey than crunchy treats.)

Prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper and butter the surface. Pour the butter/margarine and marshmallows into a microwave proof bowl. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes in 40 second intervals. When the marshmallows have puffed up, they are ready. Add in the cereal one cup at a time.

Spread the mixture with a (buttered) spatula until the mixture lays flat. If you have the patience to let the mixture set up in the refirgerator, be sure to cover it with plastic wrap first so it doesn't dry out.

I like to cut my treats into circles with a 2-inch biscuit cutter, and then insert a popsicle stick to help kiddie hands stay (relatively) sticky-free. Another method to ward off stickiness, or for bake sale distribution at a backyard barbecue, is to wrap each treat in a small rectangle of wax paper that kids (or adults) can hold while they eat.

Because square treats are so streamlined, you must decide what to do with the scraps left if you cut circles. You can either scarf them down surreptitiously before the kids see you, or you can gather the scraps together using the wax paper or the buttered spatula to make a new flattened mass and recut. Today's batch yielded 15 treats (not all seen here, of course, because we had to try them).

If you do plan on making this version, just be sure to have a toothbrush nearby. And maybe a trampoline to burn off the sugar overload, too.

You Gotta Try This

2010-02-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

If you have these...

and these,

then you can make this in just one hour!

My Mother-in-Law's Brown Bread. While she did not create this recipe, she introduced me to it two years ago. It is very good straight from the oven, but it is DELICIOUS when you toast a slice of it the next morning and top it with a little butter. The brown sugar in it gets a little nutty when it toasts. Mmmm, mmm, mmm.

Found in The Beaufort Gazette,

Bridie Meyers says that she grew up eating this bread almost every day in County Mayo, Ireland. She makes a lot of it each year for the Christmas bake sale at the Irish American Heritage Center.

Whole Wheat Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups buttermilk
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick), melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the flours and other dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the egg, buttermilk and butter. Mix with a wooden spoon just until the dough forms a ball.

Press into a greased 9-inch round pie dish. Bake until deep brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

My advice is not to slice the bread into wedges, like a pie. Make long slices starting from the middle and then continue out towards the ends. And don't forget to save some to toast in the morning! You will not be disappointed. I promise.

Snow Prayers Answered

2010-02-16T12:48:00.001-05:00

We had a great dose of snow last Friday. Big Fat Flakes of February Snow! It was great watching it come down and create a blanket of white.

M got off the school bus and got right down to snow business.

B tried her best at catching snowflakes on her tongue without getting pelted in the eyes.

Saturday morning was sunny enough, but not too warm to melt everything instantly, as it so often does following a snowstorm in the South. The neighborhood kids (and adults) were out in full effect taking advantage if the sledding opportunity. Sleds and saucers are impossible to find (and impractical to own) in the South. Only one out of 6 families had a proper sled (thanks for sharing, Patty!), so that meant the rest of us were dragging out every other possible sledding device we could conjure - slick cardboard boxes, baking trays, and lids from giant plastic tubs. What a blast!

And what better way to top off a snowy play day? A blazing fire and hot cocoa with marshmallows, of course!!

Hope your February is just as sweet!

Valentine Crafts Under $1

2010-02-09T20:25:00.001-05:00

And the crafting continues...

I cut a bunch of heart stamps from mega-pack of sponges purchased at Dollar Tree. The girls loved making their own designs with them.

They even enjoyed cutting up the scrap pieces of sponge. A different texture for them to cut through, so a hand skill as well!

Another fun and nearly free painting idea, brought to my attention by Kim over at 4 Krazy Kings, is to take toilet paper tubes and bend them to make a heart shape, then use as a stamper. She has TONS of crafts to make with toilet paper tubes. Check 'em out: http://4crazykings.blogspot.com/2010/02/weekend-recap-making-crayons-crazy.html

To jazz up the newly painted hearts, why not fill them in with some Valentine stickers like my 4- year-old did?

Today's Inspiration: Salt Dough

2010-02-08T20:29:00.002-05:00

Too often I browse the internet and file away clever idea after clever idea and never take the time to actually take a stab at doing them myself.

"Today's Inspiration" is going to be an ongoing segment in which I can REJOICE in the fact that I actually took an idea I found on the blogosphere and turned it into reality.

Today, it was Salt Dough Hearts. I have been "planning" on making salt dough ornaments year after year after year. Well, thanks to a posting of a cute bunch of kid-crafted salt dough hearts strung with butcher's twine here http://thelongthread.com/?p=5678, I was inspired to make my own.

Very simple recipe: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, and 1/2 cup warm water. Knead together and flatten with a rolling pin, then cut out into any shape you like. (Check out the toast imprinter I remembered was in a utensil drawer before I ran out of dough!)

The nice part about rolling the salt dough is that unlike pie dough, you don't need to spread any flour on your board, therefore less messy!

Bake in a 200 degree oven for about two hours. If any piece is very large, you may need to flip it over at the end, and allow it to air dry in the oven once it has been turned off. Also, I used parchment under the dough hearts, but I'm sure you could use foil just as well.

My batch made over fifty 1 inch hearts and two larger hearts. Try it!!

M said, "I like the lacy ones." B said, " I want mine to look fabulous."

Valentine's Only One Week Away

2010-02-07T15:57:00.000-05:00

I really enjoy Valentine's Day. A holiday centered around hearts, love, hugs, snuggles and CHOCOLATE? Come on, what's not to love?

I have hosted a Valentine's Preschooler Craft Party at my church for the past 2 years now, and thusly (yeah, I said thusly) I have a stash of Valentine craft supplies that even Cupid would envy. My original intention was to share and post 14 different Valentine's day ideas from Feb. 1-14 to jump start my blogging again, but while preparing for this year's party, I fell off the blog bandwagon again. But now I'm back!

Here's a simple 3 paneled Valentine banner I made last year. It was inspired by a Halloween "BOO" banner I had seen in a scrapbooking magazine in the Fall of '08, decked out with tons of Halloween embellishments. With time and simplicity as my two driving factors, this version is pretty tame, but you could certainly embellish to your "heart's content".

Basically, I started with 3 pieces of the darkest color paper and cut them into a pennant shape (pointed at the bottom). Then I printed "We" and "You" on a medium shade paper, and printed "Love" on the lightest shade. The three medium shade pieces were also cut to mimic the dark pennant shape, but narrower on every side, and trimmed with pinking shears at the top for a little extra contast. The lightest shade with "Love" printed on it was cut into the shape of a heart, old school style, b/c I am cw/occm (translation: because I am currently without a Cricut machine), for the center panel.

The real character of the banner comes from the 3 flowers at the bottom of the center panel. I started by gluing 3 rickrack and ribbon "stems", then attaching a 4 petal flower to the top of each one. Each flower is made of 5 hand-punched hearts (2 inches, I believe) that have been creased in half (for dimension), pin-hole punched at the bottom, and attached with a simple brad. Note: Attaching the flowers must be done before gluing the center panel to the dark pennant back or else the brad prongs will show thru the back of the piece.

Finally, I used 3-D stickers at the corners of the outer panels, and strung the 3 panels together with coordinating ribbons for hanging.

This banner was a gift for my mom, who taught me that a homemade gift is by far the best way to show someone you love them. I love you, mom.

Happy (Cold) New Year

2010-01-13T21:53:00.000-05:00

School was cancelled last Friday because of the snow we had on Thursday night: about 1/3 of an inch. Not 13 inches, not 3 inches, not one inch. A third of an inch! (Note the green tint to the ground in the first picture, and the lack of any snow on the road in picture #2. )

The girls found it entertaining, though. B used a small pine branch to brush off the snow from our mailbox, and she had fun toting a chunk of ice that had frozen in a kiddie bowl .

M tried leaving footprints on the retaining wall in the backyard.

Most kids with a snow day come inside with wet gloves. My two had dirty gloves, because the dirt was directly under the patches of snow they tried to scoop off the ground. Well, it's only January. Hopefully we'll have another opportunity to play in the snow before winter's up.

Out on the Ice

2009-12-30T22:28:00.000-05:00

With my husband having a full week off from work between Christmas and New Years, my goal was to spend meaningful family time with the girls and to do something memorable together. While we knew it would be an undertaking introducing our 4 and near-6-year-old to ice skating, we decided to take them to their first skating rink today.

One of our biggest 'fears' was how to layer our constricting clothes-phobic girls in warm clothes without making them miserable. Thankfully they trusted us (for once!) when we explained that having extra layers would not only keep them warm and dry, but also protect their body parts if they had a fall on the hard ice. We managed to suit them up and put on their skates without a single whimper. :)

They truly had a blast! We did spend the first few rounds holding them up on their feet with all our muscle strength, but they did get the hang of it enough to hold just one hand and go around some more. The skating session was 2 hours long, and aside from the 10 minute Zamboni break, we were out on the ice the rest of the time.

Then to top off the afternoon, the girls came home to cocoa, a warm fire and a viewing of a recent favorite film, "Ice Princess" from Disney. The movie has its own website where you can learn about skating moves, view clips and hear music from the movie : http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/iceprincess/home.html

We were so proud of our little 'ice princesses', and the biggest compliment to the sport: both girls are ready to go skating again tomorrow... We can't wait for the Vancouver Olmpics in February, 43 days from now in case you're wondering!

Stay Princesses

2009-12-25T23:06:00.000-05:00

Christmas morning at home was one to cherish, and included a genuine squeal of delight from B on her way down the stairs.

If only Hello Kitty lipgloss, Pez, and plastic "bling" would keep them happy forever.

Merry Christmas to all. Hoping you have made some lasting Christmas memories, too.

Wreaths were Hung on their Doors with Care

2009-12-21T22:53:00.000-05:00

I invited two of M&B's neighbor friends over last week, as I needed some extra help tackling the enormous cookie pile remaining from Tuesday's cookie swap. While they were here, I pulled together some supplies I had been gathering for a simple project I saw on Ramblings of a Crazy Woman: http://jennwa.blogspot.com/2009/12/muffin-cup-christmas-wreath.html

(She was also the muse for our Halloween wreath, too.)

Pretty basic stuff, just paper plates, paint, holiday muffin cups and glue for the main part, then a hole punch, some ribbon and a shiny bell to give it a little something special. (M wanted a green ribbon and a red bell, while B wanted a green ribbon and a gold bell.)

With four kids to watch over, I didn't take any 'before' or 'during' photos, just the finished product, which they wanted to display on their bedroom doors. I told them that was a good spot, so if Santa comes to look in on them on Christmas Eve, they'll be able to hear him peeking in.

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-14T21:13:00.000-05:00

With B's early December birthday accomplished (a future post, I hope), we can now move on to decorating for Christmas. Hubby brought in our tree on Sunday morning, and the girls couldn't wait to get started. It didn't matter that the lights weren't strung yet or that the ornament box wasn't open, they were compelled to decorate this blank canvas.

Their ornament of choice? Slices of a pink swimming noodle still left from a party game last week. The perfect circle center made for easy hanging. A hot pink Christmas tree? Maybe next year.

(Please also note the formal attire chosen to decorate: wings, crown, necklace, Cinderella poofy sleeve caps and tulle skirt. Wings, necklace and skirt are notably coordinating in pink!)

Bubbles and Balloons

2009-11-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

While at the grandparents in SC, we visited a small farmer's market in Port Royal. Aside from the $2 whole watermelon and she-crab soup, we bought artisan bread and a killer herbed cheese. The girls' favorite part: a woman singing with her accoustic guitar, accompanied by a man intermittently playing steel drum and tambourine. My favoite part: watching them in their balloon swan headdresses, blowing bubbles and dancing "like no one's watching" (even though everyone was).

Another special feature of the farmer's market that really upped the charm factor was that it was surrounded by a grove of Live Oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Made for a wonderful warm, sunny fall afternoon.

Other Things to do with Halloween Candy

2009-11-06T08:26:00.001-05:00

Even though I LOVE candy myself, I am doing my best to teach the girls that you can have control over the massive loot and limit yourself to one piece a day. This, unfortunately, makes the enormous stash of candy seem to sit on the sidelines for weeks and weeks.

To use up the candy in different ways, I propose a "Taste Test". See if your kids can identify each candy by divvying them up into little bowls or a deconstructed egg carton. We conducted our own tasted test a couple months back and the girls made me re-enact the test for their friends over the days that followed.

Of course you can do this "Taste Test" with any sorts of food (this picture show a selection of salty, fruity and sweet items), but I'm sure that doing it with nibbles of snickers, sweet-tarts and skittles would be a lot more fun.

Blindfolds are optional. ;)

Another unorthodox use for Halloween candy I read about in Family Fun magazine is to conduct science experiments (which will melt fastest in water or in the microwave, etc.). I couldn't locate that exact article online, but they had some other cool ideas (like 'reverse trick-or-treating' and setting aside some leftovers to decorate a gingerbread house in December!):
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/halloween-candy-overload-793376/

And lastly, my own sweet moment of the day:

Waiting in carpool line can be a balance of wait, wait, wait then rush, rush, rush. So this morning, just to be on the safe side, I asked B for a kiss "before you run out." Her response: "I'll never run out of those kisses." I sure hope not!!

2009-11-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

Halloween aftershock.

M woke up, climbed into our bed for 10 minutes or so, until we were ready to get moving. She began to make her plea. "Can we go downstairs now? I want to see my candy."

And B was in on the candy oggling and sorting through the smorgasbord:

"I got two "essy S's" (that's what they call the the fruity counterpart of "emmy m's"). Oh my gosh - lollipop! Emmy m's. My favorite. Every candy is my favorite. I just love candy."

And boy, does she ever. About halfway through church today, I hear a candy wrapper crinkling, followed by a sighting of one of Bailey's cheeks mysteriously bulging. Wish I had my camera then!

Halloween, Wet but Wonderful

2009-10-31T21:24:00.002-04:00

Halloween 2009.

A rainy day cancelled our original plans to get together with my MOMS Club friends at an outdoor town-sponsored celebration, with a pizza and potluck gathering that has been SUCH fun in the past. Instead we had an imprompru small gethering at Stevarino's, still toting our treats to share, the "Witch's Hat Cookies" (from http://www.makelearningfun.com/).

Then at home, we worked on paper loop wreaths (idea from Ramblings of a Crazy Woman : http://jennwa.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloween-wreath.html).

And the girls' all time favorite: filling trick-or-treat bags. M told me I was too slow in tying them, and that she and her sister "were like a machine." Together they sucessfully packed 58 bags, plus we had an 'emergency bag' of Kit Kats, that DID get depleted!

At the end of their own trick-or-treating, B began taking stock: "Nerds! My favorite!"

And M made the full count: only 73 pieces this year (as opposed to over 100 last year). Again, walking the neighborhood in the rain curtailed the trick-or-treating a bit.

All's well that ends well. The girls were very pleased with the great fun we had, both Friday night at a neighbor's party:

and today with all the Halloween festivities. Rain be damned!