Pumpkin Pick 2008

I shudder to think of how long its been since Ive touched base with you all. So sorry, really, its just that things have been unexpectedly busy. And Ive had a nasty cold that has taken up residence in my chest and wont leave.

Six years ago I started a little get together with my family called the Pumpkin Pick. It was a day to get the family together for something other than a holiday or birthday, just to have a little seasonal fun. The primary intent was to take everyone to a local pumpkin patch so that the kids could pick their own pumpkins. Over the years, we've tried out different pumpkin patches and activities, various food and crafts. You just never know what the next Pumpkin Pick is going to bring!

This year we didn't go to a pumpkin patch since there really aren't any that are close to our house. Instead, we started the day with a wienie roast, made home made applesauce, took a trip to a local corn maze that was acres and acres BIG, then came back home for some crafts. Though the weather was beautiful, we still warmed our bellies with some homemade vegetable soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

I remember making applesauce as a kid, or rather, I remember everyone making applesauce around me. I'm not sure I played a big part in the whole ordeal. But this time, even the littlest of tykes enjoyed the process. We started with a whole lotta apples! Lots of peeling, coring, and cutting going on. Like I said, even the little guys enjoyed helping out. Every successful operation needs a quality control manager! Unfortunately, I was too busy running around to get any good pictures of the days events, and wouldn't you know, as soon as we arrive at the corn maze, my camera died. But not before one group shot of the kids.

We cant have a Pumpkin Pick without pumpkins so I got some home grown goodness from my uncle and shared them with the kids. But I couldn't just give them a naked pumpkin! I dressed them up just a little with handmade tags, just to serve as a reminder of the day.

I started by downloading a Doodlebat called DB Halloween Little Notes. These are so cute and fun, there are endless crafts you could use them for. I picked one image, made it about a 150 point font size, then added a text box over top of it to read Pumpkin Pick 2008. I then printed them on natural card stock, cut them out, and punched a ribbon hole into the end of each one. I used some green raffia to thread through the ribbon hole and knotted it. Once I had all of the tags ready, I simply tied them on to each pumpkin stem. A simple, cost effective way to add just a little something extra to an otherwise ordinary pumpkin. Like I said, each child was able to take their own pumpkin home as a memento of this year's Pumpkin Pick.

Check back later for a tutorial of the craft that we put together!

Birthday Card

We celebrated my nephew's first birthday over the weekend. Mother Nature cooperated and we had a great time at his party on the lake. Here is the quick card I put together for him: The front is cut about an inch short to reveal the patterned paper and buttons underneath. I dug out some birthday rub-ons that I had and added sentiments to the front and inside.

When my Godson Holden was baptised, I stumbled around trying to think of what to give him as a gift. Max had the wonderful idea of giving him a tree...so he could watch it grow just as we would watch him grow. Hauling a seven or eight foot tulip tree out the back of a Jeep for 30 minutes was no easy feat, but we made it there...tree in tact. So we felt that it was only appropriate to give his brother Wade a tree too, for his first birthday. A "Wealthy Apple" tree!Check out the size of those apples already!
Hopefully the trees AND boys will grow to be big and strong!
Happy Birthday Wade!

Dont miss the boat!

Two weeks from today, we’ll be here:

Hopefully fishing our little hearts out!

For years, my family has gone to Lake Winnibigoshish in Minnesota to camp and fish. I believe it all started with my grandparents many moons ago. Within the past few years, we grandkids and great grandkids have started joining our parents in what has evolved into a fishing tradition. I went back for the first time since I was a kid, two years ago, and was in heaven…even though it took a couple days to get used to being without a cell phone, radio, tv, and my loved ones.

It’s hard to explain or understand how such a massive body of water can evoke peacefulness from within, yet on a dime can become a mighty force to be reckoned with. There are so many wonders to nature aren’t there? I’m looking forward to it, even though there are times when the bugs bite more than the fish!

Stay tuned for some “fish bites” as we prepare for our trip!

A little of this and a lot of that...

Hello my friends! It's been almost two weeks, where have you been?! Oh wait, its me that's been MIA. So sorry about that, things have been busy. Last week I had several homework assignments due so blogging had to wait, which means my report on the Fourth of July had to wait, as well as all subsequent events. *sigh* Such is life huh? So let me rewind 10 days and give you a brief overview of the holiday.

What started as a "picnic" idea, turned into a full fledged cookout...albeit a small one. The invitees received this little e-vitation that I conjured up at the last minute using some freebie digi stuff and Publisher.

Max started the night before with a "secret recipe" for a chicken rub, which was applied and left to marinate over night. He stuck the chickens in the oven at noon and slow cooked them all afternoon long. Then, he smothered them in Sweet Baby Rays and fired up the grill. De-lish! The chicken was accompanied by baked beans, corn muffins, a couple of salads, fresh lemonade, and for dessert...homemade cheesecake (my brother rocks at cheesecakes!!) and my mom's cherry delight. We were all stuffed, no doubt about it.

I wanted to keep things simple so that I could enjoy the company and good food, so I covered the tables in...sheets! Yep, navy blue, twin flat sheets...from Walmart...at a whopping $3!! Sheets are a really great, and inexpensive, way to tie your party scheme all together. When you're done, just throw them in the wash, fold, and they're ready to use for something else (just not your bed!). In the centers of the tables, I added, again, very simple and inexpensive, arrangements that doubled as take-homes for each family. I love the gesture of sending the guests home with a token of the event! In this case, I picked up a simple potted annual, set it in the middle of a red handkerchief, gathered up the sides, and secured with a rubber band and then coordinating ribbon. Really simple, took a whole 5 minutes to do! Wouldn't violets, or another delicate flower, look darling with crisp white vintage hankies tied with satin and lace? Give that idea a try at your next ladies luncheon or shower. If using them at a shower, you could make them small, add a stake with the guest's name, and it doubles as a place marker and a take-away! Now I want to throw a shower...but I digress!! Anywho, here's how they turned out:


I added a few candles to the tables, as well as some cut out stars that I made the night before with my star punch. I also made napkin rings with those stars and ribbon to hold the cutlery but I didn't get a picture of those. But all I did was punch the star, cut two slits in the middle, then thread the ribbon in one side and back through the other so that both ends are in the front. Pull the "loop" away from the back so that you can insert the napkin rolled cutlery, then pull the ends tight and tie. Hello, simple! I also distressed the stars with some gold ink to snazz them up a bit.

So, after dinner we headed to Purdue to watch the fireworks from atop the press box at the football stadium. Hello, VIP, step aside... A different take on watching fireworks but we enjoyed it. They had a raffle...of which I won the GRAND PRIZE (an awning covered lawn chair)!! Sometimes I can be rather lucky...

Lets see, so after all of that, my three nieces who are home to see their dad for the summer, stayed the night with us. The next day I took them to the lake to see my brother and his family and to just hang out. I've learned that it doesn't matter how old you are, digging for seashells is still fun!

(More on these shellies later!)

I guess I was too busy enjoying the sun and failed to take any pictures. Except for these few of my squirly nephew and his dad...this kid is such a stink!!



You really cant tell in the photo, but this sandman was complete with muscles and a *ahem* "package". Niiiice!

So, after that enjoyable day, we headed back home, the girls stayed the night again, then the next day I took them home with plans to redo, "do" is more like it, their bedroom. Again, no pictures, but we painted the very very white room cocoa brown, then I picked up some white and brown polka dot sheets, aqua solid and stripped coverlet, and a coordinating rug. We took the seashells gathered from the lake, cleaned them in bleach water to rid them of any creepy crawlies, and the girls and their dad were going to finish putting them in jars to add as decor. I had some misc. frames and sea decor to give them so the room had an overall beachy theme to it. Dad liked it and so did they. Just took a couple of hours and we had a whole new look!

Okay, so that almost brings me to current with postings. Oh but wait, there is still so much more to share!! Sorry folks, you'll have to stop by tomorrow to see what I was up to alllll weekend long around this joint. What? You want a hint? Okay, here's just a little inspiration snipit to tide you over...

See you soon!