Jar Jack O'lanterns

I was surfing one day (um, the internet) and came across instructions to make these cute little guys, girls, ghosts, monsters or whatever suits you:

Aren't they cute?

Click here to link to the actual instructions and to check out some much better pictures of these little guys.

They are quite easy to make.

All you need:

clean jars (a good reason to clean out the fridge)

orange tissue paper

Mod Podge (decoupage glue)

a paint brush (to apply the glue and to paint the tops)

black construction paper

green acrylic paint

candles (reg. or battery operated) or a string of lights

Ready?
Cut or tear your orange tissue paper into strips. Measure them against the jar and trim to the desired length.

Working in sections paint your clean jar with Mod Podge and cover with orange tissue paper.

(Yes, this is a little thick and needs to be spread out a bit.)

Until the whole jar is covered.

(look at all the concentration going on here)

Then go over the entire jar (covered in tissue paper) with Mod Podge.

Let dry.

In the mean time you can create the faces you want on your jars using the black construction paper.

As you can see, Sassy got creative and made a spider as well as some faces.

When the jars are dry, glue (we did Mod Podge again) your faces (or spiders) onto the jars. Go over the face with Mod Podge again to seal it.

Paint the tops of the jars green to finish them off and let the whole thing dry (your suppose to wait 24 hours, but I, myself the kids wanted to see them all lit up as soon as they were dry to the touch)

We used battery operated tea lights (great deal at Home Goods) to light them up.

I think they are pretty cute!

Just in time

So glad we were able to do this:

Before this:

Over breakfast yesterday Action looked at me and said, 

"Hey mom, do you see all these snowflakes falling down? 

Isn't it magnificant?"

Something to Think about Sunday

Once in awhile we all could use a reminder about the choices we've made and the ones we will be making.

Are you living your life to the fullest?

What if today was your last day?

Can't see the video?  Leave a comment or send me an e-mail and let me know!

Thanks for the reminder Nickelback!

And a challenge to you ~ evaluate your life and the choices you make everyday and think WHAT IF?

Apple Crisp

Because we went to the apple orchard and were able to bring home quite a few apples, I decided to start baking.

I started easy.


Apple Crisp

5 cups sliced, peeled apples
3 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup oats (regular not quick cooking)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

1. Stir apples and 3Tbs sugar together. Place into a 2 quart baking dish (I sprayed mine with non-stick spray)

2. Make topping by: Combining the oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Then cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts. Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden.

4. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

Mmm, nothing beats the smell of apples and cinnamon

baking on a chilly fall day!

Enjoy!

Sorry, the picture isn't the best ~ it was an afterthought! I was too excited to eat!

Apples

Fall is here.

The leaves are beginning to change.

The temperature is dropping.

The sun fades away earlier and reappears later.

All the signs are here, so....

We took a trip to the apple orchard!

The day was a bit gloomy with a little mist scattered about.

But we had each other and that was the sunshine we created.

hmm.... maybe tomorrow, an apple recipe

Something to think about Sunday

I hosted a Lia Sophia jewelry party on Friday night.

14 amazing women showed up.

The seller had everyone go around the room and introduce themselves and how they knew me.

I realized you can tell a lot about a person from the friends they keep.

Here is how my friends knew me:

Church
The club (ie ~ health club)
As a neighbor
and
As the mother of a playmate

Can you see my priorities?

This is who I am.

This is where I go.

These things are important to me.

Granted, some very important people were unable to attend (not that you are not important if you couldn't make it!)


Family members

A wonderful friend from college

and

A friend I met at work before I began to stay home with the kids.

And there are so many more I would love to have invited had I not moved hundreds of miles from my hometown.

But,

These are my friends.

They help make me who I am.


I am proud of my circle!


And, it doesn't hurt that they like to laugh and drink wine with me (and Mike's and lemonade, and water.....)

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have,

and one of the best things you can be.

~Douglas Pagels

4 books?

Since I'm on the subject of books ~ remember my last post?

I was wondering....

Can you read more than one book at a time?

I can't.

But,

Sassy can!

These are her current reads:

She LOVES to read and typically has a different book in the car and scattered throughout the house that she will just pick up and read. I don't know how she keeps them all straight!

On a side note, Happy October 1st!


Here is a little glimps of Heaven from my window this morning before the rain came to my house:

Have a BEAUTIFUL day!