Pumpkin Pancakes

Since today is Halloween, I wanted to make something special for one of our meals today. I decided I would make Pumpkin Pancakes for breakfast. I hardly ever make breakfast, especially not during the week. We always have cereal because it is quick and easy when the kids are fussing that they are hungry. To minimize grouchiness and make sure the pancakes were done early enough that Rich could eat them before he went to work, I planned ahead. I set out all the dry ingredients and utensils last night and then I got up earlier than usual this morning to have the pancakes done before the kids woke up. It all went quite smoothly and we were all able to eat without any fussing. Everyone was quite happy, for once, and the pancakes were delicious!

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Pumpkin Pancake Recipe:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture-just enough to combine.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan to medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Thanks to All Recipes for the wonderful recipe.

Happy Halloween!

Our 3rd Anniversary

Rich and I have been married for three years today. Time has really flown and, at the same time, it seems like it's been longer for everything that has happened. We hadn't even been dating for a year when we got married. Before our second anniversary we had already had two children. Marriage alone was a huge adjustment, let alone adding two pregnancies and two babies to our new lives together. Through all our trials, and there have been many, Rich has stayed by my side and worked through them with me. I tease that if we could make it through what we've been through so far, we can make it through anything. I don't know what else God has planned for us, but I know He sent me a great friend to enjoy life with. I couldn't have asked for a better man for my husband or a better father for my children.

I love you, Rich! Happy Anniversary!

More Pumpkin Goodness

Since I am such a huge fan of pumpkin baked goods and I personally have several pumpkins that I need to cook up, I plan on making a couple of my favorite pumpkin recipes in the next couple weeks. I have already cooked one pumpkin and made a Pumpkin Cake that I blogged about here. Besides that, I also want to make a Pumpkin Coconut Bread and a Pumpkin Upside-down Cake. I'm sure I'm not the only pumpkin lover. I know there are others who would love to try these recipes, so I posted them below. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Coconut Bread

• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 4 well-beaten eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 packages (3 oz. each) instant Coconut Cream Pie filling

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Upside-down Cake

Filling

• 3 eggs
• 2 cans (1 pound size) pumpkin
• 1.25 cups sugar
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger

Topping

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup melted oleo
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Make filling: beat eggs, add remaining ingredients. Pour into ungreased 13x9x2 pan.

2. For the topping, sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the filling. Drizzle butter evenly over cake mix.

3. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle nuts on top and return to oven. Bake 30 minutes longer or until top is golden brown.

Pumpkin Animals

I thought it would be fun to paint pumpkins this year with the kids. Painting would allow them to be creative and be more involved than they would be if we carved a pumpkin. I thought for sure there must be pumpkin painting kits, and there probably are, just not in the store I was in. The store did carry sets to decorate pumpkins as either monsters or animals, though. The kits were face pieces that are pushed into the pumpkin like making a Mr. Potato Head. I thought they were really cute, so I picked up an animal kit and decided we could try painting another year.

We decided to make our animal pumpkins last night, but it didn't work like I thought it would. The pieces were really hard to push into the pumpkins. So hard that Rich and I had to decorate the pumpkins while Morgan and Blake watched. Blake was already tired, got bored quickly and ended up was fussy through most of the decorating. Morgan tried pushing a couple pieces in, but when that didn't work, she was content seeing the animals take shape. It wasn't exactly what I had planned for getting them involved. Even if we had carved a pumpkin, they could have at least taken the insides out. I guess we'll have to stick to pushing face pieces into Mr. Potato Head, for now, and be sure to try painting or carving pumpkins next year.

The animal pumpkins did turn out super cute-check out the pics!

Reaching New Heights

Blake has begun a new adventure in climbing. He hasn't made it too high yet, but I thought it was pretty cute when I caught the following picture of him the other day.

This picture reminded me of a couple that I took of Morgan this time last year.

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Here, Morgan is standing on the end table to get to the phone. I love the 'Uh-oh' look from being caught.

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In this picture, she is on another table looking at her new little brother in his Pack 'N Play.

Blake has a little ways to go to catch up with the heights Morgan was reaching this time last year. He is learning quickly, though, and I'm sure he'll be climbing all sorts of things before I know it.

Cake in a Mug

Morgan loves to watch me bake. Anytime I'm in the kitchen making anything, she wants to be right there watching me. Being that Morgan isn't even 2 1/2 yet, I usually don't allow her to get too involved. I'm afraid that the kitchen will end up being a disaster or what I'm making will end up being destroyed. So, when I came across a recipe on Boston Mamas the other day, for a Cake in a Mug, I thought it would be a great way to get Morgan more involved in baking with me.

I decided to try to make the Cake in a Mug yesterday and see how it worked with Morgan helping instead of watching. Morgan helped put the ingredients on the table, like she usually does, then she was able to measure out ingredients with me. Each measure was just a tablespoon, so it was easy for her to handle. Morgan also liked counting as we poored tablespoons of each ingredient into the coffee mug. Then, I allowed Morgan to stir the batter. Since it was just a mug of batter, instead of a mixing bowl, if she were to spill it somehow it wouldn't be a huge mess. After making sure it was mixed well, I stuck the mug in the microwave for 3 short minutes and the Cake in a Mug was done! Morgan was able to see the outcome of her work without losing interest or getting impatient!

Overall, the Cake in a Mug was a great way for Morgan to be more involved with baking. She was able to help me more than usual, practice counting and see the outcome of her work quite quickly. Besides that, I loved how easy it was to clean up with only using a mug, a tablespoon and a stirring spoon. For how well the experience went for both Morgan and I, we will definitely be making the Cake in a Mug again.

If anyone may be interested in making a Cake in a Mug, just head on over to Boston Mamas for the recipe. I would advise to use the chocolate chips. We didn't have any chocolate chips when we made it and the cake didn't seem to have a lot of flavor without them. Also, I'd suggest cutting it into quarters since, even without chocolate chips, it is over 500 calories as a whole.

Blogs Can Change Lives

I am not typically a huge fan of video games. I would rather my kids run and play than sit and play video games. Unfortunately, not every child is able to run and play. There are many kids who are severely sick and in and out of the hospital. Those children are dreaming of the day that they are well enough to be able to play like a typical healthy kid. For those children, a video game would really help brighten up the days that they are stuck in bed. Over at 5 Minutes for Mom, they have ten PSP Bundles to give to ten seriously ill children or teenagers. If you know a child who is stuck in bed or hospitalized, they ask that you visit their site and nominate that child. They are hoping, with these PSP Bundles, that they can help kids feel like kids again.

Delicious Pumpkin

I love baked goods make with pumpkin! I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin bread, pumpkin coconut bread, pumpkin coconut cake, pumpkin upsidedown cake and I'm sure the list will go on as I find more delicious pumpkin recipes. Just last week I came across a recipe on Grocery Mama for a Pumpkin Cake. It reminded me of a pumpkin roll, without the work of having to roll it, so I wanted to give it a try.

In making anything with pumpkin, it is a lot more time consuming than just throwing the ingredients together, especially since I like to use my own pumpkins. Monday night, I brought in a pumpkin, that we picked last weekend, and washed it off. I then broke off the stem, cut it in half and scraped out the insides. I placed the pumpkin, cut sides down, on a cookie sheet and baked it for over an hour. While the pumpkin was baking, I salvaged the seeds. I washed them off, placed them on the toaster oven sheet, seasoned them and baked them for about an hour. (I don't like anything going to waste and Rich loves the seeds!) When the pumpkin was done baking, I scraped out the pumpkin flesh and put it in a container to await being made into a cake.
I decided to make the Pumpkin Cake last night and it sure made a lot! I had imagined that the cake would be baked in a 9x13 pan, but I should have looked a little closer at the recipe. The recipe called for a 12x18 pan, which means the Pumpkin Cake was the size of a sheet cake! That is a lot more cake than a family of four should be eating before it goes bad. I ended up freezing about half the cake in hopes that it will be just as tasty when we dig it out of the freezer the next time we'd like to eat it.

In the end, the Pumpkin Cake turned out delicious! I'm glad I took the time to make it and I'm sure I'll be enjoying it over and over again as we deplete the containers of it in the freezer. It made me excited to work on the next pumpkin recipe, but I think I'll have to wait a while. There is no more room in the freezer to store more of my baked goods :-/.

(If you would like to try the Pumpkin Cake for yourself or your next gathering, just head on over to Grocery Mama for the recipe.)

A Long Weekend for the Little Ones

Morgan and Blake were very tired yesterday afternoon after a very long weekend. I like what they chose to sleep with.

Morgan sleeping with her doll.

Blake passed out on the floor with his little box of raisins.

I think it's funny that Morgan is just like a little girl, sleeping with her dolls, and Blake is just like a little guy who loves his food. Either way, they both looked very peaceful while they were sleeping and they both woke well rested after the long weekend.

Sweetest Day

I have never really paid much attention to Sweetest Day before and I didn't really think much of it yesterday either. I have always thought of it as a day to celebrate with your significant other-almost like another Valentine's Day. Since Rich and I celebrate our anniversary at the end of October, we have never felt the need to celebrate Sweetest Day as well.

The little I thought about Sweetest Day yesterday, I was curious what it was really about. If it was a time to celebrate your sweetheart, then shouldn't I be celebrating all the sweethearts in my life? The babies bring me joy and are as sweet as my husband, so shouldn't they be entered into the sweetheart category as well?

It turns out, after researching what Sweetest Day is, I discovered that I was completely wrong! It didn't start as a day to celebrate your significant other, nor was it a day to celebrate all the sweethearts in your life. Sweetest day was started in 1921 by a committee of candy makers in Cleveland, Ohio who distributed 20,000 boxes of candy to the poor, including: newsboys, elderly and orphans. Although it was meant to be a day to remember the less fortunate, it has become what people think of as a 'Hallmark holiday' to give gifts, candy and cards to loved ones. It makes me wonder what the original committee of candy makers would think of what Sweetest Day is today.

Even though most people now celebrate Sweetest Day by buying gifts for a significant other, I like what the Cleveland candy makers where trying to start. They wanted to bring something sweet into the lives of those who were having a rough time. When I think of the people I know who are going through tough times, I realize they could use a special day just as much, or more than, my sweethearts. Now that I know what Sweetest Day is truly about, I think I am going to try celebrate it in the years to come. Not by giving a gift to my husband, but by giving sweets to those who are less fortunate, like Sweetest Day was meant to be.

(I found my information through Wikipedia. If you would like to read more about Sweetest Day, click here.)

This is a picture I took Saturday thinking it was a sweet picture of my sweethearts on Sweetest Day. :-)

The Recipe for a Colorful Carpet

My carpet has been developing some unusual spots lately. They are very colorful spots.

Here is the blue spot.

This is the violet spot.

And this one is the red spot.

My carpet was kind of dull and boring before, but these spots are really adding life to it! Very unique and pretty, don't you think?

I discovered the recipe for these spots is quite simple. All you need to do is take Blake's mouth, add Morgan's crayons and let them mix a little while with some saliva. Once that is done, just set the crayon on the carpet and let it do its thing.

Now, if you would like several spots of the same color, just add Blake's teeth to the recipe. The crayons will then become multiple pieces that can then be spit out onto the carpet. It adds a very artistic effect.

Clean up is easy-just pick up the crayon piece or pieces and wash this:

Viola! A colorful carpet!

The Perfect Step Stool

I had been meaning to buy my daughter a step stool ever since she started potty training. I know most children probably have a step stool to help them get up on the potty and reach the faucet to wash their hands. I love that it gives little ones independence and what I like even more is that it frees up mom's hands, so she can take care of other things (like the little brother trying to unroll the toilet paper, empty the trash or throw his toys in the toilet). I had been looking for a step stool that was small, so it would fit in our little bathroom and I could move it out of the way when I needed to. I wanted one that was solid and stable, so the children wouldn't get hurt when they were using it. I also wanted the step stool to be versatile, so when the kids didn't need it in the bathroom anymore, I could use it in other parts of the house. Not really finding what I was looking for, in our price range, I had put my search on hold.

A few weeks back, I saw my grandfather and he mentioned that he had a step stool, that my dad and his siblings used when they were little, if I would like it. I happily took him up on his offer. I didn't know if it would be what I was looking for, but free is always good and I'd make it work! My husband, Rich, stopped by my grandfather's after work the following Monday and picked up the step stool. When he brought it home, he told me that there was a little more history to the step stool than what I was originally told. My grandfather had mentioned that, not only was it the step stool that my dad and his siblings used, but it was made by his dad, or my great-grandfather, for my eldest uncle. Very neat!

I now have a step stool for my kids to use. It is small, solid, stable and versatile. It was definitely in my price range. Morgan loves the independence that she has and calls it her 'step'. I love the history of it and, if it lasts through my kids, it can be passed down to my grandchildren. I feel like I hit the jackpot in step stools and, what's even better, it even kinda matches our bathroom! Blake is the only one unhappy with it-no more testing his toys to see which of them can float in the toilet.

Morgan brushing her teeth on her 'step'.

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The top of the step stool really shows the work my great-grandfather must have put into it.

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Thank you Grandpa-we love it!

Veggie Tales Giveaway!

I have been a huge fan of Veggie Tales ever since high school. I even bought their first full length movie "Jonah" when I was in college. Now that Morgan is old enough to enjoy Veggie Tales, she asks to watch them over and over again. I can't blame her-they are cute, funny and just an overall joy to watch! Not to mention, they teach great values!
Veggie Tales now has a movie out called "The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything". I haven't seen it yet, but I'm hoping to win it from MomDot. They are giving away 5 dvds! So, if you are a Veggie Tales fan like me, head on over there and check it out! You have until November 3rd.

Flashlight Hide-N-Seek

I was reading a post on Mom's Marbles yesterday called Flashlight Fun. There were several ideas on games to play with a flashlight, including Flashlight Hide-N-Seek. To play, just give your little one a flashlight, turn out all the lights and ask your child if they can find an item in the room by shining their flashlight on it. It is so easy, inexpensive and it turned out to be really fun! Morgan and I played it last night until I ran out of things for her to find. She had a blast! She kept saying, "This is fun, Mama!", while laughing and running to find the next item. Morgan actually has her own dog flashlight that she got from her grandparents for her second birthday. It worked great as her little bloodhound, helping her search out her next item and barking when they found it. (It barks when she squeezes the handle to turn on the light.) Morgan had so much fun that she wanted to play again first thing this morning, so I tried to get some pictures. It turns out that taking pictures of a little girl running around in the dark doesn't work out too well. I could only find Morgan by the light of her flashlight, so most of the pictures weren't centered very well. Here are the pictures that turned out.

The next thing I'd like to do with the flashlight is a dance party. I'll let you know how it goes :-)

Flies, Flies and More Flies!

WARNING: This post is not for the squeamish!

Twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall, we have fly problems in our house. I have done some research do determine if there is a special reason as to why they are so attracted to our place as opposed to others. I really didn't discover anything more than what I already knew. We have cattle. The cattle provide manure where flies like to live, eat and breed. We have a dog who likes to bring home dead things where, again, flies like to live, eat and breed. We basically have provided the flies with a nice little fly sanctuary. To add to our problem, we live in an old farmhouse with old windows. The flies squeeze through the cracks in the molding and get into our house, which ends up being very annoying!

I'm not even sure where to start with the headaches the flies cause me. (If the squeamish decided to read thus far, they may want to stop reading here.) For starters, the other day I went to take a drink out of the glass I left on the table when I heard buzzing. Unfortunately, I had already taken a couple swallows, before realizing the buzzing was in my glass. Yeah, I was pretty grossed-out!

My drink is just the beginning of where I find flies. I've found them in my shoes, in my bed, in my mixing bowls-they are everywhere! Blake has a tendency to put several things in his mouth, basically anything that will fit. Not too long ago, he came up to me with a little grin and I could tell he was working something around in there. I knew I hadn't given him anything to eat, so I pried his mouth open, like I do on several occasions. As you have probably already guessed, it was a fly. Grossed-out again!

I can't even keep up with the flies getting into the house. I am constantly vacuuming flies, sweeping up dead flies and swatting flies. I must have swatted at least 20 yesterday and there were still more flying around. There is always the sound of flies buzzing and at night they fly into our heads like they are bombing us. Last night I think a fly got caught in my hair at least three times. My windows constantly have smears of fly guts no matter how much I clean them. Even though it looks gross, I have left the spider webs outside the windows hoping that maybe, if I'm lucky, it will cut down on the problem in the house. I don't think the spiders can even keep up!

I know that flies are beneficial to our ecosystem, but I still like the saying on a cross-stitch I made when I was younger: "Noah would have been wise to have swatted those two flies." I can only dream about how much easier my life would be without them.

I am reassured by the fact that the flies only invade our house for a few weeks a couple times a year. We will probably always have cattle or some form of livestock. The dog, though he is doing better than he was, will probably still bring home the occasional carcass. Our house needs several updates to it and those updates will come as our financial situation allows. So, for now, I'm going to keep the fly swatter handy, the vacuum readily available, and keep an eye on my drinks while I anxiously await the colder weather and the end of the flies.

My Little Pumpkins

With Halloween quickly approaching, I really need to get the kids' Halloween costumes out and see which costume fits which kid better. To save money, I bought gender neutral costumes at Mom 2 Mom sales and the costumes so far have happened to be pumpkins. So, in remembering how cute they were as pumpkins, I wanted to share some pictures of past Halloweens.

Halloween 2006:

Morgan as a Pumpkin

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Halloween 2007:

Blake as the pumpkin Morgan was the previous year.

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Halloween 2007:

Morgan as the pumpkin Blake will most likely be this year.

Blake's Boo Boos

Blake had a great time this weekend, but he came away from it with a few boo boos.

Boo Boo #1: Morgan got out all of her outdoor toys Saturday after picking pumpkins, which Blake thought was great. Unfortunately, for Blake, Morgan wanted to play with the wagon he was holding onto and he went face first into the pavement. That's where he got the boo boo on his chin.

Boo Boo #2: We went out to lunch after church Sunday with some friends and Blake wasn't used to the high chair he was in. He ended slipping in it and hitting his mouth on the edge of the table leaving him with a boo boo on his lip.

Boo Boo #3: After lunch, we went to Rich's parents'. Somehow I lost track of where Blake was and he climbed a few of the steps in the staircase. Unfortunately, I found him when I heard a thump and then screaming. Luckily the stairs are carpeted, but I think he must of hit his head on the railing and got a pretty good scrape. That's how he ended up with the boo boo on his head.

Blake really didn't want to hold still for these pictures. He ended up upside-down because I was laying on the floor trying to get a picture of his chin and lip.

The scratch on his head is barely visible in this picture, but it is there.

I'm sure these could have been worse, but they were bad enough for such a little guy and his protective mom who never wants to see her baby get hurt.

The Pumpkin Patch

I just wanted to share some pictures of us getting the pumpkins from our garden today. We had a lot of fun!

Mother Daughter Time

Two weeks ago, Saturday, Morgan and I were able to make it out together for a baby shower. Two weeks before that we made it to a Tupperware party together. It was so nice, each time, to have some mother daughter time. We spend every day together and she has to share everything, including me, with 'Buddy' (that's what Morgan calls Blake.) When I see my friends with their single little one and they are waiting a while to have a second baby, I feel guilty that Morgan doesn't have that one on one with her mom. If it were just her and I all day every day, we could do so much more and she could experience more things without little Blakers holding us back. The possibilities seem endless, but those thoughts don't stick with me too long. I realize that Morgan really isn't missing out, that she actually has an advantage that my friends little ones don't. She has to learn to share being with Blake all day. She has a little brother to play with and laugh with. She has another in her life to love and to love her! Not only that, but I couldn't imagine life without Blake now that he's here. I love them both so much and I really wouldn't change a thing. And when we feel the need, Morgan and I can always take some time out for our mother daughter time.

The New Playhouse

One of Rich's fellow firefighters was kind enough to give us their little one's old playhouse and the kids love it! We made it outside to play yesterday and they would not leave the playhouse! Here are some pictures of them checking out their new toy.

I think Morgan is making Blake pay a toll here. I'm pretty sure he has to give up his bubbles wand to come in the house.

Now they are checking out the door bell. It's really neat-it actually rings!

Blake held still just long enough for a picture.

Morgan posing for her picture.

Backwards Day?

Morgan has been able to dress herself, for the most part, for quite a while. She still requires assistance on occasion and today was a perfect example of why.



It looks like she did a great job. She got her arms in the sleeves, instead of through the neckhole. Each of her legs made it into a separate pantleg. Lookin' good so far!

And then she turns around and you'd think that she is declaring Friday backwards day! My favorite part is the little bow on her bottom-too cute! :-)

Michigan Fireman's Memorial

A few weekends ago we, along with my husband's family, went to Michigan's Fireman's Memorial Festival in Roscommon, MI. My husband has been going since he's been a firefighter, but missed a couple years since we've been married. (Having kids made us put some things off.) Anyway, this year, his whole family went because his grandfather's name was being put on the wall. We had a great time camping with the family and his firefighting buddies. We attended the memorial service, the parade and went to the fairgrounds where they had vendors, activities and competitions. The neatest part was the memorial, though. It is a beautiful place where firefighters who haved passed, both from natural causes and in the line of duty, are honored for their service. Here are some pictures I took while there:


This picture is of my husband, his 2 brothers (all in blue) and their cousins all sitting in front of where their grandfather's name is on the wall.

This is my husband with a couple firefighting buddies and his father is standing behind him.

Morgan with Grandma.

Little Blakers just couldn't stay awake any longer!

To get more information about the memorial and to see what the festival is all about check out their page here.

My Sleeping Angel

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting a great contest where you can win one of 2 bedroom sets. My favorite is the Lily Rose Set. All you have to do is post a picture of your little one sleeping and follow the rules on their site and you're entered!




This is a picture of my little girl, Morgan, after a long day of shopping. She came home, walked in a circle and settled down to sleep just like a dog would! It was so cute-she literally 'shopped til she dropped'!

Indian Popcorn

I was asked to share more about the Indian Popcorn that Morgan is nibbling on in a previous post and I would love to!

Either my brother or I discovered Indian Popcorn well over 10 years ago now in the Jung's Seed Catalog and I've been growing it on and off ever since. I absolutely love the stuff! It is really easy to grow-it's just like growing any type of corn. I've actually only bought seed once and I've been using seed from old crops every time I plant it. I should probably get new seed, but as long as it keeps coming up, I'll probably be cheap and forgo buying new as long as possible. :-)

My favorite part of growing Indian Popcorn is opening up each ear when it's time to harvest them in the fall. It's like opening a little present with every ear I husk, because every ear of corn is different and they are all so pretty! Take a look at some of the popcorn I grew this year.

The variety of color in just one ear of corn is amazing to me! They make great fall decoration. You can put them in a bunch and hang them up near some corn stalks bunched together and a few pumpkins and it makes for a great addition to autumn decor! I like Indian Popcorn better than regular Indian corn, too. Besides the fact that you can eat it after it dries, it has a cleaner look to it. The Indian Popcorn is also small and cute. They are probably on average about 5-6 inches long.

The hardest part of the whole process is shelling the popcorn after it is dry. Not that it's that hard, but it is really hard on your thumbs! If you don't naturally have calluses on your thumbs to protect them, they will end up quite raw by the time you're done. It's all worth it, though, when you get to eat it!

As far as popping it, you can pop it on the stove and I've even popped it over a bond fire. Apparently it can be popped in the microwave, though I've never tried that. I would not recommend popping it with an air popper. The kernels are quite small and they'll just blow out before they get a chance to pop.

In the end, I personally love the taste of the Indian Popcorn and I really can't say enough good about it. I might be a little biased, though :-)

Under Morgan's Crib

This is what I store under my daughter's crib-boxes of clothes. Nothing too exciting, but it is a good place for the clothes that I get from Mom 2 Mom sales and garage sales that the kids are about to grow into. I didn't take a picture of what's under my bed-I would have had to do some major vacuuming first and under Blake's crib is pretty empty. He has a drawer built in under his crib, so there is only room for dust and a couple paci's that he lost during the night.

Again, get the camera and have fun taking some pictures! Check out what you can win here.

My Ugliest Shoes

These shoes have seen better days. They are actually my favorite pair of shoes and I wear them all the time, but they are in rough shape and I really need to get a new pair. Kinda embarrassing actually. :-/
Take some fun pictures and try winning a new camera here.

Feeling a Little Guilty?

Actually it's me that's feeling a little guilty for doing this to poor old Muff. This is my parents' 15 year old dog that I have while my parents are living in Germany for my Dad's job. This pic is suppose to be of a sleeping dog with a banana peel on her head. She almost looks like she could be sleeping, but she really is quite annoyed since I woke her trying to put a banana peel on her head :-)
It's been fun getting these pictures! (Don't ask Muff what she thinks, though, I'm sure she wouldn't agree with me!.) Try to win a new camera for yourself. Check it out here!

My Goofy Girl!

I'm really new to this blogging thing, so this is the first pic I've ever put up of one of my kids and it happens to be a silly one! I'm entering to win a new camera and was asked for a picture of a kid eating an ear of corn with a sticker on their head. Since it is no longer sweet corn season here, I grabbed an ear of indian popcorn that we grew in our garden this year. The sticker is of Goofy, which I thought was fitting for the picture, don't you? :-) Morgan continued to try and eat her ear of corn even when we finished the pictures and despite trying to explain that it would be much better after it was popped. That's my goofy little girl!

You should try to win for yourself! Check out Barking Mad Blog.

Mutsy Spider Stroller Giveaway!

Sister Sister is having a Spooktacular Event the next couple weeks and right now they are hosting an awesome giveaway! You can sign up to win a Mutsy Spider stroller-just follow the rules and you'll be entered! :)
Click on the banner on my sidebar to check it out!