happy hallows

a new champion has risen

The Carve-off was on this past Sunday at the Kelley's house for the 4th annual event and after two years of Adam Barlow being the landslide winner Steve has knocked him off the stand with a BIG WIN...and Steve couldn't be prouder of his work. I have learned Steve has quite the creative side. He has smiled at his prize-winning pal Mr. Peanut everyday since and can't believe he really won, this made his week!

The contestants - Steve and Kellie on one side
Kandis and Adam on the other
The Kelley's and Brian and Pip at the other table
Kandis let Kenedee color a pumpkin to join the fun. (smart mom)
How cute are her drawings
Carving Champion 1st place - Steve's Mr. Peanut
2nd place - Kandis's Bird-kin cage
3rd place - Adam's Basketball Hoop
The Kelley's Pregnant Pumpkin
Pip and Brian's Three Blind Mice
My Mummy-kin
After the battle.
Steve wanted to know "where's my blue ribbon?"

popcorn lovers

Steve and Kenedee share a fine love for popcorn and both can eat it for hours. They were able to have a moment together when Kenedee came to visit after her trunk-or-treat and shared her 'orange' colored popcorn with Steve.

pumpkin pizz-atch

Saturday was the day for apple festivals and pumpkins. We had fabulous warm fall day for the 4th annual drive north with the Clarks, Kelleys, and Barlows. This is one of my favorite days in the fall.

Kenedee and Cole loved feeding each other their apple treats.
Some of the crew, ready to find the perfect pumpkin.

Kenedee found hers.
The boys on the hunt with grandma
Steve is conjuring up in his head his secret pumpkin idea.
Let's get home, the carve-off is ON!

tricky treats

I was craving some homemade sugar cookies last week and busted out some dough to make these sweet treats. These lovely pumpkins are and 'ode' to my mom because this is how she always made them.

RECIPE FOR EXCELLENT DOUGH:

In a large bowl combine
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
Mix and cream together

In a small bowl add
2 TBSP warm water
1 TBSP vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Stir until soda is dissolved, then add to sugar mixture.

Then add
5 cups Flour (may need to add more until the dough is not sticky and firm enough to roll out)
1 heaping tsp. Baking Powder

Mix, Roll out, Cut Shapes, and Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes.
Makes about 3 dozen

pb heaven

I was in the mood to make a fun treat and came across this magical wonder, Martha's No Bake Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars.



Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

* Vegetable oil cooking spray
* 9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)
* 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
* 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
* 5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
* 1 cup chunky peanut butter
* 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
* 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
* 1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.
2. Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.
5. Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

to the undecided voter

Click here, print, and read...it is somewhat long, but read.

"change"

A Liberal Supermajority... "Americans at least ought to understand what they will be getting."

go Leanne!

I LOVE Project Runway and loved the finale last night. Leanne was always my favorite and she won! She picked some alien-looking models (quote from herself) but her pieces were so gorgeous inspired by wave patterns. Each piece was unique and beautiful. Korto had some amazing dresses with bright colors inpired by nature, I always like her work throughtout the season as well. And then I only liked maybe 3 pieces of Kenley's (she bugs right!). I couldn't stand how she was always bad mouthing Tim Gunn! What is she thinking! ha. The song used on Leanne's show was done by her boyfriend and can be found here to buy which reminds me a lot of Psapp's music. YEAH for Season 5!

My favorite pieces of Korto's

My favorite pieces of Kenley's

what I ate for lunch

The lunch menu was seeming rather dull lately so I flipped through my magazine scraps of recipes and found this delicious ensemble. You need a piece of baquette, some sliced ham, grilled chicken breast, apricot jam, white cheddar cheese, and a little dijon. Smear one half of the bread with apricot jam and other side with dijon, layer cheddar on both sides for the glue, pile in your meat...and GRILL on your griddle with a little butter. PRESS down while cooking and out comes a delicious hot panini. mmmm.

wishes at 29

My last year of my twenties arrived via October 5th. I had the best weekend, thanks to my husband, celebrating my birthday. I hear 29 is the bomb!


I can't believe I'm 29!
My husband planned a fabulous dinner and a brunch for the weekend. Dinner was enjoyed at Floataway Cafe in Decatur where the latest 'farm to table' eats take place. We then had dessert at The Chocolate Bar. And brunch was had at CANOE in Vinings where we ate riverside by the garden. My husband knows I enjoy fabulous food at new places.
Steve also surprised me with a KitchenAid mixer!!!! I was envious of Erica when she announced she got one for her birthday a week ago and what arrived Sunday morning but a beautiful Kitchenaid for me.
While Steve kept sleeping in I got up and made cupcakes for the family party later. mmm.
Cole sure loves to party. (at the Clarks that evening)
Steve's whole family and Kandis and Adam came over for a big family party at the Clarks. They made a delicious birthday dinner for me and we enjoyed Turtle Pie from Baskin Robbins and my cupcakes. Kenedee was my copycat that night posing for pics. Too bad my family couldn't be here too, they've come to visit the last three years over my birthday, miss you.
Thanks Steve for giving me a wonderful birthday weekend. You are the best.

love pho sho

We found this great asian cafe semi-close to our house that serves pho and Mr. Steve cannot get enough right now. We've been like three times in two weeks. It's our go to place for a quick bite currently. We ate our first pho in Kansas City (thanks Kristopher & Celeste ;) It is soooooo delicious and I recommend you find a vietnamese cafe in your area and see what you've been missing. Looks good right?

friend favor

A lady from church asked me to help paint this pumpkin for her son's school class that they were auctioning off for a fundraiser. Their class mascot is a firefly so she wanted a halloween scene painted and then all the kids were going to paint fireflys in the sky. This is how it turned out showing all three sides, hope they liked it!

My favorite Clinton

Clinton Kelly from TLC's What Not To Wear was at Macy's the other night giving tips and a fashion show and promoting his new book. I have been loving this show the past few months and thought it'd be fun to see him LIVE so I headed over to check him out. He was just as funny and full of good info. Too bad I couldn't stay longer to get a photo with him, hehe.