A Sugar FREE Halloween Treat for the little ones, and big ones!

Have you ever made your own Play-Doh? I know I have done a blog on the recipe a while back...but since then, I found a much easier recipe, that requires the same ingredients but less of them! Last year, I always made the Play-Doh for Noah's preschool, but I never played with it myself..I always packed it away, and sent it off to school. Not too long ago, Noah and I made some at home for Anabelle and him to play with. It was delightful!! Especially when it was fresh and warm!! I never knew something so simple could be so relaxing and therapeutic...a great stress reliever, for a few minutes anyway! On Thanksgiving, Noah brought his Play-Doh to dinner. After we all ate, he wanted to dive in and start creating, not five minutes passed and he was bored of it, but I tell you, I looked around the table and every single adult had a chunk! They were all busy making things like roses, fish, trucks, snakes, snails.......

Every time Halloween comes around, I struggle with an idea for a little treat to give the little guys...this year, I thought it would be nice to make them some orange Play-Doh!! I found stubby mason jars, did a label with a little pumpkin on the top, I wanted to add a tag with the recipe but didn't have time, maybe next year!!! (or on the goodie bags at the next birthday!!) and there you have it, a cute little treat for trick or treaters of all ages!!! Another thing I wanted to do was to add a little pumpkin cookie cutter, I didn't get around to that either, man I feel frazzled!

The best part about this Halloween treat is that there is NO SUGAR!!!! Its loads of fun, for the kids and the adults!! Here is the new recipe...

Simplified Play-Doh

2 cups flour

2 cups warm water

1/2 cup of salt

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp creme of tartar

2 little packs of koolaid, colour of your choice

(.59 at Safeway)

Add all the ingredients to a large pot. Heat over medium to high heat stirring continuously. Mixture will start to resemble mashed potatoes, and start to become a bit firm. Once a ball starts to form, and it is no longer easy to stir, poke to see if it's no longer sticky. Plunk out onto the counter, knead like dough until smooth, form into a ball. Let cool, place in an airtight container or ziplock bag, have fun!!

Happy Halloween!!

K

no tricks, just treats, for those in need!

This Halloween, Anita Alberto of Portraits By Anita is putting on a heck of a Halloween event!! My kids had the pleasure of trying out the backdrop for the event this morning, and I must say they looked awfully cute, and I can't wait for my images!! Along with us, in exchange, we brought a bag of non-perishables for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank! She has 10 boxes waiting to be filled by YOU!

October 29th 10am-3pm

October 31st 10am-1pm

FREE 4x5 Halloween portrait of your trick or treater with every canned food item or $5 donation!

Please RSVP to anitaphoto@telus.net

Instead of struggling to get a photo of your kids in their costumes this year, bring them to a professional and support a great cause!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

K

I have a feeling some of you will do this along with me...

Pinterest, a delectable online source for unbelievably gorgeous images, ideas and heart wrenching phrases and quotes....I have gotten so much inspiration from this piece of heaven, almost dizzying at times! I am so glad I decided to join after being sent an invitation from a dear friend of mine...this particular idea I re-pinned from one of my sisters boards, and I am excited to start it this year!

It is a book of Birthday Questions....a set of questions your ask your child every year. The same questions, on their birthday. I have decided to start this year, when Noah turns 4, I think this will be a great start to some pretty hilarious answers! I am looking forward to seeing how they change over the years!! I can cry just thinking about it!!!!!

Following is the image, and the link from the blog it originally came from. You can click the image on the blog to read the questions more clearly, or, come up with your own set of questions!!

An incredibly simple idea to document how things change through the years!

http://reavespartyofthree.blogspot.com/2011/09/20-questions-birthday-q-album.html

I am looking forward to starting mine! Who is going to join me!??

I would like to thank reavespartyofthree.blogspot.com for sharing!!

Happy crying!!

K

wedding dress...

I was browsing through Pinterest tonight, and decided to search 'lace'. I was looking for inspiration, ideas, beautiful photos....I came across a photo that I remember oh too well...

This is my wedding dress....the photo from House Of Brides, the photo that scored me a deal on my dress!!!! Man, I can remember how this dress felt. How it hugged my body, the weight of it, 8 lbs to be exact! I fell in love with this dress because it had sleeves...the plunging neck line only suited for my flat chest back then...man I wish this dress still fit me.....

I felt beautiful in this dress, it was meant for me!

K

ps. Pinterest, I love you!!!

Ginger Lace Cookies

I can't remember if I have done this recipe before...but I made these over the weekend, they are delicious and look simply lovely! A great cookie to use as a give away, with it's nicely cracked sugared top.

Ginger Lace Cookies

2/3 cup butter

1 beaten egg

4 tbsp molasses

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger (the powdered one)

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

A shallow bowl with approximately 1/4 cup of white sugar for rolling

Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl, then add all the dry ingredients. Combine well. Roll into 1" balls, then roll in the white sugar to coat the outside. Place on a cookie sheet, do not flatten then balls! Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.

Best served with a cup of tea to dip :-)

These cookies remind me of my grandma...it felt nice to bake them, and think of her. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! They are a great cookie to bake over Christmas as well.

Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend!

K

How is life?

Today, while waiting in line at a store, the clerk asked the woman in front of me "How is life?" her response was, "It's there." they must of known each other to ask such a question, to that the clerk responded, "I know what you mean.". There are so many people that seem so dissatisfied with their lives, I fall into this category sometimes, I must admit. There are days I wish I made more money, days I wish I was thinner, days I wish I owned more property or had a big diamond like Kim Kardashian...but in the end those are all material things. When I stand back and really look at what I have, I should be grateful beyond words! I have an amazing family, a wonderful husband, two amazing children, a roof over my head, a great job, and food, always on my table. I have warmth, I have clothing, I have shoes to walk in.....I can't speak for everyone, because I don't know the roads and paths they have had to take along the way, but I can say I truly am grateful, and I should be extremely satisfied with what I have, and want to say, when someone asks me, "How is life?" I will respond, "Life is wonderful! I am healthy, and wealthy beyond measure with love and support, life is great!".

Today, let us be grateful for the simple things, and let all the extras follow. Take a deep breath when the kids scream, don't panic if the table setting doesn't look as you imagined. Who cares if there is dust on the base boards, and big deal if the gravy doesn't turn out...HAPPY THANKSGIVING, be grateful for life, be grateful for breath, be grateful for every little thing, that possibly, others don't have.

How is life??

K