Halloween version of Tuesday Muse

Hello & Happy Tuesday! Halloween is still officially 2 days away, but we are pretty much done here. We had Trick or Treat on Sunday - so we are pretty much ready to move on to the next holiday!

Isn't he just so scary? My older one was bummed that we had Trick or Treat on SUNDAY from 1-4. Not on Halloween, & in the middle of the day. That's when we usually have it. So he didn't go. It was just me & this very scary skeleton zombie thing. 

Last year was the only year in the 11 years we've lived here that they had it ON Halloween night, from 5-7. It was NOT for me. I know most people prefer it to be on Halloween night & I totally get that, but we live in a rural area - no streetlights - the houses are pretty far apart - & last year my husband was in the hospital recuperating from major surgery. So it was me & the boys. It really was a bit unsettling. I probably should have met up with neighbors or a bodyguard, but the boys had a blast. 

He didn't do too badly considering we were only out for about an hour & a half! Last year he had a retainer glued in his mouth so he couldn't have ANYTHING chewy, sticky or crunchy. Which was just about everything. Clearly he didn't know what the heck to eat first. He looks pretty deep in thought! 

Do all kids do this?? My husband said "Uh oh .... he takes after your OCD side". Michael informed him he HAD to organize it all so he could take inventory of all his received goods. LOL!

So .... when is your Trick or Treat?? Did you have it already, or do you have it in the dark of Halloween night? 

~Linking up with Tuesday Muse at A Rural Journal~

Friday Five

Happy Friday to all!! This week has been a coooooold one - in case you were confused, fall is here! 

I took this photo of my Burning Bush about 2 weeks ago - & now it's FIRE red! Must get out there with the camera before it's all gone, covered with snow!

Here are my Random 5 whoozits for the week:

1: I am not amused by the weather. Not only did I have to turn my heat on in the house last weekend, I had to cave & put my electric blanket on my bed AND dig out my flannel pj's. It's only October! It's going to be a loooong winter. 

2: My husband bought a new car. Well, not NEW new - new to us. This, after his car was totaled a few weeks ago. 3rd car of his totaled in 3 years. And surprisingly, it does NOT get easier with experience. 

3: Had my first High School Parent Teacher conferences on Monday. Of course, my son rocks. Genius. How cool is it to hear from the Computer Apps teacher that when she gets stuck with something she asks my son for help? I told her I do the same. I am grateful for my in-house Tech Support!

4: I was looking for a popcorn popper & did NOT know which to buy. I've always made microwave popcorn. Well, the few times we have it. But my kids are eating more of it lately, & I'm worried about all the bad stuff I've heard about micro popcorn. I tried making it on the stove but failed miserably. I went to both Kohl's & Target, knowing I probably wanted the West Bend Stir Crazy. Lots of my Facebook friends said they loved it. Couldn't find it at either store. In fact, each store had just ONE popper on their shelves. Didn't want either. But at Target I did find this: 



It's the Nordic Ware Microwave Popper, & I had seen it online when I was researching others. Only $9 at Target, & I've read nothing but great reviews. Just put the popcorn in, with or without oil, & stick in the microwave. Easier to clean up than a big popper. Haven't tried it yet, but will this weekend. I have lots of plans for yummy flavored popcorn, thanks to THIS BLOG. If you love sweets & have never visited, go now. Run. You'll understand when you get there. 

5: Next Thursday is Halloween. Then starts the big run-on holiday season. Merry Thanksmas!!! 

~Linking up to High Five for Friday & Random 5 Friday~

What to do with all the tomatoes?

Yes, I'm WAY late posting this recipe - does anyone even have tomatoes in their garden anymore? 

The frost has hit Wisconsin, & everything is all shriveled up & sad. But for those of you more south, perhaps your gardens are still going strong. Or, maybe you thought to freeze some of those overachieving fruits! We had gobs of cherry tomatoes - red & orange - so here's what I did with a lot of mine:

Roasted Tomato Soup

6 cups (3 pints) cherry tomatoes
3 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp thyme
1 cup whipping cream 

Preheat oven to 400. On a baking sheet, combine the cherry tomatoes, 2 TBSP of the olive oil, & the salt & pepper. Toss the ingredients to coat evenly & spread in a single layer. Roast the tomatoes until they're shriveled with brown spots, about 35 to 45 minutes.

In a large pot, heat the butter & the remaining 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic & onion & saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, the broth, the thyme & the roasted tomatoes, including any liquid on the baking sheet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat & simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes.

Using a food processor or blender, puree the soup until it's smooth. Return it to the pot & stir in the cream. Without letting the soup boil, warm it over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming. Add salt & pepper, if necessary. 

Makes about 10 cups. 


I don't like tomato soup of any kind - I know, shocking - but my family loved it. I think they were surprised when they first tried it. They were expecting it to taste like canned soup. This isn't Campbell's Soup, people!

Tuesday Muse

I actually have 2 photos to share today. They must be posted together. 

This hummingbird must have visited every day, because she sat on the same shrub, same branch, every. single. time. I really must remember to keep the tripod by the patio door next summer. All my hummingbird shots were sans tripod. And I could have kept it in the direction of that one branch. Obviously all our hummingbirds are gone now ....  and I will miss them .... but I don't blame them. It was 25 degrees this morning when my son left for the bus stop. Yes, that's Fahrenheit! Brrrrrrr....

Oh, & the other photo?

I guess she had an itch :)

~Linking up with Tuesday Muse at A Rural Journal~

Friday Five

TGIF!

I don't know about you but I'm ready to bid this week adieu ....

my lovely aster plant, already done for the season. Glad I took this photo a few weeks ago!

I really had to scrounge for 5 things that weren't awful about this week!

1) We got a yummy pizza lunch at work today. My co-worker was going to spring for pizza for the whole customer service department, because it's been a @*%&$ week for everyone. When the CEO got wind of it, he said lunch was on him. This, after our FUN FIELD TRIP last week - what a boss!

2) Had Michael's Parent-Teacher conference yesterday. He's doing pretty well, except he's getting a little sloppy with his penmanship, & kind of rushing through his essays, so we're going to work on those things. And .... can you believe this .... she said he's a bit on the chatty side. I can't even being to imagine WHO he gets that from! 

3) This song. I can't get enough of it. I listen to it about 50 times a day, because I can :)

4) We got a Keurig at work. I'd never used one before. After weeks of wandering the KCup aisle at various stores, I finally broke down & bought some. There are just so many flavors! I bought this one:




Uhhhh... YUM! It tastes more like French Vanilla hot chocolate than coffee, but usually by the time I get to work I've had half a pot of coffee, so I don't need anymore. This is perfect. I'll have to stock up!

5) Facebook. It's no secret I LOVE it. I'm on there every day. Even if I don't post, I love to catch up with what my friends are doing. This week, I reconnected with a woman I haven't seen since second grade. We were such good friends the first two years of grade school Then she moved away. Then I moved away. Then she came back, but I wasn't aware of it. She sent me a friend request this week. We have LOTS of catching up to do. It's been 40 years. Where do we start?

~linking up with Random Five Friday & High Five for Friday~

Is it Friday yet?

What's that? Not even close, you say? Dang .....

I'm already ready for the weekend. I'm in for a long & busy week. Mostly fun, some not-so-fun. Dentist appointment, parent- teacher conferences, 4H meeting, Jack O Lantern jaunt (will post pictures of that next week) .... October is just bursting with activity in these parts!

I am ready to say good-bye to summer & hello to fall. I love fall ... the colors ... the cool temperatures .... Halloween & Thanksgiving .... & while I LOVED the flowers I had in my garden this year, it's time to move on. I took this photo just a few weeks ago, & oh if you could see it now ~ lying there all sad.....  "help meeeeee"

~ Linking up to Tuesday Muse at A Rural Journal & Our World Tuesday ~ 

What a crazy week -my Random Five

What a week it was. I can't say there was too much good about it but I'll try. Maybe I'll make a list of "good five" & "not so good five". Yeah, that's what I'll do.

Good Five:

1) Our company closed early today, & our CEO took us bowling. Although, I didn't bowl, I didn't eat, I didn't drink any alcohol, & all I did was think of all the stuff I needed to be doing rather than being there. Wait, this is supposed to the GOOD five. Let me start over.

Our company closed early today, & our CEO took us bowling. Great way to spend a Friday afternoon!

2) My son's birthday is tomorrow. He'll be 15. I keep telling myself that's GOOD but I'm sad. I miss Blue's Clues, preschool & Candyland. I mean, YAY my son turns 15 tomorrow! 

3) I hate pumpkin. I hate the taste & I hate the smell. But you know what I DO like? Apple Pumpkin tarts from Yankee Candle! Bought one a month ago & just melted it for the first time last night. Mmmmmmm

4) Beautiful weather all week here in Wisconsin -- 70's & sunny, my very favorite! Makes for some beautiful skies {see photo above}

5) The Packers won on Sunday - yet ANOTHER win at home against the Lions. So sorry, Detroit :)

Not So Good Five:

1) My hubby got into a car accident last week Friday, his birthday, on his way home from work. 3rd accident in 3 years. He was sitting at a light, & someone slammed into him. Found out yesterday his car is totaled. So we get to go through the obnoxious process of dealing with the insurance company & looking for a car. Again.

2) Construction. I live 10 minutes away from work. It took me 25 to get to work this morning, so I went a different way home. Took me 40 minutes to get home. Yep, that's about right.

3) Went to the dentist, & for the first time in 4 years I need work done. I need a crown. And I'm not talking about the kind with rhinestones. Ouch in so many ways. On the bright side - Nitrous Oxide. 

4) We need a new roof & it's torture picking out the shingle & gutter colors. A lot of money for something so unfun. I think I'll have a party when it's done. You know, so everyone can come see .... my new roof. Woohoo.

5) I was putting groceries in the back of my minivan yesterday, & the handle snapped. Yep, completely broken. It could have been worse. I didn't think the door would shut. I was wondering how I was going to get home with my back hatch wide open. Luckily it did shut. It just doesn't open. I'm sure that one little latch will cost several hundred dollars to fix. 

So there ya go - the best & the worst of my week. Hoping you all had a week filled with only good things! 

Linking up with Random 5 Friday & High Five for Friday.

Organization!

I love organization. However, I'm not very good at it. I used to be. Then I married a pack rat. And then we had kids. Now life is chaotic, & organization is low on my list of priorities. 

One of the worst areas of our house is the garage. My husband seems to think it's a place to store all the crap that won't fit in the house. I like to think the garage is an extension of our house. I was contacted recently by Stephanie, an Internet Marketing Specialist for Monkey Bars,  a company that specializes in garage storage systems. She asked if she could write a guest post here on my blog. Here is her article about garage organization:

5 Simple Steps to an Organized Garage

The garage is one of the most underutilized areas in the home. Many times people begin to 

place boxes, totes, and miscellaneous items in their garage. Soon enough, the garage becomes a cluttered dumping ground for the whole family. The garage is the optimal space to store and organize your family’s things and should be fully taken advantage of. Here are a few simple steps to an organized and functional garage. 

Decision Time: The first step to an organized garage is making decisions. If an item hasn’t been used in the last 3 years, chances are you’ll never use it in the next 3 years. Make decisions based on this rule of thumb to rid yourself of a lot of unnecessary clutter. Separate items in a “keep” pile and a “donate” pile. 

Donate: Once you’ve separated your things, donate gently used and useful items to your local charity. Donating to a local charity is a great way to give back to your community, recycle and receive a tax deduction. Who wouldn’t find those reasons appealing? Now, you’re ready to start organizing your garage!

Designate: Now that you’re left with the items you could never part with, it’s time to assign 

them to a designated spot. Sports equipment, off-season items, tools, and yard equipment 

should all have a space of their own to call home. 

Bins and Labels: Store things in clear plastic bins to easily identify its contents. If you prefer a more uniform look, store things in a colored bin and label them according to their contents. 

Bring Everything Up: In order to maximize on your available space and create more usable 

square footage, store things up on the wall, above windows and doors and from the ceiling. 

Utilize shelving, hooks and overhead racks to take advantage of wall and overhead space to store things up and out of the way. 

Store off-season and less frequently used items up high. This keeps them out of the way while still allowing for easy access when they are needed. Store more frequently used items, such as kids’ toys and sports equipment and yard tools lower on the wall and in cabinets for daily easy access. 

By taking full advantage of your garage you will discover just how much space it actually has to offer. By storing and organizing your items up off the floor you will once again feel in control of your garage. 

Monkey Bar Storage Solutions is a garage storage and organization company serving Milwaukee area homeowners with solutions and tips for an organized garage.

Tuesday Muse, a day late

Yep, a day late ... that's me. Especially in recent weeks, because it seems all I do is wait for my computer to load .... & glare at the pop ups .... "plug in unresponsive" ..... "your page won't load ... care to kill, or wait?" .... grrrr .... I'm ready to kill something all right! I did get some tips that have helped a bit. Did a bit of fall cleaning so to speak ... so it's running a bit better - at least I can pay bills, chat on Facebook & UPDATE MY BLOG all in the same day! 

My mums are now open. My burning bush is becoming quite red. Yesterday I smelled someone burning leaves. I love all things fall. I even changed out my bar in my Scentsy warmer .... it is now "Apple Pumpkin" from Yankee Candle. I don't even like pumpkin, but pumpkin & apple together is heavenly. Coincidentally, I just found a recipe for some Pumpkin Apple Bars - hoping to make them this weekend. I'll let you know how they turn out! 

Linking up with Tuesday Muse over at A Rural Journal!

Please stand by ......

Technology stinks ......

Computer has been very moody & stubborn .... I'm trying a few things myself before I send it to the doctor .... because as much as I can't live with it in this condition..... I can't live without it either. The thought of not having my computer for a few days gives me the shivers. 

I will be back. I have pictures to post, recipes to share & if my computer doesn't get well soon I'm going to miss the entire fall season - my very favorite of them all!