Category Archives: Bubbles and Sippers

Welcome to October

Well, it’s official. I have more Halloween storage bins than Christmas storage bins (and I have a loooooot of Christmas storage bins). So it only took 2 days to get all the Halloween stuff up with help from my 10 and 8 year-old Halloween gravestone-placement consultants. I wanted to share some of my favorite décor items.

These are my new platters. I love, love, love them. I would marry them, but I don’t think they could get all the Halloween bins down from the attic with the efficiency that Kevin can. They are from Cost Plus World Market online:

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Hello gorgeous! From TJ Maxx/HomeGoods:

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Candles from Martha Stewart for Grandinroad a few years ago.  Ghostie and pumpkin from TJ Maxx/HomeGoods:

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Nosferatu painting in the bathroom – from Ebay, can’t read the artist’s name very well anymore, looks like it says Renee Backer:

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Pillows for the kitchen table bench from TJ Maxx/HomeGoods (are you sensing a theme here?): image

My favorite Halloween picture of Guitar Boy and Fake Sister (they were 4 & 5).  Frame from TJ Maxx/HomeGoods:

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My favorite Halloween picture of Drummer Boy.  Frame from Kohls:

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 Here’s what the outside of the house looks like during the day:

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And at night:

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Soooo, it’s pretty clear that I have a TJ Maxx/HomeGoods “problem” that needs to be confronted.

Moving on.

What food is being made to celebrate this magical season you may ask?   Well, it depends.  Are we talking about the 9th Avenue Halloween Block Party?  Allison’s Costume-Mandatory 6th Birthday Party?  The High School/College/Old Friends We Never See Halloween Pizza Night Open House?  Or are we talking about actual Halloween (on a Friday – woot!)?  It is a crowded Field Notes party planner, that’s for sure.

Food on deck:

Crack Dip with Tomatoes from Whiteonricecouple.com

(see picture from prior post)

White Pizza Dip from Howsweeteats (my newest blog obsession)

Apple Cider Sangria from Howsweeteats (see above)

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies from The Pioneer Woman  (who is now designing her own line of cookware – jealous!)

Candied Pumpkin Seeds from Healthygreenkitchen

Cheddar Chive Cheese Pumpkin from Jamhands

Creamy Tomato Soup from Howsweeteats (really, I need to stop bothering this woman).

And in case you were wondering, Guitar Boy will be going to various parties as a crypt keeper/angel of death (need to get multiple uses out of our scythe!) and trick or treating as Star Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy. Drummer Boy will be a faceless specter at the parties and the 10th Doctor Who for Halloween.   Because out here, one costume is simply not enough.

Where could these kids get their sense of Halloween excess from?  I wonder.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Father’s Day 2014

Happy Father’s Day everyone!  We thank the Dads that are still with us and keep those who are not in our hearts.

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To quote the song of the summer of the century:  Let it go:

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The Wileys hosted quite the get-together with scootering, volleyball, giant badminton, gnome eating Godzillas, friendly squirrels and a megaphone.   Yes, you do wish you were there.

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Here is the sangria recipe I promised and the sprinkle cookies that I didn’t bring to Father’s Day but will taunt you all with by telling you that I made them about a week ago and gave none to you (except Kate and the Rehors). And they taste like Kirschbaum’s sprinkle cookies the day after you make them.

Warning – the recipe makes like 5 dozen. I would halve the recipe the next time. And you need a really big jar of rainbow sprinkles.

Strawberry and Limoncello Sangria

Couple of changes. I don’t use Rosé, I just use regular Prosecco and then add a half a tablespoon of sugar.  Also, you need the raspberries to cut the sweetness of the Limoncello.

Sprinkle Cookies from Poppytalk

Poppytalk has a super cute line which will debut at Target later this month of pretty and inexpensive cake stands and other party goods.

DIY Glow Balloons from sayyes.com

(sorry about the link, their server is not responding and I won’t remember to do this later this week)

We didn’t do this either because we all left while it was still light, but this has been a big hit with the 9th Avenue crowd at night. I put two glow braceletes into a white balloon because they are easier to get them into the balloon.  If you happen to have awesome next-door neighbors who are also your dear friends who also built your house and who also have a helium tank, the balloons will float just slightly above your head.

So really, it’s one recipe from Father’s Day and a some other stuff I promised people.  Happy Summer.