Free portrait collage at Walmart ending Nov 2nd!

It was raining on Halloween in N. Utah so I didn't get the best pictures this year of the kids. So I am going to go to Walmart for this free offer ending November 2nd! No purchase necessary. Print the coupon and get a a FREE Halloween Collage at the Picture me portrait Studio!

Go HERE to print the coupon today!

Carving creative Jack O Lanterns

Are you carving pumpkins soon? Want to stand out for the trick or treaters? We have used free pumpkin carving templates in the past. Here's our Smokey Bear carving from last year. We enjoying using our home grown pumpkins.

A scary pumpkin template!

Snow White and Winnie the Pooh

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Here's some FREE pumpkin carving templates links for you this year go:

HERE

Better Home and Gardens has more than three dozen free printable stencils found here. If you sign up for their email newsletter you can get celebrity pumpkin carving stencils including Obama, Jon Stewart, Sarah Palin & McCain, Joe Biden, David Letterman, Rachael Ray, and OPRAH!!
Here's a great list of free pumpkin carving patterns and links on The Freebie blogger

A dryer hose pumpkin-CLEVER!

Go from this dryer hose:

To this easy pumpkin craft!

Find out all the details @ House of Hepworths

"Pumpkin cookies" made with oreos!

If you are having a Halloween party you could add this to the pumpkin treat to your list.

Oreo "pumpkin" cookies!

These would look good wrapped up individually for your children's school teachers or Sunday school teachers.

Go on over to Oopsey Daisey for the recipe.

Cheap Halloween porch pumpkin idea

If you have dead tree branches, black spray paint, a pot, and a pumpkin from your garden you can make this for FREE!! If not it's low cost project. It's simple and a bit spooky! I'd add some ribbon on the pot if it was me!

Thanks, The V Spot

My b-day at Lagoon amusement park in Utah

For my birthday this year I didn't want gifts...I wanted to get out of this house and go somewhere FUN as a family! I didn't get a true vacation this year since I had the baby and a hurt ankle. I love adventures with my kids and finally I felt up to it (physically too). So off we went to Lagoon Amusement Park in Utah. It was a blast! The weather was perfect in the high 80's. It was decorated for Halloween and they call it Frightmares. It can be pricey but I did my best to find the best deal and still have fun.

Here's how I saved money and had a blast!DISCOUNT TICKETS: Our elementary school had coupons for Frightmare tickets for $31.50 for adults and everyone over 4 yrs. 3 yrs and under were the toddler price of twenty something.

FOOD: Lagoon allows you to bring food and coolers into the park. We packed our lunch, dinner, treats, and drinks. We left our cooler and box of non refrigerated items in a pavilion on site and no one touched it. Utah is pretty trustworthy in that way.

AMUSEMENT PARK FOOD TIPS: 1) I froze some water bottles and used them as ice in our cooler. Then we pulled them out and let them thaw for ice cold drinks. We refilled them at the water fountains. 2) Next time I'll bring a small crockpot with sloppy joe meat and use their outlets in the covered pavilions to heat while we go on rides-Some one else did that and it was genius to me!

WATER RIDES: Not this year based on my family ages and a baby.....but maybe when we get season passes one year. I don't see how you could do it all during the summer months. In September, Lagoon's water park isn't open and the entrance fee is adjusted for that, I think. I was ok with that since my kids are still young and we took the baby. We couldn't and wouldn't do it all this fall. But, I happily sent my husband and kids on rattlesnake rapids while the baby and I stayed back and were dry! I hate walking in wet shoes at an amusement park (now I am sounding old!)

Late September for Lagoon: Hardly any lines, we took the baby and took turns riding with the girls.

What can my kids ride? I checked their website for height guidelines ahead of time so I knew what my 3 1/2 year old and 5 year old could ride. It cut down on tears and time figuring it out. It worked out great to know in advance.

GAMES: We didn't play any! They didn't even ask. We were hard core--for the rides of course.

SOUVENIRS: We didn't buy any! They didn't even ask.SHOWS: I vote watch 'em if their good! We took a break and watched the dancing monster show and it was hilarious!

Nothing beats watching chainsaw guys dancing to I'm too sexy and You better work by Ru Paul! I was bustin' up laughing!

My 5 and 7 1/2 year old went on this double looped roller coaster! What a thrill.

All in all I love amusement parks, making memories as a family, and being frugal. It was one of my favorite adult b-days ever!

Halloween ideas and my costume last year!

Aren't these cupcakes cute?

I hope you'll check out the Halloween ideas from the past by clicking here!
I have lots of ideas for decorating indoors, outdoors, and for treats!

Happy Halloween!
Here's my husband and I last year as biker babes with tattoo sleeves (purchased at Smiths grocery store!)

Sassy Halloween ribbon decorated pumpkins

Here's a super sassy ribbon decorated pumpkin look for this year.

I like 'em!

Head over to The Autocrat: A Fortress of Crafts for the details.

Creative Witches tea invitation--for your mommy friends!

Someday I want to copy creative Toni from Design Dazzle and host and plan a fun girlfriend Witches Tea! I really do love to entertain when I don't have a new baby. Click on the image to read the clever poem written by Toni!

Trick or treat candy--Mom's stay away!

Are you trying to eat healthy and lose the baby weight then stay away from your kids' Halloween candy and chew some gum instead! Here's the skinny on the Halloween treats from That's Fit.

Thanks, go to how does she blog for the full info!

That’s Fit recently took a walk down the candy aisle to investigate. While they don’t say any particular candy is healthy, there are definitely some choices that are better than others.

Tricks:
5th Avenue (1 full-size bar) — 280 calories, 14g fat
Snickers (1 full-size bar) — 280 calories, 14g fat
Twix Caramel (2 bars) — 280 calories, 14g fat
Baby Ruth (1 full-size bar) — 280 calories, 13g fat
Butterfinger (1 full-size bar) — 270 calories, 11g fat
Milky Way (1 full-size bar) — 260 calories, 10g fat
Mr. Goodbar (1 full-size bar) — 210 calories, 14g fat

Treats:
Trident Gum (1 stick) — 5 calories, 0g fat
Smarties (1 roll) — 25 calories, 0g fat
Tootsie Roll (1 piece) — 50 calories, 1g fat
Pixy Stix (7 straws) — 60 calories, 0g fat
Hershey Kisses (3) — 75 calories, 1.5g fat
Jolly Rancher Gummies (10 pieces) — 120 calories, 0g fat
York Peppermint Patty (1 piece) — 140 calories, 2.5g fat”

I guess I'll be chewing GUM this Halloween!

Guess what? I got 18 packs of FREE Mentos sugar free gum last night at Smith's. They are on sale for a $1.00 You can get free gum too by using: Mentos Gum, any 15 pc bottle $1/1 (11-30-10) SS-10/3

Happy Early Halloween!

Darling Tissue Paper Wreath or table centerpiece for Thanksgiving

I think this would be a great hostess gift for the Thanksgiving table.Here's what you'll need to make this tissue paper wreath:

Styrofoam Wreath Form
Tissue Paper Flowers (You can make them easily!)
Wire
Hot Glue
Ribbon
Go to Sweet charli for all the details. I recommend hanging it indoors or on a covered porch door.I was thinking how this can also be inexpensive to make for the loved ones in your life. You could make it for a baby shower, the hard to buy for mother-in-law, Halloween, Christmas, Easter, a new baby being brought home, some one who is sick in bed so they can look at it! Oh the possibilities....watch clearance racks for tissue paper. I always get tissue paper on Christmas clearance at Target for 75% off.

The pumpkin prayer

Cut off the top:

Lord, open my mind and fill me with Your wisdom and guidance.

Scoop out the yuckies:

Lord, take out all my fussies and frownies and fill me with Your love.

Carve out the eyes:

Lord, open my eyes to see all the beautiful things You have made.

Carve out the nose:

Lord, help me to be a sweet, sweet fragrance for You.

Carve out the mouth:

Lord, help me always speak Your words of love and kindness.

Place in a candle:

Lord, let me be a light to others for you have filled me with Your light.

Author Unknown

From www.Christainpreschoolprintables.com

What were you for Halloween?

My husband and I were bikers this year for Halloween. We enjoyed the double take looks from the neighbors and parents at the school carnival. The tattoo sleeves and mullet wig were fun. My daughters were: A witch, bride, and a bumblebee. What were you?

What are your Halloween plans?

We are planning on trick or treating at the old folks home on Halloween before it gets dark. It really touches my heart when my cute kids smile and make someone else's day. It's not all about the candy is it?

Then ya know......Trick or treating around the neighborhood. Here's our house all a glow last year! I will post a picture later from this year.

We grew our own pumpkins, carved them with template from the internet, and put up some of our dried garden corn stalks on the railings. Ewww spooky.

Have a great week of various Halloween celebrations. I am going to take the week off from blogging. Have a Happy Halloween everyone. Staci

Nap time fun-Play dough spiders with Polly Pocket hats

We had some nap time fun! We made play dough spiders and put Polly Pocket hats on them. We laughed and laughed. It was fun. I love to be silly with my kids.

Homemade witch brooms-You can make these!

Are you going to be a witch for Halloween or just want a witch broom on your front porch?

Well, these easy homemade witch brooms are made out of: A wood stick, painted in stripes with tape, spray painted straw, and colored raffia. CUTE CUTE!!

Fall decorations

It was girls day this weekend and I saw some creative fall outdoor decorations. I had to share so enjoy! Go ahead and copy the ideas! I am for sure!#1- Decorating outside with corn stalks, fall ribbons, and a black glittery Wicked sign (on top).

#2- A hanging wire pumpkin apparatus! This one was neat! Don't forget ribbon on the poles of your front porch!
#3 Carved and painted wood pumpkin stumps. Get the chainsaw out and have fun!

I hope you are enjoying fall everyone!

Halloween treats

It's time for me to start thinking about Halloween & goodies for the kids. Aren't these marshmallow witches creative and cute? Find out how the witches are made here. You need to go on over to Tip junkie for more Creative Halloween Party Food ideas. It's worth a click over to the site. What do are you making this year? Feel free to leave a comment to a link to your blog Halloween treats. Happy Halloween treat planning.