Just in Time for Halloween!!

Browsing the world wide web tonight, I came upon one more great (free) printable just in time for Halloween. You can download buckets, decorations, masks....loads of fun stuff.

Check out this Halloween fun!

Cool/Free Printables

I have been collecting these different little gem printables from different websites for a while now. They are super cool, fun, and best of all...FREE. So...break out your good card stock, and don't let the art of written correspondence die. :)

A big thank you to all the FANTASTIC blogs who were generous enough to post these freebies!


Free Holiday Gift Tags from The Paper Seed

Pretty boxes and envelopes from ISLY (I Still Love You)

Envelope labels from Oh Smile

Cool card from MUFN inc.

Kind of Weird, but I Kind of Buy It....

I was doing some reading, and I stumbled upon this little gem of interesting info. Considering the knee issues I have had, as of late, I'm thinking there might be something to this. I found it in Prevention magazine, and it's basically saying that certain physical traits give you clues about your health risks.

• Finger length: For women, if your index finger is shorter than your ring finger, then it means you have double the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee. If yours is longer or even with your ring finger, you're in the clear, but if it's not, do exercises to strengthen your knees, such as squats and lunges. Arthritis and finger length are both related to low levels of estrogen, so that's why the two are connected.
• Arm length: Extend your arms in T-position out to the sides and measure the distance form fingertip to fingertip. If the distance is less than 60 inches, you're at a higher risk for Alzhiemers. So do activities that stimulate your brain and your body. Take a painting class, learn to play a musical instrument, play chess, or take dance lessons.

There's more, so keep reading.

• Small calves: Women with calves that measure less than 13 inches around have a higher risk of stroke. One thing you can do is drink green tea daily.
• Length of legs: Women with short legs have a higher risk of developing liver disease, so if you're concerned, limit your alcohol consumption.
• Wrinkle in your ear: If you have a linear wrinkle in your ear lobe, which starts on the back of your ear lobe and runs across, then you have an increased risk for a heart attack, bypass surgery, or cardiac death. So do all you can to take care of your ticker by doing cardio regularly, getting your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked by your doctor, eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and maintaining a healthy weight.
• Sense of smell: If you can't identify foods by their smell, you have five times the risk of being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the next four years. So protect your brain by getting enough omega-3's.

OCTOBER Is Here!

October is one of my favorite months, and it's finally here! When I think of October, only good things come to mind....bon fires....costumes....pumpkins....falling leaves....crisp air....candy....ahhhh it's all so lovely.

Here are some photos from last autumn that might get you in the mood for what's sure to be a great time of year...


Burt's Pumpkin Farm.

39 Things Every Mom Should Know

Ok, so I cant really take credit for this one. I found this list in Parents magazine, and it's by Kacy Faulconer. However, I read it and totally related...and laughed. I thought it was worthy to share with all my mommy friends. Take a minute, relax, and read the list. I promise, you'll end up smiling.

1. You never have to go to obnoxious kid-themed restaurants. Ever. I wish someone had told me that.

2. Don't make birthday parties a huge deal.
3, Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing.

4. Put Band-Aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?
5. If the kids are awake, bite the bullet and be awake yourself. You'll waste so many hours trying futilely to extend early-morning snoozes that it's not worth it. If you are sick, pregnant, or it's the middle of the night, ignore this advice.

6. Just throw away the poopy underwear.
7. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

8. Teach your kids not to pee outside unless you're camping- you'll be glad you did. But if other people's kids do it, don't judge the parents too harshly- it's all about karma. (If you're in the midst of potty training, all bets are off. You've gotta do what you've gotta do.)
9. Buy cheap shoes when kids are little. Feet grow faster than you think.

10. Don't forget about bord games. You'll suffer through way too much Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad. And Clue rocks.
11. Embrace their quirks.

12. Know this: That stain won't come out. And it's okay. (The sooner you accept this, the better.)
13. At some point it will be February. Things will seem bleak. You will think about vitamins, glasses, more exercise, more sleep, more chores, less TV, more rules, fewer rules, and organic food. Just wait. Things will get better when the snow melts. Know that it will happen again at the end of the summer, right before school starts. It's the cycle of life, baby.

14. Always get boys' haircuts at barber shops instead of beauty salons.
15. Answer this question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?

16. Never stifle a generous inclination.
17. Try to like what they like. It kind of sucks when it's Bob the Builder, but the payoff will come when they discover Lemony Snicket.

18. Teach them to pump on the swings ASAP.
19. If your child falls asleep occasionally without brushing his teeth, don't wake him; baby teeth do eventually fall out.

20. I know you are supposed to use natural consequences to punish bad behavior, but sometimes it's hard to think of natural consequences. In these cases try threatening your kids with clipping their toenails or some other activity they dread. I've had great success with this one, but you must find your own.
21. Get use to the word zerrissenheit. It means a state of disjointedness, and it's the new normal for most of us. At least you can fee fancy because it's German.

22. Buy kids deoderant before they need it.
23. Teach your children to make their own breakfast- and allow enough time so they can do it without pressure.

24. I can't stress this enough: Use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about a top sheet. Not only will you thank me for this advice, but your kids will thank me as well when they are learning to make their bed.
25. Remember clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.

26. Don't administer a punishment that hurts you more than it does them.
27. Always pack wipes. If your kids go somewhere without you, send along wipes. It's like having a mom with them.

28. Do not allow the word wienies in your home.
29. Dress your little girls like, well, little girls.

30. Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked. You don't want them to feel stress when ordering at the diner.

31. It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.

32. Buy quaint wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.
33. Just say "No" to any toy or doll that comes with packets that have to be mixed with water.

34. Teach them to like cool music. Why suffer through the Wiggles whe you could be enjoying Wilco or counting along with Fiest?
35. Don't buy the most expensive schol-picture package. It's a waste of money.

36. Give out awards for actual achievements.
37. You're never too old to dress up and decorate your house for Halloween. And it's more fun for everyone if you are into it. It also entitles you to more candy.

38. If the school year, new babysitter, or karate class gets off to a rocky start, don't totally stress out about it. Instead, think of the improvement that can be made by the end of the year.
39. Independence is a wonderful thing. For everyone. So is together time. Make sure you have a healthy dose of both.

Celebrating Andre with Some Chocolate Cake

For my dear husband's birthday on Friday, I made his favorite cake in his honor. It's one of my fav's, too, but I've been good....just the one slice to celebrate. I will let him eat the rest. This little sweet treat isn't exactly dietetic, but it is celebratory. Take a look and try it out for yourself. It's divine.

What You Need!

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream, divided

3 Tbsp. MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee, divided

1 Tbsp. hot water

1 container (7 oz.) BAKER'S Milk Chocolate Dipping Chocolate

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1 cup each halved strawberries and raspberries

Make It!

GREASE and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Prepare cake mix as directed on package, substituting 1 cup of the sour cream for all of the water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. of the instant coffee. Spread batter into prepared pans. Bake as directed on package. Cool 10 min.; remove from pans. Immediately remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

DISSOLVE remaining 1 Tbsp. instant coffee in water. Melt dipping chocolate as directed on container. Stir in butter, dissolved instant coffee and remaining 2 Tbsp. sour cream; mix until well blended. Place 1/3 cup of the chocolate mixture in medium bowl; gently stir in whipped topping.

PLACE 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with whipped topping mixture. Top with second cake layer. Pour remaining warm chocolate glaze mixture over top of filled cake, allowing it to drip over sides. Pile berries on top of cake. Refrigerate 30 min. or until chocolate glaze is set. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

340 calories per slice. YIKES! Supposedly, there are 16 slices to a cake.

Yummy 200 Calorie Snacks

I haven't been able to run all week, apparently I have horrible knees, so I am trying all the more to watch my intake. Regardless of my rigid self discipline....I continue to have somewhat of a sweet tooth. After digging around, I found these great ideas for yummy snacks 200 calories or less that will truly hit the spot.

1.Almond banana berry smoothie- I made these a couple of times this summer, and they were fantastic. If creamy sweets are what you crave, make a smoothie with fruit, Greek yogurt, and almonds. An 8-ounce serving contains 154 calories.

2.Chocolate covered fruit or nuts-Sunspire makes a variety of chocolate covered dried fruit and nuts. A bag of dark chocolate covered cranberries, blueberries, or raisins contains 160 calories. If almonds are your thing, a bag of those is 190 calories.




3.Fruit with Peanut Butter dip-If you're bored with just plain fruit, dress your slices with this creamy peanut butter dip. A two tablespoon serving contains 80.5 calories.






4.Stonyfield Frozen Yogurt- This is my FAVORITE option.f you're an ice cream lover, making the switch to frozen yogurt can save you fat and calories. A half cup serving of this After Dark Chocolate is only 100 calories. Chocolate not your thing? Check out the calorie content of the flavors below.

Gotta Have Vanilla: 100
Gotta Have Java: 100
Cookies 'n Cream: 130
Creme Caramel: 130
Minty Chocolate Chip: 140
Raspberry White Chocolate Chunk: 120

5.Smudgies-If your sweet tooth craves something more cookie-like, make these frozen Smudgies They're made with peanut butter, bananas, and graham crackers, and one sandwich contains 109 calories.





6.Frozen Grapes-Grapes are sweet on their own, but when you freeze them, they taste like mini popsicles. If you popped 30 frozen grapes, it's only 102 calories.