Happy Halloween!

We enjoyed trunk-n-treating.

Booger Bear went as "Cowboy" Wild Will.

There were games...

to show off his mighty 'shooting' skills.

Plus a bit of kid lassoing.

Then a bit of neighbor door knocking...

for a full bag of Halloween treats!

We hope you had a wonderful Halloween.

Menu Planning (Halloween week)

I haven't published a menu plan lately, but that doesn't mean I have been planning out our menus.  My menu plans consist of our supper meals, which really helps this working mom!  Keeps the guess work out of 'what's for dinner?' and makes sure I only shop once for the week.  No hurried stops into a busy grocery store on the dash home in five o'clock traffic.  Usually my plan for the week begins on Saturday.  I plan out the menu then head off to the grocery store with my shopping list.  This saves me time in the store and money at the checkout line.  Here is what we will be eating around the family dinner table this week:
Saturday - Bacon Potato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches; applesauce for 'dessert'

                     ***This soup recipe is Yummy!  Great for the chilly temps we are having in Georgia

Sunday - Hobo Supper & Trunk-n-Treat at the church, with this little Cowboy

Monday - Crock pot Pinto beans with corn bread

Pintos and corn bread

Tuesday - leftover pintos with Mac-n-cheese
Wednesday - Easy Chicken and dumplings (made with dumpling noodles)
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - Crock pot Pork Chops with gravy, creamed taters and steamed broccoli
                   ***New recipe that sounds like a winner!

With Booger Bear in the house, I feel like I'm back to my 'young' Mommy years instead of the almost empty nester that should be with my age.  Although he is such a joy and keeps us young (or makes me feel older!  still deciding. Ha!).  So menu planning really helps manage our nightly routines.  Plus I love using my crock pot to assist with the nightly kitchen duties as much as possible.

 Are you a crock pot cooker?

Cowboy UP in the Barn Birthday Party

Warning:  Photo over load!

A special little boy turns 4 tomorrow!  This weekend Booger Bear rounded up his buckaroos for a Cowboy Birthday party out in our barn.  

Everyone was welcomed 'Down on the Farm' by our friendly scarecrow guarding the gate.

Outside the barn, all the tiny girls and boys were invited to 'Cowboy UP' with hats, bandannas and sheriff badges. ('cow' balloons are from Hobby Lobby)

I kept the theme red and blue throughout.  With big plastic $1 bowls from Wal-mart, clearance plastic table clothes, red napkins, spoons/forks in mason jars and barn animal bowls from the Dollar General.

Kid friendly 'Chuck Wagon' food was served:  hot dogs, chili, tater salad, slaw, chips with Sweet Tea and Lemonade.  The Wild West sign is from Hobby Lobby (set of 2 for 5 bucks).

Here is the only full shot of the tables.  Oops!

I used lanterns and mason jars for the table decorations and brought Booger Bears tiny picnic table out for his 'special' guest seating.

While waiting on everyone to arrive, the kids played a pumpkin bean bag toss game (Target), chased bubbles in the barn yard and fed treats to the horses.  Treat bags for guests were paper lunch sacks filled with kid friendly 'trail mix' and miniature cowboys.

I had to include this because "Mr. Rooster" and Oreo, the farm dog were both guests along with the 33 other family, friends and neighbors!  It's a REAL working barn ya'll. ;-)

My sister snapping a shot in the photo op saddle by the stalls.

Except for the young lady in pink, the other girls are Booger Bear's sisters, who attended his celebration.  I call this the Ice Cream & Cake Crew.  The BEST thing I did was serve individual ice cream cups.  No mess!

Booger Bear was figuring out how to turn on the sword!  He was blessed with toys and such a grateful little boy.

After lunch, birthday cake and opening gifts everyone hopped on an old fashion Hay ride around the country roads.

After everyone gave good bye hugs, we had one little tuckered out Cowboy (me too!).

A good time was had by all!  He is loved MUCH.  We are blessed to have a village surrounding us as we try to provide a home as guardians of this adorable loving child.

Booger Bear said the BEST part of the day were the presents (go figure!), Hay ride and COWBOYS!

Have you ever tossed a party in a barn?

Linking in these great blog parties:

Simple & Thrifty Fall Mantel

 A quick look at our simple and very thrifty (read cheap) fall mantel decor.

*** The painting on the wall is by a local artist purchased last year at a festival and yes you DO indeed see the blind string hanging over the curtain rod.  Gotta love our kittens.  ;-)

A few weekends ago, Booger Bear was invited on a play date with our neighbor's granddaughter.  They attended a local Indian Pow Wow....

Then spent a little time in a garden patch....

Booger Bear picked and brought home the 3 mini pumpkins you see on our mantel (one for each of us, so said he).

I purchased our mini scarecrow at the local Dollar Tree, then used items from around the house and out of last year's fall decor.

Metal acorn and wood pumpkin are from the 'fall storage bin'.
So for one dollar and a fun afternoon play date; Booger Bear and I put together our simple and very thrifty fall mantel. 

He loves it....and so do I.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Linking in to:  Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple,

I created a New Blog!

For months my heart has ached over not having the time to share new projects (heck or even DO new projects), post my Goodwill Fashion finds (yes I'm still wearing clothes daily, most of them come from Thrifting), my meal planning/cooking (yep, still planning and cooking) or just some of our family adventures.

Because of this I started a new blog!  Yep, call me crazy; you wouldn't be the first person and won't be the last.  ;-)

I missed you all.  I still have the desire to connect with each of the wonderful ladies (and a few gents) I've met in my blogging journey.   I've still be reading and lurking around your blogs.

My life has changed dramatically:  trying to get in the groove of being a 'mom' again to an almost 4 year old, changing up job responsibilities at work (I'm the new Social Media Marketing and Customer Relations uh, person for our department at the U), adding an additional room to the house (a home office.  I'm typing from it now) and just busy life 'stuff'.

So to celebrate my shift in life, I'm starting a new blog without all the pressure of living up to the blog I created here.  Make sense?  I'm heading off in a new direction and hope to still share DIY projects (Booger Bear and I created a Fall mantle this week!), menu planning, Goodwill fashions and family adventures.  However, something inside just kept begging for me to start fresh and in a different direction.  Maybe it will satisfy this ache in my heart to 'do' something.  And ....

What I really really want to do is plant seeds of happiness, inspiration and compassion over on my new blog:

Southern Sunflower Seeds

I hope you will join along in my new journey, because you've been so important to me in this one!