Halloween Fun...

This year we had a quiet Halloween season, really sticking close to home, no parties, just simple. 

Friday we attempted to make a yummy treat.

Rice Crispy Pumpkin balls.  

The boys rolling out the pumpkin balls.

 Then carefully sticking in the jelly bean stem.

 We were going to use our edible markers and draw faces, but I think they were too greasy as the markers wouldn't work.  

So here's our finished pumpkins.

 They looked cute, but tasted awful!  Didn't have butter, so we used our Brummel and Brown spread, then adding food coloring and maybe not enough crispies equaled disaster. 

So we cut our losses and moved onto Sunday and carving pumpkins.  

The boys all gloved up and ready to clean out their pumpkins. 

 Tyler drew a face and then cut it out mostly on his own.

 His jack-o-lantern face.

 Cody chose the pirate stencil from the carving book, then transferred it onto his pumpkin. 

 He carved it all by himself.

 Awesome job!

 Our test glow on the 30th...

 Cody also carved a jack-o-lantern face on the other side.

For Halloween dinner we had spider web pumpkin pancakes.  

 This year was not my year for culinary treats as these also didn't turn out to be very good. I think I wouldn't have minded the batter in waffle form, but didn't like the pancakes.  Cody hated them and was forced to eat one just so he would have enough energy to get through Trick or Treats.  

Ironically, my non eating Tyler thought they were great.  Weirdo.

We were finally ready for Trick or Treat!  

Tyler as the Sheriff.  His horse did stay home and you can't see that he's also wearing his guns. 

 Cody finally decided to be Mario.  

He had a hard time with deciding what to be this year, he seamed to be embarrassed about dressing up and looking silly. 

 Off they go!

 Tyler seamed to have a pretty good time, but Cody just wasn't feeling it this year.  

After a while we came upon the first of three houses that had people jumping out to scare, this didn't set well with Cody and after the 2nd one he had had enough.  Tyler thought it was funny but didn't want to go back to "those" houses again.  Keith and Cody ended up going home towards the end and Ty and I finished up our street.  I'm pretty sure he would have gone around more of the extended neighborhood if I had let him!  

They did end up with a good candy haul!

This is even after we pulled out the candy that's not favorites to replenish our candy dish.  

So we survived another Halloween!  Hopefully we can make more fun of it next year.  

Meal Plans Oct 31st- Nov 6th

Watch for some Halloween fun!

Monday: Spiderweb Pumpkin Pancakes & Mummy hotdogs
Pumpkin pancakes
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pie mix)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Maple syrup

In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, milk, oil and vanilla until well blended.  Stir in remaining ingredients except syrup just until mixed.
Line 1-quart pitcher or bowl with gallon-size resealable plastic bag.  Pour batter into bag;seal bag, pressing out air.
Heat griddle or 12-inch skillet to 375 or over medium heat.
Oil hot griddle.  Cut 1/4 inch hole in one bottom corner of bag.  For each pancake pipe out a 4 inch spider web shape.  Cook 1-2 minutes until pancakes are puffed and dry around the edges.  Turn pancakes; cook about 1 minute longer or until other side is golden brown. 

Mummy Wrapped Hot Dogs:
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/crescent-mummy-dogs/d52a57d7-ab8a-4a1c-8dae-f9f90d03b912/


Tuesday: Left over meatloaf and potatoes


Wednesday: CP Pulled meat left overs
(this will be a mystery until it's cooked, either tacos or bbq)

Thursday: Pizza by the Yard
1 bag (16oz) frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs (about 32)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 loaf french bread
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook meatballs in microwavable bowl for 3 minutes.  Cut meatballs in half; return to bowl.  Stir in pasta sauce.  Cover and microwave on high 6-8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until hot.
Set oven to broil.  Cut bread in half crosswise; cut each in half lengthwise; making 4 pieces.  Place bread, cut side up, on ungreased large cookie sheet.  Toast lightly under broiler.
Spoon hot meatballs and sauce evenly onto bread.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Broil 4-6 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cut each piece in half to serve. 


Friday: Hot dogs with Mac and Cheese


Saturday Family Dinner

Sunday Mac and Cheese

All ready for school...

It was like Christmas at our house today!  Our school books and supplies arrived from K12! 

The FedEx truck stopped first and delivered our computer.  

Then UPS stopped by and left us these....

 So excited to have a computer for both of them.  We've had a lot of times this week when they both could have been working if we'd had two.  Plus it came with a microphone and a microphone/headset combo so we can join in on the chats during our online class with the lead teachers. 

Here's Tyler's set of things...

 Workbooks for all our classes, including Handwriting Without Tears which I think will be great, videos for music class and history, math shapes and blocks, a phonics kit, maps, globes, science supplies, art supplies and a nice library of reading books.  

Cody's kit...

 His included much of the same, with a bit more for science. 

I did pretty well and it almost all fit on the two shelves we had left. 

(Tyler's phonics box is on the floor)

 Here's all their subject books and workbooks...

 All the reading books for language arts and history...

 Our DVD's & CD's for Music and our one for History. 

They also received slide whistles and tambourines for music class.

 All of our science items for experiments and hands-on learning.

 Art kits included a full rainbow of tempera paints, brushes, modeling clay and pastels. 

 Just like Christmas morning, all the wrapping to recycle.

 LOTS of empty boxes!  We have to send a good portion of these things back at the end of the school year, so most of these will be sticking around.

So far, homeschooling has been going well.  We've done our best this week just working off of the computer, but have had to skip lessons because we were missing books and such.  So happy to have everything here so we can really dive in! 

Skate Night and the Fish Hatchery....

Last Tuesday was skate night for Pershing, a favorite at our house. 

 They were one of the first ones on the floor, and pretty close to the last to leave! 

 Tyler was a speed skater this time!  He held my hand for a bit in the beginning to remember how to balance, then he was off.  He had a few friends from class there and I hardly saw him!  Cody was the same.  They both had a great time as always.  

On Sunday we took a break in our organizing day and headed over to the fish hatchery.  It's been a really long time since we've been, so it was fun.  

Watching the little Steelhead

 We walked down to the bottom of the fish latter and watched the fish jumping upstream. 

 Handsome boys...

 We were there in time to watch them feed the fish.

 Then we watched the fish go nuts!

 Dropping bits of food to make the fish jump.

 We walked over to the edge of the cliff to watch the fish jump up river a bit more and saw the fisherman as high up as they could go.  Judging by all the fish we saw, that was probably some good fishing! 

Room for School...

Monday marks the start of our homeschooling adventure. 
After looking around the house, I finally settled on re-arranging the office to make room for the  boys' school area.  It took lot of moving, re-organizing the shelves and borrowing a table for a few weeks until we can pick up another one from Ikea to match the set. 

SO, the bookshelf was moved into the closet and the computer moved out.  

Now they have a small work table by the window. 

 Where the bookcase was, now stands the new computer table.  This is the borrowed table that will be replaced.  We should be getting a computer from the new online school, so it will also fit on this table. 

The boys each have their own school supply jar, nice and portable as we need to move around the house.  

 They each have a magazine file that will hold their finished school work.

(we have to turn in work samples each quarter to their teacher) 

The three drawer has some of our art supplies that we might need.

 A major project was re-organizing this shelf.  Now there is room (hopefully enough room) for our school supplies and books that should arrive on Thursday. 

 I still have my crafty corner opposite the school area. 

We are excited to get started, and I'm a little nervous trying to figure out what our new routines will be.