momonthegoinholytoledo

Friday fright fun!

October 22, 2011October 8, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Mama’s to do list:

Empty litter box & Clean dirty diapers (I like to take care of my crap in the morning)
Laundry
Drop off lunch money at school (someone forgot their lunch money)
Grocery Shopping (sorry again to the gentleman behind us for the wait, I am a coupon mom)
Friday Fright Fun!
Date Night

It was a crazy somewhat hectic day today but the pay off was exceptional. I am a firm believer in the work hard play hard motto. So after putting my time in with all the boring mommy chores it was time for some Friday fright fun!

So to start off our Friday Fright Fun we popped the Walt Disney Halloween Songs & Sounds CD into the player, the kiddos raided the make-believe basket, and we boogied. The kiddos continued to boogie while I made us some yummy fall Carmel apple sundaes.

Carmel Apple sundaes

Ingredients:

Two scoops vanilla frozen yogurt
½ a medium-sized apple (which ever you prefer though, the granny smith contrast the caramel nicely) rinse and slice apple into bite sized pieces
2 tbsp of caramel topping

Directions:

Place two scoops of yogurt in the sundae dish. Place apple pieces on top of the yogurt then drizzle the caramel over the apples. Enjoy!

After our sundaes it was onto the craft. The craft was a trick-or-treating bag. I underestimated how much fun it could be doing a craft with the kiddos. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I thank God for moments like these, true quality time.

Trick-or-Treat Bags

I purchased everything from Hobby Lobby on Monroe Street. This craft is economical so there is no need to break the bank.

What you need:

Bag – $1.99
Stick-it Craft Felt – White, orange, and black – $.99 each
Bag of letters- $2.99
Bag of google eyes- we had these at home but I don’t think they cost more than $2 or $3
Scissors
Template- http://familyfun.go.com/printables/pumpkin-pattern-for-halloween-703196/

How to assemble:

Have your children trace from the template. Then have the older ones cut out the figures, you will need to help the younger children. Then let their imaginations run wild.

I had such a fun afternoon. The kiddos will be using their trick-or-treating bags at the pumpkin path at the zoo tomorrow. We can’t wait!

Well I am off to try to make myself presentable, date night!

Gratitude Attitude

October 20, 2011momonthegoinholytoledo

Gratitude Attitude.

Ghost of Halloween Costumes Past

October 19, 2011October 8, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Mama’s to do list on this wet Wednesday:

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
Drop off at school
Baby story time at the library
Hobby Lobby
Figure out where that weird smell is coming from
Go through Make-believe Basket
Go Buy a Wet Suit
Snack & Craft time

Well, it is that time of year again, time for the semi-annual review of the make-believe basket. Our make-believe basket started four years ago when our eldest was almost two years old. It started with her Halloween costume from that year and it has taken off and now includes over a dozen costumes and dress-ups. Most of the make-believe clothes are from past Halloween’s but we have also accumulated a few from great deals after Halloween. After Halloween the costumes are a steal from most of the second-hand stores. I also like to stock up on accessories for future birthday parties examples include, tiaras, crowns, wands, pirate eye patches, masks, etc. There are often great deals on Halloween decorations too.

There is a method to this mama’s madness… I have decided to lay each costume out with accessories so that I can carefully review each for any holes, stains, missing pieces, etc. After the review each will be sent on their necessary mission, whether it be to the laundry room, rag bin(future hairball/dog puke cleaner-upper), patching place (nana’s house to be sewn), or, for those few fortunate costumes, on to next years inventory.

So, on with the show!

Holy Toledo, there was a lot of additional random stuff in this basket. It was obviously the catch-all location for the random game pieces, legos, building blocks, ½ eaten apple (Oh dear, that must have been the smell. Alleluia! I can cross that off my to do list), my underwear (Really!?! I do not want to know), hair clips, and much more.

Mission complete! Our make-believe basket is back in top-notch condition and the kiddos now have some backup costumes should theirs fall prey to the random mud splash during the school Halloween parade or candy induced vomit fit, or whatever may attack their costumes.

Do tell, what are your kiddos going to be for Halloween? So, do you have a backup costume for your little one?

Momup!

October 18, 2011momonthegoinholytoledo

Momup!.

Fashion for a Cause

October 16, 2011October 16, 2011momonthegoinholytoledo

Mama’s to do list this past weekend:

Fashion for a Cause at Treo in Sylvania

I had a magnificent time at the Fashion for a Cause event that benefited Beach House Family Shelter of Toledo. Beach House has been a critical refuge for thousands of individuals at a time in their lives when they desperately needed a place to turn, providing a place to sleep, food to feed their children, and a place to begin again. Thus, offering women and families a new lease on life!

The event was held at Treo which is located downtown Sylvania and began at 11:30am with cocktails and lunch followed shortly after. The tables were decorated in an exquisite fall theme. The food was delicious; the pumpkin soup was a fall festival for your taste buds.

While enjoying the main course the fashion show began with styles from Lady C and Juni Boutique. It was so much fun and a relaxing time to enjoy with friends.

Though none of the moms in our group won the raffle we all had a lovely time and enjoyed the fact that the event benefited a great cause here in Toledo.

Beach House Family shelter depends on the kindness, donations and gifts from others. There are so many wonderful ways in which you can give. Hope Totes are one great way to show your support and share information about the Beach House with others whom you may come in contact with while running errand with your hot tote on your arm.

It is sure to be the hot commodity for this winter. Don’t be seen without yours! Also makes a great Christmas gift, the gift that keeps giving. So call today and get yours!

Tip: if you are a stickler for time management, go pick up your tote and drop off donations at the same time. For a list of items they commonly use and need click the following link, http://www.beachhousetoledo.org/Default.aspx?pageId=125286

The Apple of My Eye

October 15, 2011October 15, 2011momonthegoinholytoledo

On this mama’s to do list:

Field Trip to Erie Orchard
Make Apple Bake

Field Trip to Erie Orchard

It is funny, looking back on my own childhood, I can’t
remember what I got for Christmas most years but I do remember making a snowman with my father, baking cookies with my mom, and decorating the tree as a family. I don’t recall ever having any game system or fancy gadgets to lull us to sleep but I do remember the way my mom would sing a song and say our prayers with us before bedtime. I remember all the local adventures we would have, story time at the Reynolds Corner branch library, art classes at the art museum, trips to the zoo, the park, and much more but my favorite, class field trips. I always thought it was so cool when my mom chaperoned the field trip, it was special. This past week I was thrilled to have the opportunity to chaperon my first field trip. In my mind it was such a blessed event, it was like a passing of the torch type of moment for me. You know the type, emotional; hold back tears, lump in your throat type of moment.

While on the field trip I had an unexpected collision with the good old emotional roller coaster. It hit me while the group was gathered around listening to the leader explain how they shine the apples. It was at that moment I thought about how my baby girl was the apple of my eye. How much I was cherishing the time I was spending with her while at the same time recalling the memory of my own childhood and my mom chaperoning. I was thinking about how fast we really do grow up. I was thinking a whirlwind of emotional stuff about growing up, my youth, my daughter’s youth, and how before I know it she will be chaperoning her child’s field trip, and then it happened. A tear escaped my eye. I could almost feel the sobbing coming on, or worse, that weird gasping for air sound. NOOO! I felt like I was going to lose it and I am not talking a cute little cry, I am talking full-blown, hot mess, type of crying. Just them my daughter asked if I was okay and I said yes, I just really, really love the apple of my eye. To which she replied, “How did you get apple in your eye?” It worked, she had me smiling in no time. I learned my lesson, I will try not to think about anything remotely sentimental while on a field trip. I guess it could have been worse; I could have been near a pile of pooh at the zoo. Crying over apples suddenly seems much more appealing.

Now, what to do with all those apples?

Apple Bake

Ingredients:

12 apples
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Stick of unsalted butter (cut into ½ inch squares)
2 cups oatmeal (not cooked)

Directions:

Spray crock pot with Pam. Rinse, peel, core, and cut apples into slices. Place apple slices in crock pot. In bowl mix together brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter, and oatmeal. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Place on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours
until apples are tender.

Apple bake is so delicious and can be used with a meal or as a desert.

Brinner (Breakfast for Dinner) is a favorite in our house and the apple bake is truly the icing on the cake, pancake that is. To assemble the sandwich you will need two pancakes, 2 eggs sunny side up, ¾ cups of apple bake, and a drizzle of dark amber maple syrup.

Or serve the apple bake for desert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a dash of cinnamon on top. Your taste buds are sure to thank you.

Tuesday’s Treat, Fun-da-Middles

October 11, 2011October 14, 2011momonthegoinholytoledo

On this mama’s to do list today was trying out the new Betty Crocker Fun-da-Middles.

My daughter’s birthday is coming up next month and she can’t decide what she would like for her birthday party celebration. Which sounds funny, when I was little we simply had cake; it was what you did for birthdays. There was never a question of whether or not to make a cake or order a cake; it was the one sure thing every year. You have birthday cake for your birthday. However, today the options seem endless. There is cake pops, cupcakes, cookie cakes, brownie cakes, cakes in an ice cream cones, ice cream cakes, rice crispy cakes, ice cream sundaes, ice cream bars, etc. Then there are the occasional parties where the parents do not believe in sugar. Please, it’s a birthday party, can’t we have an exception? I understand if there are health issues, but if there are not, please do not make the funky tofu cakes. When guest say they taste great they are lying to you.

So, with that being said, we are on the quest for the perfect party treat! So this afternoon I got out my mixer and made
some, Fun-da-Middles.

Mama’s Review of Fun-da-Middles

Cost: I thought they were a little pricey at the store, especially considering it only makes 12 cupcakes but thankfully we did have a coupon. I would have to purchase at least two boxes for a party (maybe three after the kiddos and hubby taste test the first batch).

Preparation: These were rather easy to prepare. They just required oil, water, and eggs. Mix them up and then place 1/3 of the batter in the cupcake liners. Squeezing the filling in the center was pretty easy. It was the making certain there was enough batter left to cover each that was a little tricky. I had to get out the big spatula and scrap it till there was no batter left in the bowl. Thankfully only one turned out with some filling poking through.

Bake: They baked in 25 minutes but required 20 additional minutes for cooling.

Nutrition: Hello! They are cupcakes, for a birthday party, enough said.

Taste: Wow! We frosted ours and the kiddos decorated them too. They taste amazing.

Overall Rating, I give Fun-da-Middles a B+

My daughter exclaimed that she would like to try something else before she makes a final decision. So the quest continues….

Fall Family Fun at Gust Brothers’ Farm

October 8, 2011October 9, 2011momonthegoinholytoledo

Have some Fall Family Fun at Gust Brother’s Farm.

Located just over the State line Gust Brothers’ is the place to take the kiddos for a great time. Admission and parking are FREE and you are sure to make a wonderful memory. When you arrive the kiddos will enjoy grabbing a wagon and heading to the barn to jump in the large hay stacks. Then it is on to view a variety of farm animals including, cows, calves, pigs, chickens, bunnies, kittens, and more.

Then grab that wagon and take a short walk over to the pumpkin patch to pick out your own pumpkin. By now the kiddos will be parched, so, it is off to the snack barn for refreshment. Moms are sure to enjoy the amazing selection of fall decorations including pumpkins, corn shocks, straw bales, squash, gourds, mums, etc. (can’t beat the prices).

This year we added a fun Fall Scavenger Hunt to our visit. Please feel free to print off a copy for your visit (please note there are no acorns) or print off a copy for a walk around your neighborhood. Fall is free and fun so get out there and enjoy it with your family.

Admission is FREE!
Dates and Hours of Operation
Open September 17 to November 1
Open from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M
Gust Brother’s is sure to be a fall staple in your family; I know it has for ours.
http://www.gustbrothers.com/

A special thank you to our friend Alison who introduced us to the farm a few years ago.