A Pumpkin Picking We Will Go!!!

Over the last week our little family has embrassed Fall and all of the wonderful things about it!
I have to say our most favorite thing about Fall is pumpkin picking.

First I got to take Lizzy with about half of her preschool class to Johnson's Corner Farm in Medford, one of our favorite places anytime of year! It was a rainy-ish type day so not many showed up...but the few who did come had a great time!

And since he didn't get a pumpkin picking class trip, Jake was eager to have his turn at selecting the very best pumpkin in the patch! Since he had off on Columbus day we decide to head out to Conte's farm in Tabernacle! We haven 't been there since Jake was real little. It is a no frills type farm. It has a market and a few animals. Lots of pumpkins and a bakery on site (smells great!!!). The hayride to the patch is super cheap!

We had a great time picking and them stuffing the Jeep full of all the fall decor we could fit!!!

The kids loved yelling at each other over the corn stalks!

We stopped at Chick-fil-a for lunch and Traders Joe's to pick up some pumpkin pancake mix!
It was a good day!

A is for Apple...and Ariel!

Yesterday was the first day of show and tell at Lizzy's preschool. The item they bring in  must correspond with the letter of the alphabet the class is learning each week.

Since this is the first week we are on A...and of course Ariel would be the best choice.

~Her very favorite princess~

 

It was also our day to bring snack...and what would be better than apple muffins!?!?
I found this yummy recipe, where else, PINTEREST!!!!

Food.com
(this is not a picture of the ones I made...they went too fast!)

And believe me they are to die for!!!!
Everything about them reminds me of Fall!

Family

A dear friend of mine works magic with a camera...she's got the lighting thing down and will even use it to make some pretty awesome pictures!
She took some pictures of the kids for the first time a few years ago and we loved them!
So when I felt it was time for a new set of pictures I knew she was the one to go to!

They are just perfect! My kids are the focus...and just beautiful if I do say so myself!!!

 

Thank you Rachel for sacrificing your afternoon, for doing such a beautiful job, and for being such a great friend. I am truly blessed!!!!

Chicken Pot Pie

A few years ago my MOPs (Moms of Preschoolers) group made a wonderful dish...one of my favorites!!!

Chicken pot pie!!!

And it is so simple! I have modified it from our original recipe but it still is great!
A few simple ingredients and you have a whole meal in one dish!

Frozen Pie Shells (make sure there's two in the pack)
I get the one with aluminum pie pans...that way I don't even have to wash a pie pan!

a can of condensed Cream of Chicken soup

a 16 oz. bag of frozen veggies

two chicken breasts cubed and cooked (I boil them)

sometimes I add cubed potatoes

 

Basically I get a huge mixing bowl and pour in the frozen veggie, the soup, and the chicken (once it's cooled off a bit)....mix up with a bit of pepper.

Pour it in on side of the pie shells and then lay the other pie shells on top, press the edges together.

You can either bake it immediately at 375 for 35-40 minutes or freeze it for later! 



That is great when you are making it for just your family, but this week I had the opportunity to make a few meals for some families in need. I live not five minutes from one of the roughest, poorest, and most needy cities in my state, Camden, NJ. A friend of mine felt the need that is so prevalent there...food for single parent families! So she has started an initiative to bring those families meals.

I thought this would be the perfect meal...I could get a full meal, veggies and all, in one dish!

So with the need to make multiple meals I improvised! I started by putting a whole chicken in the crock pot and let it sit for the day! This provided more than enough meat for two pot pies!

And the chicken falls apart so easily...very yummy!

I used a really huge mixing bowl and doubled the above recipe!

I was actually able to do this twice and used one for a dinner for my family this week.

Perfection! Three greatly nutritious meals to donate and one for us to have.

I only wish I got a picture after we cut into it for dinner!

Oh, and in our family of four there are never any left overs!

Pinterest Friday...

Sugar Bee Crafts

When I saw this dress I thought...perfect!
As my friends and family know I am vertically challenged...measuring in just over 5'1''...sad I know!
So to be able to make a dress that is long and fits me...yes please!
I also had a fun girls night coming up so I wanted it fast!!!

I ran to JoAnns and found some jersey type fabric...and I was very technical about measuring it.
I wrapped it around myself and rounded up. Always better to have extra then not enough!

 

Honestly, I followed Mandy's directions very carefully...I must have read them 20 times as I was doing this project. That's what happens when you are trying to sew as your 3 and 6 year old are running laps around you!

And I had to improvise a bit...

You'll get what I mean when you see the directions...I have a hard enough time sewing a straight line let alone cutting a perfect circle!

But in the end I loved it!!!

(photo from the only full length mirror in our house which is in our son's room)

(Picture care of my son)

I think all I need is a simple belt and it will be done!

One warning if you plan on making this dress...while I was shaping the top part and trying it on before attaching it to the bottom I was really worried it wouldn't fit.

I almost added some extra fabric under my arms...don't!!!

I decided to take a chance and see how it would all come together.

Because the material is stretchy you stretch out the top a bit to fit the diameter of the bottom. Just line up the seam in the back  and the front...pin it and pin it as you stretch it to fit around the bottom part of the dress. I have never had a dress that fit so well!!! Comfy!!!

I can't wait to do another one...

 

Thanks to Mandy over at Sugar Bee Crafts for the wonderful idea!

Neighborhood decor

It is no surprise that fall is my favorite time of year
From the cozy sweaters to the great food what's not to love???
But I have to say that the one thing I love most is seeing all the decorations...and my neighborhood has no shortage on that!
Here are a few of our faves that we see walking to school everyday