Some of you may know April from 4 Kennedys and a Dog and some of you may not.  Let me tell you, this gal is amazing!!  Not only is she very sweet and thoughtful (more on that to come) but she's pretty crafty too!!  She recently (yesterday) opened up her Etsy boutique, Funky Vinatge Kitchen, and has the cutest items on there!!  I have been looking for a new cake stand...Fear not, I'm sure she's super busy right now, crankin out more aprons and "lovely little somethings" as she likes to say.  You can stay updated on her projects for the store from her blog, Funky Vintage Kitchen.  Do check her out!!  Now on to the sweet and thoughtful...

In her post  for today, April had an incredible idea (and a zany story about driving toll roads to pay other people's tolls- you just gotta read it)!!!  Instead of a traditional giveaway, she's decided to pay it forward.  I know you've all heard about this concept.  You do something nice for someone and your thoughtfulness makes them thoughtful and they in return do something nice for someone else and on and on it goes!!  Her idea was that for the first 3 people that commented on her post to join this pay it forward exchange, she would send a handmade gift to them.  Maybe not tomorrow or next week, but sometime in the next 365 days.  All that person has to do is "pay it forward"...make the same promise on their blog and send something handmade to the people that comment to them...and on and on it goes!!

I was actually the first person to comment and join, so here I am- paying it forward.  Though her rules said we could wait until we received our gift to pay it forward, I've decided to do it now!!  So here it is:

The first 3 people to comment on this post and request to join the "Pay it Forward Exchange" will receive a handmade gift from me, maybe not next week, maybe not next month- but sometime in the next 365 days!!  All you have to do is the same thing on your blog (sorry, you must have a blog to participate)!!  You can wait until you receive your item or you can start right away (like me), it's up to you!!  Isn't that a wonderful idea?? 

See, I told you she was thoughtful and sweet!! 

So comment on and post your own "Pay it forward" post...

Preheat oven to 350*F

It's time to add to our household notebook.  In case you missed last week's post and want to start you're own household notebook, check out Week 1.

Ok, now that you've got your 3 ring binder and folder pockets, let's move on to this week's section which is family health.  There's a family health history which is great!!  It has space to keep info on each family members vaccines, medical tests, surgeries and current medication.  Keep on hand illnesses and diseases that other family members have had that you could be at risk for!!  There's also a section to keep all the contact info for doctors, specialists and pharmacy's.

I've added 2 additional pages to my own household notebook that I thought were good to have on hand.  A first aid checklist tells me exactly what I should have for any emergency at home to be prepared!!  This household notebook takes out the guesswork for ya, huh??  Secondly, have you ever been to a new doctor and gone totally blank as to what info you should know about them??  I know I have.  So I've also included a prospective doctor checklist so that you can keep track and make the best decision for you and your family!!

I sure hope these help you get better organized- I know they have for me!!!

Be sure to come back next week for the next section!!

I love giveaways...I mean really love giveaways!  I never win anything, but I figure "what the hay...one of these days the odds gotta be with me", right??

Well, one of my absolute fave sites Monogram Chick (I know you've seen thier button in my sidebar!!) is having a giveaway on their blog.  It's for one of their monogrammed recipe boxes (which are adorable!!)!!  Run over there right now and enter 'cause you know you want one!!!  They're also introducing their line of monogrammed recipe cards (to go in your monogrammed recipe box, of course!) and offering 10% off your order til the end of the month!!!  Hurry over though, this giveaway ends on October 29th!!!  (Oh yeah, if you enter- be sure to comment that you heard about the giveaway on my blog because if you win and mention me, I win too!!  And trust me, I really want to win!!)

And.....


One of my fave bloggers, Melody from Pennies in my Pocket (this girl can stretch a dime!!), is having a great giveaway on her site!  You can obviously tell from her blog name that this girl loves a bargain, right??  Well what could be a better bargain than gift bags for $1??  You heard me right, a buck!! 

Bloggers, meet Pennylane Papers.  This site has the cutest bags and the dollar price tag makes 'em even cuter!!  Go check out Melody's post for all the details, but hurry because the giveaway ends on Tuesday October 28!!!

While you're over there, be sure to check out a few of the recent deals she's found for us- like the toy deals (never too early to start Christmas shopping) and Amazon deals (you gotta scroll down this one, beyond the vomitrocious part of the post).  She searches the web and finds all the sales for you, saving you not just money but time too!  What could be better than that? 

10 free gift bags, that's what!

Saturday- If it ain't moldy, it's for dinner night
Sunday- Pasta with homemade marinara and Chicken Parm

Recipe

Surprise Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 lbs all purpose potatoes
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesean cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pkg (10 ozs) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Wash, peel and cut potatoes.  Add potatoes to large pan with enough water to cover them and heat to boiling on high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.  Drain and return to pan.  Add milk, butter, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.  With potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350*F.  In large bowl, mixed ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesean, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and remaining pepper until mixture is well combined.

On a sheet of waxed paper, pat meat mixture into 11" x 9" rectangle.  Spread potato mixture over meat leaving 1" border all around.  Spoon spinach over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp salt.

Starting at narrow end, roll up meat jelly-roll style. (Lifting the wax paper helps to loosen meat)  Carefully place rolled meat loaf, seam side down, in a 13" x 9" baking dish.

Bake for 75 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and Enjoy!!!


Be sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu's...

These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are to die for- even if you're not a big fan of pumpkin (which I'm not) because the pumpkin flavor doesn't overpower the cheesecake!


Here's what you'll need...

4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese
1 1/4 cups of sugar
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs

Pre heat oven to 350*F

In your stand mixer (you can use a hand mixer too) beat cream cheese and sugar on low until smooth. 
Mix in flour, vanilla, salt and spices.  *This part smells sooo yummy!*
Add pumpkin and mix until well blended and smooth.
Add eggs, 1 at a time and mix until all eggs are incorporated.

Pour into mini pie crusts and reduce heat to 300*F.
When making cheesecake, I always put a pan with water on the rack below to create steam which helps your cheesecake not crack!

Bake for 35 minutes (45-50 minutes for full sized pie) then turn oven off but do not remove cheesecake.  Keep cheesecake in oven (with door closed) for 30 minutes.  Let cool completely on wire rack before wrapping in plastic and refrigerating for at least 1 hour (or until firm). 

For this party, I have compiled some "spooky" recipes and crafts to share with you!!  I hope you enjoy them and find a few useful!  Be sure to check out Vanessa @ A Fanciful Twist for a list of the other bloggers hosting Halloween parties too!!


Halloween Party Mix (makes 10 cups)
This would be great in treat bags to give out as favors to your party guests.  Click here for instructions to make Pumpkin Treat Bags.

2 cups each of the following:
     Caramel Corn (your fave brand)
     Reese's Puffs Cereal
     Waffle shaped pretzels
     Peanut M&M's
     Mini-Nutter Butter cookies
Combine all in large bowl and enjoy!


Scary Spirit Raiser (makes 4 12oz drinks) *for adults*

1/2 cup Vodka (your fave brand)
1/2 cup orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec)
1 cup carrot juice
1 cup citrus energy drink (such as SoBe)

Add all ingredients to large pitcher filled with ice, stir to mix and pour through strainer into a decorated balloon shaped wine glass (see below for instructions).

Jack-o'lantern Wine Glass Decoration

This works best on balloon shaped wine glasses or brandy snifters...

Use this template (adjust to size depending on type of glass your using) to cut Jack-o'lantern face from black electrical tape.  Press tape cutouts onto a clean, dry glass.


Pumpkin Patch Tart

1 packaged refrigerated pie crust
5 oz semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 oz white fondant or marzipan
Brown paste or gel food coloring
Orange paste or gel food coloring

Heat oven to 450*F.  Place pie crust into 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom.  Dock (prick all over bottom with fork) crust and bake as directed on package, until golden.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Place chocolate in small bowl.  Heat 1/3 cup of cream in small saucepan over high heat until simmering then pour over chocolate.  Use wire whisk to blend until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Let cool, then whisk in vanilla and salt.

Using electric mixer, beat remaining cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Add chocolate mixture and beat on medium-low speed until soft peaks form.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tint 2 tablespoons of fondant (or marzipan) brown and tint remaining fondant orange.  Roll out orange fondant and cut into pumpkin shapes using small cookie cutter or paring knife.  For each pumpkin, shape a brown stem; dampen your fingertip, touch the end of the stem and the top of the pumpkin then press stem into place.  *You can change the decoration if you want to whatever shape you like.*

When you're ready to serve the tart, remove the cooled tart shell from the pan an place on a serving plate.  Spoon the chocolate mixture into the shell , smoothing to an even layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.  Arrange the pumpkin cutouts on top and serve right away.

It's been a few days since my last post and I have been so busy checking out all the cool blogs of the gals that participated in the SITS Blogathon Day (see that post here)!  I want to thank all the ladies that have come to visit and I hope that you've found something on here that you enjoy (please tell me I'm not doing this in vain!) and are back to visit soon! 
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I don't know how many of you out there are like me, but I feel like my life could be much less chaotic with everything on paper!  If everything's written down, then it's there.  In a place.  Easy to find.  No questions about how or where.  That's why I have a household notebook!!

This notebook has changed my life!  No, seriously. 

Since this notebook has made such an impact on my life, I've decided to share it with you. 
I'll be giving you ideas and tips on how to create, maintain and organize your very own household notebook.

If you Google houshold notebook, you wouldn't believe how many hits you get back!  I've been through them all and trust me, there is no shortage of forms and checklists that are available to put in your notebook.  I've made it simple for you by compiling the most comprehensive and easy to use pages for your notebook.

Each week, I'll give you a different section along with tips that I've found useful in building my household notebook!!  Here's the basic supplies you'll need to get started.

What is SITS you ask?  It's Secret is in the Sauce, brainchild of Heather and Tiffany who created a great way for us gals to get blog recognition and make blog friends through comment love...who doesn't love blog comments? 

I wish this scatter brain of mine could remember how I came across SITS, but I can't!  Anyhow, I'm sooo glad that I did because through them I have found some great blogs that I absolutely could not have found on my own!!

What a great idea they came up with- they spotlight a blog daily and like the good SITS girls that we are, we go and leave some love!  It's a wonderful way to meet new bloggy friends, find blogs you love and a great way to get your own blog recognized!

So to really up the comment love, today they're hosting a blogathon and giving away prizes every hour!!  By the time I added my name to the roll call (at 9am) there were already over 150 SITStas that had roll called!  Now that's what I call love...

I can't even tell you how many SITS-tas (isn't that cute?) are on this site, but you can always find them by the pink and leopard button on their blog...and when you do, be sure to comment! Here are just a few of my fave SITS-tas...

KatyLin at The Great Adventure
Parenting Pink Mommy
Ronda at Ronda's Rants
Melody at Pennies in my Pocket
Elizabeth at Thoughts from an Evil Overload

This site is a really great way to meet new, exciting, funny, crafty and supportive woman- so go check it out already!!!

The waether's getting colder, the sun's setting earlier so it's seems like the time is right to bust out the fall recipes!  Here's what we're having this week:

Monday- Meatloaf with Mashed Potato and Sauteed Spinach
Tuesday- Italian Chicken Soup
Wednesday- Broccoli Hamburger Casserole
Thursday- Surf n Turf with Boiled Lobster Tails and Pepper Crusted Filet (we're having  a small get together- this is NOT our normal weekday cooking!)
Friday- If you can find it, you can eat it night
Saturday- Devilish Sesame Chicken with Green Beans and Scallion Rice
Sunday- BLT Rigatoni

This post is part of....

First things first, I hope you had a chance to visit Elizabeth over at Thoughts from an Evil Overload last week while she celebrated her 2nd "birthday" after receiving a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor thanks to the Bone Marrow Registry.  She had chances to win one of 5 prizes generously donated by crafty babes from around the blogsphere.  Well, I was a winner!  I actually won something!  I can't wait to see which great prize arrives at my door!  Go check out the other winners and say congrats!

On Saturday, Kassie was at my mom's having a pajama jammy jam so that gave me the chance to try and restore some order to my house (you can find out why here).  This state of chaos must end!!  So my Saturday night was spent cleaning and reorganizing my bedroom!!  I did take some before and after pics but you'll have to wait for those!  So much for Saturday night date night, huh?

Yesterday was the Columbus Day Parade (Kassie's first parade, ever!) so we spent the day infront of my mom's house on the curb watching the parade.  Well before it stared, Jay and I asked each other, "Do you think Kassie's gonna be scared by all the noise and excitement or will she love it?".  We anticipated that Kassie would spend the rest of the day clutching my leg and screaming or in our arms blocking her ears!!  Kassie's afternoon was spent dancing, running from us, clapping, eating candy (loves Skittles), waving and having a grand ol' time!!  After her day of excitement, she was pooped!  So we brought her home, put her down for a nap and I grabbed the laptop.
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I came across a bunch of really cool, crafty sites that are not only chock full of ideas but offer great giveaways, helpful advice and TONS of free stuff!  Do you know a woman who doesn't love free stuff?  Didn't think so.  As my best friend Lauren likes to say, "If it's free, it's for me!".  Knowing how much we love free stuff I of course will be sharing them with you!!  I'll be doing this weekly so be sure to check back!  Here's this weeks freebies.

1.  Free Projects from Caron International
Knit and crochet projects at this site are categorized by garment type and by yarn.  Categories include Fall/Winter Garments, Spring/Summer Garments, Afghans. Throws & Pillows, Babies & Children, Scarves & More, Ponchos and Craft.
2.  Win Simply Spray Fabric Paints from Craftbits.com (Go to my sidebar for an additional giveaway from this site!)
3.  Paper Mache Pumpkins from Craft Magazine
4.  Free Halloween Printables from Mom's Break
5.  You've been Boo-ed Halloween Treat from AllCrafts.net

I hope some of these sites are useful to you and I hope you come back for more freebies, giveaways and tutorials!!  Be sure to follow my blog (in the sidebar) so you won't miss a thing!!

On Saturday, October 18th there's going to be a party in the blogsphere!  Vanessa @ A Fanciful Twist is hosting a Halloween Party!  Be sure to visit her to join in the fun or to find the other blogs that are participating.  There will be a ton of Halloween inspired crafts, recipes, costume ideas, decorations and everything else Halloween!

I will be sharing some yummy (and spooky) Halloween recipes, crafts and costume templates as well as some spooky stories!!  It's not too late to join in the fun...hope to see you all on the 18th!!

As you may or may not know, I love to digiscrap!  I have been scrapping for years and once I found out that it could all be done on the computer, I was hooked!  Well, searching through scrapping blogs I came across Diana @ Sass n Scrap Designs and instantly loved her work!  In a matter of 5 minutes I had found enough scrapping materials to keep me busy until the cows come home!!

It just so happened that Diana was searching for Creative Team Members!  For you non-scrappers, a Creative Team (or CT) is a team of people that take the designers products and create layout designs with them- to show how their kits can be used and give other scrappers ideas and inspiration.

Well, you are looking at (you know what I mean!) the newest member of the Creative Team for Sass n Scrap Designs!

Ooooh, I'm soooo excited!   Diana is a very talented designer and I can't wait to see her designs and make beautiful pages from them!  Make sure you don't miss a thing by getting updates from my blog (click on the sidebar where it says "follow this blog")...I'll be updating you on any sales that she may be having as well as posting the creations here!!  Oh, and don't forget to visit Sass n Scrap Designs right now for an October Desktop Freebie and a Christmas Freebie too!!

Have I mentioned how excited I am??  What a great new adventure...

I'm sure someone has to be in the same boat as me...I absolutely love to entertain, all the time, for whatever reason.  There's nothing that says "home" to me more than your house filled with your favorite people, your best recipes, stories and laughter!!  Now I know there are "rules" for this type of stuff and ways to make entertaining successful but unless you can kidnap Martha Stewart and bring her home, how the heck else are you supposed to know??  Well, Manuela over at The Pleasures of Homemaking reviewed a book called "Party Basics for New Nesters" by Maria McBride and this sounds like the answer!!! 

This book has everything from invitations to classic cocktail recipes, pantry basics and even a section for floral arrangements (a department I really need some help in!!!).  So, if you're like me and need some help with entertaining (and doing it right!) this book is a great place to start.  Afterall, do you know how much trouble you could get in for kidnapping Martha?!?

A day late and a dollar short, as they say....

This is what I'm making this week....

Monday- Cold Cut Sandwiches (we got home very late!)
Tuesday- Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Sage Dressing
Wednesday- Pork Chops in a lemon sauce with Butternut Squash
Thursday- Spicy Oricchette with Broccoli and Fried Zucchini Sticks
Friday- Broiled Steak with Stuffed Artichokes and Rice Pilaf
 (I usually only menu plan for weekdays, but to make my weekends easier, I'm planning for them too!  If we do end up eating out, I already have a recipe for the beginning of the week!!)
Saturday- Eat whatever you can find day!
Sunday- Homemade Marinara with Eggplant Parmigiana and Angel Hair Pasta (plus game day treats like nachos, buffalo wings and artichoke/spinach dip)

This post is part of....

Wow, I am sooo behind in my blogging- but for very good reasons, I assure you!

Saturday morning we loaded up and headed to Alton (New Hampshire) to close up the cottage for the season.  This is no small task, trust me!  All the furniture outside has to be moved to the inside porch-which means the porch furniture has to be moved to the basement.  No problem, right?  Wrong.  The basement has 2 bunkbeds, 1 twin bed, a pullout sofa, a corner breakfast table and a bar!!!  How on earth could anything else fit down there?!?!  I really don't have an answer for that, but somehow we did it!  Then there's upstairs...With 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and living room there was plenty of work to be done!  We packed up all the dishes, pans and other kitchen stuff-threw out a TON of junk-and tried to clean all the dust and bugs from everywhere!!  Silly me should have brought my camera so you could really appreciate the enormity of this project!  I cleaned out the medicene cabinet and there were tubes of bug bite cream that expired in 1996!!!  Even better was a bottle of sunscreen that had an expiration date of 1982!?!? Needless to say, it took all day and night to get the cottage ready for being closed for the winter!!!  Now, thankfully, there will be less to do when we open in the spring!  We got home late Saturday night and went right to bed because Sunday....

...we had the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk!  It was great!  My friends and I raised $925!!  There were so many people and a total of $3.5 million had been raised as of late Sunday morning!  It was a little chilly, but nice walking weather.  Again, silly me forgot my camera but Michelle brought hers and when I get some pics from her, I'll post 'em!  It took us about an hour to walk the 3.7 miles and we hardly noticed because we were so busy chatting and catching up with each other!  When I got home, I was so exhausted (probably more from the cottage than the walk!!!) but didn't have much time to relax because contrary to my belief that my house saga was over last Monday, I was wrong! 

Shortly after putting my office/craft room back together (read about that here) we got a call from our landlord that we had to suffer for one more week because the exterminators were coming back on Monday!!!  So it's now been almost 5 weeks of living out of trash bags and having my house in total chaos!!!  So no rest for the weary!  Once again, like the past 3 Mondays, we were kicked out of our house for over 6 hours...Now, I can finaly start putting my house back together!!!

But first, I have to catch up on blogging!  I missed Homemaker Monday and Menu Plan Monday (which I intend to post later today) and have a few blog giveaways I have to comment on...I'll be typing til my fingers bleed today!  All I really want to do is sleep...but there's too much to do!!  I picked up an amazing Halloween craft book that has a gaggle of things I want to try (I'll post about this later) and I'm continuing my search for a used sewing machine because my "want to-do" list is growing and growing and growing...