Halloween
Fall Decorating
When it comes to seasonal decorating, nothing gets me more excited than Fall.
It must be because change is happening all around you. It’s a lot like what Spring time does to someone who has been experiencing Winter for so long. Those long cold days that finally see the warmth of Spring, accompanied by the that first sign of new life in a budding flower.
It’s exactly the same thing for me after a long hot Summer.
Those first few true days of Fall when I start to see the leaves change colors with all the vibrant oranges and yellows and browns. The crisp cool air that begs you to grab that first hot chocolate or apple cider.
The thought of those endless ideas running through a little child’s head of what their imagination tells them they can be for that one special night on Halloween.
I think I enjoy all those Halloween movies more than my own children. I force them to watch the countless reruns of Halloween Town, Halloween Town Part 2, 3, 4……………… so that if someone comes in and catches me, I can blame it on them. It’s a good thing no one knows I can recite the entire movie of Hocus Pocus without even thinking about it. Don’t tell anyone I told you that!
Freshening up your front entry way can do wonders for your home. I had majority of the items already like the wood box, haystack, and pumpkins. I added a few mums and the corn stalks that I found at Lowes.
Small changes like even painting your front door can really freshen up the space as well. We used a dark gray on our doors that used to be red. I love gray for so many reasons. The best reason is that because it is so neutral, it goes well with any color scheme.
The silk leaves are left overs I had from last season and can be found at any craft store or even places like Walmart.
The window box on the front window got seasonal flowers as well. I couldn’t wait to try out this beautiful ornamental kale I found.
I have always seen these in pictures in magazines and as silly as it seems, I just had to get them.
I really love the way they look. It almost seems like they could be Cabbage Patch Kids…….. Admit it! You thought about it. 😉
Whatever you go with for your seasonal decorating, make sure to only use things that you really love! Don’t settle for anything else!
Happy Decorating!
XOXO,
Esther
Ghoulishly Good For You Smoothie
I love smoothies! They are yummy and sweet and best of all, GOOD FOR YOU!
Goulishly Good For You, that is! *Pretty sure that’s a word?
You can use any kind of blender, but recently, I bought a Blendtec and I haven’t regretted it for one second!
This thing makes a mean smoothie, amongst other things.
It literally makes it as smooth as the ones you would buy in the store. Most people wouldn’t care about that, but I have never been able to get that consistency until now. 🙂
Here is what I did:
I took a couple handfuls of fresh spinach, 1 kiwi, 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, 1 apple (sliced into wedges), 1 whole banana (peeled of course), and 1 1/2 cups water.
Then I tossed all the ingredients into the blender, secured the lid and pressed the smoothie button. *For a regular blender, just blend until completely smooth.
I should also mention that I like my smoothies more on the thinner side so that they are easier to drink. If you prefer yours on the thicker side, I would use a little less water. You could also add some ice cubes to the smoothie as well to have a thicker consistency.
In the end, you are left with a great energy boosting drink that has loads of fiber and vitamins.
Did I mention that my children would probably sell me to the highest bidder for one of these drinks? They love it!
They have absolutely no idea that it is so good for them.
I promise that you can’t taste the spinach. They always have to ask me if I put spinach in it. 😉
It’s a good thing that they can’t taste everything in the smoothies. It would just be too awkward to explain things after the neighbor’s cat went missing…….
Mooooohaahaahaahaahaa! (*Evil Laugh)
Yeah, Z didn’t get it either. Guess I’ll have to work on my jokes.
XOXO,
Esther
Don’t “Be Afraid” of Halloween Decorating
It’s that Ghostly, Ghoulish, Wonderful time of the year again and I can hardly contain myself. I absolutely love Halloween!
Who doesn’t? I mean, it’s like the launch party for a new Album!
Halloween is the kickoff party to the Holiday Season!
I always do a few things around the house. A little here and a little there. Last year, I did a similar post that showed a few of the decorations I did. If you missed that one, you can check it out here.
I reused most of my decorations from last year and added just a few new ones.
It occurred to me after I decorated, that I must REALLY be into skulls.
I contribute that to the 2 weeks that I sat in a room by myself and did nothing else but watch Sons of Anarchy.
(*Enough Said)
Hey! Who is up for a little game? Let’s see how many skulls I used in my decorating…… (ANSWER AT THE END OF THIS POST!)
I love this in the front entry way. This is the “kid’s center” with all their craft supplies and books that they like to read (when I make them).
The cute “Be Afraid” vinyl stickers with bats, I picked up at all places, Kroger’s, for only $4.99 for the entire set.
I already had the other decorations. I picked them all up at Walmart last year.
The Entertainment center has a few surprises too! Again……. more Skulls…..
(Further Away Look)
(Left Side)
Can’t forget the legs of whatever my house “fell” on. Would it be creepy to put some ruby red slippers on the feet? Pretty sure my children would forever be scarred and never be able to watch The Wizard of OZ again. 😉 *I might do it!
My coffee center never looked so festive.
Bats, Spiders and All!
However, I do have to admit that I have been a little slack on the housecleaning as of lately.
I’ll have to work on that.
😉
*By the way, if you guessed 5 Skulls, you got it right!*
Did you miss the one on the tombstone in the entertainment center? I almost did!
XOXO!
Esther
The week of the “Ewws, Yucks, and Aahs!”
I’m calling this the week of “The Ewwwwws, The Yucks, and the Aahs!
Why you might ask?
Well, the answer is simple.
My house had a lot of Ewwwwws, a whole lot of Yucks and I hope it is now finally starting to have some Aahs. The Aahs are not completely finished yet. I still have some things to tweak. But, for the most part, I smile everytime I walk into one of the rooms we have updated. : )
Our first “Ewwww!” is brought to you today, courtesy of our Master Bath Shower.
I have to be honest. At this angle, it doesn’t look that bad. However, after trying to rip up the carpet in our Master Bedroom so that we could lay new flooring, we stumbled upon a nasty surprise. The shower had a crack in the floor and had been leaking into the bedroom on the other side of the wall.
Here is another Ewww. The corner where it was seeping into our bedroom. I thought that lovely mildewy substance on the bottom of the baseboard was simply something the previous homeowner had spilt once upon a time and didn’t clean up. It wasn’t until I rubbed my finger over it, that I realized I was VERY WRONG!
This is another angle of the same corner. (Another Ewwww!)
Now for the YUCKS! This is the wall on the bathroom side where it was seeping into the Master on the other side.
More YUCK! and YES! That is mold. : (
Straight on YUCKY view of the shower.
But WAIT! There’s more. Why not take a closer look?
Still not satisfied? You want me to go even closer?
Imagine my HORROR when I found out that the dark black stuff in the middle was actually H2O!
I promise this is all the pics of the Ewws/Yucks bathroom pics I am posting.
But!
Because I know you just had your breakfast,
I would like to post yet another picture. Maybe you think it’s an “Ewww”. Maybe you think it’s a “Yuck”.
I personally think it’s an “AAH!”
Meet my Halloween alter ego, “Earl”. The roughest, toughest, toothless, hairiest, deer shootin, beer drinkin Redneck out there!
Please don’t be mad because I’m prettier than you.
Jealousy can be an ugly thing!
Love,Esther
*P.S. – Aahs to follow soon!
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