Happy Halloween!

So, I've totally been sucking at being room mom this year. I've done absolutely nothing except help out with enrollment one day before school started (and the pumpkin patch this week).  No one told me what I was supposed to do or if I was supposed to be doing anything.  So, basically, I just didn't.

When I got an email about a room parent meeting, I fully intended to blow it off.  Then, the head of the PTO asked me if I was going to the meeting and I had a hard time coming up with an excuse so, begrudgingly I agreed to go.  Good thing I did, because I learned that I was responsible for a "Fall Party" for the Pre-K on Friday.  I had one day to pull it together.  Awesome. 

So, I delegated cookie baking to another mom in the class.  Word.  And I ended up making these popcorn monster hands I found on Pinterest and burning a spooky music cd. (Love that site - fully addicted!) 

Brent and I decided to have an owl (school mascot) pumpkin carving contest and let the kids judge which pumpkin they wanted to take into their class.  I was pumped since Brent usually sends me into a fit of giggles with his ridiculous carvings and because carving pumpkins with the kiddos is just the best.

In the end, we all voted for Brent because his pumpkin more fully fit the theme.  It didn't provoke a fit of laughter though.  We loved it.  He gets huge props for effort too. Cutie.

Mine (top), Brent's (bottom)

 

I thought the party stuff turned out pretty well for pulling it all out of my ass at the last minute.  Too bad that when Brent dropped off all the goodies at school, the teacher already had some things together for a party - probably because she was used to me being such a slacker and not having done a damn thing so far.  I had no idea that the work of a room mom was fully based on my initiative alone; I had expected hand-holding.  Now that I know better, I'll at least stop showing up at school with wet hair and growling when the teacher talks to me in the carpool line.

And last weekend, as a tradition, we painted pumpkins to look like the kiddos Halloween costumes.  Uncle Binky was in town and got in on the fun.  It was nice getting to spend some time with him and the whole fam. 

Shhhhh!  Guess where we're taking Thing 1 and 2 trick-or-treating this year?  They have no idea!

Brent and I have been trying to pack and clean on the sly all day long.  They know something is up too since cleaning is way out of the norm for us.  How sick is that?!  They keep asking if my mom is coming over to babysit since it's usually the only time we ever clean.  Ha!  Happy Halloween to everyone!

Field Trip! - Pumpkin Patch #3

I was asked to go to the pumpkin patch with Callie and Wyatt's class this year since I'm the room mom.  I was really looking forward to it, but I wanted to make sure that the nuggets were okay with me going too.  I remember wanting my independence so badly when I was little and if they wanted me to stay out of it, then I would totally understand.  Thank goodness they were excited.  I think I still have a little more time left before I become an embarrassment to them. Woot!

To be honest, all the kids seemed excited about the pumpkin patch, but they were even more fired up about getting to ride a school bus for the first time!  It was the thing I was looking forward to the most too.  Sitting with my babies the very first time they ever rode a school bus is something I never thought I'd get to do and was something I'll always remember.

Stalking all their little friends that they tell us stories about everyday was fun too and it was great to finally connect names with faces.  All the kiddos had so much fun and loved being away from school.  It's the same little patch we've taken them to every year since they were 9 months old.  Seeing them there now, in their school uniforms with all their little friends was overwhelming.  They are growing up just way too fast.

Pumpkin Patch #2

Our second pumpkin patch was supposed to be at Burt's up in the Georgia mountains with two of my fave peeps (and our five babies) from highschool.  Unfortunately, Cal got the pukes and we had to miss it.  Because we were all looking forward to it so much, we ended up going to one closer to home after Callie was feeling a little better.  It was nice that daddy got to come with us.

 

Pumpkin Patch #1

Halloween is the best, isn't it?!  I love the fall.  I love college football and making soup.  It's awesome.  In my book, Halloween starts October 1st, so on that Saturday, the four of us piled into the car and went on a mission to find a pumpkin and some pumpkin icecream.

We went to this very sweet little pumpkin patch in Beaufort. They have a few animals and their own teeny mom and pop restaurant.  The kids love it and go nuts climbing the hay piles.  It's their favorite part.

After we were done, we adventured off to these local church ruins that we had never been to before.  It's an old church that was built in 1745, burned down in 1779, and burned down again in 1865... blah blah blah.  Most of the history gets lost on me, but what was so cute to me is that people still get married in that church.  There is barely anything left of those four walls, yet somehow it was still so beautifully romantic and inspiring.  They were even setting up for a wedding while we were there.

And look at this picture I took right around the back of the church.  It definitely put us in the Halloween spirit!  Oogie Boogie.

We found our pumpkin icecream on the way home.  It was bomb diggity.

2 Fab Soup Recipes

I found both of these on Pinterest.  Have you gotten addicted yet?  I might need rehab.  The pictures inspired me to immediately jump in the car and drive to the store to pick up the ingredients.  (And that never happens.)  If I had to pick a fave between the two, it would be the Cream of Chicken Wild Rice soup.  It tastes identical to Panera's version and I'm a Cream of Chicken Wild Rice soup snob.  The Broccoli Cheddar soup is pretty close behind it.  I cringe at the butter content in both, but pretend it's not happening and make it anyway.  It's worth it.

Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup

•4 cups chicken stock  (I used boullion cubes + boiling water)
•2 cups water
•2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (I used half a rotisserie chicken)
•1 pkg. Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice
•1/2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
•1/2 tsp. pepper
•1/4 cup butter
•1/2 cup flour
•2 cups half and half
•1 cup carrots, diced
•1 cup celery, diced (I omitted this, happily)

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and rice (along with seasoning packet) in a large pot and simmer until veggies are tender. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Add salt and pepper. Stir cream mixture into large pot and then let cook on low for 15 more minutes.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

•1/4 cup butter
•1/2 chopped onion
•1 clove garlic
•1/4 cup flour
•1 cup half-and-half
•1 cup milk
•2 cups chicken stock (I used bouillon cubes + boiling water)
•1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped
•1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped
•1/4 tsp nutmeg  (I omitted this because I am not a fan)
•1/4 tsp cardamom  (I omitted this too because I dont know wtf it is)
•8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
•4 ounces grated Colby jack cheese
•Salt and pepper to taste
•Hot Sauce (optional)

Sauté the onion (and garlic) in the butter over medium heat. Then, add in the flour, stirring constantly. Add in the half and half, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to almost a boil.

Apple Pickage

A couple weeks ago we headed to Greenville for our annual apple picking weekend. I look forward to going every year and this trip was probably my favorite so far of the three times we've been up there.

Of course, we had to stop by Furman. Callie bleeds purple already. It would be awesome if she got to go there too!  She better keep her grades up though. It was recently ranked one of the top 10 most beautiful campuses in the entire world and the third most rigorous college in the country in front of Harvard and Yale!  Go, Paladins!  It's yo burfday!!

And we also strolled through downtown and Reedy River Park. I'm so in love with downtown Greenville. It's one of the most precious little towns I've ever been to.

The next morning, hit the road with one thing on our minds... apple cider donuts.  They're so good, they deserve their own moment of silence.  These perfect gifts of sugary, cinnamony heaven make your eyes roll back into your head.  We killed a hot dozen before we even stepped into the orchard. Phenomenal.

And picking apples couldn't have been cuter...

We had so much fun that weekend. The weather was perfect too.  I am so grateful for that perfect little orchard and for all the memories it has given us for far!

The kiddos asked to go back to Furman to have a picnic by the lake before we headed home. Twist my arm.