Utah in Fall

A few pictures from our Fall 2010 trip to Utah:

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Photo Friday!!!

I am Pippi Longstocking and if you say it fast it's funny.

This was our entry for the 2010 Cedarview Way Scarecrow Days. I made the paper mache face, my husband did the amazing painting of the face and the girls and I created the outfit.

Simple Fall Leaf Projects

Here are a few simple fall leaf projects we like to do around here each year:

1. Leaf People

This is as simple as collecting leaves, pressing them in some large books for a few days, glueing them to paper and then using a pen and your imagination to turn them into any kind of creature you want!

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2. Leaf Stamps

Yet again very simple. We used glittery squeeze paints to cover the leaves then we stamped them on paper. Easy and fun!

Loco

So my youngest FINALLY decided on a halloween costume. She had a really hard time this year narrowing it down to just one costume. The final decision - Super Girl! This fits her just right. We call her Loco around here and if you spend just one afternoon with her you would understand why. She is just the right amount of crazy, the kind of crazy that is fun and lovable not over the top and annoying. We love our Loco and we love her spunk. So back to the costume - it came with these awesome boot covers and as you can see she has been wearing them everywhere. Isn't that just sooooo Loco? Just a little crazy yet fun? I think sure think so.

Last Minute Scarecrow Entry

My neighbor kept telling me she was creative, and she kept telling me she was going to put up a scarecrow for scarecrow days. I just found out she was right! She finally did put a scarecrow up and she is definitely very, very creative!!!! Thanks neighbor for the great addition to our Scarecrow Days, we just love the mermaid - especially my girls.

Kirtlin's Silverbend Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patch season is here and the Sacramento region has oh so many patches to choose from. We have been to many in the area from Bishop's up North in Wheaton to Fog Willow down down South in Wilton. But our favorite, our very favorite resides just across the river in Clarksburg, Kirtlin's Silverbend. This place has so much to offer including:

(This is taken straight from their website)

*Full size Train that goes around a 2 1/2 mile track

*Train Hold-ups

*Hay rides

*Blacksmith (Biscuits)

*Picnic Area

*Indian Village

*Pick your own pumpkin

*Temporary Tattoo Artist

*Antique Tractor Display

Why do we like this place the best? For me it comes down to 2, ok maybe 3 reasons.

1. The pumpkins are still on the vine. In order to get the TRUE pumpkin patch experience the pumpkins MUST still be on the vine!

2. The rustic feel. This place is located in beautiful Clarksburg. The minute you pass over the river on the old bridge you feel like you have passed into another world. Silverbend itself holds onto that feeling by staying very real and vintage. This place offers a lot but it is still a no frills kind of place.

3. Close proximity to Bogle wines. I know, I know this sounds kind of funny. But if you have never been to Bogle then this is the perfect time to stop on by. One of our favorite wineries and a great place for picnics.

As each of you head out to your favorite pumpkin patch this year I hope at least a few of you give Silverbend a try - but not TOO many of you because I want it to remain our little secret as well.

Do You Boo?

Every October we get a fun surprise at our door in the form of a Boo. My girls always seem to know the minute the bell rings that it is a Boo ring. They race to the door and try with all of their might to get outside in time to catch whoever it is that is leaving the special little halloween treat on our door. And although they adore the surprise itself I believe that they enjoy even more the delivering of a Boo to others on our street. We ponder long and hard over the contents of the gift, the package that it should be delivered in, and who oh yes who we should pick to Boo. After much debating we always come up with the perfect gift, the perfect people to surprise and the perfect stealth outfit to wear on our mission. Once it is dark we head out into the spooky fall night, place the Boo on an unsuspecting doorstep, ring, giggle and RUN! Then the best part - we hide behind some bushes and watch as our neighbors open the door and try to find us. They never do of course because we are so sneaky. Oh what fun!!! Lastly we head back home and talk about how close it was, and how they will never guess it was us, and who we will Boo next year.

If you would like to start a little Boo action on your street then go here to get all of the details. It is a great tradition to start and one that I am sure your kids will love just as much as ours.

Fall Tree Project

Here is a fun project to do with the kids to welcome the Fall season. Make a Fall tree to display somewhere in your house:

Here is how:

Step 1. Collect twigs or small branches. We found ours in an apple orchard.

Step 2. Use air dry clay to form a base, or trunk, for the tree. I used Crayola Air Dry Clay.

Step 3. Place 5 or 6 of the branches in the clay trunk. Make sure to mold the clay around them so they will remain stuck in the trunk once it is dry.

Step 4. Paint the trunk brown

Step 5. Either buy silk leaves (I found ours in the dollar section at Target) or collect and press your own leaves.

Step 6. Use a quick drying adhesive to attach the leaves to the branches. I used glue dots because of the ease of application for the younger kids.

Step 7. Let dry and then enjoy!

Scarecrow Days

GREAT IDEA: Start Scarecrow Days on your street!

Our entry

After a rather large cup of coffee earlier last month (it seems I get all of my good ideas after a cup of Peet's coffee) I came up with the idea of having our street make scarecrows and display them in front yards throughout the month of October. So I put my plan into action and believe it or not it worked! Our street is now lined with originally themed Scarecrows of all sizes and shapes and it looks oh so adorable and festive. If you would like to give this a shot in your neighborhood then read below on some ideas on how to make it happen. Plus check out my pics of the scarecrows on our street.

1. Send out a flyer.

I put together a simple flyer asking each house to build their own scarecrow of any size or shape and display it in their front yard on Sat. Oct. 3rd. My girls and I walked the street leaving a flyer on each doorstep and answering any questions people had.

2. Add some websites for inspiration.

I encouraged people to look online to learn how to build scarecrows and for creative theme ideas. It is amazing all of the information that is out there. Here are just a few websites I found:

http://kids-outdoor-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_build_a_scarecrow

http://www.swycaffer.com/divpeg/July/scrow.html

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/nature/scarecrow.shtml

3. Build your scarecrow. Here are a few pictures from the day we built our scarecrow:

4. Wait for the big reveal day! Half the fun was waiting for the big day to arrive. All the kids on the street, and a few of the parents too, were so excited to put out their scarecrows and see everyone else's creations. The day ended up being such fun with the entire street primping and perfecting their own scarecrow while taking numerous walks around the block checking everyone else's out. I think this is a tradition that we will hold onto for awhile around here. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with next year!

Here are some of the fabulous entries: