Babs Just A Babblin' Blog

A bit of Gardening, baking, blogging, knitting, sewing, family, friends and discovering hidden treasures along the way.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

There's Still Time!

If you need a last minute wonderful trick or treat for a friend or teacher or whomever, this is it.

I posted last year.....it's awesome.

Place in a cute little container and you are ready to go.
You can find the recipe on Pinterest (search halloween bark) or annie-eats.net.

(Bittersweet chocolate, reese's peanut butter cups, M&M's, butterfingers, honey roastred peanuts, white chocolate).

Monday, October 29, 2012

Maybe We Should Have Waited

We hear Sandy is going to pay us a visit.  The Great Lakes will be affected by this hurricane.  We will be getting up to 50 mph winds tomorrow and Wednesday.

If only we would have waited, we wouldn't have had to bag our leaves!  Maybe they would have all blown over to Wisconsin!  Spent the weekend raking and bagging, raking and bagging.  We took 45 bags to the leaf site.

They just keep on pushing this pile higher with a bulldozer.

Cars and trucks abound!

Simon had to come along....he was keeping us company in the yard as we raked!
Hope everyone is tucked in and out of harms way as Sandy makes her way through!  Be safe!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

For the Sophisticated Palate

 I made this yesterday for Saturday morning coffee.  Very easy to make, very moist and very good.  The espresso is hard to pick up in the bread so next time I would use espresso powder.  (I used some Italian roast beans ground fine for this recipe.)

Very nice!  I'd make again.  I need to find more of these cute paper cake wrappers.

Pumpkin Espresso Bread
3/4 cup (150 grams) brown sugar, packed
1 cup (245 grams) canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (59 ml) milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Fold in the flour, baking soda, espresso powder, spices, and salt. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Brown Sugar Espresso Topping
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, espresso powder, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin batter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Recipe courtesy of Pastry Affair.com
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Saturday, October 27, 2012

How Sweet She Is!

I just couldn't resist sharing this with all of you!

Our Joslyn's school picture....look at those little teeth....such a big girl...growing so fast.  She  makes me smile!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Where Do We Begin?

They are everywhere!  With the rains we had the past few days, today the wind.......


We have to bag our leaves and haul them to the leave site.  We have our work cut out for us.  Today it's going to be 76 degrees ---- by the weekend, high 43.  We will be getting in some good exercise for sure!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Today is a Big Day!

Today is my Mom's 92nd Birthday!  How fortunate and blessed we are to be able to celebrate with her.

We are so thankful that she lives independently, is in great shape and pretty darn good health for a woman her age.

We love you Mother!  Enjoy your day and hope your year is full of continued good health, happiness and many blessings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER!
Happy Birthday Grandma!
 

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Sparkely!

Sparkely is how Jessie describes her ring!
Jessie and Cory 
Jessie and Cory are getting married August 3rd.  Jess and I had lunch the other day....she's starting a new job next week and moving back to her hometown this weekend.  She is so excited....about the job, about being home by family and about her engagement!  She was so excited she took a chunk out of Cory's hair when she was trimming it....thus, the skinhead....she had to even out!  How funny!

Congratulations on the "Sparkely"!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Hey....I won a giveaway!  I don't get that lucky very often.  This is even the second time on this blog!

I won this three pack of organic cotton knee socks!    Aren't they cute!  This was from Raising Jane's blog.  You may recall I also won a copy of MaryJane Butters book, Glamping, a few months ago.

I would be embarassed to try another giveaway.from her site...I'd probably win!

Have  a great weekend friends!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Happy!


Here is my nephew after he scored the winning goal at the soccer district game!  1-0 !!!!

He's the one out front with this tongue sticking out of his smile!  Love this picture.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Soccer Update

Way to go Jake. Scored only goal of game! 1-0 won first round of districts.
That's my guy!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sailor Soccer



Good Luck Jake!  Great Season 16-1-1!  Districts today, Tuesday - tough team!  That's my Jake in the pink....playing for breast cancer awareness last week!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Our Weekend Fun

The weather forecasters have been so wrong this summer but for this weekend, they were right on target!
Rain, wind, and cold!  But that didn't stop us from taking Leila out for the Harvest Fest at our local state park.  The park was near full.

Friday was a nice day...sunny, crisp and fun.  Lots of kids, I mean LOTS of kids, running, playing, riding bikes etc.  They had organized activities for them.  Friday night was a scavenger hunt.  We could only help out with a wooden matchstick and a bar of hotel soap.

Richard and I rode our bikes around all the loops in the campground and then went on foot after dark to see all the fun sites.
This freak was shaking all over....I thought for sure he was real.




Then the rain came during the night on Friday.  Rained all day on Saturday, quite a few people pulled out but we left Leila at the campground and came home then went back for trick or treating.
Bought 700 pieces

Blues Brothers
 

This Witch was wandering...she wouldn't take any candy, just pointed to her mug!
Cutest little cowboy
This little mouse had a twin sister...couldn't get her in the picture, they were precious.
Leila had the best time.  She had so many compliments.  One little boy asked if he could buy her.  I said, sorry, he said PPLLEEEZEE!  Many people liked the bats too.  She was the only one donning them...they were a hit.
We're definitely "in" for next year.  The trick or treaters were many but not 700 pieces worth.  If the weather had cooperated I can't imagine how mobbed we would of been with ghosts and goblins.  What a fun event!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Harvest Fest Excitement!

We are taking Lila Jane camping this weekend. On a whim, we went out to the state park two miles from home. They are celebrating their Harvest Fest this weekend. It is a very popular annual event.  All 293 campsites are taken, they were six months ago. (They sell out in minutes..so I understand.). It just so happened that when we were inside begging for inquiring as to if they had a cancellation, lo' and behold a woman was in there at the same time changing hers around and dropped one of her sites. SCORE! We are site 203.  Ding, ding, ding!

We must get busy. Buy candy for over 500 they tell us. All sites are decorated, costumes worn and lots of good fun!

I must be careful with how I decorate Lila. She mustn't be too scary!  Any ideas anyone, I have minimal stuff on hand so I have to go shopping and get creative.
I'll be telling you all about it...promise.


If we had time, we could do this darling little guy!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Monday, October 8, 2012

Random....one more thing

All in the family...celebrations....my nephew Drew completed his first solo flight yesterday. Way to go Drew! You're awesome!





Sunday, October 7, 2012

Random

1. We've been in our house for 12 years now. Really want to do a few things. Re.do kitchen, new dining room table, new living room furniture, would love hard wood floors in living room.
2. Want to go camping again before winter. I adore my camper.
3. Really would like to take my Mom down to Florida for a visit.
4. I have got to get my craft room organized. It's embarrassing.
5. I dread the thought of the holidays just around the corner.
6. I am so happy I'm not working.
7. I want to stay home more.
8. I need to read more books.
9. My laundry room just can't stay neat and tidy...it's a dumping ground.
10. I'm really enjoying my embroidery classes. I like intricate work. I like handwork.
11. I don't think quilting is my thing.
12. I wish I was more informed on the Proposals for the upcoming elections.
13. I should get a new pair of winter boots. Mine are dated.
14. The fall colors are at peak this weekend.
15. It's time to start raking real soon.
16. organized clutter is still clutter....i.e.clutter in containers/bins is simply hidden clutter.
17. I dislike darkness at 7pm..I feel like getting my jammies on and going to bed.
18. Had reasons to celebrate this weekend...an engagement, a new job, and a birthday...all in the family.
19. Getting my haircut this week. It's so thick and poufy.
20. May try cooking a flank steak..suppose to be good. Got a good recipe for one that is marinated.
Just some random thoughts.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Congratulations!

Cory and Jessie 
ENGAGED!

We love family weddings!

Cory, you're getting the best little lady ever!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

ArtPrize 2012

Four of us went to Grand Rapids on Tuesday to view the top 10 entries in ArtPrize.  It was a perfect day.
It was sunny, 70 degrees, calm and beautiful.  We spent about 5 hours milling around the center of town.  My 92 year old mother went with us....such a trooper.....and she loved it!

Here are a few, not in the top 10, that caught my eye!

Stained Glass Carousel

Fish

These guys are so cool....all carved out of rock




This is made of bottle caps from pill bottles, deoderant tops, plastic soda caps, etc.
There were 1500 entries scattered about the city.  No way did we even begin to see a tenth of it.  The horses in the river are so cool.

Here is the link to the Top Ten..better than what I could do with my camera....enjoy. 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

School Record Broken

Mona Shores: 7 Muskegon: 0

Mona Shores Boys Varsity Soccer game last evening. ALL seven goals scored by MY NEPHEW, Jake Carlson. Can you believe it? Sorry I wasn't at the game to witness that one!

Congratulations Jake!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, October 1, 2012

Today's Bike Ride




That's my hubby on the right in the pictures.  I was on the other side of the road, snapping and riding.
Glorious Day.  Was 43 this a.m. when we got up but is warming quickly.  I think it was around 52 when we went for our ride....so refreshing.