A Little Bit More of the Christmas Spirit

I just wanted to share this video with you all before the holiday just in case some of you need a little bit more of the Christmas spirit and I might not be posting much til after the holiday...so please enjoy. HERE is the link to the site for direct sharing options or if you wanted to read more on it.

Thanksgiving Day...

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday yesterday (for those that celebrated it, of course). I had a great one! I got to share it with people I loved and that I think was the best part of  it all. I am truly blessed. If you would like to read up on my holiday you can go HERE and have a lil bit of a laugh!

Count your many, many blessings for you are loved!

Table decor...for cheap!

So here is the post that I mentioned earlier about decorating a table for Halloween. Our YW president made these. All she used was some old random candle sticks that she got from the DI and Good Will and some battery operated tea lights from the dollar store and then spray painted them black then to attach the candles to the holders, she used sticky tack(that way you can turn on and off the lights!). It was an amazing table set up and I wish I had a photo of it before it was disturbed. We also took these candle sticks with us during our pumpkin carolling/service activity. So cute!

Halloween Party and Service Activity

I thought I would share with you what we did as our mutual this past Wednesday. Since Halloween is on a Monday this year, we planned to have our annual Halloween party on the 26th (the Wednesday before). However, we thought that it would be a nice change to do a bit of service for those who wouldn't be able to go trick or treating. 

At first this was going to the hospital and visiting the children's wing and take treats into them, then it was going to be at the rest home to the elderly and take them some pumpkin bread, but then we had someone in the ward with a truck full of potatoes (we live in SE Idaho...they are kinda a big thing here) and so we ended up going around to families in our ward singing pumpkin carols and taking them a bag of potatoes. It was a nice to do some service to those who can't get out or who are struggling and the faces on some of the families were worth it. 

Once we got done with the service we did head back to our YW president's house and had treats and a mini party. Everyone was all dressed up (I mean what is pumpkin caroling without a little costume??). Everyone had fun and got full on many disgusting looking (but really yummy) treats/food.

Click HERE for a word doc with some pumpkin carols and HERE to be taken to the Kitty Litter Cake post (we served this to our girls that night...it was rather comical).

Hope your Old Hallow's Eve is a real scream! Be safe!!!!

Also be sure to check out my next post about some super easy candle light decorations we had on the food table and we took caroling!

Whose ready to play.....?

OK so I have seen a few sites that have had this little holiday jewel on their sites/blogs and I was like....HEY, I CAN MAKE THAT!!!

Well I did and here is what it looks like...

Here is what I used and what you would need to make one of these cute lil flags.

21 Jenga blocks

white spray paint (ONLY if you have the Jenga game version I had, Truth or Dare....I had to cover the black blocks up some how)

Acrylic Paint in RED, WHITE, and BLUE

Paint brush

Glue Gun and glue sticks

Star (I used vinyl and my cricut to cut the star but you could always stencil it on)

Felt (to cover the back after you attach your sting)

Twine/Jute/Ribbon/Wire (which ever you want)

Staple Gun and staples

Scissors

Acrylic Sealer

Sand Paper (if you choose to distress it. I didn't cause like I said I had some black blocks to cover and I didn't want to take the chance of the black to come through)

Paint each of your blocks to the corresponding color (3 blue, 8 white, and 10 red)

Once dry start to build your flag by gluing them together (refer to picture for pattern...you should be gluing them in rows of three across side by side)

Then attach/paint your star on the blue blocks

Cut your twine or what ever you are using to hang it up with to the desired length. Tie a knot at each end and attach it to the back of the flag  towards the top with the staple gun.

Once attached measure and cut your felt to fit the back and glue.

Then, if desired, if it is going to be hanging out side....apply your sealer.

There you have it....cheap, easy and cute. Perfect for a mutual for girls camp idea or if you are bored.

Trick or Treat....

So I know that it is a bit early for Halloween but I just had to share this recipe. As I was going through my pictures I came across this cake....unfortinately this isn't the best one I have done...as I got a little too much green food coloring in and went a little heavy on my favorite candy... but I think you can get an idea of what I am talking about...

Kitty Litter Cake

1 pkg (18.25 oz) German Chocolate cake mix

1 pkg (18.25 oz) White cake mix

2 pkgs (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 pkg. (12 oz) vanilla sandwich cookies

3 drops green food coloring

1 pkg Tootsie Rolls (unwrapped)

PROPS: a NEW kitty litter box, box liner and scoop (I highly suggest that the props are all new, if there not, shame on you and don't tell me).

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to the directions on the packages (in any size pan you have). Prepare pudding mix according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble. Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor (or a rolling pin works well too! =] ) scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup of the crumbs. To the 1/4 cup of crumbs add a few drops of green food coloring and mix (the picture below was a little greener than what I wanted but you get the idea). When both cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl, toss with 1/2 of the remaining plain cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. You wont need all of the pudding since you just want the cake to be moist and NOT soggy.

Line the litter box with the new and clean kitty liner. Put the cake mixture into the liter box. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until SOFTENED. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt then curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury shaped tootsie rolls randomly into the cake and sprinkle with the remaining plain cookie crumbs. Sprinkle a small amount of green crumbs lightly over the top.

Heat 3-4 tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish until ALMOST MELTED. Scrap them on top of the cake and sprinkle slightly with green crumbs. Hear remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over the top of the cake mixture. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over the side of the littler box. Serve with pooper scooper for a gross (but REALLY YUMMY) Halloween treat!!!