Our First Live Christmas Tree and Buddyzilla!

Let's get Buddy out of the way LOL.  Today we awoke to find Buddyzilla taking over my Christmas village.  At least he looks friendly while he is tormenting my poor villagers :)

Next on the docket: Our first live Christmas Tree!!!

I have never had a real tree before, but have always thought about getting one.  Last year, we donated our artificial tree to Goodwill after the holidays.  It was too big for the room we have, now that the kids toys and things are taking over the house.  The type of shape/size that I want was going to be really expensive, and I felt like I was being too picky - so we decided to get a real tree.  If I was going to get a real tree, we were going REAL...

So, tonight Superdad and I loaded the littles up in the Pilot and drove up to the Big Tree Plantation in Morrow, OH.  It was only about 15 minutes away, so very reasonable for a weeknight.  Plus - I had a coupon LOL.  Hey, every 10% off helps right???  So, we bundled up and headed up to the farm - because we were cutting down our own tree!  When we arrived, Jeff went to ask what we do - because we have never done this - and the littles and I went and hung out by the big warm bonfire....the kids were being hams for the camera:

Sweet Abigiail...

Handsome Ryan - I LOVE him in this puffy vest!

Once Jeff got our instructions on what we were supposed to do, we headed out into the big field of trees on our hunt for the perfect one!  It was a little challenging in the dark, but we didn't really have any other time this weekend - and well, I was being impatient (and a little tired of hearing Abby ask when we were getting one) so we decided to go tonight.  Thank goodness for the flash on our phone's video camera - it makes the perfect flashlight! **Note to self - bring flashlight if ever tree hunting at night again - or better, go during the day**   We walked for a little while, and then saw it - our tree!  It was perfect.....

Abby and Ryan with our tree!!!!!!

Here is Jeff with the first (of hopefully many) fresh cut by himself S Family tree....

The kids of course, had to help their Daddy pull the tree back - LOVE them!



When we got finished getting the tree to the people that shake it out (to get all of the chipmunks out per Abby) and wrap it up, we went to the gift shop and to explore a little.  The kids got to see live reindeer, and we even bought an ornament so we can always remember our very first live tree.  After we were done with that, we took a horse drawn carriage ride through the field of trees.  I will say that we were very impressed with the experience in all.  Here is a cute pic of Abby and Ryan and a very good, but SUPER dark family picture - which bums me out because it is a great one....

AND FINALLY - PRESENTING OUR TREE!!!

Yes, it is bare - we will be decorating it tomorrow....it was too late tonight.



Elves Making Coffee and Happy Tappers!

Today, we awoke to Buddy making coffee!!  I don't drink coffee at all, but it was a sweet thought on his part.  Maybe he can make me some hot chocolate tonight instead......



I finally started pulling the Christmas decorations upstairs from the basement today.  One of the kids favorite parts of Christmas is playing with the Happy Tappers from Hallmark.  They are basically snowglobes that have little figurines in them, and they dance to songs.  They can all be linked together, or seperate.  Pretty cute little things if you ask me!  Abby was at school, so I was enlisting the help of Ry-man.....he was helpful for about 5 minutes until he saw the tappers - then it was over!  He had so much fun, and played with them for about an hour consistantly.  It was so nice!!  Here is a cute picture of him with them, and if I can get it to

upload, there is a video of him dancing with the tappers :)

 



Buddy is the Best Elf Ever!!!

The kids were SO excited to wake up Sunday and find all of the suprises in store for them!  Little did we know that Abby was going to come wandering in our room at 5am.  She was quite impressed with the tree, but we just played it off like she was a little crazy and told her to go back to bed.  How awful are we?  When she woke up that morning for good, she was still going on and on about the tree - we just kept playing it off and changing the subject.....finally, she got a little peeved and pulled me by the hand into the hall to show me.  She and Ry were SO excited!  They just kept oooing and aaahhing over it.  Of course, they made me take their picture with it.

When we went downstairs - they were all confused at first.  Then, Abby spotted the presents and the letter from Buddy and she was even more excited!  They of course wanted to open all their presents before eating, and who am I to say no to that?  They love their elf presents!

Abby reading the letter that Buddy wrote to them.



Abby checking out all the Prep & Landing gear...

They are big fans of the 'night vision goggles' aka sunglasses with a light up ring lol.

I will try to get a pic of all the stuff that Buddy gave them, but right now it is hard to get it away from them for a picture.  Where will buddy end up next????

Pumpkin Pie - Oh My!!

My favorite thing to bake, besides my famous cookies - is pumpkin pie!  I got the recipe from my Aunt, and have been in charge of making them for about five years now to bring to Thanksgiving dinner.  This year I will share my secrets (well, sort of) with you!  I also tried something new in the form of making them 'pretty' if you will.  Here is my guide to pumpkin pie!

Here are the ingredients you will need: 29oz of Pumpkin, 2 cans Evaporated Milk,  2 Tbsp Flour, 1/2 tsp Salt, 2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, 4 Eggs, and 2c firmly packed brown sugar.  The reason for the non measurement on some of the spices - that's my secret lol.  Not too much of each :)  That is all I can give you!

Next, you need some extra special helpers - that makes the experience....Abby had her apron on!

Before I enlisted the help of the littles, I mixed all of the dry ingredients together in a 2qt bowl.  It just makes it a lot easier when adding the dry stuff to the wet. 

Then, with the help of my littles - I mixed the 4 eggs and the can of pumpkin together until well blended.  I used the whisk attachment.

After mixing the eggs and pumpkin together, then add the dry ingredients and mix until blended.

After you blend the egg mix and dry ingredients together, slowly mix in the two cans of evaporated milk and mix until well blended.  This was the littles favorite part!

After everything is blended together - this is what the finished filling will look like:

Next, you will want to line your pie plates (I swear by glass, but the cheap throw away tin ones are ok too). Now, I love to bake - but homemade crust is something I don't do often. So, these are just the refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts that come in a two-pack.  I roll the edges down, and use the scoop part of the spoon to make a fun design in the edge of the crust.

To fill the crusts, I use a soup ladle.  I just alternate pans, so as to assure that there is an even amount in both.

All ready for the oven! 

I bake the pies at 425 for 15 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350 for 35-40.

I don't have any pics of this process, but I used another crust and just cut out leaves and acorn shapes and placed them on an ungreased baking sheet at 400 for about 8 minutes.  I did forget to score the leaves with a sharp knife to mimic veins, but they look fine without also.  Super cute and easy!

When the pies cool, I just used some of the decorations and made a cute design.  Here they are!

Pies are ready to go tomorrow, and I will be enjoying a slice!  Also - only TWO days until Buddy makes his appearance on Saturday morning :)  The littles are going to be so excited.  Off to bed - long day tomorrow with two Thanksgiving meals to attend!  I hope everyone has a very safe and joyful Thanksgiving.

Sliter Family Halloween Recap!

We have had a really busy and fun Halloween month!  I tried to pick less pictures, but I just couldn't!  Here is some of what we did to celebrate the spooky month of October.....

We visited a couple of pumpkin patches - the reason for more than one visit: The first one we went to was Bonnybrook Farms in Clarksville, which I highly recommend - IF you don't mind no hayride.  Well, there was one, but it was a historical one, and the kids would have been bored to death!  So, we went to our old standby which is Blooms & Berries right here in Maineville....they have an awesome hayride and their kids area is just as nice as Bonnybrook - everything for the most part at both places is free for the kids area with a few exceptions for special things.

Here are some pictures from our trip to Bonnybrook Farms:

Jeff, Abby, & Ryan

I was a big fan of the fact that you could cut the pumpkin off the vine here!



Here are some pictures from our second trip to a pumpkin patch at Blooms & Berries:

Ryan doing the pumpkin roll - he loved this!

I Love Our Family!!

Ryan sitting on a pumpkin - this picture was at his request.....which was "Cheese Pumpkin?"

How does my baby girl look all grown up?!?

Another big thing for the kids is going to Kings Island for their Halloween festivities!  Here are some pics of the kids there.  The new thing was Trick-or-Treating with the Dinosaurs.  It helps that the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit is something they are both into right now.  It was so fun to watch them tell me about their favorite dinosaurs - for the record: Abby is in love with all dinosaurs with long necks, but particuarly the Allosaurus and Ryan is a big fan of T-Rex! Enjoy the pics from KI!

They love each other SO MUCH!

Abby loved looking at all the dinosaurs.....that is awesome.

This HAS to be one of my favorite pics of the two of them.

Abby is now enrolled in dance at a local dance academy.  She LOVES it so much.  It probably helps that one of her good friends from school is also there too.  Yes, we did plan it LOL.  Here is a picture of Abby and Rowan from their Halloween school dance recital.  If I can figure out how to upload the videos of their mini-recital I will.  They are a hoot!

Now, what is Halloween without the pumpkin carving?  Ryan loved using his 'tooop' aka the scooper.  He hates his hands getting dirty, so this was a win/win.....pumpkin got cleaned a little and hand stayed clean tightly wrapped around the scoop!  Abby was 'so disgusted' by it.....what a girl!  Abby chose to have Tinkerbell carved on hers, Ryan was an obvious choice with Mickey, I decided to carve Minnie because what is Mickey without Minnie?, Abby wanted Jeff to carve Jack Skellinton from The Nightmare Before Christmas.  The kid hates anything scary, but two of her favorites are Tim Burton movies - so funny.  Here are a couple of pics from our day of carving!  

Our finished pumpkins!

What is all of this rambling leading up to - well, Halloween night of course!!!!  We had a great time.  The McAffry family came up to join us, and walk around with us and our neighbors.  It was really fun this year since Abby 'got it'.  She and Parker, along with Abbie and Ashlee were gone at 6pm and didn't stop running until 7pm when they finally pooped out.  The finished the night by handing out the candy - something they all loved.

Here is a group pic of the older kiddos:  Abbie as Dorothy, Parker as a Ninja, Abby as Tinkerbell, and Ashlee as Ariel

The best part of October for the adults at least, has been the arrival of Yuengling in Ohio!  I am a strict Bud Light girl - yeah, yeah.  Well, I had one heck of a day that Monday - and Jenn handed me a Yuengling Light - oh dear - I am converted.  SO SO good.  That is why in the picture you will see all but one of us enjoying some variety of Yuengling!  We had the original lager, light, and the Black and Tan.  It was a Yuengling kind of Halloween.....Our group heading out to trick-or-treat with the kids.....