Falling into Fall

I'm trying to get the fall spirit alive in my house. We kicked off today by visiting a local grape arbor---not the most common thing here in Central Ohio---to buy some grapes. There is a very small community called St. Margarita nearby which was built a hundred years ago by Italian immigrants who came here to work in the quarry. Not sure yet what I will do with the grapes. The smell in the arbors was to die for, by the way.









I also picked up these mums from a local farmer the other day, and planted them in a couple of kids' candy buckets I got from the church rummage sale last spring. I am very eager for Halloween. I always loved it, and love it more now since it's my younger son's birthday.






My little guy and I took a fall walk this morning and gathered some leaves, and started pulling my marigold seeds to save for next year. I also got out my corn silk doll. She's a beauty from our trip to Southern Ohio last spring.



My older son asked the other day why don't we ever eat in the dining room any more? Hmm, because mommy's scrapbooking junk is all over the table. Maybe tonight we will have a family dinner. I dug out these cool candlesticks that my sister in law made for my husband a few years back to accentuate the lack of junk on the table.



Even though I am trying not to shop, I could not resist picking up this Willow Tree ornament when I saw it at Cracker Barrel; I think it was totally worth the impulse buy because it is basically our family:



Another impulse buy, also worth it IMHO, was this set of hardback Zane Grey westerns, found at the used book store for $2 each. Based on today's economic news, it will be my last splurge for a bit!

Most beautiful wedding ever!

For those of you who might not have known, I spent the better part of the past year helping my little sister plan her wedding. I was terribly motivated for her day to be splendid---and it was. Every detail was perfection.

The bride:





The Wedding Party, Whetstone Park of Roses, on a perfect, sunny, almost-fall day:



I think the next two could be in a magazine! (And if you need a photographer, I'll give your info to her)





My brother gave the bride away:



The happy couple, newly wed



Beautiful showcase of the flowers (I do flowers now, if you need them!)



Cake was by the French Loaf bakery; as delicious as it was lovely:



Yours truly, with the groom's brother (my brother-in-law-in-law?)



Yours truly and husband:



Crazy Groom's Cake:

Crayon Cookies

I finally got to use this idea I first read about in the "Tightwad Gazette" to make coloring "cookies" out of all your odds and ends of broken crayons. Today we are at home, school being canceled because of all the power outages in the area due to the crazy winds last night from the remnants of Ike.

Anyway, first you line an old muffin tin with foil. Only use a muffin tin you won't be eating out of again. For me I had a couple of disposable muffin tins that I've held onto for, well, I'm embarrassed to say how long I've actually owned them, but let's say they've done their bit for queen and country!

Then you throw in your bits of crayon with the wrappers removed. Put them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or so and let them cool. The neat thing is they really only took 10-15 minutes to cool off and be usable, so the kids didn't lose interest by the time I was done, as they often do with these things.

Before:



After:



Also when doing this you can talk a little preschooler science with them by asking what do you think will happen to the crayons when they get hot? What will happen when they get cool? etc., and showing them the crayons at different stages, such as when they first get melty, when they are liquid coming out of the oven, and when they get hard again.