Happy Halloween!

Ghouls, goblins, and ghosts will be parading around town for Trick or Treat soon.  Have a safe and happy Halloween!

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Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is one of the best holidays of the year for kids.  Dressing up as their favorite character and receiving tons of candy is something every kid dreams of.  While your children are enjoying this holiday, make sure to keep things safe and secure so everyone can have a good time.  Here are some Halloween safety tips for your family.

 Carve safely

Are your children begging to carve pumpkins? Make Halloween safety a family affair.

• Decorate with markers or paint. Let young children draw faces on pumpkins with washable markers or child-friendly paint. Leave any carving to an adult.
• Use candles with care. Place candlelit pumpkins on a sturdy surface away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave candlelit pumpkins unattended. Better yet, light pumpkins with flashlights or battery-operated flameless candles instead.

Get clever with costumes

From furry animals to princesses and superheroes, choosing costumes wisely is an important part of Halloween safety.

• The brighter the better. Whether you buy a costume or make one yourself, choose bright colors and flame-retardant materials. If your child will be trick-or-treating outdoors after dark, attach reflective tape to his or her costume.
• Size it right. In case it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath — but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels.
• Skip the masks. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use kid-friendly makeup instead.
• Limit accessories. Pointed props — such as wands, swords and knives — may pose safety hazards.
  Trick-or-treat with care
• The promise of Halloween candy may leave stars in your child's eyes, but Halloween safety still rules.
  
• Get in on the fun. Accompany trick-or-treaters younger than age 12. Pin a piece of paper with your child's name, address and phone number inside your child's pocket in case you get separated. Encourage older kids to trick-or-treat with a group of friends, parents or older siblings. Make sure someone in the group carries a flashlight with fresh batteries.
• Stay close to home. Don't allow your child to go door to door in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
• Set ground rules. If your child will be trick-or-treating without you, establish a route and set a curfew. Review safety rules, including staying with the group, walking only on the sidewalk, approaching only clearly lit homes and never going inside a home. You may want to give your child a cell phone for the evening should he or she need to contact you.
• Inspect the treats carefully. Don't let your child snack while he or she is trick-or-treating. Feed your child a healthy snack before heading out, and inspect the treats before allowing your child to dive in. Discard anything that's not sealed, has torn packaging or looks questionable. If you have young children, weed out gum, peanuts, hard candies and other choking hazards.
• Ration the loot. If your child collects gobs of goodies, dole out a few pieces at a time and save the rest. You may even ask your child if he or she would like to swap some — or all — of the candy for something else, such as a special toy, book or outing. You might also suggest donating excess candy to a food shelf or other charity.
• Plan a party. Consider planning a trick-or-treat party with a couple of neighbors instead of house-to-house door knocking. Decorate the garages, have a costume contest, and plan games and prizes.

Stay safe and sweet on the home front

If you'll be handing out treats, make sure you're ready for trick-or-treaters.

• Clean up. Put away anything trick-or-treaters could trip over, such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations. Clear wet leaves, snow or other debris from the sidewalk.
• Turn the lights on. Replace any burned-out bulbs to ensure good visibility at the walkway and front door.
• Control your pets. Take no chances that your pet might be frightened and chase or bite a child at your door.
• Consider sugar substitutes. Instead of handing out sugar-laden treats, try stickers, glittery pencils, rubber insects or colored chalk.

If you'll be driving on Halloween, watch for children who might pop out between parked cars. Be especially careful entering or leaving driveways and alleys. Extra caution can help ensure Halloween safety for everyone.

For more information see Mayo Clinic.

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Fall Pumpkin Recipes

Brown Eyed Baker has ten great pumpkin recipes to get you ready for fall.  Pumpkin is what everyone craves this fall, and here are ten ways to put it into your dinner plans.  


Here they are, in alphabetical order:
1. Pumpkin Bread:

2. Pumpkin Cheesecake:

3. Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip & Pecan Granola Bars:

4. Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins with Pecan Streusel:

5. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting:

6. Pumpkin Fudge:

7. Pumpkin Pie:

8. Pumpkin Pie Bars:

9. Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze:

10. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Cream Cheese Filling:

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Do You Remember Book It?

Do you remember Book It from when you were a kid?  Pizza Hut's Book It program has reached it's 28th year.  14 million readers learn about literacy in order to get a free Personal Pan Pizza.  It is a national program that launched in 1985.  Did you participate in book it?

Pizza Hut is beginning the 28th year of the BOOK IT! Reading Program, which reaches more than 14 million young readers with a message about literacy and an incentive of a free Personal Pan Pizza.

It’s a national reading program launched in 1985, and enrollment has reached 680,000 classrooms and more than 14 million students in 38,000 schools across the country.

BOOK IT! announced in May that it joined with author Jeff Kinney and his book series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” for the 2012-13 school year. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is integrated into all BOOK IT! classroom materials, teacher printables and web creatives at bookitprogram.com.

“Year after year, the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! program continues to reach new kids with a positive message about how rewarding reading can be,” said Shelley Morehead, BOOK IT! program administrator. “Through our ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ partnership and our 28 years of advancing literacy, we’re fortunate to have such tremendous support from schools around the country who want to make it great.”

The program’s “Read Your Heart Out” quest involves five steps for young readers: rally readers, track reading minutes, take on the Principal’s Challenge, read to help kids who are hungry and share a love of reading. Resources are available for each step of the quest at http://www.bookitprogram.com/readyourheartout.

In BOOK IT!, teachers and librarians set monthly goals and present students with a reading award certificate when goals are met. Students take the certificates to a Pizza Hut restaurant, where they are congratulated by a team member and given a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza. There is no purchase necessary and the pizza can be taken to go. To learn more, visit PizzaHut.com. 

For more information see Henry Daily Herald.

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Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival

The Balloon Fiesta is one of the biggest events in Albuquerque throughout the year.  Add the excitement of Balloon Fiesta plus the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival and you have a great day of events to attend.   The show runs Oct 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, and 14th of this year.

For 24 years, the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival has been rounding up world-class artists and craftsmen and bringing them together under a legendary white tent in the Land of Enchantment. Taking place the first and second weekends of October, this annual Albuquerque favorite offers a taste of New Mexico and has earned its place as a cornerstone of attractions during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Crowds of shoppers return year after year to take part in the unsurpassed setting of a huge peaked tent under a hot air balloon dotted sky, bustling with 280 of the most talented artisans from all over the map. In addition to a fantastic juried artist lineup and lively crowds, the festival features entertainment and music in the outdoor pavilion, good eats, artist demonstrations, complimentary activities for kids, and samples of food and wine! Invite your friends and save the dates! We’ll see you in October at this extraordinary fall festival.


For more information see Rio Grande Festivals.

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Fall Organizational Tips

Fall is here which means it is time to reorganize your house for the next season.  These are some great tips on how organize your apartment for fall, and get rid of that clutter that has gathered from summer.

Tip #1 Since the floor plan may seem small, the best way to add storage as well as décor to your apartment is through wall shelving. By adding shelves, you're able to make use of wall space by storing CD's, books, videos or any other collections on the shelves and off the floor. Wall shelves are also a great way to display framed photographs or other knick-knacks.
 
Tip #2 As an avid shoe collector, I know that small closet space can be a problem in most apartments. A great way to get shoes off the floor and allow space for other items is to purchase a shoe organizer. They can be found just about anywhere, and are a great low cost alternative to closet clutter. The best ones hang right over your closet door, allowing easy access to your favorite pair of shoes. By organizing your shoes, it also cuts down on time spent looking for them, especially when you're in a hurry!
 
Tip #3 Another great way to make the most of limited closet space is to buy adding an additional closet rod. This apparatus is simply hung from both sides of your original rod by 'hangers', allowing for a second row of clothing to be added below the first. A great space-saver, this item can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond for a low price.
 
Tip #4 Depending on available floor space, a common storage unit can come from the form of a trunk, or chest. These are good for putting away seasonal items or even extra towels for the guests. They're also a great additive to room décor, and can also provide additional seating in a bedroom or be used as a table for pictures or flowers.
 
Tip #5 In the living room, store books or games in storage furniture like Ottomans or coffee tables with drawers and shelves. Ottomans are essential for living rooms in that they provide a leg rest instead of the coffee table, and they can store things away from sight. You can also use them to store everyday items like the remote controls, or a TV Guide to reduce clutter in the living space.
 
Tip #6 Another good space for storing items is under the bed. While most people do hide things under the bed, most often they're not stored properly and items can get dusty and sometimes damaged. Plastic bins are an easy way to store winter sweaters, extra bedding or items you just don't know what to do with. There are specially sized plastic bins that are made thin enough to fit right under the bed, allowing for easy accessibility and freshness when particular items are needed.
 
Tip #7 If you have extra space on your closet floor, adding plastic drawers can organize and reduce clutter from other areas of the house. Organize belts, scarves, ties or anything else in the plastic drawers to make room in your regular drawers for clothing or undergarments. You can also use these drawers to hold gym clothing, extra shoes or slippers, or laundry supplies to keep with the laundry pile. These drawers, as with any size or type of plastic bin, can be found at discount retailers like Target or Wal-Mart for a low price.
 
Tip #8 Cut down on clutter by adding hanging hooks to the living room, kitchen or bathrooms. These inexpensive items allow for usable wall space to be turned into a storage area for day-to-day items like your cell phone, keys or hats. Use hooks in the bathroom to hang bathrobes or wet towels, or even decorative towels can be used for both display and practicality. In the kitchen, hang dishtowels or spare keys for easy accessibility or organization.
 
Tip #9 An easy way to store a lot of items is to have a TV entertainment center with lots of drawers and shelves. Since they are usually large, make the most of the space it takes up by storing DVDs, CDs, books or video games. Try to find enough shelves to fit the electronics, and when you're all finished setting everything up, clip together the electrical cords to make it look more neat and clean. By clipping all the cords together, it's also easier to vacuum and reduce the amount of dust buildup behind the furniture.
 
Tip #10 The last tip is to shop around for furniture that has multiple uses. You have a limited amount of space to work with, so make the most of it. Most bedroom sets offer beds with drawers, so this is a great way to attain additional storage. Ikea is a great store to shop for storage solutions for affordable apartment settings. Coffee tables, end tables, and even miniature bars all have shelves or storage space, so use it wisely!

For more information see yahoo.

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The Taste of Fall

When anybody thinks of the taste of fall, pumpkin food and treats are what first comes to mind.  However, pumpkin can not only be used for pumpkin pie, but for delicious other treats that you can make at home

Makes: 24 to 36 servings
Yield: 24 to 36 bars 

Prep: 25 mins  

Bake: 325°F 55 mins 

 Cool: 30 mins  

Chill: 3 Hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4
  cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4
  cup sugar
• 1/3
  cup butter, melted
• 2
  8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4
  cups sugar
• 3
  eggs
• 1
  cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2
  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2
  teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 6
  ounces semisweet chocolate, cut up, or 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2
  tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4
  cups sour cream
• 1/4
  cup sugar
• Grated fresh nutmeg
• Milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate curls

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in the 1/3 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1-3/4 cups sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt on low speed just until combined. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the mixture.

3. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1-1/4 cups pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Carefully pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed and center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Gently spread over cookies. Cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into bars.* Before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg and/or chocolate curls. Makes 24 to 36 bars.

From the Test Kitchen

• Make Ahead Tip Bake and chill cookies as directed; cut into bars. Place in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
• Tip *Test Kitchen Tip:To make triangle-shape bars, cut the cookies crosswise into four strips. Then cut each strip into five triangles (you'll end up with two half-triangles from the ends of each strip).For more information see Better Homes and Gardens.
  

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