candy corn cupcakes

I remember seeing these cupcakes at a Halloween party the kids and I went to last year.  I couldn't wait to make them this year!  If you have followed my blog for long you know I have an obsession with candy corns.  So, making this recipe was so fun for me. 



The concept is yellow bottom, orange middle and white top!

I just used mixed up a white cake mix according to the directions.

I added food coloring.

Yellow batter....

And orange batter.

Then I poured the yellow into the cupcake liner first....

And topped it with the orange.

When the cupcakes cooled I added a dollop of white icing.

Super easy and oh so fun for the season :)

Best 2 dollars I ever spent

This is a blog post for the memory book for sure. 

Oh my goodness, if I had know how much fun these silly vampire teeth were...I'd have bought them a long time ago.



After Layla and Hayden saw one of their little friends picture on Facebook they were very curious about these silly teeth.  I needed to pick up a few things from Wal Mart, so I grabbed a package.  The package came with several colors: green, white, purple, and orange.  A color for every mood, and several of each, so there wasn't much fighting over who gets what color. And as the title of the post says...it really was the best $2.00 I have spent in a long time!

It took Hayden awhile to figure out how to get them in his mouth.  He is checking Layla out...

Now he gets it and has on the crazy glasses we got from Sonic a few weeks ago.  He looks like he is from outer space!!

Layla ran around all weekend trying to make scary faces.  I laughed so much my abs are sore.

Hayden is fist pumping how awesome he looks with green teeth.

And they tried to get the dogs to wear them too.

Oh my...

Poor Harley, she finally just laid down and wore them on her nose.  She is such a good sport.

Callaway wanted no part of the silly~ness.

Scary face!!

Fun time with fun friends!

Yesterday we made our 2nd trip to the pumpkin patch this year. 

Layla was at school, so Hayden and I met up with Ashley and Ava, and we also got to meet another twitter/blog friend Britni and her cute kiddos, Rilan and Zoey. It was great to meet new friends.

 The patch was full of dust and dirt, kids with attitudes {not our kids, but kids we didn't know running wild with no parental supervision} and hotness.  It was so dang hot.  I know I have said it a million times, but dang it is hot right now!  Add a million people and wow, it was hot!

Our pumpkin patch is so fun.  There is one side of the patch that has character cut outs.  All kinds of characters except Yo Gabba Gabba (sorry Ava & Ashley).  The kids all had a ball talking to the wooden characters and posing for pictures in front of them.  Hayden is REALLY into Mickey right now.  We watch it every morning!

Check out little Miss Ava in her shades.  She looked like a movie star!

Here is Rilan, Ava, and Hayden.  They are posing in front of the Backyardigans.  And Rilan is the only one that would say cheese for me! Thanks buddy!

Oh my cuteness...look at this little pumpkin...PRESH!

Hayden loved pretending to drive the tractor.

Hayden also decided to toss a pumpkin like a ball.  I was so worried he was going to bust it open.  Ughhh!  He is such a wild boy!

Ava and Ashley in their super star shades :)

Ashley, Ava, Hayden and I went on a hayride.  I was bounced around so much I didn't get my camera out of the bag.  I need to check my phone for a few hayride shots.  Hayden really enjoyed the bounce houses and slides.

He loved them so much I had a hard time getting him off.  He threw a fit!  Every trip to the patch so far he has had a melt down.  It is just so exciting, he can't handle all the fun!  HA!

These last few pictures of Hayden and Ava make me laugh!

He is taking her on a hot date to McDonald's.

I think they were in a sleepy, hot, thirsty and hungry daze!

They must be in traffic.

Look at her sweet little arm around his back.

Awww....melts my heart!

I'm pretty sure in this picture she is gently asking him if he knows where he is going.

We will make our third trip to the pumpkin patch on next Monday with Hayden's preschool class. I'm glad he likes the pumpkin patch.  I like the pumpkin patch because it wears Hayden out!  It ensures a long nap every time.  From both of us...chasing a two year old at the pumpkin patch is a total body workout!

Thanks for meeting us at the patch Ashley and Britni...we can't wait to hang out with you guys again soon!

Kids Rooms

I am participating again this week in Kelly's blog party ~ Show us your life. 
This week's theme is kids rooms.

This of course is Layla's room.  She is really into pink and princesses.

Before Layla had a voice in the decor we had a more child like theme.  But I want Layla's room to be HER room and I really think it is a reflection of her style.  She loves the princess clock and she picked out her comforter herself.

The bed, dresser, bedside table and chest of drawers (in closet) are mine from when I was a child.  I love it!  I'm so glad that she likes it.  She has a fuzzy pink rocking chair...the Hanna Montana pillow consumes it! 

We found her a fun cute pink desk and then I made over her desk chair. I love her lime green lamp. It was one of the first things I bought for her nursery almost 6 years ago when I found out she was a girl. 

I had a very fancy room when I was little.  I loved it, but I want Layla to make her choices about her room.  She loves it clean and organized!  Sounds like her mommy!

******

Hayden's room is transforming from a baby boy to a big boy room.  So it is really pretty plain.

Hayden is too little to have a say in his room decor.  When he slept in a crib the room matched his crib bedding...cars and trucks.  Now that the crib is gone like I said we haven't really done much with his room.  I really would like to add stripes to the walls, but I haven't made time.

He loves his camo tent and chair.  When he plays during the day he retreats to the tent.  It drives me bonkers because it is so big.  Oh well, it makes him happy, and it is better in his room than in the living room. ha!

We really need maps in our house.  Gary travels and the kids are ALWAYS asking where he is going.  Or where the airplane is taking him next.  So I ordered maps.  A US map and a world map.  We wanted them in the office, but they wouldn't fit due to the crown molding.  They are actually fun in Hayden's room.  He loves them and it helps us to learn the states!  Hayden's lamp is also one of my favorite parts of his room.  It has cars, boats, and planes on it. 

Hayden loves his big boy bed.  Neither one of my kids had a hard time transitioning to big beds.  However this captains bed may not have been the smartest idea.  It is so tall.  But it works.  The gentleman's chest was Gary's when he was a kid.  It makes me so happy that we are passing down furniture from our childhood(s). 

And don't you just love how predictable we are with the paint.  Blue for boy, pink for girl...haha!! 

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

My friend Ashley tweeted one evening around dinner time something about Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup.  I am so bad about hearing things and not being able to forget.  I wanted that soup so bad!!

So I searched all the recipe websites I know and found a super easy recipe. I made a few changes to it and my version of Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup was born. 

What you will need:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 cans of 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

1 can of enchilada sauce, I used about 15 oz

1 4 oz can chopped green chilies

2 cups of milk

1 cup of shredded cheddar, Monterrey jack cheese

(i overdid the cheese, but honestly there is no such thing as too much cheese)

What to do:

Mix the soup, enchilada sauce and milk in a pan on the stove top.  Slowly stir in cheese and cook on low heat for about 7 minutes.  Then add chilies and chicken.  Let it all simmer for about 20 minutes on very low heat.  Serve immediately topped with smashed tortilla chips. 

 I served it with chips and guacamole. I love homemade guacamole.

I tasted so delicious and will be even better on a crisp fall day.  It isn't fall here right now.  It is down right hot!  I am ready for some rain and cooler weather.  Hopefully this weekend will bring some coolness!

daddy was on duty