good days, bad days and everything in between...

yes, i'm still here...sometimes half here but what else is new?

i didn't forget about my fall party...

just hit a little bump in the road.

tell me, do you find your blog posts...or lack of them

kind of go the way of your mood or your day?

mine ABSOLUTELY do!

when i'm feeling happy or cool or all things good...

i keep it light and do things like a giveaway or PARTY!:)

feeling LAZY...maybe a few quotes, pictures..

Feeling SAD, nervous, upset, STRESSED or scared?

then i either don't do a blog post at all or something kind of WEIRD.

i can't explain it but it's one of those posts that make you say

"don't know where that came from or where she's going with that but...okay" :)

so can you tell that the past few days have been kinda BAD blogging days around here?

like i can't bring myself to act truly happy/silly/laid back or whatever...

when i feel far from it?

ya'll know my dad had heart surgery...

6 WEEKS AGO!!!!!

and he's still in the hospital...intensive care...fighting off EVERY complication

known to mankind.

it's been a true rollercoaster ride.

good days and bad days (ahem...the title today:)

he has a few good days and we are so happy, planning the future, getting back to laughing and having fun when

WHAM...he hits a setback.

and while we still try to smile and laugh...

it's tough.

don't ever let anyone say that it isn't.

we know that he is firmly in God's hands...

yet there are times we wonder at the things he is going through.

but we have FAITH that God will see him through this...
and he will be HAPPY and HOME again...

the fact that people i have never met in my life pray for him is

nothing short of incredible.

it is extremely humbling and I am so very grateful for the prayers and messages of 

encouragement i constantly get.

i can always use it. 

i'm using my words of encouragement up on my mom

trying to take care of her emotionally, along with the rest of my family,

just as his caregivers take care of him physically.

but i truly didn't intend to do this...
so enough already.
let's get on with things;)

i only meant  to say a few words to explain why i dropped things cold 

and why i didn't reply to comments Friday

or post about the next giveaway.

i will...PROMISE.

maybe later today...maybe not.

I just have to regroup, get my act together...all that GOOD stuff.

thanks for your care, prayers and patience!

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

Apron Giveaway WINNER...

well, i have to say, the apron i am giving away

is so stinkin cute...

that i wish i had one for all who entered.  

i don't, but i am sooooo happy you took the time to stop by and enter.

and if by ANY chance you are lovin 

OWLS...

really cute owls, i might add,

then come back later today when i have my act together

i mean get my Friday post up and running with a 

SUPER cute owl giveaway:)

i promise you'll be glad you did!

and now, i would like to introduce you to lucky #11,

Terry from Cherished Treasures.

(i;m so sorry...apparently i'm too stupid to get the random widget to
show up on my post!:)

Terry is the winner of my apron giveaway.

She is so cute...she can't decide whether to keep the apron

or give it to her daughter.

Terry, here's a thought...

IF you decide to give the apron away,

AT LEAST make sure she shares the SCONES with you! :)

if you have time, pop over and meet her by clicking on the button:

 

 okay, have to run but "OWL" be seeing you later today:)

xoxoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Cute and Creepy Ideas for the Little Chicks...

like the saying goes...

"kids are people too"!

oh yes, they SURE are.

and they deserve a bit of FALL fun too, right?

so today is all about the little ones.

let's get this party started...

every kids party i ever did included a little craft.

something very cute, very simple...and fun!

i don't know about you but i am CRAZY about all the

coffee filter crafts out there.

take a look at these sunflowers.

 how dang cute are these?
i know that amazing, dyed coffee filters are all over the place,
but these are cute and they are just COLORED...
with good, old fashioned color crayons:)

and since part of fall is a hayride pulled by a tractor,

how about their very own big green tractor picture,

made with their footprint:)

(thank you to Life's a Bowl of Cherries)

(click on the highlighted links to get more info.)

my niece Tammy had a great idea...

buy a BUNCH of those tiny pumpkins 

and hide them all over the yard.

how adorable is that...their very own 

PUMPKIN PATCH 

or it could also be a pumpkin hunt!

then...they could PAINT their mini pumpkin...
take a look at these, courtesy of Playstation.
meet "Frank"...

or how about a creepy spider...

and the one that CRACKS me up...

hahahahahaha..told you it cracks me up:)

and MUMMIES...
who knew they could be so cute?

(BH&G)

speaking of pumpkins, how about these hanging pumpkin ornaments?

 we make christmas ornaments like this and

hang them all over the house, but some genius person

created them in orange and green.

so clever and SOOOOO easy!
i could tell you how but i'm lazy not good at tutorials,
so visit the hostess blog and she'll help you out:)

it's not all about pumpkins here.
let's not forget Mr. Turkey!

(thank you My Blessed Life for the pic)

okay, are the little goblins hungry yet???
then it's time for  TREATS!
whenever i had a kids party...and we had a lot of them...
other moms would have an...ahem...
  HISSY FIT if we jumped right to sugar...
i know, i know...it's the right way to be.
so let's start with something REALLY (haha) nutritious...
like MUMMY DOGS!

i think these are pretty self-explanatory...and they do look good!

strawberry ghosts would be yummy and CUTE!

apple cider and donuts are always a good idea...

 especially acorn donut holes:)
or maybe served with GHOSTY HOT COCOA...

and one of the COOLEST ideas for a SPOOKY treat/Gift would be
Southern Vogue's take on smores...
Halloween Peeps in a Jar!

 how dang cute/clever is this?
visit her and she'll tell you EXACTLY what to do.

okay...i think i've done enough damage for one day.
if you would like to win this
SUPER CUTE apron,

 visit here and leave a comment.
the deadline for leaving a comment is midnight tonight...
but never fear...another drawing is coming up tomorrow...
want a clue?
whoo do you think i am...i can't give anyone an advantage!
(wink, wink;)

See ya!
Suzanne

shabby chicks PRETTY little FALL GIVEAWAY...and More!

hey ya'll...

are you enjoying the Fall yet?

 (love this banner by tattered rose art on etsy)

well, if not, get ready!

i told you i had a few little giveaways and today is 

the first one.

but ...before we get to that whole thing

let's see what else we have on the agenda for this

Fall Open House!

how about a little snack?

it's so easy and delicious...

and if you're really talented, scoop out a pumpkin to serve it in.
(remember...we are ALL about easy, yummy and not spending TONS of money on ingredients:)
it looks something like this...

PUMPKIN FLUFF DIP

adapted from Allrecipes.com 

1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator until serving. Serve with ginger snaps, vanilla wafers, cinnamon graham crackers or animal crackers.

OR...

maybe you'd rather have a 

BANANA PUMPKIN SHAKE!!!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup milk
    * 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
    * 1 banana
    * dash of cinnamon

Blend in blender until smooth and foamy. Serve immediately.

or maybe that good ol' standby

CHIPS and DIP

 now this one is TOTALLY cute , easy and...
let's face it... cheap budget friendly:)

just scoop out a pumpkin, line it with a pretty napkin

and fill it up with chips.

maybe scoop out some small ones for the dip.

now that might call for a 

YEEHAW!!!!!

if you have some pretty doilies laying around like we did,

stitch them together a bit and you'll have something like this, made by miss Taylor...

 a DOILY TABLE RUNNER.

beautiful!!!

okay, okay...

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

i said it has something to do with ruffles yesterday, remember?

well, hear it is...

this ADORABLE, RUFFLED, apron...

 in beautiful fall colors...

perfect for cooking that Thanksgiving dinner.

OR...

perfect for cooking the package of cinnamon apple scones

that I am including with the apron.

all you need to do is leave a comment and i'll

put you in the random generated drawing...

that's it...a simple "hey that's pretty cute"

and you might win this pretty little apron!

i'll leave the giveaway open until Thursday night at midnight...
so maybe you'll wake up Friday morning and be the winner!
and if not, you'll be able to see my NEXT giveaway that is sooooo cute...
i might go buy one for myself today:)

Good Luck...and i'll be having another giveaway on Friday

so don't forget to stop by!

now, i found some cool Wednesday parties i thought would fit this post so here goes...
i am linking up with Women Living Well...

another good one is Thrifty Home's Penny Pinch Party

(for those penny pinching treats i told you about:)

and last but not least is Good Life Wednesday by

 so there you have it. have a fabulous day!!!

XOXOXOXO

Suzanne

Cider Mills, Country Roads and Caramel Apples...

living in Florida is pretty nice...

most of the time.

but i figure after living here for 16 years, 

it's time to give credit where credit is due.

nothing beats fall in michigan...

or places like it "UP NORTH".

 (Petoskey, Mi)

and everything is up north when you live in

south florida:)
even the hospitals get into it...
here is my mom at an apple cart in the hospital cafeteria.

 it was so neat, i couldn't resist a picture:)

growing up there, i figure i have to share a few

favorites with you so here goes...

 a mini list of things you MUST do

if you go up north in the fall...

~go on a HAYRIDE

 ~drive...just get in the car and drive...

preferably down a COUNTRY road.

you'll see GORGEOUS colors everywhere as the 

leaves change.

~head up to northern michigan...

petoskey, mackinac island, traverse city...

 go on, just head north!

~ pop into Frankenmuth where they will say

WILLKOMEN (welcome in German)

and you will STUFF yourself at the Bavarian inn.

don't forget a visit to Bronners for your

first Christmas ornament of the year;)

~JUMP in the leaves.

go ahead...you're never too old!
and while you're there, make "leaf angels"
and have a leaf fight! haha

~stop at the nearest pumpkin patch

~and okay,  i have learned that college football

in the SEC (south) IS the equivalent of a national holiday...

and i am NOT exaggerating.

however, there is no stadium like

THE BIG HOUSE in Ann Arbor,

home of the Univ. of Michigan wolverines.

(ahem...it's ginormous...114,000+ watched a game Sept. 10,

that's why it's called the BIG house,

in case you didn't pick that up:)

~and my FAVORITE way to spend a Sunday afternoon

"up north"...

visit a cider mill!

 i happen to love Parshallville because that was closest

to me but they are all over. 

here we are at one near my sister's house.

you can't help but have a AMAZING day.

  

besides the CHARM of an old mill,

 the  red, crisp, delicious apples...

 there are the DONUTS!!!!!!!!

 omg...life doesn't get any better than a fresh,WARM

donut from the donut mill.

here is a link for homemade apple cider donuts...

or you can make the simple, easy version here...

you won't believe how easy and YUMMY they are!

(trust me on that:) the recipe is from one of my favorite sites,
southern plate.com and as they say...
they are "FOOLPROOF"
and NO, they do not taste like biscuits,
even though you make them with a can of biscuits:)
here is the recipe...

Melt In Your Mouth Doughnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ten count can Texas style buiscuits (or your preference, just not flaky layers)
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 stick margarine, melted
• Vegetable Oil For Frying

Instructions

1. Pour oil into skillet to the depth of a little less than 1/2 an inch and heat on medium to medium high for about five minutes. In a bowl, melt margarine. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
2. Using a plastic bottle cap, cut the center out of each biscuit. Drop dough into hot oil, watching carefully and turning when golden. Once doughnuts are golden on both sides, remove to paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all dough is cooked, including doughnut holes.
3. Dip both sides of each doughnut into melted margarine, then press both sides into cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm.
4. don't make them while you are home alone...you might eat them ALL! hahaha

and another cool idea for a party...

donuts on a stick in hot cocoa, cider...

 (from wedfully.)

as far as apple treats go, instead of a giant 

caramel apple that, while good, are sometimes a pain to eat,

how about CARAMEL APPLE BITES.

 i am soooooo making these for football saturday!

thank you Taste of Home for the tip.

okay, here i was planning a short post today.

tough for me to do:)

i'll post my giveaway later today or tomorrow.

like a hint? 

RUFFLES!!!!!

XOXOXOXO

Suzanne