30 days of Halloween Food

Every day in October I am going to highlight some Halloween dishes that look fun on my Cooking Blog. I have tried a few and have plans to try several this year. Each year we have Josh's family up for my Halloween dinner and I can hardly wait for it. Also last year I threw a Scentsy party in October and it was so fun to prepare Halloween treats for it that I thought I would do it again this year. Watch for me to announce the date so you can be sure to be there!

Everyday I will post at least one Halloween dish. I've been busy combing through magazines and have so many I want to highlight that I'll probably do 2 or 3 a day, depending on my speed, schedule and sanity. Most of my recipes come from the last several editions of Taste of Home Magazines, but I might do a few others from other places. Happy Haunting!

Tell the Truth Tuesday

I just started following a new blog that I am already in love with, Giving What I Am. She is doing a Truthful Tuesday and since my blog has been a little dead lately I thought I would try it too. I'm also going to copy her this week too, because it's something I need to work on myself.

I am not good enough to my husband. He is an awesome man and sometimes I take it for granted. He loves me at my best, but he also loves me at my worst.

He has been an amazing support through our trial of infertility. He has listened to me rage, he has held me while I cried. He has been my rock.

Now is the perfect time for me to work on being a better wife. This time of year I become a hunters widow. Already I have started to loose patience with him for not being home. I know he only gets a few weeks a year to hunt and each year I vow to enjoy it with him and each year I get jealous. But there is a few more hunts this fall and I am going to be more supportive.

Halloween is coming

Just over a year ago when I started my blog Halloween was one of the first things I blogged about. It's an obsession of mine. I always put my Halloween decorations up the last Friday of September (or the week before). So I spent this weekend deep cleaning my house and setting up for my favorite time of year. Sorry no fall decorations until after Halloween. I just don't have enough room for both. I have another dozen pumpkins I didn't put up because I ran out of room. Here is this year's edition of Halloween at the Christensen's.

I LOVE my bathroom. I would seriously keep this up all year if Josh would let me. The rest of the year it has a cowboy theme.

I have three of these spiders that I hang from the ceiling. This is where Josh has to help me since I'm so short.

Love this guy! Yesterday I couldn't find him because I forgot he is a box all by himself. When I told Josh I couldn't find my bat, he told me that's because he threw it out across the street last month. Ha ha, he's so funny. Let's hope this is the only bat in my house in the coming months.

My ghost tower

I tried to put the witch under the TV, but with out stand it just wouldn't quite work, but I like her better next to the broom anyways.

My piano always ends up with my favorite things. I love the pumpkin guy on the chair. I've had him for years. Barbara bought me the cat last year and I LOVE him. She bought me the bear too, I think two years ago.

I try to put the skeleton in a different place each year. A few years ago he was playing the piano. I loved it, until I needed to play the piano to practice for church. I need Josh to adjust him a little, but I think I like him there. Ignore my walls that need to be painted. I made the ghost myself with a white table cloth. The directions I followed said to put it over a pumpkin on the table, but this one I can use over and over. I also made the mini pumpkins myself. I need to make some more.

I am still waiting on my Scentsy pumpkin warmer. They are on back order. The good news is I think I will have it before Halloween is here, I know some people don't expect to get theirs until the first of November. Last year I did a daily Halloween fact blog. This year I have decided to do Halloween recipes on my cooking blog. I have already done a few drafts so I'll be all ready to go on October 1st. Be sure to check it out every day.

Why we continue to wait to become parents

Someday this will be us...

Worthy Causes

I really an behind in my support for some friends in the adoption world. They are always in my prayers but I wanted to do a highlight for a few friends of mine.




The R House is in the midst of a contested adoption. They have started an Etsy shop with handmade adoption jewelry to help raise money for the court cost.

My personal favorite that I will be ordering soon.You can visit her Etsy shop HERE.

Patrick is a precious little boy who will turn 1 on Halloween. (Wouldn't that be the best birthday ever!) He needs a transplant and his family, friends, and neighbors have a few ways you can donate money to cover their costs. Their family was in the Tribune today. To read more on that story go HERE.

Pictures

We're almost out of pass along cards. Before we order more I wanted some new pictures. So this morning while Josh was at work I curled my hair and when he got home I told he we needed to go get some pictures. We just had some family pictures taken a week ago, so he was a little hard to convince. But I probably won't use those pictures for a few reasons. That day I got a hair cut thinking the girl could do up my hair super cute. BUT my hair ended up shorten than I wanted so I couldn't style it like I wanted. I chose our shirts minutes before we left for the session and I'm still not sure if I'll like them. AND last year I hinted at the guy I wanted pictures for our pass along cards and he threw a big fit about copyrights. Whatever, I still scanned them and uploaded them online.

We went to Josh's parents house. I seriously don't know how I ever lived without a self timing camera. His mom was at school so we were on our own. We took a few and then it started to rain so we took a 30 minute break and then took a few more. Here is what we have to choose from. Please feel free to leave a comment which one is your favorite because it will end up on 500 pass along cards.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Personally, 8, 9, and 10 are my favorites, but I would love everyones opinion.

*UPDATE: I am going to crop the pictures, I am waiting to do it on my work computer because it is some much better. I just wanted to get the votes in over the weekend so I can order cards first thing this week.

I'm a cruel human...

The weather forcast said rainy today, but I still threw my cats outside. This is what I found when I got home tonight.

Let's just say the cats are not happy with me.

Especially since I closed the bedroom door and they can't even find comfort on the soft bed.

FSA Ice Cream Social

We had an Ice Cream Social on Saturday for our FSA Group. It was lots of fun.

And the winner is...

JESSICA!!!

Jessica has been my cousin for years, but over the last few years we have been able to develop a great friendship. We have both watched families grow around us, while ours remained a family of two. But we've been there for each other to coach each other on, lend an ear to listen too, and hope for their children to come along through the miracle of adoption. Oh, and we both have a passionate love for the Quilted Bear and The Olive Garden.

The rest of you can be winners too! Marcia Lynn McClure has an e-book you can download for FREE!

To download your free copy of "The Rogue Knight", go HERE.

Family Fast

The Church designates one Sunday each month, usually the first Sunday, as a day of fasting. Proper observance of fast Sunday includes going without food and drink for two consecutive meals, attending fast and testimony meeting, and giving a fast offering to help care for those in need.

As members of the church, we can fast for many purposes. Fasting is one way of worshiping God and expressing gratitude to Him. We can fast as we ask Heavenly Father to bless the sick or afflicted. Fasting may help us and those we love receive personal revelation and become converted to the truth. Through fasting we can gain strength to resist temptation. We can fast as we strive to humble ourselves before God and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. We may fast to receive guidance in sharing the gospel and magnifying Church callings. Fasting may accompany righteous sorrow or mourning.

To read more of what our church says about Fasting, please visit this LINK.

Most times we fast for personal reasons and personal growth. But there is strength in numbers and sometimes members will choose to fast for a common thing. This Sunday we have asked family and friends to join us in a fast for our adoption plan. It would be awesome if this fast resulted in our getting chosen, but we are also asking for family and friends to fast that we can receive the comfort we so desperately seek. We are fasting that we may align ourselves with God's plan.

If you like, please join your prayers with ours on Sunday.