Get rid of the candy and teach a lesson too!

You're probably not like me. I worry about the whole Halloween candy thing. Half about not wanting the kids to have candy everyday for the next 6 months and 3/4 because my favorite thing in the world is candy and I cannot stop thinking about it if it is in the house. (okay my math is off, so that you get the point) Last year I let Daphne keep 10 pieces the morning after and then we threw the rest away and she bought a small toy in exchange. This year, I wanted to do the whole 10 pieces again, but it just seems silly to have to buy her a toy too. So, I went searching for somewhere to give this candy. I found the following information about sending a care package to our soldiers. This is going to be our goodwill project today! I think I will take them shopping for some of the personal care items on the list and then add our Halloween candy to the mix. I think Daphne will really get into this:)

Troop Care Package
The following is a list of suggested items that
our Soldiers could use.
***
Personal Care Items
Eye Drops
Chapstick, Carmax, Blistex
Shampoo/Conditioner (travel size)
Deodorant - Men and Women
Toothpaste (travel size), Toothbrushes, Dental Floss
Mouthwash (travel size)
Soap, Body Wash, Hand Sanitizer
Foot Powder
Lotion (small size)
Feminine Hygiene Products
Razors, Shaving Cream (in tubes) no aerosol
Travel Size Tissues
Baby Wipes
Baby Powder
Q-Tips
Tums or Rolaids
Tylenol, Advil, Sinus Meds
Gel Insoles

Food Items
Small bags or individually wrapped snacks or cans of Pringles, pretzels, cookies, crackers, nuts, trail mix, peanut butter/cheese crackers, sun flower seeds
Hard Candy (Lifesavers, Jolly Ranchers), Mints
Chewing Gum, Blow Pops
Individual servings of powdered drinks for water bottles such as Lemonade, Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Tang, Lipton To Go Tea, Crystal Light On The Go, energy drinks, Propel (powder)
Individual coffee, tea bags
Beef Jerky, Slim Jims (no pork allowed)
Pop Tarts, Nutri-grain, Granola, Cereal Bars, trail mix
Cups & small flip top canned fruit, applesauce, pudding
Peanut Butter (small) No Glass Please
Chocolate between the months of October and April only (M&Ms are acceptable)

Other Items
Crossword Puzzles
Playing Cards
Stationery & Envelopes
Pens/Pencils
Disposable Cameras
Assorted Greeting Cards for Soldier to send to family & friends
Journals
AT&T Global Prepaid Phone Cards
Batteries
DVDs, CDs
Video Games
Small board games
Flystrips
Febreze
Glade Stick-ups or room deodorizers
Small battery operated fan
Bug Repellent in lotions & pump-spray bottles-- NO AEROSOLS
Sun Screen

Mail to:
Georgia
HUGS FOR SOLDIERS
P. O. Box 2887
Duluth, GA 30096


TENNESSEE
HUGS FOR SOLDIERS
P. O. Box 532
Vonore, TN 37885

PS - On the same note as the above paragraph...How sad is it that I made WAY too many caramel apples yesterday and threw away 13 of them this morning! Oh, how it broke my caramel loving soul.

For all of us that have failed in our first attempts...

Today I went searching for the perfect caramel apple recipe (I have never mastered this one). There were an abundance of recipes, but I liked this one because of the helpful hints at the end. Who ever knew! I had to share!

Homemade Caramel Apple Recipe with Packaged Caramels

When you're short on time or don't feel like putting in the effort, this caramel apple recipe is almost as good as the kind made with homemade caramel. Keep a close eye on the caramel to assure that it doesn't burn. This can be done on the microwave or with a double-boiler. To make this a cinnamon caramel apple recipe, stir 1/2 to 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon into the caramel while cooking.

Ingredients:700 g. (24 oz.) caramels, unwrapped
4 tbsp. whole milk
10-12 medium-sized apples, sticks inserted in tops

Instructions:

1. Melt caramels and milk together in a double boiler, stirring often. Or melt in the microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted and smooth.
2. Dip apples into hot caramel. In order to get as thick a caramel coating as possible, dip each apple at an angle and rotate within the caramel.
3. Pull apple out vertically and allow excess caramel to drip off. Then turn the apple right-side-up a moment (as if you were about to eat it) and let the caramel settle for a few seconds. This prevents large bare spots at the top of the apple.
4. Place apples on greased wax paper or foil.
5. While caramel is still warm and soft, decorate as desired. (Unless dipping apples in chocolate, in which case the caramel needs to be allowed to set.)
6. Let cool to set.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Caramel Apples

If you've never made a caramel apple recipe, or have had a recipe or two come out disastrous (it definitely happens), don't despair. When you get it right, making caramel apples is easy as could be. If you want to know how to make caramel apples perfect every time you make them, follow these tips:

1. If this is your first time, use packaged caramels-- it's easier to get the texture right. Especially if you don't have much experience candy making.
2. Be sure your apples are washed and VERY dry before dipping.
3. Choose smaller apples to make caramel go further-- after all, it's hard to finish a whole one, anyway.
4. Use cold apples for dipping to keep the caramel from sliding off.
5. If in doubt, decorate your apples. If they're coated in nuts, chocolate, etc., they won't stick together and can be packaged individually.
6. If using store-bought apples, the wax applied to them may keep the caramel from sticking. Scrub apples clean with baking soda, or dip briefly in boiling water to remove the wax.
7. When decorating with larger items, don't make them too big, as big items tend to be too heavy for the caramel to hold them.

Perspective

To all my diaper changing, dirty laundry cleaning, dish washing, bath giving, toilet cleaning, moms of mess making tyrants....this will make you feel better about your job today!

It's days like this that make every bit of hardwork WORTH it!

Why October 17th was a great one!

Daphne was off to "Grandparents Day" at 8am this morning.

She chose to get all dressed up, and although it isn't winter yet,

it sure was cold this morning.

My sister-in-law, sweet Meghann, prepped this great craft

for my moms group today! She led us all in making two of these

kids' art hangers. Visit her blog for the tutorial.

These were my table centerpieces and they

couldn't have turned out any cuter if I have to say so myself.

Please steal - super easy and cheap.

Meghann gave Ruby a headband she makes and sells, and

we ended the day playing outside in the awesome, and strangely

warm weather.

Perfect Day.

New Blog in the Family

Here's my sister in law's blog everyone....it's full of great ideas for us moms.



http://www.sisterlings.blogspot.com/



Meghann was the creative one who made the girls the flower headbands. She is now selling her creations. So cute!





She'll be my guest at moms group this week - I'll follow up on that later:)

Ruby at 9 months...

Ruby is super mobile these days. She crawls all over and pulls herself up on things too. Daphne and Maisie walked at 11 months, so I guess I am in for it again!

She has four teeth and seems very frustrated with baby food these days. We are starting to do more table food cut up really small. We really hear from her when the girls get a special treat in the car and she is left just watching them devour a McDonalds cheeseburger. SOON enough, I tell her...

She is still a great sleeper and a very content little girl. I get some screams once in awhile, like when I peel the van keys out of her hands or when she has to get back in her carseat for the umpteenth time...but besides that...she's in my husband's words, a "SUPERSTAR"!

She also loves her sisters and gives her daddy huge flirtatious smiles. And she's definitely won over her Grandpa's heart. Not to mention how Phoebe has named all her baby dolls Ruby. I just love how the youngest child in the family becomes the adored one of all the kids, even if they themselves are just really babies/two year olds themselves...

My cup these days runneth over...and it's God's gift of little girls that is so filling me up!