Eckert's
I have some great memories of apple picking with my parents and siblings, so I wanted to start that same tradition with my family. We asked...forced...Daddy to take a day off work to spend the day with us. He works so hard for us and doesn't take many days off, so I wanted to plan a day dedicated to some family fun...just the four of us! The idea started with a day at the pumpkin patch, but then we decided to make the most of his day off and head to Eckert's. Out of the three Eckert's locations, we chose Graffton. I'm pretty sure you can't make a bad choice out of the 3, but we were definitely happy with our choice. It started with a scenic drive and a ferry ride across the river. And that was just the beginning! Once we got there, we had a hard time deciding what to do first. From the tractor ride, to the pumpkin and apple picking, all the way to the animals, and playground, we had an absolute blast! And of course Daddy had to get the biggest pumpkin they had! Although it was a perfect morning, next year we will pack lunch for a picnic, or visit the location with the restaurant (which I've heard is amazing) so we can spend more time there. Follow them on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all deals and special events!
Pumpkin Painting Party
So now we have a carload (literally) of pumpkins, so what are we to do with all of them? Well, have a pumpkin painting party of course! I started doing this last year because, let's be honest, I love any excuse for a girls night. Little did I know how much fun it was going to be. And obviously we had to do it bigger and better this year. I asked the guests to BYOP and bring anything special to make their masterpiece. I provided the paint, paintbrushes, some carving tools, and of course, the boos booze. I also made tortilla soup, which is one of our favorite fall soups (I will be sharing the recipe, so stay tuned). I have some pretty creative friends, so I was very excited to see what was in store, and they certainly did not disappoint! As you will see, we represented our hometown teams quite well! And my Mom's "designer pumpkins" were the talk of Facebook! I again took some notes and for next year I think I'm going to ship the kids off with Daddy to have some fun outside of the house so I can play hostess. I will plan a separate painting party dedicated to the boys, and possibly their cousins too. That way I can focus more on helping them with the Monsters Inc./kid friendly pumpkins and worry less about who's pumpkin they just added some color to. :) All in all, this is one of my favorite events and if you aren't doing it already, I highly recommend it! And maybe next year I will have time to do something creative with the carload of apples... We'll see!!
Oh, and also next year, I will photograph the carved pumpkins at night!! ;)
Oh, and also next year, I will photograph the carved pumpkins at night!! ;)
Photo credit to Kelly Sahrmann (Bird on the bat/St. Louis Arch)
Mizzou 'M' by Jenny Stranghoener.
Orange Buttons and Spotted pumpkin by Momma (not pictured: Fancy 'H').
Mizzou Tiger Paw by Nikki Nill.
Painted Carving and unfinished STL done by yours truly.
Mommy's: Spider web Mizzou 'M', STL Baseball, and Painted Carving.
Daddy's: The Monster (The picture does no justice, it is huge!)
Boys: Mike Wazowski (with a little help from Mommy)
Pumpkin cheese ball courtesy of my Momma.
Contact me for the recipe. Not only is it adorable, it is yummy!!
Tortilla Soup
Is there really anything better than a simmering pot of soup and a fire crackling in the fire place on a cool fall day? I didn't think so. While I love chili, I had to find another recipe that I could throw into the rotation...and one my hubby would like. And thanks to Pinterest, I found the perfect fall soup that makes everyone drool! So many people have asked me for the recipe, so why hold out on the rest of you? Bonus! You make it in the crockpot!! Easy and delicious? Yes please! I have since deleted the pin, so unfortunately I am not able to give credit to the original post, but I will share the recipe with you without taking the credit! I was not prepared for this one, so I only have one picture that I sent to my pal Nikki to make her hungry as it was cooking. Aren't I a great friend?? It doesn't look appetizing, but I promise you, it's delicious!
Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 qt. chicken stock
1 tbs chicken soup base
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 19oz can enchilada sauce
6 small tortillas, minced
16oz velveta, cubed
1 cup Colby-jack chesse
1 bag Tyson chicken, diced (I used shredded chicken breasts)
1 can whole corn (I leave this out and set it out as a topping)
*garnish with sour cream, tortilla strips, and cheese*
Directions:
1. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onions until tender
2. Add minced garlic and cook another min or two, then scrape into crockpot
3. Add all other ingredients, except the chicken and corn
4. Cook over high heat for two hours, or low for 4 hours
5. whisk until smooth (tip: I make mine the night before so the tortillas absorb the flavor)
6. Add chicken and corn if desired and heat through, approx. 30 minutes-1 hour
Bon Appetit!
There you have it! I hope you have enjoyed a few of my favorite fall festivities, and please feel free to share some of yours with me!
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
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