Workout- I walked the neighborhood chasing ghouls and goblins, I used one candy bar every four houses or so for nutrition. 


I would walk 500 miles 
and I would walk 500 more 
just to be the mom who walks a thousand miles 
to take her kids door to door.
As the kids get older, the longer and farther they want to go. That can only mean one thing. MORE CANDY for me!

A dementor from Harry Potter. ScArY! 

Yoda. I couldn't stop squeezing him.

Rock Star Barbie. Rock on!!

Yoda loves lollipops.....a lot!

Sometimes you gotta sing. We're totally bringin back the 80's.

Oh yeah, we got candy. Atta girl!

He organizes his candy. Weird. He doesn't get that from me.


Wait you say, your missing a kid. Oh shoot! I knew I forgot something. heehee He is at the I'm to cool for this age, it's charming. He wanted to hang at home and pass out candy. I think it went like this.... one for you, two for me, play on the computer, repeat. He plans to eat Yoda's candy, hope that works out for him. I tried to steal a piece and about lost a finger.

I also made a cookie today. Not just any cookie, a pumpkin cookie with brown butter frosting. This cookie is the best pumpkin cookie I have ever had. No joke. The cookie is soft and pillowy with a cake like texture and the brown butter frosting adds a delicious new spin. Love these.

I got the recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker. You can get it here.

 Make them, now! 

Enjoy!

Riding, cupcakes, mummies and pumpkin bars

Workout-42mile bike(2hr30min)  Yep, dragged my butt outta bed and took my trusty Tarmac out for a ride.

It has been so long since I rode her, both her tires were flat. Sorry Speedy, it's all you all winter, promise.
Lucky for me all my peeps drug their butts out of bed too.

We haven't rode together in what seems like forever. We all had different races this year and Steph broke her collar bone so it was tough to hook up. But we are back and it feels so right!

We had a few tagalongs which is always nice. Thanks guys. It was a beautiful morning and we had a great time catching up.

We checked out the new bridge across Tempe Town lake. Cool. 

Phil pulled away from the pack for a win! Today he is the winner of the Tour de.......um.....he's a winner.
It felt great to be out there with my buds again and to get some fresh air and laughs. I didn't really have the pep I normally do, I felt like I was sleep cycling but I was grateful to see everyone again and enjoy the great weather. Good Day!

Remember these? Yeah, they didn't stand a chance. I thought about putting one in my bento box for the ride.

The verdict is in. All three were super moist, sigh. The chocolate had great chocolate flavor and the buttercream was super. She uses a really good vanilla, I can taste it. Yummy. The red velvet was my least favorite, the cake didn't have any flavor and the cream cheese frosting was ruined by all the red coarse sugar, sooo crunchy. The coconut cupcake was my fav. There was coconut in the cake and it had great flavor, the frosting was a nice cream cheese frosting. The top part of the frosting with the coconut tasted really coconutty (that should be a legit word, just saying), not sure if she does something to the coconut before she adds it to the top or if it just had time to marry the the frosting last night in the frig(they did have  all night,*whistle*). It was delish. Cupcakes make my heart sing.

We added a few crazies to the mix today. I need a bigger table. The kids played hard and they got really hungry so I made them.......

some mummies. What kid doesn't love a good mummy hot from the oven? If they are stuffed with pepperoni and cheese then they will eat a few. ;-) They cleaned me out of mummies so I guess they liked it. 

It gave them enough fuel to play a few lot of rounds of Apples to Apples. It was a laugh fest and a great way to spend a Sunday.


I told ya I would have a recipe to share, I won't disappoint. I made these bars a few weeks ago when I really wanted something pumpkin that fed a crowd and I didn't have a ton of time to spend in the kitchen. These fit the bill and they were perfect. I hope you enjoy them as well.

Goodness, I might have to make them again. Darn pictures.

Pumpkin Bars
slightly adapted from Country magazine

• 4 eggs
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 
  ICING:
• 1 package (3 ounces)light cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

 Directions-

• In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.
• For icing, beat cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla in a small bowl. Add enough of the milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Spread over bars. 

I flex my healthy muscles

Workout- I watched Cambrie play basketball, does that count?

Today was fun day! Since the kids scored big in the school department we had to score big in the fun department! So off to the candy store!

Smeeks is sooo cute. You must go. Must!

If you wore your costume this weekend you got a free treat and could win a $25.oo gift card. Ty, didn't want to dress up this year so he is wearing Bradon's costume from last year. I think it's a ringer for a win. Toxic waste? Come one what's more clever than that. 

Sorry about the bad pics. It was hard to focus, I was like a kid in a candy store.

Jars and jars of candy......

rows and rows of sweet......

I loved these candy sticks when I was a kid. If I would have seen this when I was a kid my head would have  exploded. My head exploded!

I picked this up for my dear friend who gave me her sweet tooth and once gave me this... 

and now leans more towards savory. These beauties are made right here in the valley. Shop local, check! She gave me a bite after I sat on her and made her say uncle cause she is sweet like that. They were smoky sweet, odd. I can't decide on a verdict so I will have to go over tomorrow and sit on her again say hi.

The kids scored big. Those bags are heavy, my wallet light. I have no will power. Candy cigarettes, a jar breaker the size of your head, Icee pop rocks, how could I say no?

Not sure where this stash came from. I think it jumped in my bag, weird. That little unsuspecting caramel next to the Bit-O-Honey? Homemade sea salt caramel, BAM! I have no idea what a Mr.Big is (stop laughing, are you like 12 or something) but it is from Canada, it's big and chocolate and it jumped in my bag. I'll let ya know.

source

We had to even out the sweets and eat dinner so we went to La Grande Orange for some grub.

A guy and his bird. He let the kids hold it. Now Bradon wants a bird. Um..let me think,NO.

I was keeping it healthy like always so I had the orange and fennel salad (goat cheese, roasted almonds, sweet onions, avocado, and arugula with house vinaigrette). It was killer good! 

I may or may not have had half of a cheeseburger. Their burger was voted best burger in AZ by the AZ Republic in 2010 so we had to see what the fuss was all about. It was really good, I would definitely get it again. It's served on a homemade English muffin and they top it with shredded Tillamook cheddar. I wasn't sure how I felt about shredded cheddar on top, it wasn't melted when they set it on the table but it is a great idea. You really taste the cheddar and it melts a bit as you eat it. I mean I think that was how it would be if I ate it.

Cheese pizza, two thumbs up!

Pepperoni. I don't know, he wouldn't stop eating to tell me, so I would say it was good. Their crust is a sourdough and they are light on the sauce, the kids loved it. I though it was pretty tasty too. My parents tagged along and they got a pizza with sausage and fennel, it knocked my socks off and I forgot to take a pic. I mean, they said it was good.
There is a Gelato place in the grocery too, but because I was keeping it healthy. We didn't have any.

There was this going on in the shop next to the Gelato store. After I asked if they could dip me in the vat of frosting and roll me in coconut, they called the cops sent me home with a box.

Tammie Coe just won the brides choice award for 2011. I thought about ordering a wedding cake cause I need a wedding cake, right? Yeah, Todd said no too. Whateves.

I did make it out of there with these beauties. Ha, you can't stop a girl on a quest for health. This wasn't their shop with all their goodies but they had a red velvet, a coconut, and an ooey gooey for me. They added a white chocolate skull for the kids, the boys though that was awesome.
We haven't eaten these yet cause I am afraid the kids might blow. You gotta pace yourself and they are beginners. Tomorrow after church.... those babies are going down.


Seriously, I really didn't eat them. I swear. I will tell ya what I thought about them tomorrow and I will have a recipe to share.

I'm a loser and a winner!

Workout- 1000m swim Really, I did. I almost slept through the alarm but Todd, aka backup alarm, woke me. I have to admit if I hadn't told my friend I would pick her up on the way, I might have rolled back over. Yawn, I was sleepy.

She was super stoked to be there. It's good to have accountability. We swam a bit, talked a bit, you know the drill. 


Today wasn't very productive for me. I tried to track down some things for the party but no luck. What happened to Thanksgiving? Seriously. I can't find anything fall, thanksgivingish anywhere. Can't a girl get a pumpkin pie plate or a turkey soup terrine for Pete's sake! 


I may have struck out in the fun fall prizes department but I'm still a winner. Really I am, ask my mom, she'll tell ya. 
She'll also tell you I got a little cranky at the grocery store the other day.  I was in a hurry and my grocery store moved everything around (not winning). They didn't even ask, or warn me. Geesh, no love. Remember I was in a hurry, and I had my trusty side kick who loves to shop like he loves to get his shots, so this wasn't cool. I fumbled and grumbled my way around and found the things I needed. I had one last item on the list and it was important. Beer. More importantly a dark beer to cook some sausage in. Good idea! 
I rounded the corner and there was this sign....

Oh yeah, great idea!

You grab your own six pack box. Brewmaster? Yes, yes I am.

Then you start shopping, one of these, one of those. Fun. Now you can try it before committing and if you need a random dark beer for sausage or a cake, think guiness chocolate cake, you don't have to buy a whole six pack. WINNER! Told ya. 
I'm still totally ticked off at my grocery store  gonna vote my grocery store the best in the West!


We had a school fundraiser at Micky D's last night so we went after dinner and got dessert. Hot fudge sundae for me!

When I was a kid yesterday they put hot fudge on the bottom. That was the best part, where did it go? Now there is no motivation to get to the bottom, just sad, slow eating. Nothing to reach for, strive for.......I miss the good ole days.


My kids all had awesome grades so I think we need to celebrate. Tomorrow we are gonna hit my the kids fav candy store, I can't wait to tell ya about it.

I'm done resting and we got rain!

Workout- I rested yesterday and today, phew. Tomorrow I'm gonna head to the pool and swim a bit, it's time. I always plan to take about a week off after a big race, but if I start to get the itch, and I'm really jonesing, then I ease back into it. I don't think there is a precise number of days you should rest after you tax your body, I think you gotta go with what feels good to you. I do know that if I wait too long I will get out of the habit, then it gets really hard to get back at it, so I try not to go much longer than a week. It's time for me to get moving, I'm feeling sleepy during the day and I'm getting into the habit of staying up late and sleeping in. So tomorrow, it's go time. Yippee!

This guy broke a sweat yesterday. There was a slight breeze but he was able to keep up a good speed despite the headwind.
It was a lovely day. We finally got some cooler temps so we headed to the park.

This is what I get when I say "say cheese". He isn't crying I swear, it was a fun day.

Then it rained! RAINED!!! Oh, that was heaven. I love rain, probably because it never rains here, but I love it. I don't remember the last time it rained. It was a great surprise. Kids dancing in the rain=happiness

Last night I had a meeting at Starbucks to plan the details of the upcoming pie party.  (I even took a notebook and pen, I'm so grown up)  My friend Shannon (she always has a notebook, it makes me feel inferior) and I threw a pie party three years ago and it was a hit. We are on our 3rd annual! This year is gonna be awesome and I can't wait. I'll tell ya all about it for sure so stay tuned.

I got a red velvet whoopie pie to go with my coffee because it was cute and I'm a lover of sweets, but I think you knew that. What a disappointment. I didn't even finish it, gasp! They are a great coffee shop. Bakery? Hmm, not sold yet, their pumpkin bread is good though.


Here is what we had for dinner last night. The kids did cart wheels.... ok, Todd did one too.

Sorry for the monotone picture. It really is a family favorite. I should have put the fruit on the plate to make it pretty, and used a better camera, but I was in a hurry to get to Starbucks. Please forgive. Just make the chicken and you'll forget the sucktastic pic. The pile of yellow noodles? That's spaghetti squash (touch of butter, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of parm) but my kids think it's noodles. If you tell them different, I'll kick ya in the shin.


Oven-Fried Ranch Chicken
from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook

• 3/4 cup Reduced Fat Bisquick
• 1 envelope Ranch Salad dressing mix
• 1tsp paprika 
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 Tbl water
• 2 1/2-3lbs chicken drumsticks

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with tin foil, spray generously with cooking spray.

Mix Bisquick, dressing mix, and paprika in a pie plate, or bowl.

Mix egg and water in another pie plate, or bowl.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat with Bisquick mixture. Place on baking sheet.

Bake uncovered for 35min. Turn; bake about 15 min longer or until the juice of the chicken is no longer pink when centers of the thickest pieces are cut.

Missy's Notes

I forgot the paprika yesterday and it was fine so if you don't have paprika, no worries.

I sometimes remove the skin of the chicken before I bread it, it's healthier.

Enjoy!