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83 Days ’til Halloween, You Might as Well Play Outside.

A Good Buggy Croquet Game is a fun harvest of Halloween party game. Why not hone your croquet skills with summer practice?
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84 Days – Who’s Your Hero?

Yes, inside even the mildest of the mild – mannered, lives a superhero with amazing powers.
This one disguised himself as a football playing, good kid in high school. But when duty called, he went off to fight the bad guys as an American soldier; spending three years in hell so the people and country he loved could remain free and safe.

Now that’s a hero. 

http://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Halloween-Handbook-Artisan-ebook/dp/B009PA8ON6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374845872&sr=8-1&keywords=pam+mcmurtry
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-harvest-and-halloween-handbook-pam-mcmurtry/1116031757?ean=2940148379744

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85; The Play’s Outside

Halloween seems to me to be one large theatrical production. Costumes, sets, imaginary creatures; the whole community’s involved – no wonder it’s so entertaining!
I have this ideas that it would be fun to have a cupboard dedicated to the art of costume. My little children had a box of dress-up clothes from their Aunt Allison. They spent hours dressing up and engaging in creative play. As summer winds down, it might be fun to pull out old costumes for your children or pick up a few new ones at your favorite thrift store and see what imaginative adventures unfold.
Teachers: As you prepare your room for the new school year, consider having a closet of wonders, or cupboard or drawer containing a simple prop or two to introduce the next book you will be reading aloud, or a math or science concept. Your class could try to guess what the items represents, It could be a fun way to develop deduction and reasoning and engage their imaginations.
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86 Days to Halloweeny!

The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes was one of my all-time favorite stories as a child. It is the tale of two ordinary little girls who banish the terrible head witch Nobby to a glass hill. If she remains there and learns to be good; they’ll let her leave for one night; Halloween. 
To keep her from becoming too lonely, the girls send a little blond witch named Hannah (who happens to look just like the two girls, Amy and Clarissa); and to keep little Hannah from getting too lonely, a baby witch with a tiny kitten arrives. Amy’s representative Malachi, an invisible bee, who spells (he’s a spelling bee), keeps an eye on Nobby and stings her if she gets out of line. 
A mermaid lagoon hidden in the crystal hill, witch school and a visit from Amy and Clarissa, fill Hannah’s days with adventure. But will Nobby get to come down off the hill for Halloween? The temptation of the Easter Bunny’s painting field filled with rabbits and eggs (her favorite foods) may prove too much. The Witch Family is a delightful story of redemption, the power of love and importance of friends. Even though I don’t usually do witches, this is one story I love. I found it recently on Amazon.com – enjoy!


 

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87 – Are We in Heaven?

Not yet, but the beauty of the earth in autumn is awe-inspiring.
I am grateful for the glorious world we are privileged to inhabit and the great love, intelligence (and power) that provided it for us. 

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88 – the Pumpkin’s Great!

This rich and delicious treat is very popular with pumpkin pie fans. Friends and followers on Pinterest have been uploading this recipe in record numbers; it is easy to make.
This is my son Andrew’s favorite Pumpkin Pie Cake.
PUMPKIN PIE CAKE

        Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

        From a box of yellow cake mix, remove one cup and set   
        aside. Make crust by combining remaining cake mix with:

1 egg

½ cup butter, melted and cooled                         

        Pat into bottom of a 9″ x 13” baking pan. 
        Mix together:        

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 large can pumpkin

1 ½ cups sugar

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

(or  1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1 tsp. cinnamon)

2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk

        Pour over crust. Set aside. Mix together and  sprinkle over   
       pumpkin filling:

reserved cup of cake mix

½ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

½ cup butter, softened

1 C. chopped pecans (optional)

        Bake approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes or until pumpkin is set. 
        Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

You’ll find more delicious recipes in A Harvest and Halloween Handbook, get yours today!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/pam-mcmurtry

http://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Halloween-Handbook-Artisan-ebook/dp/B009PA8ON6/?keywords=pam+mcmurtry&qid=1374845872&ref=sr_1_1&ie=UTF8&sr=8-1

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With 89 days to go; Alice and the White Rabbit meet to plan a Halloween tea

 
 
 
After narrowly escaping the wrath of the Queen of Hearts,
Alice and the White Rabbit meet to plan a Halloween tea.
The Cheshire Spider drops in to offer his help (and snag a sandwich).
All agree, topsy-turvy Wonderland is a
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91 Days – Don’t Swat That Spider!

 
My oldest son Billy was asked  (assigned) to be the lead spider in his school’s production of the play Going Buggy. He wasn’t thrilled, but he loved baseball – so we made him into a baseball-playing spider. His costume was an upcycled warm-up suit with added arms. The gloved hands were attached by fishing line so they moved with his hands – he was the cutest spider ever! If I ever figure out the tech – I’ll post a video clip 🙂

For creative Halloween ideas order your A Harvest and Halloween Handbook here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/pam-mcmurtry?store=allproducts&keyword=pam+mcmurtry

http://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Halloween-Handbook-Artisan-ebook/dp/B009PA8ON6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374845872&sr=8-1&keywords=pam+mcmurtry