Link Roundup, Anniversary Edition

After that long post, you'd think I'd have nothing left to say. :>) Hubs and I celebrated on Friday by going to a really nice Italian restaurant about an hour and 15 minutes from here in a small town. (Think New York City 5 star chef marries small town girl who ends up wanting to move back home. It turned out well for central Nebraska!) Last time we went was our anniversary three years ago when I was pregnant with the Goose, so it was fun to take her this time. Hubs had swordfish last time and leg of lamb this time, so it's not your usual spaghetti and meatballs!

Let's get down to the good stuff -

MAKE
What a super gift idea - a homemade princess and the pea playset by Valerie at Frugal Family Fun Blog. I really dig that her hubs helped!

Valerie also has a very fun tiny pumpkin patch playset that looks too fun.

Very cute witches broom treat bag at Three Pumpkins Little. (Though what I really need is some inspiration for a big treat bag for Goose to carry . . . anybody seen anything out there? You would think there would be something at Tipnut's 250+ Halloween craft, food, and project ideas, but it has everything else except the kitchen sink.)

File this under "blown away by the amount of detail": shadow puppet theater tutorial at Giver's Log. I could see putting this together for my nieces except there would be one big open spot and that's it . . . doesn't mean I love them any less. :>)

Remember a while back I posted a link to a post where they used dresser drawers as bookshelves? Check out the dresser drawer ribbon holders at Blue Cricket Design. But more than anything, I'd love to see what the old dresser looks like behind the cloth now!

You have to click through to see more pictures, but this everything pocket bag tutorial is really neat.

I have a couple of pre-blog posts on making paper beads tucked into my favorites, but I don't think they're as involved as this one is. Pretty fascinating - and I like the inclusion of the metallic embroidery floss. (@ Go Make Something - great name!)

Fun freezer paper stenciled bean bags for learning to spell at Lil Blue Boo. I've not yet tried freezer paper stenciling but I've tucked away a few tutorials and it looks really cool.

These quick felt daisies on Whip Up are adorable! Now if I only knew how to do a french knot . . .

EAT

[Edit: Note to self - refresh Google Reader before hitting POST.] Amy at the Finer Things has a crazy comprehensive post on pumpkin recipes from around the blogsphere. Beings as I have a bunch of pumpkin and squash in my freezer, I'm ready!

Chocolate on My Cranium claims that these pumpkin muffins don't even need butter or jam. Might be a good thing for Goose and me to whip up and send in the tractor with Hubs now that he's back in the field.

I still need to do my final garden post - have I mentioned that I dug a WHEELBARROW full of carrots? We aren't big on sweet glazed stuff around here (unless it's actually dessert) so I'm very interested in this recipe for summer savory dusted oniony roasted carrots at Eating Simply. I need to add savory to my grocery list!

Not sure that I'm brave enough, but I thought this idea of using cauliflower as a pizza crust at the Chicken Coop is intriguing. (Does anybody else's cauliflower frequently turn out watery? What am I doing wrong?)

After yet another round of porcupine meatballs that took a very long time to cook, I stumble across this: porcupine meatballs with pre-cooked rice at Cooking During Stolen Moments. Oof, why didn't I think of that?

Another interesting meatball recipe in tomato chipotle sauce at The Wednesday Chef. Better yet - no browning first.

DO
Now this is something I'd never have thought to do - use a pillow sham as a stroller blanket. But it's a great idea - and it obviously worked very well! (@ Inspire Company)

Another thing I'd never thought to do: cut toddler spaghetti with scissors. I tried it this weekend, and instead of wrestling around with a knife and fork forEVER and still not doing a good job, it was snip snip snip and the hungry toddler was appeased.

Chasing Cheerios had a neat idea on taking dictated letters from a little one but putting them on e-mail instead of writing letters. Have to admit, there's really something about getting an honest to goodness letter in the mail, though!

I was a bit surprised (though I shouldn't have been) that these 20 ways to improve your sewing ALL went over my head. Guess I need to improve a lot of other things before I can improve those. :>)

As I note in the comments, I'd love to get a grain mill to grind our own flour because I could just get it right out of our fields! Laura at Heavenly Homemakers is doing a series this week on her grain mill and grinding, you can find part one here.

PRAY & PONDER
Karen Edmisten writes about two things that help her when she feels adrift from her faith. "What am I doing differently?" and "The Lord will provide." I highly recommend you click through and see what she has to say.

Karen also has some great quotes by St. Teresa of Avila for her feast day, Oct. 15.

Oo-oo-ooh! What a resource Jessica at Shower of Roses has compiled! It's a list of feast day plans and celebrations categorized by month. GREAT stuff there!

Jessica also posted this prayer of mother with child. How beautiful! And how appropriate as I just learned today a dear cousin is expecting her second child. (Another belly to rub for good luck!)

Jennifer at Conversion Diary wrote a thought-provoking post about "so you went against God's will - now what?" Her take? It might not be quite as bad as you think. (My words, not hers.)

Hmm, I thought I posted this a while back but I sure can't find it now . . . Jennifer also has a post on why it makes sense to be obedient to my husband. Lots to ponder there - especially since she comes from a former feminist standpoint.

Stacey at Almost There posted don't knock the Rosary till you try it regarding her first experience praying the Rosary. Her reaction to it came as a surprise to her, but probably not to the rest of us. :>)

Dr. Ray Guarendi has a guest post at Faith & Family Life about raising difficult children.

I really enjoyed this post on Columbus's devotion to Mary at Faith & Family Live.
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And last but not least, this one doesn't really fit into a category, but I really enjoyed it. Birds on the Wires by Jarbas Agnelli. He saw a picture of birds on power lines that looked like notes on a music staff and figured out the melody. It's lovely!

Yeah, I know that's a whole lotta links. Happy surfing - and let's hope next week isn't so full of stuff to see!