25 Things To Do With Leftover Candy

Flickr.com

Since most of us will be up to our ears in candy later today, here are some ideas for using up all those extra sweets:

Using Up Leftover Candy

Happy Halloween!

Halloween

Freedigitalphotos.net

Trick or Treating Tips and Hours Plainfield Police Department

• Keep costumes shortened to avoid falling
• Try using makeup instead of masks; masks can obstruct children's view when trying to cross the street or go up and down stairs
• Make sure kids wear light colored clothing or have reflective tape on their costumes while trick or treating
• Have older kids go trick or treating with other kids and map out a safe route for them to take so that parents know where they are
• Tell kids only to stop at familiar houses that have the outside lights on
• Encourage kids to trick or treat while it's still light out and if they go when it's dark, make sure they have flashlights and that they stay on well lit streets
• Remind your kids not to go into the homes or cars of strangers
• Follow your communities trick or treat hours
• Remind your kids not to eat any treats until they get home
• Inspect all treats in a well-lit area before your kids eat them
• Only eat unopened treats that are in their original packaging. Thoroughly inspect any fruit.
• If you are driving that night, be extra cautious; drive slowly and stay off your cell phone

Plainfield: 6-9 pm

Shorewood: 5-7 pm

Joliet: 4-7 pm

Oswego: 3:30-8 pm

Morris: 5-7:30 pm

Naperville: No official hours

Addison: 3-7 pm

North Aurora: 4-8 pm

Palatine: 3-7 pm

Frankfort: 4-7 pm

Amazing Apple Desserts

Flickr.com

One of the best things about fall is enjoying apples in different ways.  Even if you have your go-to apple recipe perfected, take a look at these 37 delicious apple recipes to try. The Baked Apples With Salty Caramel Sauce look especially good!

Irresistible Apple Desserts

Haunted Houses For Sale

Flickr.com

Check out these creepy real life haunted houses on the market....

Haunted Houses For Sale

The Biggest Air Leak In Your Home That You Don't Even Know About

HouseLogic

John Riha for House Logic

Have you caulked all of your windows and replaced any damaged weatherstripping on doors? That's great but the biggest leak in your home is probably somewhere you never thought about....

The largest air leak in your home could be coming from a hole that the plumber makes in the sub floor to create room for the drain assembly at the bottom of the bathtub. Since the drain assembly is so large, plumbers usually cut a very generous hole to make room for connecting the pipes. This large hole is usually left open to the space below.

How do you know if you have this hole?
If your first floor bathroom is over the crawlspace or unheated basement, it is likely that you have one of these giant energy wasting holes in your home.

Is it a big deal?
Having one of these huge holes can waste about as much energy as leaving a window open a few inches all day, every day. Another problem? These holes are big enough for critters to get into your home!

What is the best way to fix the leak?
Plumbers can stuff around the hole with loose insulation but that is a temporary fix since fiberglass insulation sags over time, especially if it gets damp. Here's a better solution:

1. Crawl under the bathroom to look at the drain assembly from underneath.
2. Patch the hole with pieces of foam board that are cut to fit around the pipes and then screw them into place.
3. Seal any remaining gaps with spray foam insulation which only costs around $8 a can.

If you decide to have a plumber do the job instead, it will probably cost about $100-$150 but is worth it so you can know you are both saving energy and keeping unwanted animals out of your home!

Witches Hat Recipe

Looking to make a Halloween treat but don't enjoy baking? Try these cute witches' hats-the kids can help and no oven is required!

Ralph Anderson-My Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 (4.25 ounce) tube of orange or red decorating frosting
• 1 (11.5 ounce) package of fudge-striped shortbread cookies (32 cookies)
• 1/2 (13 ounce) bag of milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped (32 pieces)

Directions:

Pipe a small mound of frosting onto the center of the bottom of each cookie; press a chocolate kiss onto the frosting. Lastly, pipe a band and bow around the base of each kiss. 

Happy Fall Weekend!

Fun Family Fall Activities

babble

Flickr.com

• Take the family Christmas card photo
• Make baked apples-yum! (See recipe below)
• Have breakfast in bed
• Camp indoors
• Watch the geese fly south for the winter
• Make your own scarecrow
• Go for a neighborhood flashlight walk-see if your kids can spot animals that come out at night
• Make your own pumpkin spice latte
• Visit a local pumpkin patch (See a post from a couple weeks ago about local ones to check out)
• Help your kids to make Thanksgiving cards and hand them out to people you appreciate
• Make puppets out of mittens
• Bake a pumpkin pie
• Fly a kite
• Pick pine cones
• Bake chocolate chip cookies
• Go for a long drive and enjoy the fall colors
• Plan a winter escape
• Jump in a big pile of leaves
• Create leaf rubbings
• Walk through your favorite park
• Collect items for your local food bank

Delicious Cinnamon Baked Apples allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 large apples-peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 1/2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large baking dish with the butter.
2. Mix brown sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Layer approximately 1/3 of the apples in the prepared baking dish and and sprinkle with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Repeat the layers twice more.
3. Bake the apples in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Pour water over the apples and continue baking until tender, about another 15 minutes.

The Teal Pumpkin Project

Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) is encouraging Americans to start a new tradition by painting a pumpkin teal and placing it on their front porch this Halloween and offering non-food treats to little trick-or-treaters. Many traditional treats can be harmful and even dangerous to kids with allergies to nuts, milk, soy, eggs, or wheat. The Teal Pumpkin Project also encourages people to raise awareness for food allergies by placing a sign in front of their home or in their window stating that they offer non-food treats. Teal is the color for this project because it is the color of food allergy awareness. The FARE website offers free printable signs and they encourage people to post the Teal Pumpkin Project picture on their Facebook pages. Some ideas for non-food treats on Halloween include:

• Glow sticks, bracelets, or necklaces
• Pencils, pens, crayons, markers
• Bubbles
• Halloween pencil toppers or erasers
• Small slinkies
• Whistles or noise makers
• Bouncy balls
• Finger puppets or other novelty toys
• Spider rings
• Vampire fangs
• Mini notepads
• Playing cards
• Bookmarks
• Stickers 
• Stencils

3 Expenses You Will Save Money On This Fall

msn money

Freerangestock.com

• Low Mortgage Rates: Rates have fallen below 4% just in the last week! Lower rates are benefits to home buyers as well as anyone that has bought a home in the past few years and can refinance. For example, on a $250,000 loan with a 30 year loan, if that rate went from 4.25% to 4%, that would mean the payment would go from $1,229 to $1,193. That saves the homeowner $36 a month which equates to a savings of $432 over the course of a year!
• Gas Prices Are Plummeting: Gas prices have fallen by an average of 50 cents per gallon since June; in fact, more than one third of gas stations around the country are selling gas for less than three dollars per gallon. Many drivers are spending an average of $5-$15 less per fill up since July 4th. Many drivers fill up their car four times a month which means they could be saving $20-$60 a month depending on the type of vehicle driven. For families with two cars, this could mean $40-$120 a month in savings!
• Lower Heating Prices: A drop in heating costs is great news as temperatures fall.  Propane users here in the Midwest will pay an average of 30% less than last year due to a drop in propane prices. 

Fireplace Makeovers That Add Value

Freedigitalphotos.net

With cold air headed our way, it's time to think about sprucing up your fireplace. Here are some great ideas to maximize your fireplace and possibly add value to your home while you're at it.

Heating Up The Value Of Your Fireplace

Top 12 Illinois State Parks To Visit This Fall

Shorewood Patch

Flickr.com

With cooler temperatures upon us and the gorgeous colors of fall in full display, Autumn is a great time of year to visit local state parks to enjoy the beauty of fall. These are the top 12 most visited state parks in Autumn:

12. Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area-Yorkville, Illinois

13608 Fox Road, Yorkville

11. Lowden State Park-Oregon, Illinois

1411 N. River Road Oregon, IL

10. Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park-Atkinson, Illinois

24000 N. 1920th Street Atkinson, IL

9. Castle Rock State Park-Oregon, Illinois

1365 W. Castle Road Oregon, IL

8. Walnut Point State Park-Oakland, Illinois

2331 E. County Road 370 North Oakland, IL

7. Argyle Lake State Park-Colchester, Illinois

640 Argyle Park Road Colchester, IL

6. Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park-Lena, Illinois

8542 North Lake Road Lena, IL

5. Lake Shelbyville-Shelbyville, Illinois

315 E Main Shelbyville, IL

4. Wildlife Prairie State Park-Hanna City, Illinois

3826 N. Taylor Road Hanna City, IL

3. Starved Rock Lodge-Oglesby, Illinois

2668 East 875th Road Oglesby, IL

2. Tunnel Hill State Trail-Vienna, Illinois

Visitor Center, Hwy. 146, Vienna, IL

1. Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois

Rte. 178 and Rte. 71 Utica, IL

September Housing Report

Real Trends

Flickr.com

The September housing report came out and showed some very encouraging results! September housing unit sales rose 3.2% and the average price of homes sold in September 2014 were up 6.8% from September 2013. These are great statistics and they indicate that the housing market is on a steady road to recovery. Now is the time to get your home on the market! For more information or for a FREE market analysis, call me at (815) 954-5050.

The Avery YMCA's Trunk-Or-Treat Event/Spooktacular

Flickr.com

The Avery YMCA's Trunk-Or-Treat/Spooktacular event is set for Saturday, October 25th from 1-4 pm. Kids can enjoy collecting candy while guests can enjoy treats and snacks from different community vendors. This festive event also includes a hayrack ride through downtown Plainfield and a performance from the Y Dance Ensemble. Guests are also invited to wander through a haunted house from 3-5 pm.  Bring the kids out to enjoy this spooky good time!

C. W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL

Local Pumpkin Patches

Looking to find a pumpkin patch to visit this fall weekend?

• Anderson Fun-E Farm and Fort Dread

Open from 6-10 pm on Thursday and Friday; 3-10 pm Saturday and Sunday
1423 W. Broadway St. Joliet, IL
1-888-352-5837

• Garden Patch Farms

Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm
14158 W. 159th St. Homer Glen, IL 60491
(708) 301-7720

• Johansen Farms Petting Zoo

Open daily from 9 am to 7 pm through October 31st
710 W Boughton Road Bolingbrook, IL 60440
(630) 759-8711

• Konow's  Corn Maze

Open from 10 am until 8 pm through October 31st
16849 S. Cedar Road Homer Glen, IL
(708) 301-8845

• Siegel's Cottonwood Farm

Open daily from 10 am until 6 pm through November 1st
17250 S. Weber Road Crest Hill, IL
1-800-304-3276

• Tom and Zach's Pumpkin Patch

Open daily from 7 am until dusk
15725 W Bruce Road Lockport, IL
(815) 838-6816

• Keller's Farmstand

Corn maze open from 9 am until 6 pm Saturday and Sunday through October 26th. Pick your own pumpkin patch and apple orchard are open from 9 am until 6 pm weekdays.
2500 Johnson Road Oswego, IL
(630) 219-8194

10 Most Common DIY Mistakes

Flickr.com

Planning a remodeling project soon? Read these common mistakes that are made before diving into your project!

Common DIY Problems

Haunted Pony Rides

Flickr.com

Normantown Equestrian Center is offering haunted pony rides on Sunday, October 26th from 2:30-4 pm. The 10 minute pony rides will take place in the indoor arena and cost $10 each for kids ages 3 and up. All participants must both register and pay before the event. All riders must have a signed release form and helmets will be provided. Long pants and covered shoes are recommended for the ride. To reserve a ride time, go to the Plainfield Park District website or register in person at one of the park district locations.
Normantown Equestrian Center
12151 S. Normantown Road

Plainfield Park District Costume Swap

Flickr.com

Come to the Plainfield costume swap to find the perfect Halloween costume for your child. Drop off your child's gently used costume today to the Recreation Administration Center (23729 W. Ottawa Street) and then come back to the swap event at the Heritage Professional Center this Saturday, October 18th. On the day of the event, participants will receive a numbered ticket to choose a new gently used costume. For more information, call (815) 436-8812.

Costume Swap Event
Saturday, October 18th
Heritage Professional Center
24023 W. Lockport Street
Plainfield, IL

Plainfield Library To Host Dark Storytelling Event

Two professional storytellers will be coming to the Plainfield Library (15025 S. Illinois St.) on Monday, October 20th for "Grimm's Grimmest: The Darker Side Of Fairy Tales" from 7-8:15 pm. This event is geared towards adults and families with kids ages 10 and up. Judith Heineman and Daniel Marcotte will be performing in the large meeting room on the lower level of the library. Heineman and Marcotte's CD, "Grimm's Grimmest: The Darker Side Of Fairy Tales" won the National Parenting Honors Award in 2010 and the Parent's Choice Gold Award in 2011.
To register for this event, call (815) 436-6639.

Comfort Food For A Rainy Day

simplyrecipes.com

With a very rainy day predicted for today, it's the perfect time to stay inside and enjoy a nice comfort food meal. Below is a recipe for warm, cheesy, and delicious baked Ziti. Enjoy!

     Baked Ziti Simply Recipes

Cook Time: 55 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

*If you don't have Italian seasoning, use 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1 lb Ziti pasta (Can sub penne)
• Olive Oil
• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage, or ground beef or pork (For a healthier option, use turkey sausage) 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp Rosemary (or basil)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 large jar of Marinara sauce (about 32 ounces)
• 1/2 pound Mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 heaping cup of Ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water. Add the pasta and boil, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente, edible but still a little firm. Drain the pasta and toss with a little olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
2. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a large saute pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage or ground meat.  Do not crowd the pan (work in batches if needed). Break up any large chunks of sausage as it cooks. If you are using ground meat, add a pinch of salt.
3. When the meat is mostly brown, add the chopped onions and stir well to combine. Saute everything until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary or basil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook for one minute, then add the marinara sauce and bring it to a simmer. 
4. Preheat the oven to 350. Spread a thin layer of sauce into a 13x9 dish, then dot the surface with half of the Ricotta cheese. Ladle in some sauce with the pasta, mix it well, and add some pasta into the casserole. 
5. Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, dot the remaining Ricotta cheese over the pasta, and sprinkle on both the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven until the top is lightly browned, about 20 mins.
6. Enjoy!

Happy Friday

Downtown Plainfield Spooktacular

Freerangestock.com

The annual 'Spooktacular' event is taking place on Saturday, October 25th at 11 am. Children and their families are encouraged to attend the event in their halloween costumes and trick or treat at various participating businesses in downtown Plainfield. The Avery Family YMCA will be giving hayrack rides to families from 1-4 pm and will also host a haunted house, food, games, and crafts from 4-6 pm.  For more information on this event, including participating businesses, visit the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce website.

'Spooktacular Haunted House' Contest

Flickr.com

Plainfield residents are welcome to register for the 7th annual Plainfield Park District Halloween outdoor decorating contest (program #16402A1). There will be two categories for prizes: family-friendly and scariest house. The contest is available for all Plainfield Park District residents with a $5 fee per home. Participants are encouraged to register early. Judging will take place from the sidewalk only, so all decorations must be visible from the sidewalk. A contest committee will judge all entries from 6-10 pm on October 29th and winners will be notified that same night. A map of the entry addresses will be posted on the Plainfield Park District website by October 27th for public viewing. Good luck to everyone!!

Frankenstein's Kiddie Carnival

Flickr.com

The Plainfield Park District is hosing the Frankenstein's Kiddie Carnival on October 24th from 6:30-8 pm at Indian Train Middle School. Kids can enjoy games and win prizes. After the games are over, there will be a costume contest for kids ages 10 and younger. Prizes will be given out to two different groups: ages 2-5 and ages 6-10. The event is geared towards children ages 2-10 and game tickets are $.50 each or 3 for $1, with each game needing one ticket to play. All participants must be accompanied by an adult. For additional information, call (815) 436-8812.

Indian Trail Middle School
14723 S. Eastern Avenue
Plainfield, IL

Top 20 Most Beautiful Spaces In The World

Ultrahome.org

Start off your morning with images from some spectacular places around the world:

Top 20 Most Beautiful Spaces

'Cheesecake Guy' Opening Cafe In Plainfield

Plainfield Patch

Steve Buresh, known around town as the 'Cheesecake Guy', is expanding his business beyond his online and mobile store to open his first cafe in Plainfield. Buresh is hoping to open the Cheesecake Store and Cafe in November at 14210 Route 30 in Plainfield. The brand new eatery will not just offer his famous cheesecake, but it will also be serving soups, salads, wraps (all made with hormone-free meats and natural ingredients), LaVazza coffee, and organic tea and soda. I know I'm definitely looking forward to the grand opening-how about you? Have you tried Steve's famous cheesecake?

Happy Friday!

Plainfield Homecoming Celebration

Plainfield Patch

The annual Plainfield community homecoming parade is happening this Saturday, October 4th beginning at 9 am. The celebration will wind through downtown Plainfield, with a 'Disney on Parade' theme. Although October 4th is the community celebration, each District 202 high school will have their own homecoming celebration week. The homecoming football games are as follows:

• October 4th-Plainfield Central vs. Plainfield North
• October 10th-Plainfield North vs. Romeoville
• October 10th-Plainfield East vs. Oswego

Enjoy the homecoming festivities!

#1 Restaurant In Plainfield

www.ladolcevitarestaurante.com

La Dolce Vita, located in Plainfield, has been ranked #1 out of 92 restaurants in Plainfield by Trip Advisor.
This beautiful dining spot features some of the best Italian food in the suburbs and also has an impressive wine menu. If you are looking to spend a nice romantic evening in Plainfield, look no further than La Dolce Vita!


La Dolce Vita
16108 Route 59
Plainfield, Illinois 60586
(815) 733-5521

Plainfield Library Hosts Star Wars Reads Event

Flickr.com

The Plainfield Public Library is hosting a Star Wars Reads event this Saturday, October 4th from 1-4 pm. This event will include games, crafts, a Jedi training obstacle course, a chance to meet Darth Vader, and more. Guests are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Star Wars character. Star Wars Reads Day is an international event that began in 2012 to celebrate reading and the numerous books written about the popular movie. For more information about this event, call (815) 436-6639.

Plainfield Library-downtown campus
15025 S. Illinois Street

Giving Your Mailbox Some TLC

Chicago Tribune Homes

Flickr.com

If you live in a neighborhood that restricts the type of mailbox you can have, give your tired old mailbox a makeover by giving it a fresh coat of paint in the original color. Don't forget to paint the post too! If your community allows you to choose the type of mailbox you have, you can switch out your boring mailbox for a new one that complements your homes exterior.