As I prepare to celebrate the long Labor Day weekend with my family, one of the first things that comes to mind is the backyard bar-b-que.  Hamburgers, chicken, pork tenderloin and more....YUM! I know in our household, bar-b-que is the standard weekend fare for our family! And, I can't wait to try some new recipes and techniques this weekend; well, my husband grills and I help with the sides.....

To decorate your home just in time for Labor Day, print and assemble our country inspired star banner using scissors, a hole punch and satin ribbon,

This country inspired star banner is part of our patriotic collection which includes the star banner, an apple pie banner, paper fan templates, sparkler tags/cupcake toppers and snack cone patterns. All of these items are a great way to personalize and dress up your Labor Day meals!

Happy Labor Day!

Julie

Labor Day weekend is just around the corner, and for most, that means a long weekend spent with family, friends and neighbors. Whether you are preparing a dinner at home for your family or tasked with bringing an item to a pot-luck event, this apple pie and FREE printable "USA" bunting banner is sure to be a hit!

To recreate your own "mile-high apple pie", follow the recipe outlined below:


Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for rolling
• 1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter , very cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 3 to 6 tablespoons nonfat milk , very cold
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 large egg yolk

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 pounds mixed apples , peeled, cored and cut into 1/3-inch slices
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into small pieces

Directions
To make crust: In a food processor, combine flour, almonds, butter, salt and brown sugar. Pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture solidifies into a ball. Remove dough from machine and shape into 2 discs; one disc should be about 1/3 larger (for the top crust). Wrap both in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°. Place dough on a floured board and allow dough to stand, unwrapped, until just pliable, about 10 minutes. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the smaller disc into a 13-inch circle. Move dough a quarter turn with every roll, making sure it is not sticking to the board underneath. The dough should be 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie dish with dough. Lightly dust board with more flour and roll out larger disc into a 15-inch circle; set aside.

To make filling: In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add apples and lemon juice; gently toss to combine. Place filling in crust-lined pie dish and dot with butter. Cover with large dough circle and cut a large X into the top; gently pull back the corners of X to allow steam to escape.

In a small bowl, combine heavy cream and egg yolk; brush crust with mixture. Place pie on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and continue baking until filling bubbles in the center and crust turns golden brown, about 1 hour. (Tenting with foil for the last 45 to 50 minutes may be necessary to prevent over-browning.) Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; serve with vanilla ice cream.

To see our entire ice cream theme printable collection, be sure to visit our etsy store.

To see this entire collection of ice cream party printables, be sure to visit our etsy store.

Thank you to our Boston customers for sharing pics from their fun "Flashback to the 80's" dinner club party. Guests were encouraged to come dressed in 80's attire. Everything provided by the hosts, from the decor, menu and entertainment took guests back to this rocking era. Even the dog got into the evening's festivities! Photo props, inflatable electric guitars and fun over-sized inflatable microphones made this party "totally rad".

Even though my oldest child is only in pre-k (and has no idea that his sandwiches are cut into fun shapes), I still get a kick out of trying to do sweet things for him in the morning before I send him off to school! I know that one day, he will realize what mommy is trying to do and will smile and appreciate the efforts.

As you start to prepare for back to school time, download and save these FREE mommy notes of encouragement. Whenever your child needs a pick-me-up, a word of encouragement before a big day, or you just want to tell them how special they are, put one in their backpack or lunchbox. Your children will always remember the small things that you do for them!

Be sure to download all of our FREE back to school printables!

Enjoy!

It is hard to believe that the 1st day of school is right around the corner! Our 2 1/2 year old will start his 2nd year of pre-pre school 2 days per week and our 17 month old daughter will start her first year the same number of days. We are both excited and anxious about how they will adapt to new classrooms, new teachers, new schedules and new friends!

As a room mom last year for my son, I know how important the teachers are to a child's school year. 

Show your appreciation for your child's teacher on the first day of school with these simple "Happy First Day!" cards. For a simple, affordable treat, tie them onto homemade cookies or breads. They can be personalized with your child's name for a nominal fee in our etsy store.

Enjoy!