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Table of Contents

Welcome Home is for entertainment purposes only. This magazine is not

intended to solicit other brokers’ listings. If you are currently working

with another broker, please disregard this information.

The information provided in this publication of Welcome Home or on any website maintained by U.S. Cybertek, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees (collectively Publisher) is intended as a general guide illustrating common methods of common practices, and the publisher makes no warranty or guarantee whatsoever of the safety, effectiveness, or other characteristic of any methods or products described herein. Neither does the Publisher assume any liability for information published in any website or other publication to which reference may be made herein. Readers are cautioned to review and comply with all written instructions, safety bulletins, and other materials provided in connection with any of the products mentioned herein and all products used in connection with any of the methods described. Neither Published nor any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees shall in any case be liable to you or anyone else for any loss or injury or any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special punitive or similar damages arising out of your use of or failure to use any of the methods and/or products described in this publication or any other publication or websites to which reference may be made herein. Publisher disclaims all warranties, and any warranty or guarantee of safety, merchantability, or fitness for any part icular purpose l ies solely with the manufacture(s) of any product described or recommended or used used in connection with any methods described or recommended.

Editor in Chief - Phly Jambor

All pictures courtesy of sxc.hu or bing.com unless otherwise noted. Thanks to Wikipedia for

Random Fact information and aid.

Welcome Home!

4 Recipe And Design A tasty recipe and a stylish home design how to.

5 Halloween Came From Where?!? The surprising origins of the spookiest holiday of them all.

6 Be Safe This Halloween Here is how to enjoy all the candy gathering in safety!

8 In The Kitchen. Sip spooktactularly with Sparkling Halloween Punch.

9 Health and Wellness.Pumpkin Seeds, often overlooked goodies.

10 Costumes For Every Budget Where to find costumes to fit any bank account.

12 Decorating for Halloween Dress up your abode in the latest spooky fashion.

14 Products To Love! Hot trends, technological wonders of tomorrow and so much more!

15 DYI Project - October Check out this super cool DIY - Glow Stick Lanterns!

Creamy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

Recipe and Design

Preparation:1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeño

pepper, and garlic; sauté 15 minutes. Add chicken broth and next 4 ingredients; cook, stirring often, 30 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly (about 5 to 10 minutes).

2. Process potato mixture, pumpkin, and cilantro, in batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

3. Return to Dutch oven; stir in milk, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in lime juice; garnish, if desired.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 2003

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  butter or margarine• 1  large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)• 1  jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped• 2  garlic cloves, minced• 5  cups  chicken broth• 1  large baking potato, peeled and chopped (about 2

cups)• 1 1/4  teaspoons  salt• 1/2  teaspoon  chili powder• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin• 1  (15-ounce) can pumpkin• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro• 2  cups  milk• 3  tablespoons  fresh lime juice• Garnishes: sour cream, fresh cilantro sprig

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutesCool: 10 minutes Yield: Makes 20 cups

Instructions:1. Place the plastic foam flat on a cutting surface with the 10-inch

ends at the top and bottom.2. Cut out a triangle shape from the foam, leaving a 1-inch-wide

"point" at the bottom. The triangle should measure 10 inches across the top, 1 inch across the bottom, and approximately 16 inches along each side.

3. Wrap the triangle with batting, neatly pinning it to the back.4. Shape and trim away the excess batting until it smoothly fits the

back of the triangle. Baste the batting edges together, removing the pins as you sew.

5. Cover the triangle with orange crafts felt in the same way. Using the 7x10-inch piece of white felt, add a 4-inch-tall band to the bottom of the triangle, wrapping the felt around the bottom edge.

6. Pin, trim, and sew the band in place. With the 5x27-inch piece of yellow felt, add a 5-inch-tall band to the top. Do not wrap the felt over the top edge

7. Pin, trim, and sew the band in place. Spray the twig black; let dry. Secure the twig in the

• 10 x 15-inch piece of 1-inch-thick plastic foam• Serrated Knife• Ruler• Straight Pins• Sewing threads to match felt colors• Sewing needle• Craft felts: 27 x 27-inch square piece of orange, 7 x 10-inch

piece of white , and 5 x 27-inch piece of yellow• Twig (we used Manzanita)• Black spray paint• Florist’s wire• 3-small artificial crows• Dried naturals such as stems of millet, grasses, and dried

Japanese lanterns

Candy Corn Door Decoration

Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.com

What You Need:

Halloween Came From Where?

Happy Halloween! Of all the mainstay holidays that populate our year, Halloween is one of the oldest, dating back thousands of years. Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Easter and even Christmas are youngsters by comparison. Follow me and I'll take you on a trail that follows it through the ages to the costume and candy nighttime promenade we celebrate today.

Summer’s EndOriginally starting out as an ancient Celtic holiday, Druidic priests regarded the day as the end of the year and a celebration for the year's harvest. October 31 was the first day of a three-day celebration called Samhain, meaning "the end of summer". It marked the passage from the season of the sun to the season of darkness, but was also a festival for honoring the dead. The Celts believed the laws of space and time were suspended on this night, allowing the spirit world to crossover and intermingle with the living world.

SpookyAs the story goes, the disembodied spirits of all those who had passed away throughout the preceding year would come back on that night in search of living bodies to possess for the coming year. Apparently, it was their only hope for an afterlife. To protect themselves, the Celtic priests developed spells, charms and ritualistic burning sacrifices to appease the wandering spirits that roamed the night.

The Cold ShoulderOf course, being alive you certainly didn't want to get possessed, so on the night of October 31st, people would put out the fires in their fireplaces and furnaces, to make their homes cold and undesirable to the wandering spirits. To complete the ritual, they would then dress in ghoulish costumes, parading around the neighborhoods causing ruckus and destruction in order to scare off the spirits looking for a warm body to inhabit.

All Hallow’s EveThe word Halloween is a concoction. Samhain (pronounced sow-en, the sow rhymes with cow, that "en"

part is important to remember) was combined with the November 1st Catholic holiday of "All Hallows Eve", otherwise known as "All Hallows Day "or "All Saints Day". The old English word "Hallow" meant to sanctify. It was the day for honoring the Catholic saints. By the 7th century AD it was adapted as "All Soul's Day" to honor all the dead and not just the saints. Over time, these two celebrations were combined into one mega-fest by the growing populations of Europe. And abracadabra, sow-en and Hallows Eve merged creating Halloween. In Ireland it is sometimes referred to as Hallow E'en and others still spell it, Hallowe'en, further emphasizing the marriage of terms and holidays.

Bobbing For ApplesEventually the traditional Roman celebration on November 1st honoring Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees, was absorbed into the Halloween punch bowl. Bringing its own traits with it, Pomona's symbol was an apple, which most likely inspired the party activity of bobbing for apples.

Trick...Celebration of Halloween came to America with early Irish and Scottish immigrants. The belief in spirit possession had subsided compared to the early days and the act of dressing as ghouls, goblins, ghosts and witches was more like today's ceremonious fun.However, the anarchy still remained from the early Celtic days. Favorite tricks of the time were knocking over outhouses, especially with someone inside and unhinging fence gates, freeing farm animals and the like.....Or TreatThe treat part of trick-or-treating originated with a 9th century European custom called "souling". On "All Souls Day", early Christians would walk door-to-door begging for "soul cakes", little squares of bread made with currants (yummy). You see, at the time, it was believed that the souls of the dead remained in limbo on earth and that prayers would speed the soul's passage to heaven. The more soul cakes the beggars would get, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the givers.

Written by Chad Koch. Courtesy of Isnare.com

Between the Harvest Festivals, Halloween parties and social gatherings, this Halloween season could be very busy for you and your family. This is why all parents should make safety the number one priority while having fun. It also never hurts to be reminded of the precautions all Halloweeners should take while gathering candy.

Before leaving the house, every person going out to Trick-or-Treat should be dressed appropriately. Begin by making sure attire is weather appropriate. The cooler the temperature, the more layers needed to keep warm. These layers should be easily removed as not to interfere with the costume if it gets too warm. Any masks being worn should fit so that vision is not obscured in any way.

Children can't be expected to be completely safe if surroundings can't be seen easily. Batman and Darth Vader costumes are popular this year, and their dark cloaks can make seeing trick-or-treaters almost impossible after the sun has set. Take the ultimate safety precaution by purchasing reflective tape and place it on the back of the costume, which can be done without

changing the appearance or effect of the costume. It also helps to add reflective tape to the side of shoes to add extra reflective surfaces. If a car approaches your child from any direction, enough reflective tape will give your child shape and the driver will be able to see the children. Glow sticks and other accessories are also great ways to make sure you and your child can be seen in the dark.

When moving from house to house, children should refrain from walking in-between parked cars and ideally, should only cross the street at crosswalks. Some neighborhoods are easier to navigate than others, but it is always better to visit houses on one side of the street at a time. Keeping on sidewalks and driveways and refraining from grass and other soft areas will help prevents slips, trips, and falls. Holes and dips in the ground are hard to see in covered areas. Blacktop and concrete surfaces should be used for navigation as much as possible.

Only visit houses that are inviting. Houses without a light at the door or front porch, or without any light from jack-o-lanterns or other means or decoration should not be

This HalloweenBe Safe

Picture. Written by Rachael Towel. Courtesy of Isnare.com

included in the list of houses to visit. Not only is it not safe, but obviously the tenants do not want visitors.

Although neighborhoods with larger houses in prominent areas are more appealing, it can be tiresome for smaller children. These houses take longer to go from door to door, ultimately causing small children to tire more quickly. If you drive to a neighborhood to visit, try to pick one with houses that are closer together to make the trip more productive with less walking.

Some of the best places to trick-or-treat isn't necessarily in a neighborhood going from door to door. Churches, malls and shopping center strip-malls often offer treats to those who stop by. Churches often offer forms of entertainment like "Trunk-or-Treating," where the parking lot of the Church is filled with vehicles where drivers give out candy from their decked-out truck beds and lawn chairs next to their cars. These are wonderful places to take children because the people giving candy may already be a friend, therefore giving parents a more

trusted source of treats. Parents are also able to socialize and have some fun themselves, too!

We all know of the importance of screening the candy our children receive during Trick-or-Treating. Some communities offer free screenings with X-ray devices, which is an ideal way to make sure the stereotypical metal object hasn't been inserted into your child's candy. In addition to screenings, parents should check each piece of candy thoroughly before consumption. All candy should be wrapped or packaged well without any tears or punctures. Make sure the wrapper on the candy is still secure and bags are free of puncture marks or tears. If candy looks like it has been tampered with in any way, be sure to discard immediately.

Whether you decide to stay home and give out candy, or take a stroll or drive to your favorite haunts, be sure safety is first, no matter what! Enjoy your Halloween!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups apple cider• 2 cups orange juice• 2 cups pineapple juice• 2 cups apricot nectar• 6 cups chilled ginger ale• orange and lemon slices• gummy worms

Courtesy of Jill Seader.

In The Kitchen

Sparkling Halloween Punch2. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

3. Right before you are ready to serve it, mix in the ginger ale and add the orange and lemon slices.

4. Drape gummy worms over the sides of the bowl. For an added Halloween touch, put small plastic spiders in ice cube trays and fill with water.

5. Put in the freezer and add the spider ice cubes to the punch.

Directions:1. In a large bowl, mix the apple cider, orange

juice, pineapple juice, and apricot nectar.

Health & Wellness

Pumpkin SeedsPumpkin seeds are now a common seed we can buy in packets. These seeds can be found in cereal, some breads and health foods. I had a quick look online at roasted pumpkin seeds and the average price is around $5 a packet. But did you realize they are really easy to prepare at home?

The simplest and healthiest way to have pumpkin seeds is to allow them to dry naturally while still raw. The method that I used was baking. I boiled the seeds in salted water on a medium temperature for around 10 minutes until they had sunk to the bottom. Then remove the now slimy seeds from the water and spread into one layer on a tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle a small amount of sea salt over the seeds, although this is optional. Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes on 200C or 400F. The seeds will turn a light golden brown. This method makes a wonderful seed which tastes like a nutty popcorn.

The seeds of pumpkins, also called pepitas, are very healthy. They are a great source of B vitamins, along with C, D, E, and K, proteins/amino acids, fibre and omega3 fatty acids (the good fats). They also have the minerals calcium, potassium, niacin, and phosphorous. Just one serving (about 1/4 cup) gives almost half the

recommended daily amounts of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, vitamin K, and zinc. Pumpkin seeds are especially beneficial for men (due to their zinc content) as they can assist with helping to provide some protection against the development of prostate cancer and any issues with prostate health. They can also be used for bladder problems, depression and learning disabilities. It also contains substances which are anti-inflammatory which is great for any inflammatory disease such as arthritis for example.

My mother was telling me last night that her mother used raw dried pumpkin seeds as a parasitic worm treatment. Another way to treat worms with these seeds is to liquefy three tablespoons of pumpkin seeds which have been soaked three hours, one-half of a small onion, one-half cup soy milk, and one teaspoon honey. This remedy can be used three times daily, three days in a row.

So - maybe next time your preparing your pumpkin for dinner you will pay the seeds a little bit more respect. You can now turn something you used to throw out into a healthy and cheap snack.

. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Whenever you're hunting for completely new Halloween costume ideas, you could search the internet. Having said that, some of the best places to find the cheapest Halloween costumes is at places you'd never expect.

CostumesFor Every Budget

There are several ways to go about getting your costume cheap.

You Can Buy Your Costume NewLooking for a new Halloween costume is a wonderful process, and the best spot to look for your new costume is on the internet. You'll notice there are many retailers to choose from. You should do business with a Halloween costume store that has a really good reputation and a large amount of possibilities. The main benefit of getting a costume from the internet, is pricing and inventory.

Hometown merchants are a secondary way to acquire Halloween costumes. They won't have a big variety as an internet retailer, but they should have a decent stock of costumes, masks, wigs, accessories and props. You may feel more at ease buying a costume locally, since it is much easier to return it than buying from the word wide web.

What About Picking Out Your Costume Used?Tracking down a used Halloween costume can be a great for your wallet and if you are strapped for cash, it may be the best option.

If you develop a costume idea, and make a list of the stuff you need to accomplish your costume, putting it together should be pretty easy. You can perhaps find the items to create an entire costume with little effort.

Precisely where can you track down used costumes? Some excellent places may include:

• a neighborhood thrift store• at many flea markets• try yard sales• via friends or relatives• through coworkers• look through newspaper ads• a variety of online auction web-sites (such as

eBay)

Make sure to throughly look at the quality of the costume, and if you are buying it from cyberspace or an online auction, get as many detailed images as you are able to. On top of that, try and get a money back guarantee. Used costumes are a wonderful idea since you may only be putting on the costume once.

Take into Consideration Renting a Costume

Costume rentals might be another idea for Halloween. Ask where you can buy a new costume locally, it is probable they carry rentals.

Most of the time you have to pay for a deposit, and the charge for renting the costume depends upon how long you intend to keep it. During the Halloween period, for example, you can expect to spend more for a costume than some other time of the year.

With the cheap prices of costumes on the internet, we recommend that you just buy one. You can always resell it later if you never use it again, or pass it on to friends and relatives. Renting a halloween costume is an option though, and we wanted to give you that option.

Consider Making Your Own CostumeWhether or not your a hobbyist or even good at arts and crafts, you may like the gratification of developing your very own Halloween costume from scratch. It just takes some imagination and a few minutes of hard work to make an original creation.

If you already have a Halloween costume idea in your head, here are some pointers to think about before you begin making your own costume:

• Come up with an idea for the Halloween costume first, and then nose around your house to see if you may have all kinds of things you need to make it.

• Put together a list of materials that you need that have to be paid for for the costume. This will lower expenses by keeping to a budget and plan.

• Anytime you make kid's Halloween costumes, ensure that that they are not dangerous for their age group, and make them easily seen at night.

• Strive to be one-of-a-kind, the primary point of doing your own costume is to stand out and be seen, right?

Local StoresWaiting until the last minute is a sure-fire way to get a cheap Halloween costume. Many retailers mark Halloween costumes down the day before Halloween and you can get a great deal.

The only problem with this is that you will have less variety to choose from as many of the most sought after costumes will have already been purchased.

Picture. Written by Annette. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

Decorating for Halloween

Halloween is around the corner, how would you decorate? In general, putting up Halloween decorations a moth before October 31st. is acceptable and gives you a whole month to celebrate.

Halloween decoration ideas do not have to be complicated or time-consuming. They can also be fairly inexpensive.

Planning a Halloween Party is a fun and exciting task but it can also be very difficult. Finding great Halloween decorations at an affordable price isn’t always easy but it is possible. Have you ever hear Priceangels.com? I bought all the Halloween decorations there. It is an trusty online store. Things are very cheap with good quality.

Skulls and Skeletons. The number one accessory associated with Halloween, skulls and skeletons are an essential element in any great Halloween party. These decorations are available in plastic or rubber and can be hung from ceilings, used as centerpieces or spread sporadically around the room. Regardless of where you plan to put them, these Halloween decorations are must-have for any great party.

Cover large furniture, such as your sofa with plain, white sheets or white fabric to give your home an abandoned haunted house look. To age the fabric, stain using tea bags in a slop sink or bathtub. Allow ample time for this to dry thoroughly before the party.

Make hand streaks using fake blood on medicine cabinet mirrors, shower tiles, smooth windows and on any large mirrors (anything easily clean-able) you might have in your home.

In addition, Never forget that the office is a place of business. Choose Halloween decorations that won't be a distraction to you, your coworkers or clients. Don't use any gross or gory decorations or props. Decapitated heads and dripping blood is out, unless it fits with the normal decor of the office of course.

Spiders and webbing are also accessory associated with Halloween. Webbing is extremely affordable and can completely transform the look of a room. You can usually get a large amount of webbing for less than a dollar and the plastic spiders generally cost next to nothing to purchase. Cover your walls in webbing a toss a few creepy crawlers on top and you have got a good head start on the decorating process.

Picture. Written by Lori Luo. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com,

Products To Love In October

There are two perks to Halloween for adults, you get to dress up and you get to eat your favorite treats. Well, this Halloween we have decided that pixie stix and candy corn are things of the past, let us introduce you to caramel apple nirvana, aka, The Pecan Turtle Caramel Apple with Dark Belgian Chocolate. They start with a huge tart granny smith apple and from there on out it only gets better! We would tell you the rest of the process, be we are too busy drooling and scheming a way to get our hands on at least a dozen! So you will just have to check it out for yourself. Please visit www.amyscandykitchen.com for more information.

Sick of always having to scrounge around at the last minute for a costume? And you wind up getting stuck with a lame one anyway? We have found the “to die for” look this year! The Victorian Vampire and Victorian Vampira costumes are gorgeous! You can grab your honey and knock them dead as a super stylish couple or snag one and fly solo, though as hott as these are that won’t last long! Don’t like vampires you say? That’s ok too! They have something for everyone, the only problem now will be choosing only one costume! Please visit www.frightcatalog.com for more information.

Tired of those cheap plastic excuses for carving tools that bend and snap in half if you so much as sneeze sideways at them? Have we got a treat for you! LamsonSharp Heirloom Pumpkin Carving Tool Set is a three piece wonder that will please even the most exacting of pumpkin carving enthusiasts. Made of the finest grade stainless steel with oiled walnut handles these beauties will last you and your posterity through many a Jack’O Lantern!. Please visit www.amazon.com for more information.

DYI Project - OctoberSpook-tacular Glow Stick Lanterns

You’ll need:

• Clear Mason Jars• Lids for the Mason Jars• Glow Sticks• Sharp Scissors• Newspaper• Water (Optional)

1. Pick up enough mason jars to light up your party. Preferably new jars so that all you will need to do is wipe out the inside and outside with a damp rag. If you are removing food from the jars, rinse well and either put them in the dishwasher or scrub with hot water and soap. Allow jars to dry before beginning your project.

2. Obtain your lighting element. Purchase several glow sticks--approximately one per jar.

3. Grab a pair of sharp scissors. You’ll want to make a clean cut along the top of the glow stick in order to extract the liquid.

4. Wipe jars clean and then dry. If you are working with new mason jars, all you’ll need to do is use a microfiber cloth to wipe the inside and outside.

5. Cover your work area with newspaper or a drop cloth. Even though you may not spill glow stick material, you don’t want to take any chances. Take precautions before you break open the sticks.

6. Hold the glow stick directly over the mason jar and snip the top with the scissors. Make sure you don't end up having to make several rough cuts as it could create a mess. A sharp pair of scissors should produce a clean cut along the top of the stick.

7. Pour the glow stick liquid directly into the mason jar. Hold a paper towel in the opposite hand so when you are done pouring you can grasp the open end with the paper towel and swiftly (and cleanly) discard the empty glow stick.

8. Replace the mason jar lid and screw on tightly. A tight fit is very important in order to avoid a huge mess.

9. (OPTIONAL) Add a little bit of water to the jar. According to some this makes the glow last longer.

10.Shake the mason jar to activate the glow stick material and cover the mason jar with liquid. The coverage will provide for more of a glow and remain illuminated for several hours. ENJOY!

Courtesy of wikihow.com

Welcome to Main Street Realty where you get "good ole fashion Main Street service"! I havebeen selling real estate in SW Missouri for many years, know my market and look forward tohelping you in the future. Come visit me to see the difference where you are greeted with greatservice and friendly smiles along with lots of real estate knowledge!

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THIS MONTHS FEATURED LISTING

$189500

Listing Number: 60010212

Beds: 4

Baths: 3.00

Sqft: 2837

Lot Size: 0.80

City: Buffalo

State: MO

SOUTHERN HOME MAGAZINE would love this beautiful home! Hardwood floors, open floor

plan for kitchen and dining with gorgeous columns between. Stainless steel appliances,

gorgeous counter tops, work island deck just off dining area. Owner has never used fireplace

and makes no disclosure but it is a nice feature! Living room has high ceiling, recessed lights

all new windows. Master bedroom suite with deck and a \'\'to die for\'\' tiled bathroom! 4th

bedroom on the main floor would be great for guests or add a wet bar and have another family

or game room! BSMT update is nearly completed with FR, office and utility room.Laura Coots 417-345-4366417-733-2066main-streethomes.comlaura@main-streethomes.com