Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all my favorite Halloweiners!

(Don't you think this kid will need some serious therapy in 30 years...bless his heart!)

What are you thankful for?

Debbie over at http://ribbonwoodcottage.blogspot.com/ is having a fab giveaway! Please check out her website (click on link above or on the title of this posting) and give her a little shout. Her blog is wonderful and she is a pretty crafty little critter too! You know me and my love of crafty bloggers, especially ones that share their tips. Y'all, you know how I like to beg, borrow and steal!

Blessings & happy bloggin'!

Blessed Mama

What homemade gifts did you make for Christmas in years past?

Over at one of my new faves, Tip Junkie (http://tipjunkie.blogspot.com/), they posed the question as to what are some of your favorite Christmas gifts that you have made or have received? You have seen my previous post with the clipboards, and I have others, but I can't share just yet...

I don't have many other ideas from PAST Christmases because I haven't been too crafty in years past, or I didn't take a picture of it, or it turned out to be a big hot mess... Those are for another blog & another time...YIKES!

Anywho, I would love to hear about your favorite concoctions. I am always up for a crafty idea! I think we all could this year to save a little moolah...

Speaking of baking (well, that was a couple of paragraphs ago...), check these out.

I made these for C.'s class at Mother's Day Out this year.

Nothing like a little pre-trick-or-treating sugar! No need to thank me parents...

All family members, please step away from the screen!

It is going to be a crafty Christmas...

Okay y'all, this is a short post. I have my littlest monkey on my lap and he is fascinated with the mouse. That, or the music that is playing on my blog. I like to think that the latter is true and that he has a special connection with the Big Guy (we were listening to Come Thou Fount). Anywho, look at what Big Ma whipped up in her spare time. I have a friend that had done one for me and I thought I would try my hand at it. Actually, this is my second one, so I had all the kinks worked out this time. Isn't it glorious? Also, if you are related to me, and your initials are DCM, Merry Christmas!

I am so excited about how darned cute this is, and I love me some fun scrapbook papers and ribbon (you all know my love/fascination/obsession/adoration for ribbon) and what a perfect way to feed my healthy addiction! Actually, I will be making some and putting them on my etsy website (http://www.chicksinthesticks.etsy.com/) soon. Also, when I have a chance, I think I will put some of these on there (please note, these are just some examples that I have found, these are not on my website)...

I love the long tutus with the big flower on the front.

...and some of these..

I love the simplicity of a pillowcase dress.

You can also wear them much longer because they are looser than a regular dress.

I already have the fabric for 4 pillowcase dresses. One is a robin's egg blue Waverly floral, one is the most gorgeous coral and cream print, one is very sophisticated toile, and the other is the most precious pink & red gingham with a floral overlay pattern.

I can't wait to get them done! Let's see...now where did I put my sewing machine?

My fabulous life...you will be so jealous (if you have no life)

My dearest friend Jerri Lynn at http://southernsassiness.blogspot.com/ tagged me with this fun little nugget and I know that my adoring fans are breathless with anticipation to know what my fabulous life is like. Well, I will try to bring it down a notch so that all of you mere mortals will be able to grasp it...

A day in the life...

7:15 - 7:30: Roll my petite little derrier out of bed when I hear my youngest crying (because the poop fairy visits every night) and my darling daughter is yelling at him, "No! Stop!". They share a room...isn't that brilliant?.

7:30: Immediately begin with breakfast while they scream that they are STARVING...mind you, starving in my home means you haven't eaten within the past hour, so can you imagine after 10 hours of sleep? It is the perfect way to begin the morning...

8:00-ish: Clean half of their breakfast off of the floor (because they were all raised by a pack of wild dogs and don't know how to keep food on an actual table, much less a plate), and wash the dishes from breakfast.....and dinner the night before....don't judge me!

C. goes to Mother's Day Out (or as I like to call it, Mommy's mini-vacation) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so at this point we are throwing on clothes, licking down cowlicks and packing something nutritious for her lunch (you know, like a snicker bar, can of coke and some pork rinds...just kidding). Then I do my hour of yoga....HA HA HA HA HA...oh, I can't stop laughing!!!!! Seriously, I get her to school at 9:00, go home and do some hard core homeschooling (we have to get in the majority of it when she is gone) until noon. We do take a 30 minute break and go play when E. gets antsy. W. plays in our "classroom" with his toys & I try to entertain him when E. is doing independent study. At noon, we eat lunch and then either go run errands, or just hang out until we pick up C. at 2:00 (then we do naps, play, dinner, baths & bed).

Monday is homeschooling until about 11:00, then we all get ready and go to Spanish class from 12 - 1, come home, eat lunch and then C. & W. take naps from 1 - 3 or 4. E. and I do a little more school work, then I let him have free time.

Wednesday is Field Trip/Project Day, so we wing it. We do one or the other, and somewhere in the day, we eat and the kids nap.

Friday is E.'s homeschool co-op, so we get up, get dressed, have Bible Study, get there a little early so he can hang out with the other kids and play Bionicles, and has his Critical Thinking class from 11 - 12. I do my service hour in the playroom and keep the under control (which means chat with the other moms and make sure the kids don't mame each other). If we are bringing E.'s friend home to play at our house, we go and stop by Mc Donalds, grab lunch, then go home and put the little ones down for naps, or E. goes to his friend's house and I go home, feed the babies, put them down and then have an ice cold beer. Just kidding about that one, I need something a little stronger than that by Friday afternoon. Am I kidding? What do you think? HMMMMM.....

Our evenings aren't too bad:
On Monday, we just hang out as a family, on Tuesday we have a Bible Study so I give the kids a big snack, pack up dinner, take them to the sitter and enjoy a peaceful evening with adult conversation. We pack the kids back up at 9-ish, and put them to bed when we get home (they get their jammies on at the sitters). On Wednesday, I cram dinner down my E.'s throat, and drive him to Awanas at 6:00. I either run errands and the hubby tends to the other 2 (this is awesome by the way!!!) until I pick up E. at 8:00 (the kids are already in fed, bathed & in bed) or I just come back home and help Pa' with the evening routine. On Thursdays, my hubby has softball (watch the Sports Center highlights... they are the opposite of what you will see on there...no offense guys), so I am on my own with all 3. Curse you Thursdays!!! Fridays are usually family time, or I go scrapbooking. Well, let me make a little disclaimer: I "plan" to go scrapbooking every-now-and-then, but it actually only happens once every 6 months, so it usually ends up being family time with a night out to eat (or bringing food home to avoid complete meltdown...from me that is).

Now, whom do I tag? (Okay y'all, my blogging addiction is fairly new, so bear with me if you get tagged by me more than once...I don't have a ton of followers or people that I follow yet, and I am still learning the whole blogging protocol.)

Big Mama at http://thebigmamablog.com/. She is sure to have you rolling on the floor...

Joy at http://joysofhome.blogspot.com/. I think I just "awarded" her the other day, but she has finished some amazing projects and I just want y'all to look...

Tracey at http://polkadotpicketfence.blogspot.com/. She is a sweet fellow Texas who stopped by my blog the other day and she is a trip. Look at her pic and tell me if you REALLY think she is 38. No way! She has a really cute blog on top of being flippin' adorable...

JL passed this my direction too...I am doubly blessed...thanks girl!

I pass this on to....

Jenni at http://www.nesttokeep.com/

My sis, at http://jillmoffitt.blogspot.com/ (keep it clean Jilly Bean...love ya')

Sandy Toes at http://shellinyourpocket.blogspot.com/

and...

Baby Mama (I love her name!) at http://ofloveandababy.blogspot.com/
Oh yeah, one more...
Nessa at http://nessatxmom.blogspot.com/ (I love my Texans y'all!)

Here are the rules:
1. You may choose five people/blogs to give the award to.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.

3. One has to be a new follower of your blog or live in another part of the world.

Have a fantabulous weekend y'all & come back again! Anytime, seriously ANYTIME! I am needy like that!

No quirky title, this is just about random stuff...

Okay y'all, which looks better...where does the little birdy need to nest? Here...

Or here?

Random pumpkin...I cut out a stencil for this one and painted it black. Quite messy, a little annoying, but it turned out okay. I think it needs a big fat mess of ribbon on top. Yeah...it needs a bow. Well, doesn't everything really need a bow?

I thought I would get smart and print C's initial on paper, cut it out and paste it on instead of cutting it out and then painting it. I am not a surgeon, as you can plainly see, so there is a little outline. It sure was quicker than the one above though. Still, I filled the white in with a little black sharpie (shhhh, don't tell) and it looks better. It is out on my porch now and I am too lazy to go take a picture, download it and post it. Well, it IS 1:34 AM, so that doesn't really classify as lazy, does it?

These are a few new pumpkins that I salivated over until they went on sale. GO ME! The picture doesn't do them justice. They are gorgeous in person (or in pumpkin, I guess you would say...sorry, I am sleepy).

More tutus!!! This one is for my friend's little girl "K". Just a pile of tulle and ribbon now, but...

SHAZAM!!! Here is the finished product. There are 2 shades of pink and cream. I'll post pics later of K. and her tutu. She is a doll!

You like me... you really like me!

Yes, it is true, I actually won something. Well, I don't know if I truly "won" it, but Jenni over at Nest to Keep (http://www.nesttokeep.com/) passed this award on to me. I feel so giddy! Am I a total blogging nerd to feel that way? Well, if I am I DON'T CARE! So, thanks Jenni! I will, in turn, pass it on to 6 crafty little ladies whom I love to follow...

The rules are to pass this on to six other great crafting (some of mine are decorating) bloggers (please stop by and give them a little 'ello), and to list six things that make me happy! Well...here goes!

1. Joy at Joys of Home http://joysofhome.blogspot.com/ is wonderful! Her fall decor is simply magical!


2. Amy at Winterberry Creek http://winterberrycreek.blogspot.com/ has amazing recipes and be sure to check out her flower pumpkin. It is precious ( I will have to steal that one!).


3. Rachel at Made with Love and Glue http://eoberrys.blogspot.com/ is an A-MAZ-ING photographer (check out the pic for her son's birth announcement...baby in a pumpkin...what more can I say) & has fab taste!


4. Over at the Hostess with the Mostest http://www.hostessblog.com/ you can always find fun ideas to steal...um, borrow.


5. Carol at Raised in Cotton http://raisedincotton.typepad.com/raised_in_cotton/ is the uber-decorator. She has shabby chic down to a science! The fall decor on her site will have you weak in the knees...


6. Last but not least is Shabby Mama at http://shabbymama.blogspot.com/. She is a new addition to my blog list and I think she is fantabulous (it is a word, look it up...nevermind, I lied). Her blog is fun and has a little bit of everything.

Okay y'all, here is my happy list...

1. That the good Lord continues to keep me fed, warm and forgiven. A big shout out to you big J.C.!
   
2. When my son, E., tells me I am the best mommy in the world. His heart is bigger than Texas!


3. My precious babies and how the love one another. They are always hugging and looking after each other. I pray that they continue that for the rest of their lives.


4. When the kids are in bed and I can sit quietly with a good decorating magazine and a cup of Signature hot chocolate from Starbucks (it is freakin' ridiculously amazing!!!). I know, it isn't a warm and fuzzy like 1 through 3, but if you have 3 small children and are still able to pick yourself up off the floor, get out the door and go in, or at least, drive through Starbucks, have enough energy in your fingers to turn the pages of a magazine, and actually pull the cup to your lips, then you know how happy even the thought of the moment can make me. Can I get an "Amen"!


5. A clean house. Again, no warm fuzzies...well, for me their are, but maybe not you. A clean house puts me in a good mood, no matter how crazy my day is. On the flip side, a messy house can suck every bit of glee out of me. Am I the only one who has this syndrome? Help...I need a housekeeper...STAT!

Lastly, I would again like to thank the academy for the honor of this award....oh, sorry, wrong acceptance speech.
Now, go hire a maid for the afternoon, sit with a good cup of coffee/hot chocolate/tea/Jack Daniels (whatever toots your horn), grab a good mag and have a wonderful and happy day.

Who loves vintage Halloween? I do, I do!!!

Okay y'all, like you know, I am not a huge Halloween fan. Call me crazy, but I think that scaring children senseless with corpses coming out of the ground and oozing blood on your front porch does not leave fond childhood memories. I have several friends who do not "celebrate" (although I don't know what there is to celebrate on Halloween...or as Martha would say, "All Hallow's Eve"...like, who else says that???) Halloween. I completely understand, accept and respect that. However, I can't stand the thought of missing the photo op of my precious little hatchlings in their costumes, nor the opportunity to "test" the candy that they receive at the Chick-fil-A trunk-or-treat. It is amazing that, as a parent, we are forced to do such horrible things! It is also unfathomable the amount of "unacceptable" candy that I must eat...oops, I mean test, so that my dear children will be safe. Well, I must endure for their sakes...sigh!

Also, I have been pondering the thought of giving the little trick-or-treaters those cute little bags of Cheetos or popcorn balls that I have been eyeballing at my neighborhood store. Is that lame-o? I don't want to be the weirdo neighbor that passes out the crummy treats and gets my house egged. So, what are your thoughts...cute little bags of Cheetos and possible drive by egging, or just plain ol' teeth-rotting and childhood-obesity-promoting candy? Yeah, I think it will have to be candy. Bless their little oversized hearts!

Okay, I have chased a rabbit trial... This is a real head-scratcher for me. Do I decorate for fall only and skip the pumpkin carving and black cats, or do I just make it as non-terrifying as possible? Here is what I have decided. I just LOVE vintage Halloween. Actually, I am a big fan of vintage anything. I have discovered some adorable decor from folk artist Johanna Parker. She does everything, not just Halloween, and it is super cute! (Click above to go directly to her link.) Here is some of her work:

Who can resist this smiling kitty?

Okay, so this little guy isn't necessarily for Halloween, but it could work & he is so cute!

Another happy little guy

Little ornaments for your Halloween tree. Doesn't everyone have one? I would just stick them in a glass jar full of candy corns or have the poking out of a fall wreath on the front door.

Okay ya'll, since the stores are already pulling out their garland and wreaths, here is a little tidbit to get you into the Christmas spirit a little early...

Oh, I can hardly wait!

The object of my desire...

...you will be mine...

Okay y'all. I have a problem. I love zebra print. Actually, I love animal print. I am not obesessive about it, and my house doesn't look like an homage to an African safari or anything, but I just think that it is fun and sassy. GRRRR! Anywho, my problem is that my dear hubby (who won't admit that he likes HGTV, has just about the best eye for color and design than anyone I know, can arrange a room like nobody's business & has fantastic taste which irritates me because, as a man, and more specifically, as my husband, he shouldn't have any say in the decor of our home...much less the strong opinion that he thinks he has a right to...the nerve!!!) doesn't like it so much. Well, I'll show him! Here is what I have concocted to deviate from the animal print ban (well, not necessarily a ban, but a strong avoidance of) in our home. A HA! (Menacing music in the background)...

I decided to recover the mats on a couple of my favorite family pictures...when we were just a mere family of three.

This is how they began their journey.

I never was in love with them, but they worked at the time.

This was the carnage that awaited me as I began to dissect the poor thing.

Behold, glorious zebra print!

How I have longed for thee...Better, isn't it? I am thinking about taking the middle mat (the plain coffee colored one) and using either scrapbook paper, or a different fabric to add some aqua to match my bedroom.

Whatcha think?

Okay, do you see something wrong with this picture? Yes, I matted them with the fabric going in different directions. Well, I could lie to you and say that it was all in my master plan, but the truth is, I did it at midnight and I was just plain tired. I can either just hang them as is, or rotate the fabric. I will probably just deal with it. Maybe noone will notice...EXCEPT MY HUSBAND!!! Oh yeah, he will ladies. He is the one who walks into a room and within a nanosecond notices a new candleholder on the mantle, or a new picture frame. He also notices when a picture is a millimeter off-centered. Frightening, isn't it? Yes, it scares me too. Hey, maybe if I get that zebra print chair, he will never notice the pictures....HMM...I'll keep you posted....

Beg, Borrow and (Lord, please forgive me...) Steal, Honey!

Alright my girlfriends...fall is now in full swing. Here in Texas the weather is...wait for it...cool. Yes, I said it. As I was picking up my little C. from Mother's Day Out, I looked at the temperature on my rear view mirror (oh yeah, I have the fancy 2001 Suburban, complete with matching dents on each side of my fenders...jealous aren't you?) and it said 65 degrees. I nearly veered off of the road during a moment of utter ecstasy and glee, but I pulled it together and simply announced it to my fellow passengers. Albeit, they are only 6 and 1, and couldn't have cared less, I was enthralled and had to pass on my new nugget of information. So, to pay homage to the beginning of fall, I have a few little ideas for holiday decor. Please, feel free to steal, uhm, I mean "be inspired" by them, and incorporate them into your own nests, because the Good Lord knows that I did the same....
Happy decorating my peeps!

Do you think that the little trick-or-treaters would appreciate the

cuteness of these little gourds? Well, of course!

Okay, tulle is like, a buck a yard. How cheap and adorable are these? If you didn't like black, you could always do orange or green. I think a little fall wreath hung by some beautiful ribbon would be adorable on the back (maybe with a few little berries mixed in).

How fun is this one? Just cut your flowers on an angle, put them in some wet floral foam and they should last at least a week. You can even find the flowers at your local grocery store!

These little pumpkins are so cute, but you could even use fake ones and reuse it every year.

We are now a family of 7!

No, they aren't from my own uterus... I know what you are thinking, "Isn't about time you cranked out another one?" Well, no, these are adopted. The kids are so pumped up! You would think that they actually got to pick out their own siblings. Anywho, they are named "Tyler" and "Dora the Explorer". Actually, Tyler's full name is "Lazy Tyler" since he/she (this part is debateable...although since it is lazy, it is probably a male...AHEM). E. is so stressed out that his isn't doing laps around the habitat. C. named hers Dora the explorer because she can really hoof it around the habitat with the speed of a gazelle. It is amazing! I have decided that the ones that they picked out match their personality. I have heard that pets pick their owners...I guess that goes for hermit crabs too.

By the way, we bought these little critters at Earthbound Trading Company. Have you ever been in there? Okay y'all, there was so much incense burning in there that my lungs are literally petrified. I can't tell you how many people walked (or rather, stumbled) in there with eyes glazed over talking about crystals and swords. Back off DUUUUUDE.....

*Note to self...."Self, don't go within 1,000 feet of that place again".

This is "Lazy Tyler" before we discovered his laziness.

Look at him go! Actually, this is the first and only time that we actually saw his little face.

Dora the Explorer on the move

C. is so excited with her new pet

Tutus and Pumpkins

Tutu Cute for Words!

I decided that I would create my own tutu for C. this year. We aren't big Halloweeners (or Halloweiners...whichever you prefer), but I do like for them to dress up and get candy. C. is going to just be a Fall princess/fairy/girl... whatever she deems herself to be. This is a preview of the tutu & how it all came together...

First, the green...

Then the purple...

Then the black...

I just tied each piece around the elastic waistband, then added a double-faced satin ribbon on the back. I am taking orders!!! =)

I had to bribe her (yes, I have to bribe sometimes...don't think less of me) to get the tutu on, then after I put it on her, she wouldn't take it off. Imagine that! Oh, the will of a 2-year-old!

The Arboretum

My Mom & Dad gave us Arboretum passes for the year for Christmas and I highly recommend doing the same for your family. We all get in, the entire year for free. Free y'all!! Even the parking is ....free!!! My favorite word!!!

Y'all the Arboretum is gorgeous this time of year. They had thousands of pumpkins, amazing flowers, a hay maze & a petting zoo. Mondays are Mommy & Me days where they have face-painting and other crafts for the kiddos. We had no idea that everyone else in Texas would be there for Columbus Day. My hubby had the day off, so we decided to use our passes for the first time. Although it was insanely crowded, I had plenty of good pictures at the end of the day (I mean, isn't that the whole reason you go anyway??? Hello!!!). Here are some of my faves...

W. loved the pumpkins! He had the best time of all...

Here are my boys. Aren't they precious!

W. at the petting zoo. He loves animals!

Picture perfect moment

Our little pumpkin

C. in the "tiny tiny" house



Look at all of the amazing pumpkins & gourds