Another New Hairstyle

Another new style for Joci’s hair. I really like this one a lot. It was easy to do once I had all the pieces separatd. I just need to work on my ‘messy buns’ more. Right now I think they sort of look like hair bows.
Also, a quick little look at our Halloween yard. I just LOVE Halloween. It has always been one of my favorite holidays. Having kids makes it so much better, too. The kids are really excited about it also. Everyday Joe asks if we can decorate more in the house. He's sooooo like me! Joe is also very impressed with my spiderweb abilities. Last year we told him that Spiderman came by and did the webs for us. This year I said that I used the skills that Spiderman taught me last year and that's why I was so good at it. You should have seen his face. He thought I was the most awesome Mom ever! Even Jon is excited about Halloween, although he drives me crazy waiting till the very last minute to decide and create a costume. This year he even got a new toy at Walmart. It's a foggy bubble machine that literally puts the fog inside the bubble, so when the bubble eventually pops it has this cool little burst of fog. I have to admit, that it is very cool.

Women's Suffrage

I had this passed on to me today. I thought it was brilliant. While I'm not an Obama proponent, I just cannot agree with McCain's elitist views, at all, and honestly, Palin scares me, bad. I do not want our first female representative in the White House to be someone that does not represent me in any way. This Football Mom is NOT voting for that Hockey Mom.

Yoga

The company I work for is really trying to invest in their employee’s health by offering classes, seminars, massages, etc. Today I took advantage of one of their free sessions of yoga…and I LOVED it! I took yoga one other time and really, really hated it. I had this crazy old lady that was going so fast and doing really advanced poses that I was NOT comfortable doing. Today I had a different experience. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I really hate to exercise. I don’t like getting all hot and sweaty, or being in pain or out of breath. To me, it is sooooooo boring. My Mom used to be really into running. I wish I was more like her, I wish I enjoyed exercising. Today I was surprised that I did. I enjoyed it, and…I actually felt good afterward! So wish me luck, who knows, maybe I will actually stick with it!

Bug Triangle

I tried this hairstyle this morning with Joci. It went pretty quickly, which makes me happy, and reminds me that I need to get one of those topsy turvy tail things. Our babysitter told me yesterday that she now looks forward to seeing what Joci's hair looks like for the day. That was nice to hear.

Weekend Crafts

I've been meaning to get some things done around the house recently, mostly some deep cleaning and decorating for Halloween. I've posted both of these ideas previously on my blog, so here are the results of actually completing them.


The first are these cute little lavender sachets that are made out of your extra envelopes. The was the EASIEST craft I've done in awhile and the best part is that I already had everything I needed for it. I think they turned out really cute. I think I might do little ones as decorative accents for Christmas presents, or something along those lines.

The next craft I did was turn transform my entryway in our house into a fun Halloween vignette. I am really proud of how it turned out. The kids loved it, too. Notice the shutters that are painted black and hung on the wall. One of the best Martha Stewart organizing ideas I've ever done. They are so useful!

Remember, Tommorrow is...

Paperwhites?

I took these photos a few days ago of these flowers that are just now blooming. They haven't bloomed yet this year until now. We often wondered what the grass-like stems were going to produce, and now we know. I think they are paperwhites. Does anyone else know?

Thank Goodness for Mom and Dad!

I wish that when I was a child I had as awesome Grandparents as my Mom and Dad are to the kids. My Mom’s parents had passed away before I could really get to know them. My Dad’s parents were miserable people, and were disappointed, I believe, by the lack of boy grandchildren they had. I was yet another girl among many. Anyway, my parents are awesome. They really revel in being Grandma and Grandpa, or Mamaw and Papaw to Joci. Even better, the kids really love to be around them, especially going over to their house. There they get to play outside and get dirty on the swing set, ride their bikes, relax with Grandma in her studio, help Grandpa in his garden or his shop, ‘hunt’ for bunnies with their flashlights, or enjoy a swim in the spa, which is pretty much their own private play pool. They often get to go shopping, one of Joe’s favorite things, and usually get to have whatever they want to eat for breakfast, which is usually pancakes or doughnuts. They love it, and I do, too. I really revel in seeing the close bonds that they have formed with their Grandparents, especially since mine was so lacking. Mom and Dad are real lifesavers, too. Our awesome babysitter takes one week off a year, and believe it or not, in the almost five years we’ve been going to her, absolutely zero sick days! So, Jon and I are splitting the week up, and Mom and Dad volunteered to take a couple of days, too. Not only that, but they even took the kids Sunday, Monday, and then Tuesday nights. Do you know how awesome it is to be at home without the kids at night for a few days? Not having to get them ready in the morning, etc? Oh, it was like heaven. Don’t get me wrong, I miss the kids. I can’t wait to see them tonight when I pick them up, but a little adult alone time is always appreciated, too. Trust me, I know how very, very luck I am, and I hope my parents know just how much I cherish their relationship with the kids, and all the extra help that they give us. So I just wrote this post and now realize that I do not have a recent picture of the kids with Mom and Dad. Now I am going to have to work on that!

Joci's Hair this Morning

I am so, so, so proud of myself this morning! This week I have tried a couple of new hairstyles on Joci that have turned out really cute. The one I did today was, I think, the best because in all actuality it was the simplest. That’s not to say the others weren’t great, but I certainly am new at this and, well, practice makes perfect. Even Jon that I did a great job with this one. Let me know what you think.

One very happy little girl...

Jon cut down our dead Lemon tree.

I got all excited when I saw all the dead branches in the back. I mean, could it be any better timing with this being the time to decorate for Halloween? Here's one of the ideas that I am going to use. I will post when it's all done, too.

Have YOU Gotten Your Flu Shot Yet?

Thankfully, I work for a health organization that provides free flu shots to it's employees. I just came back from getting mine and decided I'd post a little reminder here for those that are as forgetful as I am to get your flu shot. Make sure you get your kids in, too. I am going to make an appt for mine right now. Please do the same.

For information on the influenza vaccine go to:

www.cdc.gov/flu

or call 1-800-232-4636

Shrunken Apple Heads

I remember making these when I was in elementary school! I think I'll try to make some and stick them in the ground outside in our winter flower bed after they've dried. I will try to remember to take a picture to post how they turned out. Thanks to Martha Stewart for bringing back such a fun memory.

However, I would recommend NOT coring the apple. They will stay on the stick better.

These shrunken heads, made from peeled, carved, and dried apples, are as spooky as the scariest Halloween masks -- and just as much fun to create. Martha transforms a Granny Smith apple into a truly frightening fruit; although any variety of apple will work, Granny Smiths are ideal for this project because of their round shape.
Tools and MaterialsFirm, unbruised apple, preferably Granny SmithKnifeMarker or pencil1 cup lemon juice1 tablespoon saltStick or branch
Shrunken Apple Head How-To1. Peel and core the apple.
2. Using a pencil or marker, draw facial features, including eyes, a nose, and a mouth, on the apple; be sure to draw the features large enough so they won't vanish when the apple shrinks.
3. Using the outlines as your guide, carve the apple to resemble a skull.
4. Combine lemon juice and salt in bowl. Soak the apple for 30 seconds. Pat dry.
5. Set the apple in a warm, dry spot; after several days, the apple will shrink, and the features will distort.
6. Insert a stick or branch into the bottom of the head and place it in a vase

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/shrunken-apple-heads?lnc=6ce616f5f555b110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=halloween+idea+of+the+day_recipe_b