Halloween Ghosts…

I made one of these cute ghosts when I was in elementary school. I loved putting it out at Halloween time. We decided to make one that would hang out at our house this year!

To make your own spooky Ghost:

 

Here's what you need...

1 Liter Pop Bottle,

Starch,

Cheese Cloth,

Old Towel,

Scrap piece of felt,

Styrofoam ball (the white kind works best)

 

First thing you are going to do is cover your working area with your towel. The starch is easily washed out of a towel but it gets messy if you don't cover up your area.

Then make your ghost form. I just shoved the styrofoam ball on top of the pop bottle. (if you are using a green floral ball cover it with plastic wrap or something so you don't get green fuzzies on your cheese cloth.)

Next, lay the cheese cloth over your ghost form. (We doubled our cheese cloth.) We took the cheese cloth and soaked it in the starch then used our hands to wring it out. You could also use a spray bottle. The more starch the stiffer your ghost. Next you can use a hair dryer to help make the drying time faster, we just set ours out in the sun to dry. Once it is completely dry, pull it off of your form and glue on some felt eyes.

HAPPY

Happy Favorite Fall…

You know what I’m looking forward to? The Becky Higgins Project REAL LIFE online class. I’m seriously obsessed with Becky Higgins style, organizational skills, and project life. I can’t wait for this class to start next week!!!  Curious… check it out RIGHT HERE. There is still time to sign up!

  

I’ve already putting my Halloween decor out. Call me crazy, but I’m excited to be hosting a little Halloween party next week. I’m doing it super early. I hope it doesn’t put a damper on the fun, but it was the ONLY weekend in October we had open! If you read my blog you know I can be a little obsessive compulsive about things. One thing is the scents that are in my house. I change out my scentsy and candles, my wall plug ins and my soaps with the seasons. :D Anyone else a little crazy like that? I hope I’m not the only one. {note to self… someday I’m going to learn to take really amazing pictures… until then, yep we are all stuck with these!}

 

     

 

I LOVE fall!! It’s a season of warmth, and I love that we slow down enough to more fully realize our blessings and be thankful.

Here is a little fall handout I made for my cute young women this week.

These cupcakes are one of my all time favorite fall treats. Get the recipe HERE.

 

You are welcome to right click this handout, save to your computer and print to make your own Pumpkin handouts.

December. In a nutshell.

The last few months have been Crazy… with a capital C! I never imagined I could be so far behind on a to-do list. ;) I’ve never felt so much chaos but at the same time so content & happy with life. It’s full of everything I love. {and I’ve only had a couple of break down’s, a few monster stress zits, and two migraines"} ha! Really. It’s a beautiful life. I am so grateful for  my many blessings.

I guess it doesn’t help that I’d rather spend my nights sitting in front of the Christmas tree watching the twinkling lights.

I think I’ll just try to recap our month of December. On December 1st, Zach & I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. Love that boy SO much. He makes all my dreams come true.

It was also the day my dad had surgery. It was a day of miracles. He is doing SO great. He is cancer free right now! That feels so good to say! :) He will do 12 more rounds of chemo after Christmas. He is my hero. I don’t know that I could fight like he is fighting. Truly he is amazing. It has been hard. We have had so many tender mercies. Very grateful.

We were able to visit with Braxton’s birth mom Shanna and her sweet family for an afternoon as well.  What would I do without these sweet girls who made it possible for me to be a mom?! Love them and that is an understatement!

We made a quick trip to Dallas where we were wined and dined. Seriously. Limo, 8 star hotel, breakfast in bed, the works. Can you believe I didn’t get a single picture? ha! {that is so unlike me}

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We helped host an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. SO fun!

this cute girl got a hair cut, and it was all her idea!

 

Welcomed a new niece! Rylin Kate Davis. She is SO tiny and I am SO baby hungry. Mmm. Nothing better than a sweet little one straight from heaven! So happy for Josh & Amber!

We celebrated my mom’s 50th Birthday. She is so beautiful. Really inside and out!

She's the kind of mom, who when you become a mom, somehow gets even better. You slowly start to realize what it must have taken to have provided the childhood you were blessed with, and wonder how you're ever going to do what she did, and be what she was. With every additional year of my own my mom becomes more amazing.

We’ve had preschool parties-

I am LOVING volunteering in Miss Brooklyn’s kindergarten class once a week too. The kids make me laugh. They are so fun!

 

We’ve been caroling, visiting the Senior Citizen’s home, Pedicures & Personal Progress, Studying Christmas with the Prophets for our Young Women Christmas lesson. Awesome book btw.

 

We have had SO much fun with our Elf on the Shelf Frisbee… my kids almost don’t want Christmas to come (I said almost)… because then Frisbee will have to go back to the North Pole. CUTE! Here are just a few of the things Frisbee has been up to! We love you too Frisbee!

 

Here is our Christmas card. We wish each of you a Merry Christmas filled with the love of our Savior, peace in your hearts & all good things as 2012 approaches.

 

It’s the Little Things…

I woke up to the smell of rain- sometimes I wonder if that is what heaven smells like. It’s been a low key day here at our house, staying in PJ’s until we absolutely have to get ready for kindergarten & lunch time. :)

I had a little mug of hot cocoa with some pumpkin spice marshmallows in it that I picked up just yesterday. If you like pumpkin pie- you will probably want to snatch some up while they are in season. {YUM}

I also read this in some headlines today.  The NBC’s controversial  new fall series “The Playboy Club”, cancelled after only three episodes. Hooray for good people, standing up for what they believe in.

I saw this at a local boutique and knew I had to find a place in my home for it. LOVE what it says!

 Life Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to be Wonderful!

 I honestly need to read that a couple of times a day. Am I alone?

I keep stealing black jelly beans out of the candy jar- my only hope is I eat so many I never want to eat them again- ha!

True Random Number Generator

Min1:Max:9 Result:9 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Winner of the spider clippy is #9

Miss Shannon & one of my most favorite people ever.

We also decided to make some “Lip Gloss” Paint {that’s what Brooklyn named it, because it’s so shiny! I loved it!} It really dries glossy too!

Lip Gloss Paint

used sweetened condensed milk with food coloring

Just pour the milk in muffin tins or ice cube trays and add drops of food coloring in the separate compartments.

I also heard this song while flipping through the radio stations in the car the other day- these words caught my attention.

“Maybe it didn't turn out like I planned
Maybe that's why I'm such, such a lucky man”

I really feel like this. My life- has not turned out the way I had it all planned out in my head- but I’m SO glad, so very glad- because now look at all that I have. Two beautiful kids. An amazing man that makes me proud every single day to be his. I’m surrounded by the support of loving, caring friends and family. Life is good when we let go and let God figure out the details.

I have a fun give away in the works- and an update on my cute dad coming soon.

Will you make today great?

Our River…

I feel like the days rush by like a crazy wild river.  A river that is filled to the brim and bubbling with things like going to the zoo a few more times before summer says goodbye.

 

Decorating for Halloween.

Here is a little 4x6 printable for you.

A little spider to decorate Miss Brooklyn’s hair. You can get the pattern for yourself HERE.

Go HERE to learn how to curl ribbon (for the spider legs)

Or leave a comment- and I’ll draw a random winner in a few days for one that I made. :)

cute young women

These glasses went with a handout that says

Here are a few handouts I’ve made in the last little while. Nothing spectacular- just super simple.

Temple Marriage Manual 3 Lesson 36

{atatched to a white hanger}

Dating Decisions Manual 3 Lesson 35  

 

new recipes from my sweet friend Jodene

{click on the picture for the recipe}

 

Inspiring Books

 

Sunshine to my Soul

Watched the Relief Society Broadcast- to read President Uchtdorf’s uplifting words go HERE.

 

Words of Wisdom

“Every one of us is either a plus or a minus in people’s lives” John C. Maxwell   What are you?

 

Christmas Shopping- call me crazy but I think I’m about finished!

Looking forward to Conference this weekend!

Speaking of Conference I like to put a little something together for the girls I get to visit with.

It says:

Conference Listening Kit:

notebook & pen: to take notes during conference

kleenex: for those emotional talks

highlighter: to highlight memorable talks in the ensign

popcorn & m&ms: because conference should be just as good as a movie (if not better)

My dad goes in this Sunday night for his second round of Chemo. Thank you to all who have been so kind and keep him in your prayers. We appreciate it more than you will ever know. Those prayers give us strength.

 

Have a great week!