ThOuGhT fOr ThE dAy (post 130)

                                                                photo J.Lamb 2010

"I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex." ~Oscar Wilde

No one said that everything in life needs to be complicated with things, and places, and people, wants, desires, noise and waste. I find in my life the things that make me happy and that my children enjoy are the simplest of things. Spending time together, enjoying and activity as a family, all piling on the couch with popcorn and a movie, things that are not complicated in the first place. Take this weekend to enjoy it with your loved ones and enjoy the simple pleasures of a simple holiday. Halloween may have been based largely on Pagan beliefs at one point, but has evolved into a holiday for no specific significance other than to have a little fun and to be someone or something else for the day. So, do just that! Enjoy Halloween for you and your children alone and be safe! Just a thought...;0)

 

The ghosts of Halloweens gone past (in picture form)

Ahh, the costumes from 80's gone past...ugly clowns, pink jelly shoes and all...

You would think Tinkerbell would at least agree to have her hair fixed appropriately or not...

I never had more fun scaring away all the kids than this year, until Mom made me go inside..poo.

The most adorable Cookie Monster ever!

Don't tell my son he was dressed as a girl...he loved "Blue Clues" though!

This would be the continuance of the Mario bros. years, we had Mario, Luigi and the princess a couple of years before as well..

Mario, Luigi and at least a ballerina this year...

Dominoes Pizza Delivery Boy, a princess, and a pirate...at least it wasn't Mario Bros., right?

and don't forget this buzzing little furball, he has to get into the action too! ;0)

A stitch in time...Halloween style!

There once was a plain brown pocket t...

who earned the chance to become more...

with a snip and a stitch and a patient hand...

became a Robin Hood costume at last!

This little indecisive imp...

got a costume whipped up in a flash!

I finally did it! I got the rest of the Halloween costumes to make, finished! I must say too, I am the queen of the cheap and easy and really cute costume ideas too! I hate the look of the cheap store bought costumes and better one's always cost a fortune and probably only get warn once. I love to turn ordinary things into cute costumes and save my wallet at the same time, don't you?

I had the idea to be Robin Hood this year when I got a green feathered hat from Lagoon last year, the only thing I had to make was the vest and that was pretty easy! I love the silly movie "Robin Hood Men in Tights" and decided to fashion my costume from this. After watching it again I had an idea for a fairly simple version of his vest he wears. I bought a plain brown Men's pocket T for 4 dollars and some brown suede cording for 2 dollars for the package along with some brown remnant material I picked up earlier for a 1.50, this costume was going to cheap and look great too! I started by unstitching the  pocket since I didn't need it  and then cut the shirt up the front and snipped off the collar too. I then made a pointed collar out of the remnant and pressed and stitched it to the T. Next I got to work making placket for the front, so that I could lace the suede cord through. The shirt in the movie had pointed detail work on the placket and the sleeves, but I didn't want to be piecing those on all afternoon. I opted to put detailing on the front instead with a little "castle wall" detailing to make it read as medieval in nature and stitched this to the opening of the shirt on either side. After getting it all stitched down and fixing what I inadvertently  stitched on backwards (oops!) I got to work making some button holes to thread the cord through (go ahead and make fun of them, my machine sucks in the button hole making department) and they proved functional. Voila! After pairing my new "vest" with a long white shirt I had and green tights and brown suede boots I had as well and the hat too of course, I was transformed into Robin Hood, "Men in Tights" version! ;0)

The last two pictures are of my little one, Mr. Indecisive. He wanted to be Capt. Underpants (fictional character), he wanted to be Mario, he wanted to be a skeleton, I tried to turn him into an X-ray as well. Seeing as thought the kids have a Halloween party to go to tonight and he still needed a costume, I made an executive decision..."How about a mad scientist?", I pleaded. He perked up at this suggestion and I got to work. I picked up a a white button down shirt made for a "large" woman at ye ol' Thrift Store and knew this costume would take just a manner of minutes to whip up! I cut off the bottoms of the sleeves where you would normally button then up and hemmed them to his little arms length. I was going to alter it to fit better as well, but the detailing on the back was nice and all it took was me gathering up the sides and stitching them down to be a little more fitted. I then took one of the cuffs I cut off and snipped it to pocket size and stitched it to the front of the shirt for a pocket. Lastly I took my felt tip red Sharpie and wrote "Dr. Boris Karlov, mad scientist" on the front to look like embroidery on a lab jacket. I also bought a spray bottle and cut off the top to look like a beaker and black rubber gloves and a turkey baster for his accessories all from the dollar store! So 7 bucks later, even my little one is ready for Halloween! He'll be such a cute little mad scientist too! I'll be sure to post pictures of everyone in costume and all made up as well, Have a Happy Halloween! ;0)

TiP fOr TuEsDaY (post 127)

Halloween Safety Tips!

Haha, I just love to read tips published on keeping our kids safe, don't you? Be forewarned, my cynicism is showing today. The following is a list of 13 safety tips put out by  "kaboose" and I'm sorry, but being a parent you have to have a fair amount of common sense. I've decided that many of these publications assume you as the parent are stupid. My opinions are the ones in red...if you can't tell that is! ;0)

• Have adult supervision. Accompany your kids if you don’t think they’re old enough to trick-or-treat on their own. 
• What if I don't think my 15 year old is old enough to go on his own? Then again, if they want to trick-or-treat at 15, you probably have more problems on your hands...
• There is safety in numbers. If they’re old enough to trick-or-treat without an adult, tell your kids to stay in a group. 
• Pet peeve alert right here! Why would you let your kid wander the 'hood alone in the first place...especially on Halloween? Um, yeah.
• Map out your plan. Designate a route before your kids begin trick-or-treating, and make sure they stick to it. 
• Don't be a moron Mom and Dad and make sure your kids are sticking right to your neighborhood, they DON'T need anymore candy then that! What childhood obesity epidemic? Bah!
• Take the long way 'round. Have your kids trick-or-treat in areas where there are a lot of people around. They should also avoid taking short-cuts through alleys and parking lots. 
• My guess is that a deserted neighborhood with random shots ringing out wouldn't be a good idea either...just sayin'...
• Try tick-or-treat-friendly homes. Ensure your kids only visit houses with lights on. And, you might also suggest the houses they visit have some sort of Halloween decoration on the porch. 
• First off, I don't know what a "tick-or-treat" friendly home would be, but my guess is that you shouldn't bother my next door neighbors with the giant sign taped to their front door ranting about how evil Halloween is...
• Stay outside. Make sure your kids don’t go inside someone’s house. They can get their candy from the porch. 
• This should be drilled into your kids heads while they are little, don't go in people's houses you don't know...you know, "stranger danger"? Do they even teach that anymore?
• Remain visible. Dress your kids in a bright costume so others can see them. If their costume is dark, have your kids wear reflective strips or carry a glow stick or flashlight. 
• Or just drive the neighborhood following them with your high-beams on, just to be extra safe! I totally saw someone doing that once, wow!
• Remember, shorter = safer.Goes without saying but just in case you forget, ensure your kids’ costumes aren’t so long that they can trip over them. 
• You're right, it goes without saying...right?
• Don't cover the face. Instead of masks, have your kids wear make-up so they can see better. 
• Don't be the man I had to lead around the 'hood last year because he couldn't see through his mask. The kids stopped in front of him all night, no matter how many times I told them not too...
• Quality-check treats. Check your kids’ candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with. 
• That is if you can wrestle it away from them long enough to do so! ;0)
• Say "no" to strangers.Tell your kids to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger. 
• Not sure how effective this rule is when you can't tell who anybody is on Halloween. This one should just say "stay out of cars and walk your fat butted kids around to get candy", so there!
• Obey the law. Encourage your kids to follow all the regular rules for walking around. That includes looking both ways before crossing, obeying all traffic laws and using cross walks and crossing lights where available. 
• I will be leashing all of my kids to ensure this as well! Rock on parent of the year! ;0P
• Have a great time! Finally, make sure your kids have tons of fun and get lots and lots of candy. 
• You know what? Some candy is great...lots and lots, is a bit of an overkill...or so I think! Here's your Tip for Tuesday! ;0)

ShE's NoT yOuR aVeRaGe MoM wants you!

Okay, okay if you want to be technical it is Monday and apparently I'm ignoring my "tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe" segment. I have other things to do and a family blog that has been long neglected and I also want some help from YOU, my loyal blog readers. I have tried to join a network of bloggers a couple of times because I enjoy doing it and would love if more people had access to it. The problem is, I don't have enough followers. If you don't already follow my blog, please take just a sec to click the followers link (on the right side of the page) and sign up to follow my blog. It's quick and easy and they won't send you junk e-mail or anything, I promise! Also, if you aren't a member of my fan page on FB, take a sec to join as well, just click my badge at the top on the right of the page.
Not only would I like to join a blogging network, I want to use this page to promote some projects I have up my sleeve and the more people that follow me, the better! Help me out will ya!
Thank-you to everyone that reads and follows regularly, I really appreciate your support!

Forever yours,
ShE's NoT yOuR aVeRaGe MoM

ThOuGhT fOr ThE dAy (post 125)

J.Lamb 2010

"True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself" ~Henry Miller

When I read this quote I can't help but to think of the dedication and devotion it takes to be a parent. To be a good parent one needs to dedicate themselves to the upbringing and education of their children and teaching them difference between right and wrong. Make sure to love them for being just who they are and be fair and forthright and encourage them to seek the bettering of themselves. We devote ourselves to making sure they are healthy and happy and teach them about this great big world in which we live. Strength is earned through adversity and keeping our kids in a bubble will do nothing for them. As a parent you can't help but to want your kids to never be hurt in anyway. Being a good parent is also knowing when you need to let go and let them learn for themselves. Just a thought...

hALLoWeEn Is ALMoSt HeRe...

Oh yes...

we thought the costume was fitting this year!

Since Halloween is just over a week away, I guess that means that I have working on costumes...and I have! I got this one all done today for my daughter. I refused to dress her as a princess or a fairy or a ballerina this year...yes, I know I'm mean...but, there are so many other things you can be and still be girlie, right? Right! I somehow talked her into being a little she-devil this year instead and look at how cute the result is! The only prop we had to buy was the pitchfork, I was able to use or re-purpose the rest and hers will be the most expensive costume I will have to make this year and even it only cost a whopping 9 bucks and will last years.
The lowdown:
I bought 3 bucks-worth of remnant material, the flames, the plain red and the red netting. I first sewed the flame material into a skirt and then I attached the red netting to it making sure the netting hung down longer than the flame skirt and attached it all to the red top (5 bucks, thank you Wal-Mart). I then cut the red netting into points along the edge of the skirt and got to work making horns and a tail.
I cut the red material into points for the horns and sewed it together for the tail making a point at the end. After I got them sewed together I stuffed the horns with a little batting and then the tail. I stitched in some loops to slide the horns onto a headband I already had and I wired up the tail with some leftover wire I had from a different project. I took a wide elastic belt that I took off of a shirt I had that didn't fit me and stitched the tail to it. Voila! A little she-devil costume done and so cute! She has some red tights to wear as well and I promise to post pictures of everyone dressed up for Halloween.
So, what is everyone else going as this year? You'll have to wait to the rest of mine! ;0)

Just Because...

I know I'm biased, but aren't these the cutest kids? Full of personality and I love each of them for just for being themselves. I've been a single Mom for several years and unfortunately I can't always be there for them for everything. They all understand that they have to be somewhat responsible for themselves and even with me not working at the moment, I still make them tow the line. I try hard to be both the disciplinarian and their friend too. I never want them to be afraid to tell me something, I never want them not to know how much I truly love them.
We run our household on a cause and effect cycle, you do what you're supposed to do and you'll be rewarded, you aren't? Then don't expect me to do anything for you. Everyone does their chores without complaint, then everyone gets allowance...you don't do them, then no allowance. Period. You keep up with your school work and turn everything in...you don't, then expect Mom to make sure you are doing plenty of extra studying/reading then. You are misbehaving and not following the rules, then expect a time out. (I still use this, even on the older kids) Let me get back to the just because, it's fine and dandy to run a well organized and tidy ship...but you know what? It's not any fun. I take the kids places just for fun, even when there are other things to do. I let them get dirty, I let them run around like maniacs and as long as no one is getting hurt, I just let them be kids. Today was one of those days. I picked up the kids and we went to the city park, they ran around for over an hour and even cooperated for a few minutes to take some pictures. They took bags and filled them to overflowing with yellow leaves and pine cones and wrestled each other to the ground. We even discovered that my little one can easily outrun his older siblings and run forever too! Who knew a kid so skinny and low to the ground was so fast?
When was the last time you did something "just because?" I think of it this way, do I want my kids to think back on their childhood and wonder "sheesh, we never did anything fun"? No I don't, I want my kids to remember being young and know they were loved enough to be structured and we had a little fun too! ;0)

TiP fOr TuEsDaY (post 122)

Do something just for you.

I think I've started something. Something good. I've changed my way of thinking a bit and I think it will a good thing too. I've started doing something daily, just for myself. Not for anyone else, with me included in some round about way, for me and me alone. I know as Mom's and parents and caregivers sometimes our tasks outnumber the hours in the day, something needs cleaning, someone needs a ride, someone is banging on the bathroom door again...sigh. This is my goal though, I want to take at least 20 minutes just to myself and I'm going to use it to my advantage. In fact I already have twice this week, I am taking those wonderful 20 minutes and doing a little speed walking. I have discovered that I can walk 2 whole miles in those 20 minutes and as I warm up I intend to take a little more time and walk a little more. I also want to make sure I eat all three meals a day, something I'm not very good at. Something to do with hypoglycemia, I have zero appetite and I haven't been working and moving around enough to make sure to eat to keep my blood sugar even.
No...my motivation in all this isn't the fact that not very many of my pants fit, that's just silly! Although, the fact that my little boy with the Asperger's, uncouth as he is, has pointed at me laughing, "Look! Mom's pregnant" a few times may have been an influence. Perhaps. Never mind the motivation, I'll just take the "T.f.T." to heart and use it to my advantage! Here's your TiP fOr TuEsDaY, do something just for you today! ;0)

tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe (post 121)

Mini Babybel Cheese!

I like cheese, I'm not afraid to admit it! We've all seen the commercials for these, with the lady handing out cheese and unwrapping smiles, they are cute! I try to eat as healthy as possible and cheese probably doesn't fall into that category at all, but besides eating healthy I have some hypoglycemic tendencies. That means in the afternoons, after running around all day...my blood sugar can get quite low. Normally I would have reached for a string cheese for a quick shot of protein to even me out, that was until I tried these Mini Babybel Cheeses! They are so good! I actually prefer the light original version and once I unwrapped the wax package and took a bite of the soft, smooth goodness, I was hooked! It's the perfect snack!
Thank you to the laughing cow for making such an awesome line of cheeses, next I want to try the 35 calorie wedge...yum! Need a quick snack and really like cheese? Try Mini Babybel Cheese, tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe...and I bet you will too! ;0)

ThOuGhT fOr ThE dAy (post 120)

My childhood home...

 "Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to" ~ John Ed Pearce

How true is this quote? I know for me it rings true in all areas, as I think back to my upbringing. Simple were we in action and character, but love was never as issue. I had the opportunity to go back home a few months back and as I drove home these thoughts came to mind:

"I pondered things as I drove home this afternoon, alone with my thoughts and surrounded by the beauty of a rain-soaked landscape. (The kids entertained themselves with a DVD and headphones) It made me think of how where we are from weaves itself through the very fabric of our makeup. I'm made up of towering buttes and pink sand and sage, of endless blue and skies ablaze. I'm made up of dust devils and rain while the sun shines bright, of breath taking views and crisp starry nights. The rush of the Colorado River runs through my veins, the sun, the Lake, the breeze wraps 'round me to take. I've left and moved on, I've ran far away and still home you do make."

Click here to read all of it if you'd like. Home is where I was molded and shaped and tried my hardest to get away from too. As an adult you get the opportunity to step back and view things as they were, not as things were perceived. When  I lived there as a child (and as an adult a time or two) my point of view was warped, for I was standing to close to take it all in. Now that I've had the opportunity to live and learn and raise children of my own I can truly see, I had it really good despite never having a good place to fit in. All of it together mixed up and poured into the mold that is me...just a thought.0)

Over the rainbow...

Pretty rainbow dress for my niece

with a big, pretty bow in the back!

close-up of the adorable material!

As you can see, this has been the extent of my sewing for this week. While I still have 3 costumes to make and a couple of other projects, I was perfectly happy to work on such a pretty dress! My little niece Ainsley loves rainbows (click here to read about it) and I had some rainbow striped material in my stash. When I asked my sister what to get for Ainsley's upcoming birthday, she said, "How about a dress?" I know that in years past that they have had a bit of a hard time finding long-sleeved dresses for the winter (they actually have seasons where they live) so, I thought I'd make a long-sleeved one!
I bought a plain black shirt at Wal-Mart for 5 bucks and with the rainbow striped material and a coordinating I had, I got to work. I cut the shirt at empire-waste length and sewed the rainbow stripe into a skirt, taking care to match up the stripes. I then cut the coordinating material for a band at the bottom and for a sash at the top. The material itself wasn't quite long enough for a sash (with a really big bow) so, I cut another strip to fasten to the ends of the sash to lengthen it. I then attached the sash to the shirt and attached the skirt the shirt as well. I stitched up the ends of the sash and hemmed the bottom and pressed the whole thing. I also have a bit of embellishing to do the the top, but look at how cute this dress turned out!
What a perfect dress for my little niece Ainsley "Rainbow"! My daughter of course came home and announced she needed one just like it, I guess I'll just add it to the project pile! ;0)

What's for dinner?

I just made "The best vegetable soup ever, no kidding!" and as pompous and full of itself in title, in taste it was divine! This well titled and robust soup was a big hit with everyone, kids included! I mean a meal with vegetable in the title would make any kid run the other direction, right? I got great compliments such as, "This is the very best soup ever Mom!" and "It's almost as good as pie...almost." It's not often that I make a meal that the adults think is good and the kids too, it's almost unheard of! I got the inspiration from the TODAY show this morning and normally I don't listen to what they are cooking because it takes to much effort to make it gluten-free and well as dairy-free for my allergy ridden eater. Thankfully, this was not the case this morning! This soup not only delish, but it gets my GF approval...hands down! The verdict? If you want a great and delicious meal, that is full of flavor, vegetables, gluten-free, and kid approved try "The very best vegetable soup ever, no kidding!" ;0)

Psst...do you like to win stuff?

Well, of course you do! Check out my friend Jamie's blog for a chance to win some fabulous Bic markers! While you're there check out her great card/craft ideas as well, they're awesome! Sweet!! ;0)

TiP fOr TuEsDaY

As I'm sure everyone missed my TiP fOr TuEsDaY segment last week due to technical difficulties, be rest assure it is alive and well again today! SHAZAAM!! ;0) Honestly though, it has been difficult to get everything done and blog as well...I blame it on the time of year. What is it with Fall? I mean I LOVE Fall with a passion, but it seems no matter how hard I try to get everything done I would normally have to do and then the fun stuff too, I fail miserably. Take yesterday for instance, I washed 3 loads of laundry, I blogged, I picked up the house, I went to an appointment after shuttling everyone to and from school. I made dinner, I cleaned up after dinner, I went grocery shopping and put everyone to bed and when I looked at the clock it was 10 pm! Where on earth did the time go? Aww...it seems it was sucked into the vortex that is Fall!
Not only does it seems like there is not enough time, there truly isn't. The days are shorter in length and activities for school compile into piles not unlike the giant leaf piles we used to rake up in our backyard as kids. "I have a birthday party to go to...", "I need help with a project for school"..., "I need a ride to practice"...it truly is ongoing. Aside from overly involved kids, there is always all the fun things that associated with the season. Making Halloween costumes, decorating the house, baking up some  goodies, carving pumpkins, corn mazes, family fun...super fun and exciting is it all...or it would be more so if I wasn't so blasted tired, right? Here's a few tips for staying on top of it all and maintaining your sanity (sure....):
Make a list.
Be it an "on paper" type list or mental type, take a few minutes to list what you want to accomplished for the season.
Decorate the house, check.
Make Halloween costumes, check.
Bake up some goodies, check.
Toilet paper neighbors house, check, check!;0)
Of course, I'm kidding about the last one (or am I?...hmmmm...) but you get the picture!
Enlist some help.
The kids want to go visit the corn maze or local haunted house and your house is a wreck, so what do you do? Make them help clean it up. Set aside an hour before they want to go somewhere and do some intense cleaning and make the fun stuff the reward. You give a great lesson about being rewarded for your efforts and the house gets some attention as well. Win, win if you ask me!;0)
Be realistic.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to get everything accomplished, you can't. The key is to be okay with that. We as mothers and women sometimes put way too much pressure on ourselves to be "perfect" and "accomplished" and...and...I know there are times that I do as well. I want everyone to be happy and sometimes I end up making myself crazy in the process. Prioritize your list and make sure to include some fun stuff too and if you know you can't get it all done, then be okay with that too. If the kids are happy and the house is semi-clean and you had a little fun too, then folks, you've got it made I say!;0)
HELP! I'm being sucked into the vortex of Fall...but hey, the love of the season makes up for it and with my list, enlisted help, and realistic view, then by golly I'm set! Shazaam!! That's your TiP fOr TuEsDaY!;0)

tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe

Ganier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo (Color Shield formula)

Well, Happy Monday to you! How do you know it's Monday? Are you reading the tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe segment? Aha, it seems you are! My "this makes my life easier" product of the day is Ganier Fructis, specifically their Color Shield Fortifying Shampoo (conditioner too). Unfortunately, I come from a long line of premature gray individuals and need to color my hair frequently. We all know that coloring your hair isn't the most fun task and the less often you have to do it the better, right? Yes, the better for the time-challenged among us and better for our hair too! I have been a long time user of Garnier products including their color shield shampoo and until recently, I have had to color my hair every 5 to 6 weeks. That was until I tried Garnier's new color shield formula! Not only does my hair stay colored well for two to three weeks longer, my hair is shiny and soft as well! Score!
If you find yourself reaching for that box of hair color too and want to get your color to last longer, maybe it's time to try Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo (color shield formula). This is what I like because it makes my life easier, try it! I'll bet you like it too! ;0)

ThOuGhT fOr ThE dAy

                                                                                                                                                 photo by J. Lamb 2010

"We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."~ Chretien Malesherbes

As profound as this quote is, it is really a good compass for life. Once something is labeled as impossible it is abandoned in thought and reason and perhaps we shouldn't think of things as impossible. Challenging or thought provoking perhaps would be better terms and wouldn't provide the hopelessness that labeling something as "impossible" would. Accomplish more through challenge and effort than abandoning them in the hopelessness of the impossible, great words to live by! Just a thought!;0)

Why live your life on facebook?

I love facebook, I won't lie. What I don't understand is the need some people have to update all their "FB" friends, play by play, all day long.  This week alone I have found out that a set of friends are divorcing, that a relative is having marital issues too, that a "friend" only ever updates her statuses with the boring details of monotonous life and that another "friend" only wishes to influence me politically. If you and your partner are splitting, why do I need to read about it 10 times in one day? Shouldn't you be putting some of that effort into typing in status updates into working on your family? Just sayin'...and what's with all the lame teaser updates? " they say it's top secret...yeah, right.", what?! I can understand maybe teasing friends with actually news, maybe.There is this awesome sight lamebook (psst...it's not for the faint of heart, just warning you) that has the best of the worst facebook status updates from real people and I, for one, find it hilarious! You'll have to click the image to enlarge it.

My sis had an excellent point on her blog back in June (read it, she has a valid point!) about the problem with facebook and I agree totally. I know I spend a lot of time scrolling down the news feed checking on my 400 and something friends I've amassed (somehow), but honestly there are only a handful of them that I even have talked to in person (or otherwise) at any point in the last 10 years. It's fun to see what people are doing and where friends you've lost are at now, but seriously people! I would have been okay not to know what you had for lunch or that you are fighting with your spouse and pay attention to spelling for goodness sake! "Hmmmm... Have U ever notice when ur watching 2 1/2 men, the Mom always has the SAME outfit on..." I can understand being a little lazy in a texting forum, but otherwise you just look dumb and it's hard to read!
Seriously, I do love facebook and love that I can see what people I know or used to know are doing. I just wish some people would spend a little more time not making it so obvious that they have no life and perhaps should spend a little more time in actuality, just sayin'!;0) 

Sew sweet!

My daughter is so pretty and a bit stubborn...

While she modeled her pretty new dress...

and I also altered a jumper for her for school...

and sewed the cutest baby ballerina dress ever!

Can you believe how cute that teeny little ballerina dress turned out?! I was commissioned by my sissy to either find a ballerina Halloween costume for my little niece or to make one. I knew I could make a pretty one easily as long as I could find and inexpensive tank top to use as the bodice. I chose this so that my sis could easily put a long sleeved body suit underneath for warmth. I was able to pick one up on clearance at Old Navy for about a buck (can't beat that!) and all the other materials, I had. So, think about it...a buck + 30 minutes of my time = cha ching! It's so stinkin' cute too! ;0)
Up at the top I had some pretty off white and pink floral fabric that was silky and soft...of course my daughter wanted something out of it and I obliged!;0) I took a 3 dollar tank top and cut off the bottom at empire-waste length and sewed a long flowy skirt to the bottom. I also made a sash out of the excess and recycled an off white flower that fell off of something (I have no idea what though) and stitched a safety pin to the back and clipped it on the strap. I turned out so pretty and my daughter was nice enough to model it as well, uh okay...as you can see she wasn't nice enough to smile though, preteens...;0P
I also took the time to alter a jumper I found at 'ye old thrift store' for 4 bucks, into a uniform appropriate frock for my daughter. It was a woman's size medium and was way too long and way too wide for her, no problem though! I had her try it on as I pinned it to fit and snipped where I needed to shorten it. There were some large pockets on the sides that I would have sewn right over, so I removed them as well. I altered it and ran it through the wash and decided what to do with the hem, ribbon! I used some sew-less hemming tape and ironed the ribbon all the way around the edge before I went back to stitch in place. I decided to jazz it up a bit at the top as well and ironed and stitched down some ribbon at the top too. The result? A uniform appropriate jumper that was less than I could buy the material for and way less than I could buy it new! ;0)

tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe

Lysol neutra air Fabric Mist!

Since I was having technical difficulties yesterday, I figured I'd forgo the regularly scheduled TiP fOr TuEsDay segment. Be rest assured though, I will return to it again next week..mmm-k? ;0) I have to tell you how much I LOVE this great new product from my friends at Lysol! (yay!) Here's a reminder on how much I love Lysol...(psst...click here!) Lysol you are my friend and help to vanquish the sickies, the icky smells, the germiest of germs and now the ultimate test...the foul dungeon that is my boys' room! EEK! ;0)

Here's the smelly lowdown:

Anyone that has little boys knows this well, little boys are smelly! Not so much when they are really little, but I have the pleasure of having a preteen boy. I love my boys, but their smelly room? Not so much. I would walk by and be thrown back by the stench of sweat and dirt wafting through the doorway and would immediately grab my can of Lysol and start spraying. I'd spray smelly sneakers, beds, curtains, whatever was holding still, but still to no avail. I opened the window all morning, I washed all bedding and dirty clothes, kept the closet doors (where the hampers are housed) closed and yet the stench continued. Out of frustration, I sought backup. I used Fabreeze in there too and no matter what, it still smelled. This is when I stumbled upon Lysol neutra air Fabric Mist! I love Lysol and I knew the smell issue involved bacteria, this had to help, right? I sprayed the pillows, the floor, the sheets, the comforters, the curtains and it worked! Hallelujah! The next time I walked past their room, I wasn't thrown back by that smelly boy smell, I was greeted by the smell of fresh linens. What a great product! If it can vanquish that awful stench from my boys' room then imagine what it can do for the dog bed, the smokey smelling jacket, the car upholstery...the possibilities are endless!

Lysol, you are truly my hero and thanks to your product Lysol neutra air Fabric Mist, I will never be tortured by the boys' dungeon/smelly room again! tHiS iS wHaT i LiKe, try it! I know you'll like it too! ;0)

Technical difficulties...

It seems my computer has caught a cold, one generated by the use of AdSense on my sight. This isn't the first one I've caught from it either, so I have removed it form my page. Thankfully I have the ABC Rent@Geek at my disposal! (Thank you baby!) and I should be able to be up running tomorrow! Silly viruses anyway...bleh. ;0(

ThOuGhT fOr ThE dAy

Our desert garden in our last home...

There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again. ~Elizabeth Lawrence

I challenge you to take a moment and view your world through the eyes of your children. The world full of color and sound and beauty and endless possibilities. The world lacking the everyday cynicism we encounter just living. The world of wonder and goodness and light. To never believe that your dreams are impossible, to never imagine hurt and fright and excess in unfathomable proportions. I wish to be young again to experience the freedom of youth and not feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Take that moment to watch your children as they experience something new and wondrous and free-spirited as they are. Remember how you felt, the freedom we had in blissful youth. Just a thought! ;0)