My Halloween Rag Wreath

I was at home.
Alone.
And needed a project.
I wanted a Halloween wreath.
I didn't want to pay for one.
This is the result.
Luckily, I had orange and black scraps. And a wire hanger.
Surprising. I make my husband throw these away.
This is my first attempt at a rag wreath. I think it turned out lovely. Just what the doctor ordered on a lonely, quiet afternoon.

Step 1

Step 2

Voila!

This is before I trimmed it up a bit. I thought about and attempted at adding some Halloween trinkets to jazz it up but decided it was better simple. This year at least. Simple and sweet. The price tag? $0. Even sweeter! Bring on the candy corn!!!

Cherub

An Open Letter to Aunt Beth

Dearest Aunt Beth,

You have given meaning to my Halloween. You put the "treat" in trick-or-treat. You do Rice Krispies treats better than Kellogg's themselves. Or Snap! Crackle! and Pop! for that matter. Often, your perfection with this confection is a topic of discussion at our home ... year-round. Just what makes it so perfect? Butter? Portion? Consistency? Creaminess? Whatever the secret, it's unmatched. I've tried ... and tried. Whatever the recipe, it's divine! Hide-my-square-from-the-rest-of-the-family-and-wait-till-everyone-is-asleep-and-pull-out-my-treat-and-poor-a-tall-glass-of-ice-cold-milk-and-savor-every-morsel-in-peace kind of good! I know what I must do to receive my share. So, all ghosts and goblins BEWARE! And move out of my way! To Aunt Beth's house we'll go Halloween Day!

* Have you read All You, a magazine? I first picked it up when I worked at the library. It's definitely worth the time and the $2.49 -- great coupons, tips and RECIPES!!! I pick my copy up at Wal-Mart.
* I'm on the hunt for the ultimate pumpkin pie. None of that cheesecake mess. I just want a creamy pumpkin pie. Recipes, anyone?
* And apples. Don't want to overkill since the kids eat them all the time, but I would like a good apple something. I like the word "dumpling," so I may give that a try. Thought about caramel apples. Is there such a thing as healthy caramel for the kids? (smile. i try.) But I may stick with my great-grandmother's baked apple recipe. Yummy and comforting.

Have a Heart

Daddy and I participated this morning in the American Heart Association Heart Walk.

Can't tell you the flooding of emotions that poored over me as I filled out my tribute tag. The lady at the table must have sensed my levee was about to break. She gently patted my sticker to my back and said, "These are love pats."

Today, I ran 3.1 miles because my papaw and my aunt, who have loved/love me with all their heart, couldn't. It was an honor.

Birthday Season

Workin' up that courage to blow his candle out

It's birthday season around here. It started with Brother's late August. We celebrated with an "'A' is for alligator party" at Gators and Friends. I had fun with that one -- designing the invites, creating a birthday garland, baking funfetti cupcakes with picks (and even some egg-free chocolate cupcakes), and making fans. My baby boy is 2! And he is all boy!
I'd like to share later on some of the details, but I will give a tip for all you party-planning moms. Start at the Dollar Tree! They really have some great finds! I went to all the trouble designing and printing invitations on my own because I couldn't find anything online I really liked. Well, a fiasco with Kinko's and a trip to Office Max later, I visited the Dollar Tree only to find packages of 8 adorable gator invites. Yeah, I was sick!!!! Brother had a great time at his party. I love to hear him sing "Happy Birthday"!
Daddy turned the big 3-2 a couple of days before Millie Bug's birthday! We celebrated with dinner at Houston's in Dallas. Yummo! He had his usual prime rib and wanted to make sure I photographed AND blogged the dinner plate.

As mentioned before, we celebrated Amelia's birthday at Six Flags. She was in Heaven.

Wonder Woman!

Making sure to walk fast enough to get the cape to flow
(Thank you Grandaddy and Becca!)

Getting shy during "Happy Birthday"

Savoring a Sprinkles cupcake

Mommy's turn next. 29 again!!!!????

4 Years, 6 Flags with Sprinkles on Top

My Millie Bug will turn 4 Sunday. I watched her tonight as she sipped from her cup, and she still spreads her toes out as she drinks, just like she did as she nursed as a baby. She loves to give impromtu speeches and concerts, and she's amazed by actual sporks and her pet frogs. And she loves knock-knock jokes, playing tricks on her mommy and pretending to write in cursive. And she loves sweets and fashion. And well, she's the little girl I always dreamed of having. And so for her birthday, when Daddy and I repeatedly asked where she would like to have her party, she certainly replied "Six Flags." So, we're makin' it happen, folks. How magical is that? "Rollerposters" and all. And we'll celebrate with "delectable" cupcakes and ice-cold milk from Sprinkles.
Can't wait to watch her face light up! I'm sure I'll study it and lock it away in my memory just like I did 4 years ago when she entered my life.

The Graduate

Brother at Cousin Andy's graduation.
Photo from newspaper photo gallery.
Funny how he gets picked out of a crowd.
Maybe it's the hair.