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Thankful No. 1

10.31.2012

Lately I am thankful for
beautiful things.
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Not in a materialistic way. More with a feeling of awe.  People have a God-given desire to create and beautify and I love that.  Browsing on Etsy makes you realize that people are creative and hopeful and have a desire to fill their lives with beauty.  it is amazing to me.  This creative drive. This desire for the lovely.  The instinct that our Creator gave each of us to create. 

Because sometimes life is hard. And cruel and unfair and lonely.  And we struggle to see the beauty in humanity and the world.  But a perfectly formed blue vase or a delicate, lacy, white cake stand topped with cherry studded cupcakes reminds us that there is beauty all around us.


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Hurrican Sandy Prep

10.30.2012
So, this blog being a sort of family journal,
I wanted to document everything we did to prepare for  
Hurricane Sandy.


We went to the store and purchased:
- 1 case bottled water
- 6 gallons spring water
- 4 cans mini ravioli
- 4 cans canned peaches
- 6 applesauce pouches
- 24 AA batteries
- 24 AAA batteries
- 5 small flashlights
- 3 books matches
- 2 boxes Wheat Thins
- 4 cans tuna
- 2 loaves whole wheat bread
- disposable bowls, plates, utensils, cups
- 4 fire logs
- 2 bags of ice


We rounded up these items from our house:
- 2 hand crank flashlights
- portable dvd player
- got kids' dvds in one stack
- board games and card games for kids
- crafts for kids and mom which didn't need electricity
- peanut butter
- sugar free jam
- cooler chest for perishable food
- portable battery charger/radio
- coloring books and crayons
- blankets
- chapter books for kids
- four large candles

We prepped the following:
- cleaned and filled bathtub with water
- filled two 5 gal. buckets with water
- brought in our garbage cans, picnic table, grill, camp stove and  propane tanks
- filled both vehicles with gas
- did ALL of the family's laundry
- washed and laid out blankets
- cleaned and organized fridge and freezer
- charged both iphones
- charged portable dvd player
- tied ribbons on flashlights for kids
- removed air conditioning unit from bedroom windows
- locked screen doors
- cleaned all rooms and cleared items from floor
- gave all kids a bath
- set up two options of places to stay in case of an evacuation order
- charged Kindle
- baked pumpkin cookie bars

( Monday at 11:30 am in our backyard )
 
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Just in case you were wondering...

10.29.2012

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'sandy' observations

10.27.2012

who gets to decide names of hurricanes?
because SANDY is a seriously wussy name.

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matt went to the store for flashlights last night.
everywhere was sold out.
there were also MANY gas stations in our area out of gas.
crazy.

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we talked to our neighbors and they said
last year they did not have any flooding.
we have decided to stay and hunker down.

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bottled water - check
laundry done - check
canned foods purchased - check
flashlights and batteries - check
kindle charged - check
portable dvd player charged- check
bathtub cleaned - check
can opener, candles and lighters - check
card games - check
hand sewing projects - check
gas tanks filled - check
craft kits for the kids - check
sugar free pumpkin bars in the oven - check

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we went to  park tonight to let the girls
run and get some exercise
in case we're stuck indoors until tuesday.

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Sandy-gedon Looms

10.26.2012
Okay. I wasn't paying much attention to Hurricane Sandy up until this morning. Then I started thinking maybe I should prep something. During my errands today I picked up a flat if bottled water and done wheat thins. End of story.

When I returned home I put Bianca in her crib for naptime and switched in the tv to fold laundry to. And that's when I saw him. Michael Nutter. The mayor of Philly. He was holding a freak-me-right-out press conference.


He said he wanted residents in the area to prepare for a possible evacuation. He also recommended getting 72 hours of food for their families and lots of water.

Remember last year's flood? This promises to be much worse. Ugh.


Matt and I assessed our pantry, made a list and I sent him out to the wilds of fear-ravaged Walmart for some supplies.

We now have plenty of bottled water, canned goods, flashlights and batteries on hand. He also grabbed the ever-vital 2 liters of Dr. Pepper for himself and two packages of Sugar-free English Toffee Squares for me.

Bring it on, Sandy!!!

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A deafening tick tock

10.25.2012

When I was growing up I used to declare that I wanted 11 children. I know, insane right?  Now I am set on just 4 and the thought of having any more than 4 makes me hyperventilate.  I have always LOVED babies and kids.  My love starts to wane a bit when they reach 5 or 6 years old.  0-4 years is really the golden age.

So when my friend, Sheena, said she was falling behind on her house, laundry and sanity because she had to constantly feed and snuggle her 2 month old son, Owen, I jumped right in.  I volunteered to come over yesterday morning and snuggle that boy for hours so she could have a break and get some things done.


Now, I have felt the vice-grip pull of maternal longings before. Before I had my own kids and in between having my own kids.  But when I held little O yesterday I can honestly say I have never ever ever felt such a strong pull towards having a baby.  The way his tiny body snuggled just right into the crook of my arm.  Those little newborn lamb-noises they make. His peach-fuzz hair and sleepy smiles.  I died.

No, there's no announcement and we're not ready to go down that road for a final time yet. But it made me think of this incredibly strong, pulling force some women (maybe most women) feel to have babies.  It's kind of amazing.


It also made me freak out a bit thinking about one day when we do have our fourth and final baby and what will happen when I feel that maternal pull AFTER we're done.  But maybe, when you really are done, you feel settled and that pull isn't as strong.  Here's hoping. Because I don't want to be tempted to kidnap other people's infants once our family is complete.

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The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories

10.23.2012
I had to do it.
I looked up The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories 
(available at the Chester County public library)
on Amazon.com and read the description.
I laughed until it hurt.

Apparently, this is some what of a collector's item.
We may see it on Antiques Roadshow someday.
The NEW price is $315.80!!!


Here you go, friends.
Enjoy!

These are the tales of the unbridled desires of passion-starved women without men, vulnerable to the temptations of Sappho and crossing over into a world of high withers, rippling hindquarters and glossy coats...Here, readers will meet women like Pauline in "Miss Barnard's Unit" - the country girl who comes of age in World War 1, and comes undone in the arms of a worldly debutante...Terry in "Snake Eyes for Silky", a jockey who falls hard for a whip-wielding gangster's moll, and finds that she must choose between her heart and her horse...Innocents like Lena and Lily in "The Chosen Horse", who bond over the sad fate of a cart horse, and their unspoken need to tread the waters of Lesbos...A world-class jumper like Julie in "Lady Snow", a champion tempted by the irresistible rhythms of the bisexual Euro-beat...A young girl like Oreola in "Pastures of Passion", who follows a lost foal to a curious farm girl - and her own destiny...With an inspired sense of nostalgia, sensation and wry humour, THE BIG BOOK OF LESBIAN HORSE STORIES invites readers back into the curves of third-sex pulp fiction where odd-girls-out now ride as free as a filly - side-saddle be damned. And from coy flirtation to requited lust, there's nary a man in sight to set them on the straight-and-narrow.

You guys....the cover promises me that Ecstasy is only a hoofbeat away! 
I mean, that's really exciting.

If you haven't peed your pants yet, let me add gasoline to the fire.
This book is one of a series.
The other classic tales in this collection include...

Bobby Blanchard, Lesbian Gym Teacher
and
Lois Lenz, Lesbian Secretary

My life is now complete.
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life lately

remember when bianca was a demon child?
that is gone and she is now a super-lovey, happy child.
i am sure more mood swings are ahead.

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the girls were invited to a PONY birthday party.
i mean, could you die?
it was magic.
the little girls brushed the ponies, saddled the ponies
and rode the ponies.
"Who leaves a country packed with ponies 
to come to a non-pony country?!"



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i remembered at the pony party
that i like horses WAY more than regular pets.
did you know i used to have my own horse?
yeah, spoiled like that.

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i haven't even started bianca's halloween costume yet.
OH to the NO.

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i went to Nursery on sunday, full of confidence that i was gunna rock it.
i quickly realized that the previous teachers were the greatest
Nursery teachers in the history of the LDS church.
i left feeling intimidated.

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my gift to myself for reaching 100 pounds lost.
this quirky bumble bee necklace.
i adore it.
purchased here.


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where in the hell are my car keys?

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talk about a revolution. when we realized we were hosting the Sister Missionaries for dinner on sunday night, we easily tidied up the main floor, swept the floors and deep cleaned the guest bathroom in about 30 minutes. seems like my cleaning schedule is working!

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soooo....i was looking up a certain knitting book
on my local library's webpage and spotted
The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories
is it stories about lesbian horses
or horse stories written for lesbians?
either way, i'm perplexed.
i laughed every time i thought about it yesterday.


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7

They're off to the Haunted Howse

10.19.2012
The girls' elementary school, Mary C. Howse Elementary, is having their annual Halloween Dance and fund raiser tonight. That meant, for the first time this year, the girls got all dressed up in their 2012 Halloween costumes.

I think many of you know I stalk the Halloween isles around 7-10 days after Halloween each year. Remember this? Usually these items are used for dress-ups, but last year I scored these costumes, regularly $30 each for $4.50 each during the final 80% off sale at Target. I put them away for this year and they worked out great! I added the sticky-backed gems to their cheeks, which I got at the Dollar store.

I mean, look at the cuteness!

Ella


Evangeline


Sister Butterflies


5

Bianca's Bee-Day Party

This past weekend was Bianca's 2nd Bee-day Party. I chose a bee theme. Here are the invites I designed in Photoshop and sent out to her friends.
Each guest got a handmade Bumble Bee headband upon arriving at the party. These were so easy to make using pipe cleaners, black headbands and black pompoms. A glue gun makes magic!


I went a little berserk with the table. I made the tissue pom-poms from dollar store tissue paper and garbage bag twisty ties. Easy peasy. Just wondering...would a video on making the tissue pom-poms be helpful?  I could find a good one when I started out making them.  Anyone interested?

The table had 5 small jars (purchased from the Dollar Tree) filled with yellow and black candies.  Lemon drops, scooters, black raspberry chews, black m&ms and yellow m&ms.  And yes, I did stand at the bin and select just the black berries and just the yellow scooters. That's dedication.  Or insanity.


I purchased small sized vanilla sandwich cookies (fake oreos) at the Dollar Tree and dipped them in yellow candy melts (available at craft stores in the cake decorating department). Then I zig-zagged black candy melts over them to make cute little bees.


The beehive cupcakes were made by making standard cupcakes in silicone cupcake liners. Once baked I removed from the liners and flipped them upside down. Then I piped lemon frosting from the base upwards and added a black M&M for the opening.


I found this raffia beehive at Michaels Crafts on super clearance. It was covered with fake cactus plants. Once I removed them it was a perfect table decoration! Add some quart mason jars with yellow flowers and it made the table super cute.  The yellow B was purchased from Michaels clearance and was just 25 cents.  It was originally red but I painted it with craft paint to match the color scheme.


The small black and yellow buckets were purchased at Target Dollar Spot and filled with black licorice and Bit-O-Honeys....both of which were rejected. Can you blame them?


This tray of "Bee Stingers" was made by dipping stick pretzels in the yellow candy-melts and then drizzling with black candy melts. The kids loved them. I also bought three small picture frames from The Dollar Tree and added pictures of the birthday girl as a baby and two favorite photos from her recently.  I painted one of the picture frames yellow.


I made a beehive pinata (originally seen here via Country Living) with paper mache and a balloon. Then covered it with yellow streamers. Left over black and yellow pipe-cleaners were twisted around a pencil and glued on as little bees. I love how this turned out.


Because the kids were so young we didn't blindfold them or move the pinata. It took the oldest guest (my seven year old, Ella) to finally break it. Inside were individually packaged teddy grahams (for a healthy option).


The guests colored a beehive coloring page and also did this bee craft, which I made up. All of the pieces were self sticking craft foam, so we only needed an adult to help glue on the pipe-cleaner antenna and glue them to the tongue-depressors. It was a hit!


This was my FAVORITE craft from the party. Before the party I designed this beehive printable and printed at at 8x10". I used a yellow stamp pad (purchased at A.C. Moore for $1) and had each guest place their forefinger on the pad and add it above the hive. Then we used a sharpie pen to add a black stripe, wings and other bee details and then added their name. I put the finished poster into a black 8x10" frame from Dollar Tree and hung it in my daughter's room as a keepsake from her birthday. So simple, inexpensive and cute!


Here's a close-up of the little fingerprint bees.


Guests got a gift bag with a small yellow party blower, a yellow bubbles bottle which I added a strip of black and white paper to and a small wooden bumble bee (which I bought at the craft store).


Their bags also had the treats from the pinata. I tied the bags with yellow bakers twine which I made using the tutorial found here.  I wrapped my string around an empty CD case instead of a ruler to make more at one time.

I bought 10 little bumble bee skirts from 5 Below. They were on hangers and I( put them into our front hall closet for the party.  When we gave them out I realized they had been double folded on the hangers and were actually one size fits all teen/adults.  See?


It was the perfect day.  All of the kids were happy. It was tons of fun and one of our guests has decided to be a bumble bee for Halloween using our headbands and skirts.

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