Southern Belle Farm

This past weekend we had a house full of visitors. My mother-in-law, sister-in-law and kids, Steve's cousin Matt and my mother-in-laws sister...Steve's Aunt Ramona all came to visit us. It was a party at our house! On Saturday we went to the great Southern Belle Farm for some fall fun. It was cloudy and 50 degrees....we froze! But this week it is back to sunny skies and 70's thank goodness.

We saw pig races.

The kids playing games at the water pumps.

Ben's favorite...the corn maze. There were 3 different ones. Hard ones...I got lost.

Tunnels to crawl through.

Ben shot corn cobs.

Madi played and made corn angels in the corn pit.

And out of the whole pumpkin patch my kids found and liked a green one?

What are you wearing?

I have been substitute teaching a lot lately! It's fun and when I grow up I think I want to be a teacher. The other day I wore my new homemade broach on a brown shirt. When I walked out of my room dressed and ready to go my kids looked at me and said mom what's that? I asked them what. They said that thing on your shirt. So I told them my new broach and they cracked up asking again it's a what? Anyways you just cut circles, sew an X in the middle and attach a button...I liked it.

Crow and pumpkin pillow

This holiday season issue of Create & Decorate is stuffed with some fun creative ideas. Last Friday night we had some friends

over for a pizza and craft party. As I was cutting out the pieces for my pillow Ben sat at the table with us and drew his own version of the crow and pumpkin pillow.

Here is my finished project. I like this felt/wool stuff.

Pumpkins everywhere

I am not sure why or what my mother did to make love Halloween and this time of year so much but I sure do love it! This is my favorite Holiday and season to decorate for.

See the pretty table runner under my silver tree in the living room...yep I made it out of leftover scraps from a project last fall. I just love that turquoise mixed in with those colors.

My 4ft. black tree is one of my favorites. Even though Steve is deployed to Iraq the kids and I are still trying our best to enjoy this fun time of year and for me decorating makes it LOTS of fun.

Today was my first...

MAMMOGRAM! Today's appointment has been on my calendar for 3 agonizing months. When I walked in the lady said forget everything you have heard about mammograms...she knew it was my first. She was right! It was a little uncomfortable but nothing to whine about at all! My Dr. said by the age of 35 you need to get a baseline mammogram done. If all is well with this first one then you can go on with you business until age 40.

Mr. Bones

Target had the girls t-shirts on sale for $2.98 so I bought a bunch to play with! Madi has a pair of vintage looking jeans that I think this little homemade t-shirt may look cute with. Another jackpot sale I found was at Michael's...all the pirate birthday stuff was 80% off or more. A bag of 36 skull suckers was only 59 cents and we turned them into a pile of Mr. Bones for Halloween treats for Ben's class and Fall Festival.

Happy October!

I am so excited that October is here. We can finally say Steve should be home next month...of course it will be the very end of November but it's still next month. Today the kids started the month off with Halloween spirit. Madi picked out the fabric for this white pumpkin t-shirt and she even ironed it on with heat and bond with my help. Ben wore a glow in the dark spider shirt from Target so no picture...but tonight is our school skate night, so he will look cool when the lights go out and they skate.

Cousins & Crafts

This past weekend my sister-in-law and the girls came for a visit. A few weekends ago we did meet in the middle of our two towns at a Burger King so the kids could be together and stayed for 3 hours. When it was time to leave the kids cried. Every week my kids BEG to get together with their cousins. So this was such a treat for all the kids to be able to play and Alicia and I had a great time making some beautiful crafts. We made the younger girls matching/opposite dresses/shirts. Bows to match and some for Halloween too.

A few weeks ago I found these Camp Rock nightgowns on sale. I bought two so Madi and Haley could have matching ones when they were together...just makes it extra fun.

ahead of my Halloween game

Today was my craft day with Michelle. I started and finished Halloween treats for Madi's class. We had done this before but Madi asked for these again so I had to. They are decked out caramel apple suckers. Now Ben on the other hand wants something totally different. I am just glad these are done and it's not even October 1st yet...I will be busy enough closer to Halloween with parties.

homemade thank you's

Tonight I made these yummy oatmeal scotchies...the recipe was on the back of the bag of butterscotch bits. They are for the kids teachers and the ladies who work in the office at Ben and Madi's school. I owe the ladies in the office so much. With Madi having Type 1 Diabetes she is up at the office a few times a day. She has to have her blood sugar checked before and after PE, before lunch and anytime she feels she has low blood sugar. Madi is such a quiet little girl but these ladies know how to lovingly handle her. At home Steve calls Madi loudmouth but anywhere else she barley makes a peep. Last year on her birthday my dad was here visiting and we went to Logan's for Madi's birthday dinner. Well to surprise Madi, my dad told the waitress it was Madi's birthday. So all the people came over with cake and singing....Madi cried, buried herself in my dad, almost threw up and we have never been back to Logan's.

Both Ben and Madi are being awarded Student Of The Month for September. So they do get recognized at school and eat free pizza up on the stage with their parents. I can't believe they both ended up getting it the same month but their lunches overlap so I will be a proud mama up on the stage tomorrow with one on each side of me.

Fun Friday

Yesterday my friend Michelle came over for a fun craft day...and the kids got to play. This beautiful fabric candy corn was what we were making. But then Michelle also made me a white pumpkin after I oohed and awwed over hers. The candy corn smells like fall and would you look at that button stem on that pumpkin...I had so much fun...can't wait until next week for another craft day.

Last night the kids and I had planned a date to go see the new movie Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. So for dinner...what else but meatballs before heading out to the theater. The kids really enjoyed their movie but the funniest part was looking over at Madi smiling with no front teeth and those huge 3D glasses on.

Ben and Madi have been on Fall Break all this week. One day we went to some craft stores and all left with some sort of craft goody. Here is Ben with his sand art.

Madi picked out a paint your own Hello Kitty piggy bank.

Since I had been working on Halloween cards the kids and their friends wanted to make some too.

Art Happens Here

In my room.

We have this seating area in our bedroom and it's my craft area.

Everything in here is old. My desk...a deal from Cindy at The Plum Tree...I think I ended up paying $38. It's old with an enamel top and boy do I love it.

This brown dresser was free...my junking days in Germany. My friend Amber made me the "art happens here" decoration for my craft area.

Here are the fun filled shelves in my old white hutch.

This is my new red basket I just picked up at Hobby Lobby...all baskets were 50% off. It's more than filled up with some beautiful fabrics.

Now this is just a picture of family pictures that hang over my bed. I had seen this in magazines and pottery barn and thought hey I can do that with some white $1 ribbon.

This old Toms chip clip was given to me by Cindy at The Plum Tree. For now it's peppered with my favorite family photos and sits at the top of my craft table.

Come on Fall!

Steve and I share the same favorite season...Fall. I can't wait for him to come home. His favorite Holiday is Thanksgiving too. Ben and Madi are out of school this week for their Fall Break. I have already busted out the pumpkins and witches and all things fall. Here is a fun stick tree on my dinning room table. Many many years ago my friend Leslie (aka decorating queen) gave me the idea of using sticks and now I do for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines and Easter to make all kinds of festive trees.

Yesterday was cloudy and cooler...I loved it. So late afternoon we hit a local park. This is the coolest park with lots and lots of toys to play on. There are also these little roads and little street signs weaving in and out of the park so kids can ride around on their bikes like it's a real road....so cute. Madi looks like Forrest Gump...if she was going somewhere she was running.

My brown-eyed girl.

Ben and Madi LOVE to swing...and high.

Some very special Sweethearts

Last week while shopping at the Commissary on Ft. Gillem, I picked up these patriotic Sweetheart candies. I made tags with a very memorable quote from President Bush on that day I remember. Today while at my kids school doing Madi's insulin shot, I snuck these treats of remembrance in the teachers mailboxes. After school Madi's teacher called and asked where I had gotten these cute treats...she wanted to go buy some for all the kids in the class for tomorrow. Knowing that she could not get on Ft. Gillem, the kids and I packed up in a hurry and went straight there. Now we have enough of these yummy red, white and blue treats for all the kids in both of their classes. I think it's very important to teach my kids in the simplest way of what happened 8 years ago and to always remember.

Dawg skirt and more

Yesterday morning I walked the kids into their school. One of the teachers stopped me and was raving over the Georgia outfit Madi had worn to school last Friday. She asked if I could make something for her little girl. They are big UGA fans too and her husband was a football player there back in his college days. So last night after dinner and homework Madi helped me piece this skirt together. Mrs. Parker was so happy when Madi and I hand delivered the skirt this morning. Now Madi wants one...she said she would like to wear one when we pick our dad up at the airport in a few months.

Last month I made a handful of Halloween skirts. One for Madi and two for two of my little nieces...the two big ones will have to let me come up with something special I can make them later. Usually I am not a big reader. It takes me a long time to finish a book. Well yesterday while sitting in the car rider line waiting to get Ben and Madi I finished a book. So finally last night I snuggled in bed at 9 to start on These Is My Words...The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 Arizona Territories. Heather from {Unwrapped} listed this as her favorite book. I was hooked on page two and couldn't put it down last night.

Brains and quilts

This weekend Ben had to make a brain for a school project. It is so gross and real looking. All we have left to do is stick the the little toothpick flags we made in it that will identify each part of the brain.

We are all enjoying our day off today. It's cool, we have the french doors in the dinning room open. Ben is sitting out here giggling while playing with a fuzzy caterpillar. Madi is still in her Camp Rock nightgown, playing with her Polly Pocket and watching Camp Rock. I am enjoying myself by working on this quilt this morning. We so needed this easy Monday.

1/2 & 1/2

A house divided? No we love them both...Ohio State and Georgia...really. Tomorrow is D Day for college football. Although we tuned in to a little last night. Today Madi went to school sporting her Georgia spirit and Ben showed some of his new found love for The Ohio State University. I know Steve is ready to come home and relax in his g-crib. For the last few weeks every time we get in the car the kids ask me to turn on the Ohio State music. I love that they love the sport and the music...as you know it's in our blood and has been for generations!

Here are some fun yummies for gameday ohio-state-buckeyes.

Here is something neat my cousin Natalie emailed me the other day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3Z52GKONPc

Atlanta is host to ESPN's College Gameday tomorrow. I want to take the kids down to Centennial Park but there is a marathon, Braves vs. Reds, Nascar race, Virginia Tech vs. Alabama and all the Gameday stuff so that means thousands and thousands of extra people all trying to find their way in downtown. I sure wish Steve was here he is good at getting around in those types of masses.

Have a super fun football weekend. We are so excited to get the party started!

using up my scraps

All you need is a cheap floursack towel and a scrap of fabric. I used a piece of the cute tree fabric left from Madi's shirt and then stitched 'fall'. Here I thought I had an original idea but then peeked at the Moda Bake Shop and they were making towels too....so check them out for other ideas.

Years ago I stitched these cute blocks for each month. But mine was really primitive so I redid September and used scraps again from Madi's shirt and my purse I made last week to make a more modern September. Stitching is fun for all but especially easy for moms of little ones....I stitch while sitting on the toilet watching my kids play in the tub, I sit in their rooms and watch them play and stitch, if you can find a McDonald's with a park...that's at least an hour jackpot, sitting in the car waiting to pick up kids, gymnastics....I never just sit at home and stitch unless it's late at night and I am watching TV. So look for all that stitching time....it's there.