{super hero day- take 1}

So.... I found out last Friday that A-man's class would be having their 1st "Spirit Day" today. The theme was.... "Favorite Super Hero"! I he tried & tried to find a way to make a Star Wars Clone {we have that costume already} a super hero, but to our dismay it is NOT! I decided to try looking for costumes @ the Coalition {sorta like Good Will but it deals mostly with church donations & contributions}. They have an entire rack of costumes & I found this "Bat Man" & snatched it up for $3 bucks- score!!!! ALL the costumes {any size} are $3.00. Because I {shamefully} know how much costumes are & what brands are best, I about died when I saw some of the same ones there from Chasing Fireflies & Rubies catalogs ! Y'all need to go & check it out... I only wish that I had a pic of his manly muscles bulging out of his carseat this morning... it was hysterical. He just kept saying "Mommy it's just me Ashton... I'm a good guy!"

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This VERY same costume {padded with belt & cape with built in mask is retail is $45 + shipping. I also got some accessories for my little Prissy {you never know when she'll want to be the queen of Sheba?} for 25 cents!!!!

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The A-man was TOTALLY jazzed about his costume... until we got to school! We walked Prissy in & he saw that no one else had a costume on {Prissy's class has their Spirit Day tomorrow}....... THANK GOODNESS for Sydney {who just happens to have a big brother in Prissy's class}!!!!!! She came right over & gave him a "Sidney Sandwich" & he was all good again!!!!!!

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And then we saw Ethan..... and ALL was right in the world!!! I ran out & got the class suckers & erasers because they ALL looked so cool!!!!!!!!!!!! And because Prissy told A-man that it was a competition between the classes & the class with the best costumes won a prize.... They didn't win the actual "award" but they think they did!!!!!!!!!!

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Finally we met up with Prissy & her classmates for lunch/recess. These girls are precious to the core!!!!

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.... and they are so darned cute! They gobble down their lunches in about 5 minutes then sing, dance, run, & dance some MORE!!!! I {heart} 3rd graders..... and 4 yr olds!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{Holy-ween Harris style...}

I just finished putting up the Holy-ween decor {cause Cooner has had hers out for 2 weeks now & I'm feeling a bit of pressure- ha ha}. However I have NOT transformed my chandeliers into centerpieces with fall foliage & the like as she has this year. I swear the woman is a machine! No doubt if she were here she would have fashioned some one-of-a-kind-from-Asia mantel out of sticks & pine cones...... But not to worry, she's coming next month- YEAH!!!!

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I added some food coloring to some water to given the mantel a bit of orange.

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Cooner sent us this "Book of Spells" years ago. It talks when you open it- the kiddos adore it!!!

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A-man quickly found his dollar tree pumpkin {I made holes in it where Mr. Potato Head has holes last year} & helped himself to his accessories...

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... and Prissy finished up hers as soon as she saw his!

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creepy crawlers all around

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This is the pillow that I thought I needed to make out of a t-shirt {someone shoot me now} =

1. nearly cutting my finger off with my fancy new cutter

2. A-man nearly getting a concussion from dragging my vanity seat over to get me a band aide & almost falling in the toilet

3. swallowing my pride & admitting that I did need stitches Dura-bond {thank God for my ER nurse neighbor who had some on hand}

4. realizing that it really should get stitched up, but finding out {after having a surgeon look @ it Saturday} that I missed the "stitches" window...

5. going with steri strips for 2 weeks & praying that I might be able to wash my hair again with 2 hands!!!!

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And what Spooky scene would be complete without a black bird in a cage {he is from the dollar tree last year}???

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And my October is never complete without Martha's Halloween issue . I'm gonna curl up with it tonight!!! Bon weekend mes amis!!!

{and the tradition continues...}

Well... it's that time again! The kiddos & I put out our little friends around the Pear tree. They make me smile every time I see them! If y'all want to make some here is how we did it.... I am LOVING this Fall weather.... makes us crave the Apple Festival & homemade doughnuts from Muncie!!!!! Squeeze your little'nz extra tight today because.... well just because!!!

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"Now how many tablecloths does it take Momma?"- this year she is taking notes... She says that she is gonna make them for her little ones one day too!

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The A-man is over the whole decorating thing.... He just wants to know when we get to dress-up & get candy. Good thing he's a cutie.... I think we'll keep him!!!!!

I {heart} silhouettes... do you?

I have a mild obsession {that has been going on for some time now}! It's with these guys.... I loved them when I was little & my teacher gave one to Cooner of me {she still has it}! Then when Prissy was 4 we had hers done @ Disney World {I love how she has her tiara on in it- that was TOTALLY her at that age}. And, I adore the one we had made of the A-man when he was 4 @ Disney {he was clutching his Star Wars guy when the lady was making it....}. Anyway they are ALL over Europe & getting pretty popular here too. I have seen them on bags & pillows and it makes me want them {and I don't even know who they are of??}. Which brings me to my latest project.... Prissy needed a fun black & white {and possibly zebra striped} shirt to go with a fall skirt that I made. I got this idea to try to make Prissy a personalized "silhouette" t-shirt from a $4.00 Wally shirt. I'm still not sure if it's precious or scary? PLEASE tell me what ya think!!

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First take a photo-

1. make it the size you want

2. print it out

3. cut it out

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Next trace it on the shirt in pencil.

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Then fill it in with paint...

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Finally add a bow {I did manage to work in the zebra print- yeah} & ask your friends what they think.... And be HONEST, I can take it- she's my child for goodness sake! I can't have her mocked because of her crazy Momma- ha ha!!!!!!!!

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p.s. I just saw child size Silhouette tees on Etsy for $29.00 + shipping & they are not personalized to your child! Does that make mine any less scary????

{little white lines...}

It's funny the things you remember or at least the things that you pass on... I have always told Prissy that the little white lines that come on your fingernails were "fib lines" put there as a reminder to us for not telling the truth. My Grandma always used to say that God put "little white lines" on your nails if you told "little white lies". It would make you not want to tell fibs & if you did, you were reminded of them.... and everyone else knew what you had done too- YIKES!!! **Now as I'm writing this I realize {for the 1st time} that this may come across as a teeny tiny bit harsh or neurotic??** Anyway- last night the A-man came into my room {well after bedtime} with his hands behind his back & his shoulders hung with his lip out {can't y'all just see his poor pitiful self?}. He said "he needed to show me something, I got one of those bad lines." "What lines?" I said in complete confusion. "The ones that make you have to tell the truth... I need to tell you..... that I did have to go stinky @ ballet when you asked me, but I was afraid to go in that bathroom with those goowls (girls). Now I have this dittle line cause God knows the truth!" I was torn to go ahead & tell him how even though God knows EVERYTHING- He doesn't give you "fib lines". And how those little "fib lines" are really from trauma to your nail beds that go away without confession. He does however give you His spirit that guides you to tell the truth.... & I'm sure glad the A-man is getting to know him! But... instead- I hugged & kissed his neck {and his "dittle" fingers}, prayed with him about telling the truth, & piggy-backed him into his bed. I {heart} him!!!!!!!!!

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p.s. This morning the A-man noticed this on Prissy's fingernail.... Heaven help his pre-school class & anyone else that has one!!!!!!!!!!

{polka dot burp cloth tutorial}

A few years ago my friends had a baby-boom! Needless-to-say that meant baby showers & most of them were having #2 or #3 so I had to get a bit creative {on a budget}! I started making polka dot burp clothes. I loved them so much that it made me want another baby... so I got one & made him some too!!!! Now it seems that the baby-boom has hit again, only this time I'm NOT getting caught up in how cute they are- ha ha! I still think these polka dot cloths are the perfect accessory for every outfit {when you have a tiny one that is} & the perfect baby shower gift too....

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First start off with some plain old fashioned cloth diapers. I usually get mine @ Wally, but I found these @ TJ Maxx {make sure to get the reinforced middle kind- they absorb more}.

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And because I found out the HARD way that cheap acrylic paint {45 cents a bottle} once applied to fabric- will NOT ever come off. It is the perfect solution to this project.

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I lay one out right on the counter & start making my dots {I usually do 2 colors, but you can do as many as you like}. Then I carefully flip it & go back over the dots on the other side too.

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Then hang them up somewhere safe overnight- {the only safe place in my house for these little cuties is my closet}!!

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Next wrap them up in some tissue paper & tie a pretty bow around them. I think it looks more professional + even more precious!!

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Finally wrap up the boxes & send them off with love....

***also these make the best cleaning cloths after your baby burping days are over!***

{nothing to report...}

I have nothing amazingly creative or brilliantly clever to post, but....... I do have SUPER precious kiddos!!!

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...and one can rock a uniform in a heartbeat!!!

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And I am lovin' these stages best of all!!!

{I think 4 & 8 yr olds are possibly the cutest ages in the world. However last yr I was convinced that 3 & 7 yr olds were...... I think I see a pattern- ha ha!!!}

{the Pileated Woodpecker...}

Well I do believe that you can ask away any questions that you might have about the Pileated Woodpecker! Prissy {and the WHOLE entire family} have been studying it for 2 solid weeks now. Her big science project is due today & I'm a tad bit nervous for her..... So far she has-

1. finished her paper {compete with a front colored cover drawing of the bird}

2. researched feverishly online & in books about the bird

3. made a life like replica of the blessed bird {and a sassy birdhouse}

4. conjured up a 2-4 minute oral presentation about the bird

5. talked me into taking drum sticks to school to imitate it's mating call {I'm still a bit hesitant}

6. .... and managed to incorporate a snack to pass out!

We she is glad that the day has finally arrived! I have been praying my heart out ALL morning. This is one of those times that I wish I were a bit more like Joey- ha ha. He doesn't let these things worry him in the slightest way... I bet he forgets the stinkin' bird's name already!!!!!

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This is the finished "bird model". I want to say that Prissy has a mind of her own in terms of "how the project is going to look". She helped sculpt the bird from craft foam clay then painted it. Then she told me where to put the feathers {we hot glued them} & she did all of the other details.... YEP straight down to the pink, blue, green, & orange birdhouse that is WAY off scale with peace sign stickers & feathers {"but not too many, I don't want it to be too much!" I had to laugh when she said that!!!!

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While Prissy & I were finishing up the bird & shooing away the little humming bird that fell in love with our woodpecker.... The boys were doing this- Star Wars Lego Wii! But we didn't care much, we girls have to stick together!!!

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These are the tags for the Pileated Woodpecker Food

{hand colored & personalized for each classmate}

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~the end result~

{popcorn, nuts, M&Ms, craisins, raisins, almonds, & peanuts}

**everything that the Pileated Woodpecker likes minus the beetles & ants- no thanks necessary!!**

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p.s. I had to show y'all what I found at the Dollar Tree while we were bird supply hunting last weekend....

light-up/sound effect {battery included} light sabers.... Do you even have to ask if the A-man LOVED his??? He slept with it the 1st night {and you might be seeing these again when his b-day rolls around}!!

**These are WAY more durable than the foam ones that I showed you last year. And for crying out loud- they are $1.00!!!**

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And keeping with the Star Wars theme- they had Crayola brand color wonder books. I snatched up a few for the car & b-day gifts!!!! So FUN- run out & get some for your little Jedi Knights too!!!!

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may the force be with you!!!!