HALLOWEEN

This year my kids were all about the 50's & the 60's. With a "Greaser Guy" & a "Go-Go Girl"! What a nostalgic trip back in time... ...and the trick or treating was pretty fun too.

Ahhhhh!

What a Sweetie!!! My dear friend, Suzelle, hears I'm sick with a cold....and in her few precious hours she has in the morning, before she must report to work....she runs to CostCo to buy dinner for me! Not just dinner though ~ Chicken Soup, loaves of freshly baked bread, a fall flower bouquet & a magazine. Now, that's what I call a SUPER FRIEND!!! ...and since the soup will help "heal me", I'm not waiting for dinnertime, I think there's enough to take some out for my lunch today too.

Needle Felting Day!

THE HEDGEHOG & THE PUMPKIN

Cindy (knitter extraordinaire) and I had a little needle felting playdate with our new fiber dying mentor "Janice". I'd had my eye on making either an acorn or a hedgehog as a 1st time project... and Cindy had to create something orange...(it is October, you know).

A Soccer Mom Weekend

We spent our weekend scheduling meals & activities around

"The Catholic Cup" soccer tournament games for Audra & her team.

Luckily, we had beautiful sunny weather

with lots of family & friends cheering on our little 10 year olds...

Way to Go, girls!!!

My Sweet Altar Servers

I have been awaiting the day my little daughter could join my big son

as one of our Church's Altar Servers...and today was their 1st big day.

(I'll have to take my camera again when they serve next month,

because they slipped past me & got changed out of their robes before I could get their photo)

...but, as you see, this didn't stop me from snapping a few pictures to mark the occasion.

And, as I expected, our Celebrant, my favorite~Father Blessing,

was more than happy to pose with Jared & Audra.

How lucky we are to have such a wonderful priest in our parish.

Praise be to God.

Message Board Girlfriends Get Together

Scrapbook message board girlfriend get together day!!

We had Lunch, candy shopping, of course hitting a little scrap shop & ended our visit with a lengthy chat in the nearby Starbucks.

What a Fun Afternoon with some of my E-girlfriends.

Audra's Choir & Carnival Day

Audra had one especially fun filled Sunday to start off this month.

Her morning started with a choir performance

at our usual 9:30 Mass,

then followed with our annual school carnival.

She played games & won prizes,

spray painted her hair & shopped in the vendor booths,

but mostly she just enjoyed pal-ing around with her girlfriends!

H20 POLO MOM!

Since the camera is usually in my hands, or up to my eye, it's hard to get a photo of me with my son...but I made a concerted effort to pass the equipment off to some passing human

(oops, there are bad shadows doing ugly things to us here)

...but it's all I've got to show for all these games I attend?@!?#*!

So You Think You Can Dance...

So You Think You Can Dance!!!

We got tickets for the live tour

of our favorite summertime TV show.

They performed all our favorite routines & were fantastic in to see in person!

Now I can hardly wait for next season!

It's been 22 years

This month marks our 22nd Wedding Anniversary...

and

You know what they say?

... time sure flies when you're having fun!!!

Jared's Water Polo Season

I've been attending all the Varsity Boys league games during the week

& tournaments on the weekends.

(Driving & Chaperoning as needed)

I've set up a photo site to share all the pictures I take with the guys & their families,

well over 200 edited pictures, so far.

And, all while, I am keeping the team's game stats.

It's been eating up all my free time~and I must confess that I am really enjoying it!

We've got a month left of the H20 polo season &

I sure hope they can continue their winning streak.....

GO PANTHERS!!!

Jared is DRIVING!

The mommy was a little nervous...I admit...

But not the Teenager....He was Ready!

And, the instructor said that he was "exceptional".

I am still not going to RELAX though...

She's Here!!

I have been looking all summer,

along with my dear daughter,

at Blythe Dolls.

As you can see, I finally bit the bullet...

I haven't named her yet,

or washed & styled her hair...

But, we did have a photo shoot

& play a little Dress-Up!

Crostata

...Probably my all time FAVORITE recipe from my BFF Elena (& her mom) is the always beautiful & tasty Italian Crostata... our usual version has always been made with apricot jam, but any tart jam with this wonderful dough make a great dessert (or breakfast - which is my preferred time to enjoy it) I've had this jar of natural Sour Cherry Jam, just burning a hole in the cupboard, and it's finally cool enough today to turn on an oven in my kitchen! ...not an appealing activity when it's over 100 degrees outside... but today is the 2nd day in a row with temps in the 80's....

So, I fired it up....anyone ready for Dessert?

Stamped Tags Swap

My Scrapping Message board friend (Mellie) & I are doing a "Stamped Tag Swap". Here's what I made... I hope she going to like them!

Back to School

Audra's 1st Day of 5th Grade!

Teacher's Survival Kit Gift

Thanks to SUZELLE...my friend-fellow scrapbooker-Girl scout leader-internet blogger-crafter-elementary aide- & mommy EXTRAORDINAIRE... I had this little project to "throw together" for my daughter's teacher. Believe it or not, I had almost everything on the suggested list of items, But, I will confess to some serious digging to rummage it all up... It includes a Scroll (attached at the top of the paint tin) that explains the contents: things like...Rick Rack for a school year filled with ups & downs and a Wiggly Eye for when you wish you really did have eyes in the back of your head and a Battery for you to keep going, going, going and a Star to remind you to shine and a Clothespin to help you "hang in there" and a Rubber Glove to lend a helping hand and a Flower Pot to remind you that you are here to plant seeds for the future and a Snowflake for when all else fails, Pray for a snow day. and a Penny because as a teacher...you're priceless. I hope my daughter's teacher gets as much of a kick out of this as I did putting it together for her!!!

Daughter's Dramatic "DO & DONATION"

My dear Daughter wanted to donate her hair to "Pantene Beautiful Lengths"

for wigs to be made for those who've lost their hair due to treatments for cancer.

I'm so proud of her for wanting to do this....

and the bonus is her new hair-do is DARLING!!!

Jewelry Making

I've had several BRACELETS on my crafting to-do list since before LAST summer

and I've finally finished them......WooHoo!!!

The felt bead cutie is my most recent project...and I am going to be seen about town in it a lot this winter....it was a distraction project from watching the Olympics 24/7.....

And the clear & silver glass beaded numbers have already been worn numerous times...They are just what I wanted for my summer wardrobe.

Felted Soaps

Yesterday, instead of knitting, with my "knotty knitter" girlfriends

...we still decided to play with wool, But in a Different Way.

We felted bars of soap!!!

It was fun & easy.....and we've all got cute little bars of "scrubby soap" to decorate our sinks or showers....or maybe even give as gifts....

Having a Teenager...

...means sooner or later your house just may get decorated in TP!!!

I've heard plans are afoot to payback the attackers....

I sure hope a war isn't being started.