Fabulous Fall Friday... School Halloween Craziness!

Fabulous Fall Friday is almost finished with Halloween...

But-

No Halloween season would be complete without the School Halloween Frenzy!

It is the end of the quarter so my kids don't have school today -October 30...

So the Halloween celebrations took place yesterday...

I think our school is one of the last ones that allow costumes and has a great big parade.

The first year we were at this school we weren't living in our new house yet, it was still being built...so I didn't know how big of a deal the Halloween Parade was.

I had to take my kids to school everyday and on this particular Halloween I was so glad that Meg and I were actually ready and not in our PJ's , for when we saw the entire town going into the school we did what most lemmings do and followed.

Holy Cow... THE ENTIRE TOWN turns out for this shin-dig!

Now... I am a little more street smart an get there EARLY to get a front row chair.

All of the classes parade through all the other classes and then come for the main event in the gym. They walk through posing for pictures and showing off their costume.

I am amazed at some of the costumes... SO CUTE!

Okay.. so some of the pictures are off...but I am just keeping you on your toes.

Have you ever talked to me... I talk fast and change subjects quickly...

This post is like a conversation... so keep up!

This is Meggie minus her hat during her class party that followed the parade.

I made plenty of glitter cups for teachers and friends... and the Gardner Village witches fest...
so here is a random picture thrown in for good measure!

Jacks rocked the nerd costume. Complete with power wedgie, toilet paper streaming behind him and a kick me sign.

Jackson is in 6th grade and every year as a rite of passage the 6th graders are the last ones to parade through the gym... the lights go out and they music and fog begins.

They all do the thriller dance with glow in the dark necklaces.

It is a fun tradition...Jacks was so excited to do it.

This is Jackson and his fat girlfriend Breck... Okay Jacks isn't a nerd and Breck isn't a fat cheerleader... this is one of Jackson's best friends.

This is miss Sassafrass witchy Meg... It is kindof a blurry picture because she was strutting her Halloween self. Her skirt just flipped and flipped as she walked the catwalk -er I mean...parade. I loved her costume. I thought she was the cutest witch at the school... ( Okay... so I am a little biased)

I was in charge of Meg's class party. I wanted to do something a little more original than decorating a cookie... the teacher also wanted to refrain from that mess.

I tried to think and think... finally I went to my Creative Think Tank: Caylor and Tonia.

Tonia had done a "FEAR FACTOR" party before and I liked the sound of that.

Caylor came in handy when we were thinking of gross things the little goblins could do...

Here is an outline of the party.

I split the class into three teams and they went to four different "stations of fear"

Station 1:

Eating Brains

They all sat up to a plate of brains.

(otherwise known as green spaghetti noodles with lime jello chunks)

Station 2:

The goldfish swap

They moved real live goldfish from one bucket to another across the room.

The fear factor really kicked in on this one because they got one point for carrying in in their hands and 2 points for carrying it in their mouth.

I boy carried it in his mouth 2 times for his team.

Station 3:

The scary death defying drop

They had to stand on their desk and fold their arms over their chest and fall backwards into the arms of their team... Like a trust fall ONLY they were really scary because they were all dressed in costumes.

Station4:

NASTY jelly beans.

I got the BeanDoozeled jelly bellys...

They got a point for every bean they ate..

one kid ate 15.

There are 10 different colors... 20 different flavors.

so you could either get juicy pear OR BOOGER...they look the same.

The kids loved this game... some ( Meg) wouldn't even try one...

Then we had some witches brew ( apple juice and dry ice)

and a dirt cupcake... complete with worms and spiders and dirt clods.
It was a fun party...

But boy... am I glad there is no school today and the annual School Halloween Frenzy is over for another year... I can put my cauldron away and stop buying dry ice for a season.

Fabulous Fall Friday... Witches' Brew

Bubble..Bubble..Toil and Trouble!

Last night Tonia and I held our 2nd Annual Witches' Brew..

So much fun!

Great costumes, food, prizes, and friends!

Here are just a few quick pics... I will post more about the Witches' Brew AND the Gardner Village Witches Night Out later in the weekend...

Me with my bubbly brew...


Kristi, Marla, Tonia and I ... witchy witchy witchy!

Just a quick snap of the treats! YUMMY!

It was so fun! I really appreciate all the effort that people made to get all witched up and come! It really has turned into one of the most fun traditions of the Halloween Season!

You all need to have your own witches night out... invite your friends, grab your black hat and celebrate All Hallows Eve! It is such a great time!

Fabulous Fall Friday... Which Witch is Which?

In anticipation of going to Garner's Village's Witchfest tonight and having our annual witches party next week...this post is all about Glam Witches...

My sister in law Mindy and her girls... My cousin Jami and her daughter all came from Southern Utah to celebrate fall with a Wacky Witches Weekend!

We have laughed and glittered and shopped and are all going to see the witches at Gardner Village.

We had to have fabulous witch costumes for the girls...

So... I got out the ribbon and feathers and glitter and... instant mini-glam!

This is a cheap little hat from Hobby Lobby with a few feathers, a messy bow, and a few gems...

Madi and Kally are going to be purple witches... so sassy cute!

Meg and Shay are going to be outrageous orange babes...

This is Meggie's hat... just a basic black hat with few feathers and ribbon...and don't forget the blinged out spider!

Meg has a black petticoat skirt for her costume, but the other girls didn't have anything witchy to wear...

We made three little Halloween TU-TUs... so cute and so dang easy.
The inspiration for everything witchy this season started with these amazing witch shoes for Meg. They look large in the picture, but they are just her size.
I glittered the heel and the buckle... she loves them.
She wanted to wear them to school the other day.
I told her to wait until Halloween...
We are going to watch Hocus Pocus... visit a witches house... and cast a spell or two.
Have a bewitching weekend...
BWA-HAHA!

Spark!

Calling all blogging friends...

There is going to be an event unlike any other event... EVER!

It is called SPARK!

My creative genius Margie has joined forces with other creative geniuses to plan and create a event based upon Elder Dieter Uchtdorf's talk on being creative.

It is going to be such an amazing time!

Check out the spark site and make arrangements to "get your spark on"

See you there...

A crown or a tiara?

Today is a big day... I am getting crowned!

No... not going to Westminster as the newest member of the Royal Family.

No... Not participating in Mrs. Utah.

No... Not getting in a fight with someone stronger.

I have rotten teeth!
Second crown this year!

I am so glad I come from a family that has crappy teeth!

I look happy in this picture... I'm NOT!

So... think of me when I am on death's door step...

otherwise known as the dentist's chair.

I told the dentist I would rather be having a baby... without an epidural!

I am a baby... I can give birth naturally,

but have to take a xanax to make it through the dentist?

I am not going to enjoy this day!

And for the record... I do brush!

Whew! What a weekend!

This weekend was fall recess, conference, and Viv and Connie came to visit!

Whew! What a time!

We shopped, glittered, modge-podged, arranged, and shopped some more!

Here are the latest witches... Viv's is the one with the feather boa and mine is the one with the green sweater. LOVE THEM! We shopped until we dropped...

Viv and Connie hitch-hiked a ride up with my uncle Chris and aunt Mary... they had to pose for a photo for my 365... so here they are in all their glory!
The best part of the story is that they brought my Connie's car... a nice grandmotherly Buick...
Last time they brought her car was about 20 years ago and they had to borrow an EX-CARGO ( the crazy thing you strap to the top of your car) from a relative to get all their crap home. When Viv told me they were bringing the Buick instead of her Escalade I reminded her of the Ex-CARGO and told her that relative no longer lived in this area. She laughed and said she wouldn't shop much. YEAH RIGHT! Anyway... after three trips to HOBBY LOBBBY, 1 BIG trip to the GOURD farm, a rampage at SECRET HAVEN... 3 pumpkin topiaries, 3 hanging ornamnets, 3 modge podged boxes, enough gourds to start their own farm... and a partridge in a pear tree- we were ready to load the car!
Caylor just shook his head and walked down stairs... Chris wondered why he brought them... and the rest of us just laughed and kept stuffing the car.
Thank goodness Chris and Mary's neighbor was in town and took their luggage home or else Connie would have had to ride on top like Aunt Edna in Vacation.
3 in the front... Viv in the back with the topiaries and holding her witch the entire ride to St. George.
We had so much fun... we laughed so hard...did projects until our fingers hurt... and just loved hanging out, but...I think next time they will bring the big car.

Fabulous Fall Friday

With the weather FINALLY cooperating, Fall is all about Cozy!

There is nothing better than a yummy warm drink and a good book...

Here are a few suggestions...

Wassail is such a warm yummy Fall/ Holiday tradition! Here is how I make it...
1 gallon apples juice
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup lemon juiced
2 cups sugar
15 cinnamon sticks
20 whole cloves
15 whole allspice berries
( if you want it to appear a little redish... throw in 10-20 cinnamon red hots)
Bring to a boil and then simmer. Strain all the spices out and serve with a cinnamon stick. Any extra can be saved in a pitcher ( or the apples juice container) in the fridge to warm up in the microwave upon demand.

To go along with your yummy warm drink... Here is a book I just read that is a fun easy read that helped usher in the Fall/Halloween spirit...
This book is a book about a girl who is working on her Doctorate in History and finds an amazing primary resource in her own family. This book mixes modern time with a few flashbacks of Salem and the witch trials. Reading this really made me want to take an Autumn tour of New England. This is a good book, especially for this time of year.

This book, The Help, has become one of my new favorites! The characters are so charming and real... I felt like I had met new friends. Skeeter is a newly graduate of Ole Miss... she returns home to the lives of her friends and their families and realizes she doesn't have the same goals, ambitions, and attitudes that most everyone has. It is 1962 Jackson Mississippi. She teams up with two bllck maids, Abileen and Minny, to write a book about black women working for white families. It is a book that could get them all killed if they are found out. SUCH A GREAT READ! I am not going to say anything else about this book...except... READ IT!

Make yourself a hot drink, grab a good book and let your laundry go for a day!

It is fall... relax... soon it will be the hectic Christmas season.

Thankful Thursday...

Things I am so thankful for...

This weekend is my very most favorite of the year!

October 1st...

The weather is finally going to cooperate... hello boots and jeans!

Fall is officially here... no more Indian Summer September!

Mitch's team is having a pretty good season... 6-1!

Conference weekend... can you say pjs on Sunday!

Viv and Connie are coming to party!

Did I mention that it is October 1st?

Hip Hip Hooray!

If I were German and liked beer I would be drinking ALOT!

But, I don't and I'm not so....

I will do fun fall projects,

go to some pumpkins patches,

watch the colors change,

cook some good food,

plan a fun witch's party,

and

JUST LOVE FALL!

During this most glorious time of year I am even going to try to be consistent with my blog and do my Fabulous Fall Fridays!

So tune in Tomorrow and I will try to pass on some little fabulous nugget of fallery!

( I just made that word up....)

Thankful Thursday... The Halloween/ Fall decorations are up!

Thankful Thursday... All my Halloween/ Fall seasonals are up!

It was a crazy day, but I got it all done...

&

didn't break my neck with all the acrobatics I was doing on the ladder hanging the stuff from the ceiling! My guardian ghoul was watching...( guardian angel Halloween style)

This is my armoire... there is a witchy side and a boo side...

The witchy side.... all orange and black.
This is what started my Halloween decor two years ago. I had never decorated for Halloween until I saw these cute jars in a store and thought, " A little bit of Halloween wouldn't hurt."... now I have got mostly Halloween and I am loving it!

My "BOO" side... a few skulls and other haunted mansion type things...

My mantel... This year I made the "All Hallows Eve" banner...

it was a fun project! Plus I got a few new skulls.... You can never have too many skulls laying around your house!

p.s. my candelabra now has bright purple candles and it looks much better...

My FAVORITE new Halloween addition... "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore!"

I saw this sign at Dear Lizzy and LOVED it!

I reminds me of teaching English... every year my classes would study Edgar Allan Poe and then we would read "The Raven"... I sure wish my name was LeNore, righ about now!

That is all my Halloween stuff...

Mitch told me I had WAY overdecorated, Caylor said he felt haunted, Jacks thought I had lost it... & Meg loves it!

What do those boys know anyways?

Below is all my Fall decor...

Fall Decor...

While I have been in love with Halloween decor... I can't forsake my first love...FALL!

Like my neighbor, Dean, said Sept. 1st,

" I have got to get my Halloween and Fall decor up, because I've got so much Christmas , I will have to start that soon... maybe before Halloween."

I just laughed! We are kindred spirits!My favorite FALL thing... My Autumn witch. Not a Halloween witch, but decorated with leaves and acorns... she is perfect until Thanksgiving! The best thing about her is she was a gift from a dear friend... now every year forever- I will think of her while I decorate for my favorite season!

Pumpkins and Feathers... Gotta Love the colors of the season!

This is my front porch... A little bit fall... I will probably put some real pumpkins out when the weather finally starts co-operating Mother Nature needs to get the memo that it is FALL!

This is part of what is on my table... A few pumpkins and an acorn and a cornucopia.

Under Construction...

I just couldn't stand the yellow anymore...

So- For a minute or two this blog is

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

Loser?

A few weeks ago I did something I never thought I would do...

I went to a movie by myself!

There has only been one other time I ventured into a theatre on my own...

I was in 3rd grade or so and I was supposed to meet some friends at the movie theater. I think my dad just dropped me off at the "new" movie theater on the red hill and told me he would be back in two hours. Kramer Vs. Kramer was the movie being shown and all my friends decided they didn't want to see it and I didn't get the memo.

So... I sat through Dustin Hoffman and some ugly little long haired boy dealing with a divorce.

Yes, I was in 3rd grade. I guess I didn't tell my mom which movie I was seeing. I couldn't watch Three's Company, so I doubt Kramer vs. Kramer would have been on the family viewing list.

That is random and wacky and I really can't believe I just got dropped at the theater alone, but it really did happen.

ANYWAY... I digress...

So my first experience was pretty crappy... I didn't want to do it again.

Two weeks ago I was at the Gateway and tried to get my ipod fixed. I hadn't made an appointment with the genius, so they couldn't help me until the next day. I made some returns and just really didn't have anything else to do. I saw the movie poster for Julia & Julie and remembered how I loved the book and wanted to see the movie, but couldn't really ever hook up with friends to see it.

Right then... I got the idea to just go by myself and then felt totally like a loser for thinking that.

Then I decided... I was going to see it by myself!

I got all determined and cocky.

The next showing didn't start for an hour so...

I bought Caylor some birthday presents, got a Costa Vida salad, went outside WITH my sunglasses and totally checked out every person walking by. That's right TOTALLY stared at the people at the gateway and ate my salad ALONE! I LOVED IT!

I gawked until it was movie time, bought myself a nice LARGE coke and entered the theater.

I was a little embarrassed, thinking I was such a LOSER!

An amazing thing happened...

I laughed out loud at the movie... drank my coke and had the best time.

I felt totally secure- I didn't care that I was alone!

I am no longer a loser for going to the movie alone...just someone who found her own company to be quite enjoyable!

It was much better than Kramer vs. Kramer.

Thankful Thursday... Fall... Bring it on!

Today I am most thankful for one very important thing: Fall!
I have not been feeling well so... I just haven't been in the mood.

I was starting to worry...

BUT THEN...

Monday it was a little bit cooler...

It even rained a little bit...

I saw a deer in my back yard...

And Secret Haven held their Witches Night Out...

Add all these things together AND it means... Fall is on its way!

Margie, Meggie and I donned our witch hats ( to get 30% off one item)

and hit the sale.

It was a wonderland of fall and Halloween goodness...
More orange and black than I can even begin to describe!
Today I finished a few Halloween/ Fall projects...
and tomorrow I am going to decorate!
Once the weather truly cools down I will be in absolute Fallish heaven!
It IS the best time of the year!

Oh... on Wednesday... Tammy sent me a text message that says only 100 days until Christmas...
YIKES!

Happy Day to My MAN!

Wednesday 09.09.09 was Caylor's 39th birthday!

I was so into the fact that it was 09.09.09

He didn't think it was as amazing...

I guess a somewhat cool numbered birthday has rolled around every ten years for him... so he was over it.

Because I like to have a theme around most everything in my life... I decided to go with the obvious... 09.09.09 and the skull and cross bones thing...

I racked my brain thinking of things that had to do with the letter 9.

Here is what I came up with...

Dressed to the 9's- a new outfit. The tag said it was his new birthday suit.

You deserve the whole 9 yards- Some football things.. tickets, a poster, etc.

9 iron- don't laugh... a new iron and ironing board... he loves ironed clothes & he is a perfectionist ironer...

The tag said... You can't use this on the links... You won't holler FORE!

It keeps you looking o' so crisp.

someone we can't ignore!

9 love notes from your biggest fans- letters from us, my parents, his parents, boss, & best friend

Cloud 9- He loves chocolate chip cookies and Krispy Kremes

Love potion #9- cologne

I even got him some tattoo sleeves... because I am alway wanting him to get a tattoo and he always just laughs... maybe for the big 4-0?
So... My thinking on adding the skull and crossbones to everything that it can be on the poster this year and on the arm next... He told me to keep dreaming!

THe kids were excited to help me wrap and put it all out for him!
Earlier in the day I took cake and several posters to his office to announce that it was his big day! He was embarrassed by all the fuss...

We ended the evening by going out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.

Jackson was very disappointed when he wouldn't sit in the saddle as they announced his birthday.

The thing that was so dang funny was... Mindi's nice pic of Caylor...

It made its rounds on the blogosphere and the facebook circuit.

He thought with friends like that... who needs enemies!

So... my tough guy... skull and crossbones...humble businessman...fluffy bunny is now 39.

It was funny when on 9.10 I told him he DID look a day over 39.... I am such a comic genius!

He just rolled his eyes.
So... Happy Birthday ( two days late) to my man! HE is really the best thing that ever happened to me... If you don't believe me... just read my mom and dad's letter to him.

He is the best... I am one lucky lady!

The Best Gram in the Whole World...

This post was totally stolen from my sister, Brandy...

I want everyone in the blogosphere to meet the best gram in the whole world! Connie... Constance for real, but I just like to call her Con, Constantinople or Constantine!

She is the best... she was only 40 when I was born, so she really is young enough to be my mother! As Dennis the Menace so beautifully said, "She is the best old gal on the block!"

We love to get her to St. George... the photo above was taken at my sister's house and we were all having a wild party. Gotta love the Route 44 Diet Coke...the shades...the raft... and the cell phone. She is GLAM!

This Grandma is no stick in mud... We took her to Chico's and made her get a whole new spring/ summer wardrobe. Orange flip-flops included!

When we all went to Park City she stayed longer and had her quilting friends come up to party. BTW... Her quilting gals call themselves "The Ladies of the Evening"... scandalous? No... They quilt all night long!

18 months ago my Grandpa Garth died after years of fighting Parkinson's Disease. When we tease Con about dating or getting a boyfriend she quickly pipes up with, " THE only thing a man would want is a purse or a nurse... I have my own purse and I don't want to be their nurse...NOT INTERESTED!" She is a firey babe!

My kids are so lucky to have such young AND young at heart great grandma. Caylor loves her and she loves him right back. Sometimes if we are disagreeing about something he will teasingly tell me to call Connie to see what she has to say... He knows she will always pick his side.

Our family absolutely adores our Grandma Connie... I am going to join my sister, Brandy, in the dog house for posting this pic, but it IS PRICELESS!

She is priceless and we are all very lucky to have such an amazing grandma!

We Love you, Constantinople!

101 Random Things About Me...

1. believe it or not, I am doing this because I ran out of things to say
2. I am ready for fall
3. can't wait to decorate for Halloween
4. Have wasted many hours already looking for ideas on the internet
5. I am looking for clever "ideas"using the #9
6. I sometimes get anxiety about going up or down an escalator...
7. especially if I am pushing a stroller
8. When I was little I was afraid of escalators,
9. I was also terrified of bats
10. Caylor, with the help of Steve Kemp, killed a bat at our first apartment.
11. I love the color lime green-
12. but really don't like yellow too much
13. oh, yeah... what color is my blog right now?
14. When I was first born, we lived in a mortuary.
15. My lifetime goal is to watch someone pop a boil or a cyst
16. I Have felt like I don't have anything to say on my blog anymore.
17. I don't like to swim in the ocean
18. I would almost sell my soul to the devil for a swimming pool in my backyard.
19. I miss being really tan...but I am now afraid of skin cancer.
20. I put vinegar on most of the vegetables I eat.
21. I don't collect anything.
22. Sometimes I am really bored, yet my house is a disaster.
23. I am the oldest child of 4, 2 sisters and one brother.
24. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!
25. I have unusually short arms... pretty much alligator arms.
26. I cut off over 18 inches of hair at one time.
27. I wish permed hair would come back in style... I rocked it the first time around!
28. I totally loved Caylor the first time I met him... He didn't really notice me.
29. He thought I was kindof hyper, weird for many years...
30. We have been married for 17 years. He still thinks I am kindof hyper weird.
31. I got my ipod wet and it didn't work
32. I took it back to ipod ( I bought the warranty) and played dumb and got a new one.
33. I am happy the nice guy at the apple store hooked me up!
34. I want a new apple computer and laptop.
35. I think santa is feeling the effects of the economy...
36. so... no new apple computer and laptop!
37. I don't know if I can list 101 random things about myself.
38. I still don't know what to say.
39. Football season is my favorite time of year...
40. I love that Mitch loves to play football ( and secretly glad he is a good player)
41. I am really glad the new TV season is about to start
42. Some of my favorites are: Brothers & Sisters, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice,
43. Life, the Office, and I am soooo excited to get into Glee... I laughed out loud at the pilot.
44. My feet are in desperate need of a pedicure... but my wallet is more in need of cash.
45. There is something about fall that makes me want to create!
46. I am going to start making aprons... it has been a while.
47. It is the the beginning of the 37th week of the year today.
48. I wanted to read 52 books this year... I am only at 26... I don't know if I will make it.
49. Pizza is my favorite food
50. It is not a good thing for my fewer carbs diet I am going to try.
51. I have never been to Europe
52. Hell, the only "foreign" countries I have been to are Canada and Mexico
53. I need to travel more!
54. Sometimes I like to say hell... among other things.
55. My mom is the life of any party... she is the most fun person I know!
56. I call my mom by her name... VIV!
57. My sisters and I all look quite a bit alike.
58. Nobody in Caylor's family looks alike, but they all sound alike... well -the brothers anyway.
59. I love the Halloween season, but actually don't like the Halloween day...
60. The dressing up and the parties at school stress me out.
61. Cyndi Lauper was my absolute favorite singer when I was in high school.
62. I met her and got her autograph when I was 16.
63. Someday I am going to write a book about growing up in a mortician family.
64. I like to shop and spend way, way, way to much money!
65. I DO NOT like to wear tennis shoes unless I am working in my yard or working out!
66. My first kiss was the summer before 9th grade... it was with A.T.
67. I didn't really like him... it was, as we said in the 80's, "just a scam".
68. I am still doing my project 365.
67. I am two weeks behind... I have got to get with it and stay current!
68. I love treats- cinnamon rolls and baked goods rock my world!
69. I am also a diet pepsi slave... I love to drink!
70. I love to entertain and have parties, yet haven't for awhile.
71. I have over ten sets of dishes... it is the first thing I look at in a store.
72. I am NOT an animal lover!
73. Some of my friends have cats and I want to disown them...just kidding!
74. I told the littlest cat owning daughter that "I eat cats" and then had to say "JK".
74. All Meg wants in her life is a puppy...
75. Not going to happen!
76. I don't think I will ever live in St. George again...
77. sometimes that makes me sad.
78. usually NOT in July, though.
79. I was in Donny Basile's class with Mindi... and he was a jerk to her.
80. Can you tell I copied this idea from her.
81. I sing in my car.. sometimes loudly.
82. I can't carry a tune in a bucket...
83. My hair is falling out.
84. I bet I have lost half of it this year...
85. That freaks me out... I hide behind my hair.
86. Meg is really naughty in the morning...
87. It is all I can do to be nice and cheerful when she throws her am fits.
88. I have never been under anesthesia...
89. I know, a body like this without any "work" done? AMAZING!
90. You know I am kidding don't you... I know I don't have an amazing body!
91. Do you have any clever ideas using the #9?
92. My man is having a b-day on 9-9.
93. I hate to vacuum... and mop my floor.
94. I am horrible at math... in fact, I just learned my times tables with my son, Jackson.
95. I taught high school English and History for 10 years.
96. I love to read... but I am not really well read
97. I don't love Jane Austen! There I said it... Pride and Prejudice= HATE!
98. I hope you learned something random about me...
99. Can't believe you still are reading this!
100. I am very insecure without lipstick.
101. I am done...yippy!