Tales of a....Spooky Ghoul

I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!! I've always liked Halloween, but in the past few years I have had so much fun decorating it, that now it is right up there with Christmas, in the "most favorite holiday" category--yeah I said it! In addition to the holiday itself, the little red haired girl was born on October 20th so Halloweentime is also birthdaytime!

Perhaps my new obsession is because of the little people and (thanks to hubby), their love of zombies and ghosts and zombie ghosts, and zombie vampire ghosts...you get the idea? They love to see the decorations go up and I notice every year I'm getting creepier and creepier in my Halloween Decor. From vials and bottles of snake venom and liquid eyes of newt, ravens, warning signs and ghostly figures dancing across my front lawn. I have not, however, abandoned my love of glitter and even the spooky should sparkle. Have you met Lucy? She's our skeleton who despite her bony frame, still manages to accessorize with diamonds and pearls.

Needless to say, nobody in our house will be a princess, or a cheerleader, or a cute little bunny rabbit. No, I have acquiesced to the hubs' need to fill my sweet little daughters' heads with the supernatural, and the spooky. As of right now, we will be the Zombie Surgeon, the mummy, the dead zombie Parisian dancer, and the witch. Solid fun.

Apothecary Jars filled with tricks and treats, inspired by the Super

Creative, Shelley Smith.  The skull is a candle I bought years ago

 at Stats Floral, and I can't bring myself to light it.  The apothecary jars 

are from Michaels and by using the 40% off coupon, they are a steal.  

White chocolate covered pretzels serve as crows  bones, 

black licorice for bat wings and giant green gumballs are my "jaw breakers"

Spanish moss and white pumpkins...the cornerstones of my 

Halloween decor.  These two things pop up everywhere in my house.

Nothing says romance like melted candles and dead roses.

Potentially dangerous decor but luckily I have little people who not only can read, 

but can obey.  Just in case, I soaked the matches in water before setting them out.

The hubby pokes fun at my love of literature inspired Halloween decor.  

But how do you create creepy without a nod to Edgar Allan Poe?  

So here he is, the caged raven who carries a missive...NEVERMORE!

Tales of a…Chauffer

Our best conversations happen in the car.  Probably because I refuse to invest in any kind of TV or portable dvd players so my kids can be entertained as I drive 1.3 miles to the grocery store.  And sadly, my 5 and 8 year old are the most unlucky on the planet because they do not own iTouches, iPads, iPhones, iPods or even (gasp)….a DS.  So as a result we are forced to tune in to the radio (not even satellite), and each other.  As much as it drives me crazy to hear the fighting, the whining, and the feel of little feet kicking into my back as I drive, it will most certainly end up in laughter and a reminder that, albeit cliché to say, I should cherish these moments with my little people.

Tales of a...Light Sleeper

It used to be that you could run a train through my room and over my face and I still would not wake up.  I guess along with killing the elasticity in your skin, having kids screws with your ability to stay in a state of REM for any healthy and necessary amount of time.  So when my daughter got up to use the bathroom all the way down the hall, I was awakened and felt compelled to go in and check to make sure my 8 year old could safely manage the 3 steps back to her bedroom.  Oh and I had to make sure she was covered up and comfy, and given an extra kiss on the cheek.  Silly moms.

Madeleine's 7th Birthday Party

The whole purpose of the blog was to keep up with our daily lives and it seems I keep reverting back to only recording the big moments. Nonetheless, Madeleine turned 7 - which cannot be possible - and we celebrated Barbie style, Fashionista Barbie, that is, not baby Barbie (as Madeleine points out).

The candy table, asking the kids to "ENJOY"!

I embellished my chandelier w/ mardi gras beads and made tissue pom poms to hang from the ceiling.  I like them so much I am going to hang some in the girls' rooms.

Pink Lemondae and pink and block polka dots on cupcakes.  So girly <3

My$4 TJMaxx Frame got a bath in hot pink paint. 

I think I'll keep it that way and put it in one of the girls' rooms.

Still not all partied out...mom is though!

ahhh the rock candy....pretty to look at but not a treat for the teeth.

Madeleine turns 7!

So Madeleine's birthday was Monday May 3rd.  She woke up to the traditional pink streamers hanging in the doorway and started her day with a new outfit in the morning including a shirt which read "Cupcakes are the new donuts."  Ironically, when asked what treat she wanted to bring to her classmates - she picked donuts.  Breakfast on the special plate, a trip to Justice for a bday treat, a requested Taco dinner and a dolcissimo cupcake topped off her special day.

I can't believe you are 7 my sweet Madeleine!  You have brought me seven years of continuous joy....I hope I have given you the same!

Crazy Girls

Aww, Sisters

My girls and Me!

Holding my Big Baby Girl

Raise the Roof

Sweet Kisses <3

All Grown Up

Sassy little Gingersnap!

Maddy's Last day to be SIX!

Tomorrow Maddy turns the big 0-7 so we had a little fun with pictures and video the night before.

More Christmas Decorations

I have always loved this!  I saw it in a magazine and it was before the scrapbooking craze and so you couldn't just buy tags at Michael's.  I hand cut these "tags" and copied the script from the picture in the magazine.  I hang it over a fresh garland and tie little pieces of rosemary to some of the letters.  It always smells so good and just looks old fashioned to me.

One view of Lily's bedroom....complete with a pink, lighted Christmas Tree.  For Christmas their bedding is embellished with a Candyland Christmas Blanket.

These are the visions of sugarplums that dance in my kids' heads during the Christmas Season.  I made them out of a grapevine wreath, a white feather boa and some "sweet" ornaments.

Here is another view of the sugarplums

During the month of December we hang the stocking on their bedroom door, and if they are good, Jasper leaves a little treat for them to wake up to.

Madeleine's room with sugarplums and a Christmas Candy Blanket on the bed.

The Garland above the window in Lily's Room reads "The Children Were Nestled All Snug in Their Beds..."

The garland over Maddy's window is also decorated with candy ornaments and pastel and shimmering nutcrackers (her favorite)

Madeleine's Pink Christmas tree topped with a Leopard Print Bow!

From a sleepy girl's perspective on Christmas Eve night.