Happy Halloween!!!

It's here...it's here!!!  Halloween is FINALLY here!!  Thank goodness!  I feel like we've been getting ready for weeks & weeks and I've got to put all this candy to rest!  All in good fun...

Wes & his special PARTNER, my brother, Brandon will be setting up the yard getting ready for the evening festivities.  Of course, that meant first, doing our annual Family Carving Party.  We threw on a pot of chili, burned a couple Halloween cd's, and the "boys" went to work on the driveway.  Brandon informed us that aside from Christmas and Thanksgiving, carving day was his favorite day of the year & he even turned down opening night tickets to the Spurs game just to join us.  You could tell from their giddup last year, that they really get into things!  

The pumpkins were carefully selected, Annie, Jack & Sam put in their requests for THEIR OWN special pumpkin to be carved, and the Holland family carving tools were once again brought out for their one night to shine!!  

The kids scraped & scooped & pulled out seeds till their heart's content...

Did I mention he REALLY gets into his work???

These were ready to be washed & roasted...YUMMMMMM!

Darkness set in, but with 5 pumpkins to be carved, there was no time to rest!

On to the next...

The finished products...Annie's unicorn!!  The stencil that Daddy found didn't quite meet her standards so he freehanded this one!  Thumbs up!

Wes' Flame Eyed Jack-o-lantern

Any guesses whose this is???  Yep, Sam is STILL into Batman, even one year later!

Brandon's Jack-o-lantern that he affectionately named...Teddy???????  

Jack's Speed Racer in honor of his Speed Racer birthday party next week...he'll be 6!

Almost ready...

Trick or Treat!!!

Boo-hoo-ed!

I've been Boo-ed!  Chances are by now, you have been too!  Those fun blog buddies of mine 

One Wired Woman and All My Kids are always up to some kind of mischief behavior!!!

If you want to join in the fun, go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Boo-ed"!  Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat(picture) and tell them to "Boo" their friends.  Then, put the picture in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been "Boo-ed".  (I could not figure out that part, so this will just have to do!)

Are you scared yet???

BOO!!!

1. Take picture, put it on sidebar

2. Spread the word to your friends they have been booed

3. Link back to who booed you

Ghosts of Halloween Past

Way Back Wordless Wednesday Edition-Ghosts of Halloween Past

Can you name that costume????

What have you dressed as??  What's your children's favorite costume through the years??

Halloween 2008-??????

eek!!! it's halloween week!

How will we ever get anything done???  The kids are already bouncing off the walls & I've been eating a little candy here and a little candy there, ALL throughout the day!  We had a great weekend, building up to the big day, and the house is looking more and more like Halloween!  I ran my FIRST EVER 6 miles straight Saturday morning, still gearing up and training for the big race now just 20 days away!  Maybe it's the candy that's the secret?!?  I was very excited and quite proud of just accomplishing that!  I truly was not thinking I would run that far and now am re-planning my strategy on race day a bit.  Definitely the cooler temperatures are helping me out a lot too! 

A few more signs that Halloween is almost here...

Wes' Halloween projects...they look really, really cool!!  And they all started from just a white slab of styrfoam!

We finally made our way to the pumpkin patch this weekend too!  They are always my favorite kinds of pictures...little did I know that it is harder to get good pictures the OLDER your children get!  But we all loved it still the same and had a hard time choosing which ones were coming home with us...PUMPKINS that is! 

Happy Halloween Week!!

Funny Friday

I don't know if "Funny Friday" is a blog post starter yet, like Best Shot Monday or Wordless Wednesday, but if it isn't it SHOULD be and maybe I'm starting a trend here, who knows!  What I do know is that I can't get through a single day without trying to find humor or create humor in some way.  Then if you're

 the mom of 3 children at various ages, humor is BOUND to come to you!  Here are a couple stories from 2 of my children from the last few days.  Surprisingly, Jack is not one of them...THIS time!

OK, you all know OR SHOULD HAVE read my last post titled "My Dream" where I talked about my dream is to dance on DWTS and the conversation I had with my children about it.  Well, yesterday after school I told Annie I found the PERFECT song for me to dance to while I was on DWTS and told her all about it.  A little later on, this is what happened...

Annie: Mama, I really don't want you to go on DWTS.

Me: Annie, why not?

Annie: Because when we go out to Hollywood to see you & watch you dance, I'm going to have to miss so much school that I'll have to be in study hall for 3 or 4 days to catch up!  

Gotta LOVE my 8 year old daughter for even THINKING I could get on DWTS and for thinking that I'm sooooo good that I won't get voted off IMMEDIATELY and she'll miss a lot of school:)  Oh yeah, she's getting some extra chips in HER allowance jar!!

My other Funny Friday story/conversation took place with my 3 year old son, Sam driving him to preschool the other day.  Being that he is 3, he's trying to exert his independence, do EVERYTHING himself, not wanting any help, you remember those days if you're not living them at present.  Anyway, we were going along, he was not happy with some answer I gave or that I wasn't turning around to look at him do something, I can't even remember, but this is what happened next...

Sam: I'm mad at you.  You're gonna go to jail.

Me: But Sam, if I go to jail, then who is going to pick you up at school.

Sam: Well, (he uses well, to start his replies to almost everything) I can walk home by myself.

Me: Oh, Sam, then how are you going to walk home and cross the street with all these cars?

Sam: Well.....(long pause)    I don't know!

I burst out laughing, then he followed and just to hear his little voice be so, so sure of himself and all the answers he was giving, then to admit that that part, he didn't know was so cute!  Now he also told me the other day that my legs were scratchy and that he was gonna get his tools to fix it.  He enjoys watching Bob the Builder and Handy Manny, so I guess his male mind already has him thinking he can fix ANYthing!!  

Happy Funny Friday!!  Any funnies you'd like to share????

My Dream...

Are any of you as hooked on Dancing With The Stars as I am???  I have watched it every season, but this season seems to be my favorite group of stars.  I like so many of them.  I wished I was as blog/computer savvy as One Wired Woman to put some clips on my post of my favorite dances from Monday, but I'm not!  In fact, I can't even find ANY clip on the internet of Lance & Lacey, doing the West Coast Swing.  I loved it, loved it...and I've never been a huge Lance Bass fan, but man, Lacey is GOOD!  Last week was way cool too, with the Tango to "Disturbia" and this week was just really fun!  I told my children that if ANYONE ever stopped to ask them if they could make a dream come true for their mom that they should tell them she would LOVE TO DANCE ON DWTS!!!  Hey, you never know...Oprah might have all kinds of scouts out & about looking to make someone's dream come true, it's happened!!! Annie, thinking this COULD really happen, said, "But Mom, I don't want you to go!"  To which I replied, trying to keep the dream alive, said "But Daddy, you, Jack & Sam could fly out to Hollywood to see me!"  Then she thought, "Ooh, goodie!  We could miss school!"  Who am I to say no????  We'll see how long it takes for them to realize, it ain't gonna happen...

 I'm lovin' Warren Sapp, Brooke Burke can't seem to do any wrong, and if I looked like that, well, I'd be showing my midriff doing the Jitterbug too!  Cloris is too funny and AMAZING to be doing leg lifts and getting up & down off the ground...I can barely get up after sitting "criss cross applesauce" for long periods of time.  I was sad to see Rocco go...being that I'm a food junkie, I always thought he was neat and he seemed like he was trying so hard to do well!  And I just love seeing what Julianne & Cheryl will come up with because they are just AWESOME!!  

It's Wednesday, so I'll just have to wait till next Monday rolls back around & see who is going to WOW me next and in the meantime, I'll keep dreaming that my fairy godmother is on her way...

We've Been a little STOMPed!

Yes, we've been a little STOMPed!  Don't you mean, swamped, you might ask??  Well, in this case, they are one in the same!  Annie & Jack's school had their school festival Saturday, the Stallion STOMP, and like so many of you out there, I'm quite involved with the PTA and co-chair of the Room Parents, so the last week or so, every free minute, it seemed, was spent up at the school, e-mailing, making phone calls, baking for the cake walk, wrapping silent auction items, and the list goes on & on.  It's kinda crazy to have it so early after school begins, but at least we now have the rest of the year to enjoy & just worry about the typical class parties & such.  I'm very excited to have that huge event marked off the list!  

We DID STOMP our children, by paying to have the display in our yard, and you would have thought they had just received a million dollars!!!  Our neighborhood is right next to the school, and the display moves around from house to house, and every time the kids saw it around the 'hood, I'd hear, "How come we never get it in our yard?"  "It's no fair!"  "Who does that to you?"  When they came around the corner last Tuesday to see it sitting in OUR yard, the gasp could be heard down the street, followed by "Who did this to us?"  "Yay!  Finally, we get it!" "Thank you, God" I guess our kids can be a little on the dramatic side, or I should say, Annie can be, then her brothers just copy & follow suit.  But, even today, they still haven't found out, Mama & Daddy "did it" to 'em!  It was definitely $10 well spent!  

It seems like there is so much to catch up on, and definitely not enough time or space to write it all here, BUT I am THRILLED to report that my incredible hubby came through & got us Duran Duran tickets!  He is always so good about doing things like that, that I really had nothing to worry about.  Wes is LOVING the new firm he is at and I haven't seen him this happy in a long, long time!  It definitely seems like the dark cloud that had been hovering above us for the last couple years has burned away & the sun is shining through giving us much to celebrate with our lives.  So that night, we will truly enjoy ourselves!  He has been working so hard to keep us going, doing everything he could so that I could still be at home doing what I enjoy so much, being a mom, wife & CEO to our home:)  Even this weekend, after doing a little cookoff Friday evening with some of his buddies and getting home at 3:30 in the morning, he made sure he was up & over at the elementary school by 8:30 to help set up the STOMP, worked a shift at Annie's class booth while I worked at Jack's, and then took them around the last part of the festival & on to the house, while I closed out the silent auction.  We were so tired Sunday morning, that we didn't make it up to go to church, but thoughtful hubby went a step further, by letting me stay in bed, while he took the kids to McDonalds for breakfast & to play, then to Target & Rack Room Shoes to get the missing pieces we were still needing for our Halloween costumes.  Over two hours to myself to do WHATEVER I wanted...ranks right up there with the Duran Duran tickets actually!!  The little things, right??  Peace, quiet, and a little mama tv time can cure what ails ya!  Thank you, thank you, babe!  Even though I may not get around to saying it enough, EVERYthing you do means so much!!  

Here's how HE has been spending his free time...

prepping for Halloween!  With it being on a Friday this year, he wanted to go all out & has always been inspired by Mamamia's hubby & his Halloween creations, that Wes decided to make his own tombstones for the yard, as well as some other special effects.  I'll have to get some good shots of it all Halloween night when it is all set up.  He has been acting like a kid in a candy shop with all his ideas & turning them into reality.  

What is it with guys and Halloween???  They love it & turn into big kids...making the littlest of things into in depth projects!  The kids got into the act of painting too, and are enjoying seeing Daddy go all out!

Drilling holes for lights... he's thought of EVERYTHING!!  

Love you, Babe!  Thank you for all your STOMP support & helping me!  I'm so glad you are having fun & enjoying all the ghoulish preparations for Halloween!  Our yard will definitely be a popular spot!  My playlist will be all Halloween music in your honor for the next couple weeks:)

OK, blog friends...I'm soooo looking forward to catching up on what you all have been up to.  Do your hubbies go all out on any particular holiday or special event at your house????

A Week of Surprises

OK...can my week get ANY better?  As I was fast forwarding through the commercials, watching my taped shows on the DVR during naptime, I catch a glimpse of the words DURAN DURAN!  Those who have been reading me for a while remember this post when I talked about how I record everything AND how much I STILL love Duran Duran!  I've seen them twice now in the last 4 1/2 years after being such a HUGE fan in my really younger days and had an enormous crush on the lead singer, Simon LeBon.  One of my childhood friends and I would even fight over who liked him the most.  Soooo, after rewinding back to the start of the commercial, I see that they are coming HERE!!!! And tickets go on sale TOMORROW!!!  AAGH!!  Only problem is, they are here on a Monday night in December, so FIRST gotta work on hubby to see if he's willing to go with me a 3RD time to see his wife feel like she's 13 again, and SECOND gotta see if I can find a sitter.  We'll see what happens...he's in court all afternoon so it gives me some time to think of a nice way to bring it up!

My week was ALSO great, as far as my mailbox was concerned too!  Remember Monday I wrote that I had won a giveaway from Brown Eyed Fox?

Well....Wednesday this box awaited me in the mail!!!  Is that a fast giveaway or what?!?

Look how beautifully she wrapped it!  Such fun...

And here's my new HANDY, with a precious note attached!  I wish this girl lived closer 'cause I know she would be a wonderful friend to have...although I most definitely DO consider her a great blog friend!  Thank you so much, Carissa!  I have my "handy" right on the bar in the kitchen and every time I see it, it makes me smile & reminds me of you & the wonderful ways I feel my new blog friends & blogging have enhanced me & my spirit for life!

Then...like Mamamia, on her post, I was also on the receiving end of another blog fairy, who we DO actually know in "real life", but never get to see, Miss Honorary Indian!!  As you know, from this AND from my little widget counter up at the top that hubby made for me, I'm registered to run/walk (finish in some fashion!) my very first half-marathon...or ANY kind of race for that matter.  Jennifer, being the great cheerleader/supporter/friend that she is, sent this beautiful handmade card & magnet with the mileage for the race, for the fridge as a motivator that I can do this race!  How sweet is that?!?  Jen, I know in my thank you to you I wrote how much that little something meant to me, but you TRULY will never know how much your friendship & support mean to me...even from afar!  Thank you for being the caring, supportive friend that you are to SO MANY!  I am blessed to know you!

Life is crazy these days...we're busy, we're trying to be SUPER moms, we're dealing with all sorts of issues going on in our country, we're dealing with all sorts of issues in our families and it makes me sad when I see other women/moms who do not support one another, even in the littlest of situations. BUT WOW!!!  When you connect with girls like Brown Eyed Fox, Honorary Indian, Mamamia, and my other blog friends out there, it sure helps me get through my rough times just a little bit better!  All I can say to each of you, is THANK YOU and you've got a friend in me!! 

 It's the little things that can mean  A LOT!!

Blessings to you all----

Hmmm...do I wanna share???

Ok, I'm having to think about this...do I wanna share my blog buddy Hip Mom of Boyz post with you all about her giveaway OR keep it all to myself?!?  She makes jewelry that she sells on etsy and it is really fun & really cute!  But I DO WANT every chance I can get, so ok...go check her out:)

You will LOVE learning about her & seeing those handsome boyz in her life...I hope I can be so cool to my own two BOYZ as they grow older!

Thanks, Hip Mom for sharing your awesome stuff!  Now pick me, pick me!!!

Family Fun Fall Projects

What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than by working on some cute, little Halloween foam kits, that were on sale at Michael's!  Or so Daddy thought!  He and the kids had spied these kits on a family shopping trip and convinced me they would have so much fun and could do them.  

Hmmm...let's see!  First, there was the fight over who was going to get to make theirs first.  We quickly saw this was NOT a project they could do completely on their own.  Then, we had to deal with all 3 of them tearing into their kits to check out all the cool stickers inside and as you can see...there were foam pieces EVERYWHERE!!!  Daddy started with reading the directions and discovered that the little tube of glue that was included, was really not that great at holding anything together.  "Mama, can you get out the glue gun??"

Annie was given directions to get all her stuff together after the cottage building was at least complete.

OOH!  This is fun!!  Can't you see the look of joy on Daddy's face??  He is REALLY glad that he let all 3 kiddos pick a kit out and they ALL want to put theirs together today!  

Now let's see...how many blisters from the hot glue gun did Daddy get?  Our glue gun is ancient and not the best working piece of machinery in the world, but it was getting the job done!

At last, the best part...the decorating!  It did turn out very cute and looks just like her!

Jack chose a haunted pirate ship!  See his tongue??  He uses it all the time when concentrating on a task.  Too cute!

And here's a shot of the spooky tree that Sam picked out and told us where to put things.  I swear I had more pictures of him & Jack working on theirs, but for some reason, they didn't load up on the post.  One thing I haven't figured out...how to move pictures around on blogger once you load them.  If I load them now, they just go on top.  Still learning...I'll try to get one on here of all 3 creations lined up on our mantle next time.

Now on to MY favorite kinda projects...the eating kind!  Annie had her Brownie meeting after school Monday, so the boys said they would help me make one of our Fall dessert favorites...Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake!!!  It is a Paula Deen recipe...need I say more!

Jack REALLY enjoys working with us in the kitchen and has gotten pretty independent at doing things.   I really just had to tell him what to do, measure some things out, and then he was on his own!  

He prides himself on being a really good egg cracker..."No shells mom, see?" is what he always tells me.  Sam pretty much just enjoys being the taste tester & licking the beaters.  Truly a boy after my own heart:) 

Ta-da!!  The finished product!  It's Wednesday morning, and just imagine looking at this picture, with only about 1/3 of it left!  Annie has requested it in her lunch box, and they've been having some after school as a little pre-homework snack, not to mention what Wes & I have been enjoying after the kids are in bed.  It does have pumpkin...you know beta-carotene???  Surely it counts as being a tad healthy...

You MUST try it!  It is SPOOK-tacular!