Yay! All Better!!

Ok folks, a quick post since it is so late:

1. Cold is almost all gone, thank goodness for meds finally catching up with me!
2. Fight with hubby is resolved, no blood was shed, and I can put the arsenic back on the shelf- hehehe!
3. Just got home from doing an awesome home show with Usborne books... was a bit of a drive but sooooo worth it. Seriously, I am loving this business and earning free books for my kids for Christmas! Their "something to read" is already taken care of!
4. Why didn't anyone remind me that 9 week old kittens act like 6 yr old little boys? All energy, no coordination, and complete silliness with big brothers!
5. I have been really really active in the graphic design arena, seems my inspiration is back in the form of baby announcements. Here are some new designs:


So that is that... more to follow shortly!

This is my day:

Major head cold: check
Huge fight with hubby: double check
Cranky no-nap kids: check

The light at the end of my tunnel: drugs, tea, sleep, and the promise of a new day!
(oh, and AJ peed in the potty again! yay!)

A Mind Full of Thoughts

Tonight my mind is not feeling creative in my usual artsy way. About this time for the last couple of nights my head has been full of designs for Christmas cards, invites, and more designs for my Etsy store. But not tonight....

Maybe because I am feeling a little under the weather, or because I am finding myself quickly coming to a crossroads with our children's educational choices, or because I have spent the last hour reading so many things that have gotten my mind whirling.

Did I mention that we have gotten rid of TV as a whole? Not even basic channels. Part of the reason was cost (why on earth would I pay $25 a month to watch a show that is only mediocre?) but the other reason was for not just our kids but our whole family. How can I tell my daughter that it isn't nice to sass us when she likes shows where the characters do the same thing? Or that everyone is beautiful in their own way with all the reality shows out there proclaiming that you have to fit impossible standards?

Tonight I read a blog entry here that opened my eyes to how I view my post-baby self and the possibilities to what can be. I can change how I look at tasks like running, cleaning, and my own self image. A great quote that I read tonight is: "We all choose our own pain, whether it is the pain of self discipline or the pain of regret."

I am taking that quote further than my own self by applying it to the crossroads with Gabby's schooling. I have had a very negative feeling about the school's program and her teacher from the start of the school year. From things like knowing that she will only get art 1/4 of the year to seeing papers come home with -3 written at the top for missing some tricky answers. (A picture of a hat was missed because the in looking for "c" words Gabby didn't realize that a hat is also called a cap") I don't think that it is acceptable for papers at such a young age to academics should be graded in the negative... what happened to asking, "I see that there is a picture here, what do you think this is called?" and seeing WHY she didn't circle that picture. We have been in school for less than three months and I have had more complaints about what is going on than I care to share.

So now I am thinking about alternatives to the norm of public schooling. Montessori schools, charter schools, home schools, unschooling... things that I once knew nothing about but are being examined thoroughly. Lucky for me I have a good friend who is a pro at this "not public schooling" thing....a friend I once thought was really radical and sometimes nutty (you know who you are darling!), but now is making prefect sense to me!! I am struggling with breaking free of the norms of society, thinking about critism from friends and family, and rationalizing that I need to do what is best for my kids.... I know I will get it together though.

I have no set path yet, but my mind is definitely off and running!!

The List 2.2

Fall is definitely here! Heated blankets and matttress warmers are on, hats and gloves were brought down from the attic, and serious preparations for Halloween are in full swing. Gabby is going to be a witch, AJ is a cowgirl, Klint is going as a Monkey Man, and I have decided to go as a teen vamp, inspired by Alice Cullen's look since I am now sporting this short do! Here are some things to inspire you this beautiful season:

Here are some fun and easy pumpkin carving tips if you have little one running about. (@ Sprout)

I don't really do e-cards... unless they are by JibJab! Here are their new Halloween ones and they are sooo funny with your faces there! (@ JibJab)

We made really cute foam hats for the 4th of July, here are some super easy ideas for ones for Halloween. How about a spider hat? (@ Make and Takes)

Why do parent's thinkg that they need all kinds of plastic crap to entertain their kids and spark creativity? Here is one take on natural childhood play from a very good friend of mine! (@ Our Suburban Homestead)

I have tons of scrap fabric lying about... I am thinking that this sweet scrap quilt houses would get rid of most of it! (@ Quiltville)

I love these simple paper pumpkin ornaments! (@ Hostess with the Mostess)

Finally, what cat doesn't want to be Jaws this Halloween? (@ Youth Diaspora)
My cats would kill me if I tried this though....

Pumpkin Picking At Honey Haven

Today we went pumpkin picking down in Ashland with Klint's mom and brother. It was a HUGE farm that had sooo much to do, from a giant corn maze, to kids crafts, and of course food! I had the best barbecue beef sandwich as well as a fresh apple dumpling topped with ice cream. Yum!
The girls had a blast riding a horse drawn wagon out to the pumpkin field and choosing their own muddy pumpkin. A chilly but fun day!

Little Apple Pickers

Yesterday we went apple picking with one of AJ's good friends, Sophia, and her parents. We went to a wonderful pick your own orchard and had such a fun time watching the little ones carrying their buckets and trying to pull the apples off of the trees. AJ and I picked over 11 lbs of apples! (So if you know any good recipes for apples, send them this way!)

My Seven Comforts

Seven is a lucky number found all throughout literature- seven dwarfs, seven brides, seven years, etc. After yesterday's drama I thought long and hard about my comforts and came up with a list of my seven comforts.

Coffee
I love coffee... I don't care whether is a decaf or full strength as long as it is light and sweet. I live for the smell of the ground up beans, the pre-doctored look of it in my cup, and the swirling clouds of the creamer rising to the surface. My husband jokes that it looks like I am sipping my sanity from a starbucks mug everyday!


Nora Roberts
I swear by anything that this woman write. Although I haven't delved into her murder mysteries, I would believe that these are just as good as her romance novels. There are some authors that just have the gift of storytelling and Nora Roberts has it. Whether she is writing about vampires, irish fairy princes, or a mysterious chance meeting these novels will make your forget your worries, no matter how big.

Ballet Flats
I am picky about what goes on my feet and I refuse to wear heels even though I am under 5 ft. I love the variety that ballet flats offer and the comfort. The go with jeans, skirts, and cords.... love them!!

Salsa Music
How can anyone be sad, mad, or depressed with this music blaring? Nuff said!

Bubble Baths
I don't know who said it, but someone once said that a bubble bath can soak away all your troubles. And I am not talking about those wimpy bubbles....I am talking mounds of huge, never ending, fluffy white bubbles. Want to know the best bubble bath I have found? Cashmere Luxury bubble bath from Bath & Body Works. Nothing compares.

Down Comforter
I love the feeling of sinking into a nice warm bed. I adore my down comforter because if you lay on it in the summer it is cool on top, but if you lay under it you will be toasty warm. When I was little I used to imagine that the comforter was made of clouds... and now that I am older I know that they are! =)

and finally...
a trip to the salon
When life gets a little rough, go get a shampoo, cut, and style. Even if it is only a trim you will feel so much better for it. For me there is nothing better than feeling pampered by someone else, venting my life story, and getting a new and improved look. Today, considering yesterday's events, I did a little more than a trim... I got a total pixie chop! Yeah... I went this short! But man oh man do I feel better!


So what are some of your comforts?

Much Needed Breathing Space

Today was not a good day. Most days in my world range in the okay to awesome range. Rarely is a day as bad as today. I know some of the foul atmosphere was leftover from a little misunderstanding that the dear hubby and I had last night, I didn't go to bed a happy wife. And of course, with him working 3rd shift, there was no way to fix the problem, so in true Connie fashion I stewed about it.

Then there was today... a gloomy, chilly Cleveland day combined with two 2-yr olds who were at war with each other all day long. Throw in a cranky husband for good measure, a blow up fight in which both parties declare battle, and then a huge bedtime fight with said 2 yr old terrorist.... right now I don't know whether to have a good cry or go out and get some wine.

The worst part is that I can feel my temper brewing, right below the surface. I know that I can have a wicked and vile temper when provoked and I also know that on days like today when I am so wound it is really hard to control my temper, especially with AJ who has the gift of knowing when I am on the verge of a breakdown and goes for the kill. I have to use every trick I have not to lose it all and snap.

I am sure every mother has days like these... I guess they are just harder for me to deal with because I am so "up" most of the time. Sigh.... I just need to breathe.... and maybe make some good coffee.

Halloween Costumes- A New Look

These days people are willing to pay obscene amounts of money for crappy Halloween costumes with licensed cartoon characters on them and it is so sad! I am not against store bought costumes as a whole, don't get me wrong- I just don't like plastic made-in-China costumes that cost upwards of $40! I get my kids their costumes the day after Halloween and try not to let them pick characters from TV. Instead of being a Transformer why not just be a robot, instead of Tinkerbell let's make you a woodland fairy....

When I was little my family was pretty poor... I mean really poor. But at least my mom tried to make it appear as if we were ok by coming up with really cool costumes for us. One year I went as a Q-tip, unused of course! Black tights and leotard (easy since I was a dancer), with tons of cotton balls on my feet and on an old hat we found. Another year it was leftovers, complete with the Olive Garden logo!

I love looking at all the ideas at Martha Stewart for costume ideas that are really easy to do and don't involve sewing. Here are some of my faves and here is the link!!!




What are your kids going to be for Halloween? Do you have rules about what they can and can't be?

No/Little Carve Pumpkin Decorating

There are tons of no or little carve options out there in terms of decorating for Halloween with pumpkins. Whether you like them sparkly with some spray adhesive and glitter or classy in black and white, there are options to suit every taste. I prefer paint for my pumpkins, I would love to have a go at these adorable tap dancing pumpkins shown above!
Here is a great link to lots of fun ideas! How do you decorate with pumpkins?