~~*~~HAPPY HALLOWEEN~~*~~

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!!! I LOOOOOVE IT!! I love the weather! The leaves falling from the trees! The hot chocolate! The costumes! And the candy... LOL ;)

BUT my two little ones are sick!!!! WAH!!! Cailey and Colin both have nasty colds. :( First no Halloween party at church because of the Frankenstorm and now no trick or treating!! They are so disappointed! But we are going to try to make it up to them a little. They are wearing their costumes all day and vegging out in front of the TV with Halloween cartoons. After The Hubby gets home from work we are going to go out and buy them some candy. At least this way they will be sure to get their favorites!

I can't believe, with having 5 kids, that this will be the first time this has happened. The older 3 always got sick right after Halloween.

Here are some pics of Cailey and Colin in their mommy made costumes!











































Here are the Halloween Rice Krispies Treats and Cailey and Colin made last night.



I think there are only 3 left! LOL



AND I am the very proud nominee of the The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!!!! WOOOO HOOOO!!! Given to me by Shelly Bean at Follow Me Home. You should check out her blog, it is AWWWWWWESOME!!!!!!





THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH, Shelly!!!

AND since I have so much going on around here I have been given a reprieve from jumping through the usual award hoops! LOL

Here is my to-do list for today -

Sorting through Jacob's room. (He moved out the other day and left me HUGE mess!!!)

Running donations to the thrift store.

Taking care of 2 sick little ones.

Packers arrive between 8 and 9 in the morning.

Laundry, laundry and more laundry.

And all the other crap that I do everyday....



Heaven help me!!! LOL I'm already tired and I haven't even started on any of this yet! I need a nap just thinking about it all!!!!

Fairy, Frankenstorm and Farewells

Yes, yes... I know... Today's title is very much like yesterday's! LOL BUT the post is very different.

I finished Cailey's costume yesterday! YAY!!!!! She LOVES it!!!!! BUT because of the Frankenstorm the Halloween party was rescheduled. Now, ordinarily that would not be such a big deal BUT since we are moving at the end of the week, we won't be able to go. Cailey was SO upset. SO, Momma Hope (she sort of adopted our family and I LOVE HER SOOOOO MUCH!!!!) is going to take Cailey and Colin trick or treating to all the church members' houses so she can show off her costume. LOL That made it better. ;)

I was lucky enough to be invited to lunch Friday with Momma Hope, Grandmomma Verna and Marie. These are 3 very special ladies. I already mentioned that Momma Hope sort of adopted my family into her heart and Grandmomma Verna is her mother. You will never meet anyone as kind and generous and loving as those 2 special ladies. Marie is taking over Bags of Hope and Love for me here. She is SUCH a blessing!! I am so thankful for her!! We had a very nice lunch with lots of chatting. LOL I am so thankful that I got to go before we moved.

Today at church I said my final farewells to a very special group of people. God blessed me so much when He had Momma Hope stop at my door and invite me to her church. My life will be forever changed just from knowing those special people.

Pastor David passed around a church directory and had everyone sign it. SUCH a special going away gift. I will always be able to look at it and remember each and every one of them.

I cried and cried and cried. I know God has a purpose for us. I know that we are moving to Georgia for a reason. I may not know that reason for a while but I know there is one. Like a friend said today, it may only be to support our family better but that is a reason!

I have pictures of Cailey's fairy princess costume!!!! I am sooooo very very sorry that I forgot to take the pictures for a tutorial. I'm not sure that I would have done a very good job with the tutorial anyway..... I was flying by the seat of my pants on that costume!!! LOL











































She LOVES her costume!!! YAY!!!!! :)

Deanna was disappointed about the Halloween party, too. I was going to make her a long black skirt today. Last night was did a trial run with the Dios de los Muertos make up. It looked REALLLY good. She wouldn't let me take any pictures, though. :/ I'm thinking she might want to dress up on Halloween. She will be helping Grandmomma Verna hand out candy while Momma Hope and I take the little ones trick or treating. :)

I was going to finish Colin's dino costume today. All it needs are eyes, teeth and nostrils... But since the party was cancelled, we spent the day flood proofing the sunroom. Well, not really flood proofing.... more like cleaning and making sure all the books were above the flood level. SIGH... PLEASE PRAY that our bottom floor doesn't flood again!!!!!

We had a little silliness going on last night. Check out these pics!!!







Clown Cailey!







Clown Colin!









Hubby the Clown!!! I still can't believe Colin talked him into this!!! Sorry the pic is blurry but I only got one shot..... LOL







Joshua the Clown!!!



Deanna put the wig on for a split second but wouldn't let me take a picture... LOL I was hoping Jacob would show up today so we could get one of him. Where is that boy???? He TOLD me he was coming today!!!! He better not make me call all his friends... ;)



They are saying that the worst of the Frankenstorm will be tomorrow night into Tuesday. Pray for us!!! The Hubby is still planning on going into work and that means I will be getting up at stupid:30 in the morning to drive him through the Frankenstorm. Yay..... :/

I will start going through closets tomorrow in preparation for the move. Fun.... LOL And toys boxes will need to be thinned out... Pray for me on that one. Colin will NOT be happy!!!!



HUGS and PRAYERS for all of those in the path of the freaky storm!!! Just remember that God is in control. We can depend upon HIS strength!!! He will take care of you!

Fall Festival, Frankenstorm and Farewell

We headed out to the Frog Level Fall Festival this morning. This was our third time. I LOVE the Frog Level community! I made sure to buy a t-shirt this year. Last year it was cold and rainy so I bought a sweatshirt.... LOL I am really going to miss it here. This was the first place that I truly felt at home since I left West Virginia 20 years ago. Pray that I can find a "home feeling" in Georgia.

Cailey rode a pony but Colin said they were too stinky. LOL  And of course we had to get candy apples and cotton candy!





























Well, I guess everyone has heard about the Frankenstorm that's approaching. It couldn't have waited until AFTER we moved??? LOL But I can't complain... At least it will be out of the way for Halloween and Moving Day!!!!

We went out last night and stocked up on canned food and drinks. We have plenty of batteries and flash lights. We might could use some more candles, though..... I am charging all the electronics!! And I need to find our corded phone. The last time I saw it Colin was playing with it. LOL We lost power during Irene and from what I understand, this has the potential to be a lot worse.

We have cards and board games to play with the kids. I also have a Nook and about 1,000 paper books to read! LOL

OH!! I need to remember to fill the tubs, sinks and washer with water! We have a well so if the power goes, so does our ability to flush!!!!!!

Please, pray that we don't get flooded like we did last time. We lost A LOT of books and toys when Irene and then Lee came through. It worries me..... We were bailing out the sunroom while the storms were raging. NOT FUN!!!!!!







I went on my last drop off for the Concord Bags of Hope and Love.  We took 11 bags!!!! YIPPPPEEE!! There were only 3 left in the office. It was a little sad, though. My last time doing it here.... But I am looking ahead! It will be great to get another one started in Georgia! Spread the Hope and Love!!!!!



I am still slaving away on Cailey's costume... BUT.... I forgot to take pictures. I am SOOOOOOOOO sorry!!!!!! I will have to come up with another tutorial for you.... :( I need to get this costume DONE!!!! LOL I have just had sooooo much going on that it's taking me forever to get anything accomplished!!



My blog views have been VERRRRRY low the past week... Not sure what is going on. Is it because it has been a long time since my last tutorial??? Or is Wordpress acting up?? My numbers haven't been this bad since the first week of the blog! LOL

Mad Scientists

So sorry for my lack of sewing posts lately. I did manage to cut the pieces for Cailey's Tinkerbell costume! Step one - complete! LOL  I should have a tutorial up by the end of the week.

Then Deanna comes in yesterday and tells me that she would like me to make her a long black skirt to wear to the Halloween party on Sunday. Nothing like waiting until the last minute! LOL AND she wants makeup like this -





Yep... Nothing like the last minute! ;)





Anyway, since I have a lot of sewing to DO but nothing to SHOW, I thought I would do a post about hands on science for homeschooling! FUN! ;)





Here are some fun and easy botany experiments from The Adventures of Bear.





Montessori inspired skeleton units put together by Living Montessori Now




OH! Legos!!! A great hands on unit for boys especially!! This is from The Homeschool Post.


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This is an AWESOME idea for this time of year!!! Basically you just fill your pumpkin with soil, water it every so often and watch the seeds grow! :) This idea comes from Growing in PreK. Although it says Pre K, I think this would be excellent for any elementary age child!









I <3 the Crafty Classroom!!! This fossil craft would be an AWESOME addition to a fossil or dinosaur study! The page has more hands on idea for fossils. And you should check out all the other themes on the right side bar. AH-MAZ-ING!!!!!!









This is BRILLIANT!! What a great way to show the molecules in the different layers of the atmosphere! A really good visual from Science Matters.









E Is for Explore has a lot of great ideas to show static electricity!  And we are quickly approaching the time of year when static electricity will be zapping us on a daily basis..... LOL



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I thought this was just brilliant. I would never have thought to use a soggy graham cracker to represent the tectonic plates! Thank you to the Homeschool Den!!!! This page has a lot of other ways to explore plate movements. ;)

Another perfect for fall science experiment!!! This one was put together by Science Sparks with a guest post by Rainy Day Mum.











The Science Behind Who Gets Magical Powers would be great for high school biology. It's not exactly hands on but it is definitely an attention grabber for those HP fans!!!







[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-c5GpoD8wI?feature=player_embedded&w=640&h=360]



If this shows up (FINGERS CROSSED!!!) it will be a video from BBC One that shows how your ear works.











An experiment about brain fluid from Life With My Giggle Girls.






Here is an engineering idea from Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational.









Launch a rocket from a spinning planet with this guide from NASA Space Place.









Water Cycle Wonders from Practical Pages. And while you're there, check out allllll the other amazing things on this blog!









Another brilliant idea!!! This can be found at Momma Owls Lab.






Here is another one that isn't actually hands on but definitely an attention grabber. It shows the skeletons of different cartoons!! How cool is that???



Speaking of skeletons, we had an interesting science time yesterday. LOL Cailey was petting Bonnie and asked if a cat has bones in its tail. Instead of just saying yes and moving on, I looked up cat skeletons on Google to show her. Then we dragged out our DK Eyewitness Skeleton book and looked at all the different types. That led to dragging out the starfish as an example of exoskeletons! LOL

Whenever your kids ask a question, don't just answer it. Help them explore it. See where it leads! You never can tell..... LOL Science is a natural topic for kids. They are always wanting to know the how and the why of everything around them.

We haven't been doing any "actual" homeschooling since we decided to move. There have just been a thousand things going on around here.... BUT they have still been getting their daily dose of science just by being interested in the things around them. Such as, "why are the leaves turning colors and falling off the trees?" "Why do squirrels collect nuts?" "Why are the buzzards circling over there?"

Sometimes you even get really lucky and can add some history in, too. ;) "Why do we use pumpkins on Halloween", can be both a science and a history question!

And don't forget with Thanksgiving just around the corner that the opportunities to combine the two subjects will continue! Weather, crop growing, and the different animals of the New World just to name a few science items to go along with the history!

And I just had to pause this post to explain how the earth tilts for the different seasons and why there will most likely NOT be any snow in Georgia this winter.... LOL Geography AND science in one question! LOL



I need to get sewing on Cailey's costume but all I reallllly want to do is take a nap! LOL I am trying to fight an oncoming cold..... WAH!! I do NOT need a cold right before we move!!! AND right before Halloween!! Not to mention that I am still having awful fibro flares. I think they are due to having to get up at 4 am this week to take The Hubby to work. WAH!!!!! BUT when we move he will have more decent hours! YAY!!!!

YUMMY for the TUMMY

Yep, you guessed it! This post will be alllll about food. Maybe I should eat something BEFORE I start posting yummy goodness.....

These will all be recipes that I WANT to try, not ones I have tried. ;) And they can all be found on my Pinterest boards!

Are you stuck in a cooking rut??? Well, I am.... I get soooooo tired of cooking the same old crap, day in and day out..... SIGH..... It makes me hate cooking! I really love doing the BIG meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas but even they are getting to be too much of the same. I need some NEW things to cook! And thanks to Pinterest yummies are easier to find than ever. ;)

Anyway! On to the YUMMIES!!!



Chicken Tortilla Bake by Homemaking Challenged

It looks SUPER easy and SUPER yummy!! I think my tribe will like it. ;)



Chocolate-Banana Pudding from Recipes.com

OMGosh!!!!!! Just OH MY GOSH!! Why have I never thought of this before???? But I think I would leave out the pecans... BLECK!!!!!



Truffle Pie from the Deen Bros.

And now I am drooling on my keyboard.... That is going to be a definite for Thanksgiving!!!!

I wish I could climb into my computer screen!!!!



Mini Mexican Pizzas from Dashing Dish

Minus the olives, please and thank you... LOL

This looks like another family pleaser. Quick, easy and cute! ;)



Heaven, thy name is Oreo Caramel Brownie Bombs!!!!

Let's say that again. OREO. CARAMEL. BROWNIE. bombs. OH MY GOSH!!!!

Do not try licking your screen... it just makes a mess and tastes yucky. You will just have to trust me on that.... ;)



Dorito Chicken Casserole from Quick and Easy Recipes

Yep, another HAVE TO TRY recipe. I love finding new recipes for chicken! We eat a lot of it around here but I get sick of the same old casseroles. And you know kids will eat anything with Doritos in it!!! LOL

No, I don't remember saying ANYTHING about healthy..... LOL ;)





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Pumpkin Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Icing from Use Real Butter.

Now THAT would be absolutely PERFECT for Thanksgiving.

That's OK, you can thank me later.... ;)



This site has 40 Breakfast Casserole Recipes!!!

Awesome for Sunday mornings or holidays!!!! And who says you can't have breakfast for supper?????



Asparagus Gratin from Apron Appeal

Now, wouldn't that make a different side dish?? Tired of green beans, carrots and peas?? Try that recipe out!



Classic Baked Ziti by Budget Savvy Diva

Tired of spaghetti and lasagna?? Try out baked ziti!



Taco Pie by BS Recipes

YUMMMMMMY!!!!!! A new way to do an old favorite. If you are tired of cooking tacos but the kids love them, here is a way to do something different but still keep the same taste! More or less... LOL



Pie Fries from Heather's French Press

This is pure genius!!! Genius I tell you!!!! I can see it coming in handy for families like mine, especially. You have a ton of kids and they all like different pies... Here ya go! LOL



Top 5 Freezer Meals from Joyful Momma's Kitchen

I have wanted to start doing some of this. I think it would realllllly be a blessing. Some days you just do NOT want to cook. When one of those days happens, just pop one of the pre-made, frozen meals in the oven!!



Slow Cooker Pork Chops by Eat Cake for Dinner

This is what I will be making today. I have made it one before and it was AWESOME!!!!!!

We are trying to use up all the meats we have in our freezer before moving day.... Almost there! LOL



Ok... OK!! So you really want something healthy... SIGH..... Here you go! 52 Quick and Healthy Meals from Greatest



Brownie Cookie Candy Goodness from Couponers United.

I have friends who have tried this and they have raved about how awesome they are. They would have to be, wouldn't they???? LOL I can't imagine them NOT being awesome. ;)



Bacon-Cheese Pull Aparts from Food.com

OH MY GOSH... those look soooooooooooooo good!!!! I need to start making my store list!! LOL

OK, so I think that's enough yummy goodness for one day. I am now starving!!!! LOL

I will be back to sewing today. I finished Snoopy and will be mailing him out this afternoon. Now it's time to start on Cailey's Tinkerbell costume! I need to have it finished by Sunday night for the Halloween party at church!  Wish me luck!