It always seems that I get big news from my best friend, Maria and/or her family (Bonfire falling, Saddam Hussein’s capture, etc).  Today’s news of the horrific shooting at Fort Hood was no different.  I was driving Aidan and myself to my mom’s house in Houston for a long weekend of shopping and girl stuff and I got a text from her asking if I’d heard anything about what had happened at Hood.  Seeing as to how a) I don’t watch the news (military wife and sister self-defense mechanism) and b) I’d been packing and then driving most of the afternoon, the answer was no.  I turned the radio over to a news station and started to learn of the situation.

My heart is broken for those murdered and injured.  These soldiers know that they’ll be in harm’s way when they deploy but they expect their post to be a safe zone.  On top of that, the families were also put in harms way.  An Army post in not only where soldiers train and work but it’s also where soldiers’ families live, their children play and go to school.  To bring hatred and violence to a place of peace is…well, I can’t think of a word bad enough to describe it.  My prayers go out to those families at Fort Hood.

As I was driving, I started thinking back to last year when we were living at Fort Benning.  I was working right off post and Aidan was going to preschool on post.  Ryan was deployed and then from deployment he went straight to schools so he was gone.  I knew NO ONE on post.  All of my friends lived off post, worked off post, and their kids went to school off post.  I started to think, what if something like this had happened last year?  What if post had been locked down like Ft. Hood got locked down today?  There would’ve been NO WAY for me to have gotten to Aidan for who knows how long.  I found out that the military officials shut down land and cell phone lines at Ft. Hood.  What if that had happened at Ft. Benning?  I couldn’t have called her school or ANYONE.  It made me afraid for the wives and mothers who couldn’t get to their kids today.

Offer up a prayer for our soldiers and their families tonight and everynight…we need it.

Very, very, very late last night I finished Aidan’s costume.  Her school had a Halloween costume parade and party this morning so I had to get it finished, no if, ands, or buts.  When she woke up this morning she was SO excited to get to see it and put it on, it was almost like Christmas.

Here she is in the parade.  Her Daddy made the mask, we bought the wings (which came with the antennae) and I made the dress (which is the yellow part under the vest) and the vest.  I wasn’t planning on her wearing the black leotard but it was chilly here this morning so she had to wear something to keep her arms warm.

When we got home from school, there was a Monarch Butterfly flitting around our front yard.  Aidan went nuts and got so excited.  I think if she hadn’t been so excited it might’ve landed on her.  Everytime we were outside, butterflies came near her but she would get so excitable that they’d never land.

Here are the specifics.  I used McCall’s 4887.  I bought the fabrics from JoAnn’s.  The black tulle was stiffer (and left black glitter everywhere!) than the orange and yellow so it made the skirt stand out.  It also made it almost impossible to get the elastic through the casing so I wound up using grosgrain ribbon to cinch up the waistband.

This was definitely the most intricate and difficult costume I’ve made.  I’m proud of it and I know Aidan loves wearing things I’ve made for her, especially costumes.  When I asked her who had the best costume at school she said “I did!”  Not so great with the humility but it made Mama feel good!

Mama’s taking a bit of a sewing break for a day or two (probably till Tuesday), then I’m coming back with some Portabello Pixie Rufflepants, and some Pink Fig Patterns I just got.  I’ll sew those up in some new Pillow & Maxfield fabric in the pink & green colorway.  Hopefully I can hang onto those to give them as Christmas presents.

We take a bit of pride in our pumpkins around these parts.  Ryan loves figuring out what he’s going to carve, picking the perfect pumpkin and then spending an evening a few days before Halloween carving them.  Since Aidan has come along, he carves one for her and one for him.  This year she chose Maleficent, the villainous fairy from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (her favorite movie).

Ryan’s pumpkin for himself took a bit more time but is so very him.  I joked that we might as well hang a sign outside that says “Nerds live here.”  He said it’s good for keeping the Jedi away.

I decided this year to do a pumpkin for myself.  Because I am accident prone, I opted to stay away from the sharp objects for fear that I’d cut off a finger.  I decided I’d paint a pumpkin.  I had 4 white pumpkins so if I screwed one up, I could always chunk it and start over!

Here’s a quick tutorial on how I did my pumpkin:

Istarted by finding and printing a nice script letter “B” for our last name.  I printed it at 400 point in Powerpoint.  Then I colored on the back of the B in pencil and then taped the B to the pumpkin where I wanted.  I then traced around the B, transfering the coloring from the back of the paper onto the pumpkin.  When I pulled the paper off, the script B was left in pencil.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!  I painted it using acryllic paint from the craft store and then traced the base of the acryllic paint bottle with pencil to get the polka dots.  Voila!  Super easy!  I really was surprised at how easy it was to do this.  Next year I’m totally getting some Funkins and doing some permanent white monogram pumpkins.

I wish the edges were a little cleaner but I was using a cheapie kids brush because that’s all I had.  But, it’s going to eventually get thrown away so who cares, right?  Next year when I’m doing it for keeps, I’ll get a good brush.

. . . .

Tonight I’m finishing Aidan’s costume, she has her school Costume Parade tomorrow.  I’ll be posting photos of the costume and the little diva tomorrow so stay tuned!

I was reading this article on Ohdeedoh about Disney offering a full refund on any Baby Einstein dvd purchased in the last 5 years.  If you’re not interested in clicking over, I’ll sum up…apparently a parents group has brought suit against Disney for stating that showing infants Baby Einstein videos would enhance their intellectual development when popular knowledge now states that TV is bad for children before age 2.

First off, how dumb could these parents be that bought into that line?  There’s nothing that a child could sit and passively watch that can enhance a baby’s intellectual development.  Maybe the parents should’ve been watching it?!?  When Aidan was little, I went back to school for my teacher certification and some afternoons I needed quiet time to do homework.  I’d pop in Baby Van Gogh, put Aidan in the exersaucer and she’d have a blast watching the puppets and the colors and the artwork and listening to the classical music and I’d get a chance to do my homework.  I was in no way naive enough to believe she was learning anything or her development was becoming in anyway enhanced…Mama was just using the boob tube as a cheap babysitter!

Second, I am reminded of a something that happened around that same time.  My friend Tanya and I used to take our kids to the Houston Children’s Museum a lot back then.  One one of our trips I overheard a Nanny (we often saw Nannies taking their charges to the museum rather than parents) asking the resident pediatrician about the little girl in her care.  Apparently the child was about a year old and wasn’t talking yet, just grunting and pointing.  The dr. asked the Nanny if the girl watched any TV and the Nanny was very adamant, “No, no TV, her parents don’t allow any TV.  I have to put her down to watch Baby Einstein videos.”  The doctor’s response was what interested me most, “Those videos are completely passive, there’s no dialogue, virtually no speaking at all.  A cartoon would be better than those videos.”  Sadly, the Nanny probably couldn’t tell the girl’s parents and they probably spent oodles of money trying to figure out what was “wrong” with their child.

As a voracious reader, a (currently unemployed) schoolteacher and a former Media Specialist (fancy-speak for “school librarian”) I will tell you the one thing that is GUARANTEED to enhance your child’s intellectual development: reading.  According to The Children’s Reading Foundation, “Just 20 minutes a day reading aloud with young children strengthens relationships, encourages listening and language skills, promotes attention and curiosity, and establishes a strong reading foundation. These skills are essential for success in school and in life.”  The students whose parents take the time to read to them on a daily basis have a larger vocabulary, can follow stories as they are told and retell stories well; they usually have a longer attention span, and, most importantly, in my opinion, they are developing a lifetime love of reading.  Additionally, these kids are typically more emotionally secure.  Don’t spend your money on “pseudo-educational” toys or videos, buy books or check books out from your local or school library!

Since Aidan was 5 months old, we’ve been going to the pumpkin patch to revel in the Fall Fun and get our pumpkins for Halloween carving.

The first time we went we were living in Houston.  We went to a church pumpkin patch and she wore her Halloween costume, a lamb.  We propped her up amongst the pumpkins (she couldn’t quite sit up on her own yet.)

Her second pumpkin patch adventure was in Georgia.  We had recently been shipped to Fort Benning so went to Best Nursery in Fortson, Georgia.  Here she was a little bit over a year old.

Our third pumpkin patch adventure.  Aidan was a little over 2 years old here and Daddy had been deployed to Iraq for about 6 months at this point.  The good Army family that we are, we carried on our traditions even though Daddy was deployed.

Last year was our 4th pumpkin patch adventure and our last one in Georgia.  Daddy was home from Iraq and in Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning so we were blessed to get to have him join us for pumpkin picking!

Today was our 5th pumpkin patch adventure and our first in San Antonio.  We went out to the Pumkin Extravaganza at Devine Acres and it was head and shoulders above the rest as far as pumpkin patches go.  There was SO much to do there!  We had lunch, fed baby goats, went through mazes, took a hayride, painted a pumpkin, got our facepainted, played on the playground, looked at the chickens, ducks and geese and walked around their well-manicured grounds.  We wound up spending 3 hours out there!  I’ve never spent longer than about 30 or 45 minutes at a pumpkin patch before!  If you’re in the San Antonio area, I highly recommend it!

Here’s my favorite picture from the day:

Look at that sky!  What a gorgeous day for a wonderful family tradition!

I’ve added another piece to the art wall behind the television.  I was cruising around Ebay a couple of weeks ago and found this amazing old crate up for auction.  I wasn’t interested in the whole crate so much as the end piece with the lettering.  The wood is old and patina’ed and I loved the fact that it says “Gulf Coast Bee Company” since Ryan & I were raised on the Gulf Coast.  The lettering is beautiful.  You just don’t see packaging like this anymore.  (Click here to see the seller and what else they have to offer.)

Here it is on the wall with my Hudson Goods clock:

I also bought a vintage European license plate on Ebay (the ad says it’s from The Netherlands, 1965-72).  I liked it for the font and shape and thought it might keep the wall from getting too primitive/rustic looking.  I’d prefer for the look to be a little more eclectic.

Here’s the photo from the Ebay ad (I’ll photograph it on the wall once I get it and hang it up):

Click on the image to go to the seller’s store on Ebay.  I’m thinking this might go above and to the left of the crate piece.  We shall see.

If the truth be told, I’ve never had a real house to decorate for holidays so I think I’m going a little crazy.  I’m really trying not to overdo it.  Someone let me know if I do. 

I’m continuing to add little Halloween/Fall pieces as I find them, both out & about and in my house (I have to start putting all of my holiday stuff together in bins, it gets too spread out!)

Closer to Halloween, the “scared kitty” (as Aidan calls it) will go out on the front porch.  I bought it at an antique shop in Alabama in 2007.  She saw 2 Halloweens in Georgia and will see a few in Texas as well.

I found this “punkin” at Homestead Handcrafts here in San Antonio.  It’s made of all different textured upholstery fabrics and smells WONDERFUL. 

I also found this cute little block at Homestead Handcrafts.  I love that shop.  It’s like all the stuff I love on Etsy in one shop with no shipping charges.

The sign and the lantern also came from Homestead Handcrafts.  I went to the one on Thousand Oaks.  They also have a location on Blanco that I’m going to have to go check out.  If you’re in the San Antonio area, definitely go check them out.  Yes, they have a bit of the usual “crafty” looking stuff but there are also sellers there that you can tell keep up with the blogs and what is in style in addition to sellers with some great vintage items.

To sate my little one’s need for “spooky” Halloween decor we went to Michael’s.  We found this styrofoam skull ornament (I cut the string off),

This little “Boo” figurine and…

this “SPOOOOOKY” (as Aidan says it, with “spooky fingers” to make it even moreso) gargoyle.

I’m working on some “poison potion” and “witch’s brew” bottles.  I’ve already got 2 wine bottles with new Martha Stewart Halloween bottle labels on them.  I also painted 3 small bottles with corks that I need to label with disgusting things like “Warewolf’s Blood” (for the red bottle), “Black of Night” (or something equally creepy for the black bottle) and “Lizard Guts” (for the green bottle).

Aidan has really been into Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas.”  We got it for her because she’s really into “spooky” movies.  She always wants me to go ahead to the spooky parts of all her favorite movies: when Maleficent turns into a dragon, when the Evil Stepmother turns into a hag, the flying monkeys (or any part with the Wicked Witch), etc.  Apparently she’s watched it a few times because she has the theme song memorized.  I heard her singing it upstairs when she was playing in her room so I asked her to come down and let me video her singing it.  She’s so funny.  She’s being all dramatic and spooky in parts.

A fellow military wife & family friend of ours, Melissa, left a comment recommending how to hang my wreath using the ribbon and not having the ugly hook showing.

Here’s the not-so-attractive “before”:

SO not cute.  Plus the hook didn’t really fit over the door so it was sort of gouging the frame (YIKES not good!)  I was stumped how to get the ribbon over the door to the inside and secure it.  A nail wouldn’t work because it’s a metal door.  A magnet wouldn’t work because it’s a very heavy wreath. 

Then Melissa comments and says, get a Command hook (LOVE those), hang it upside down at the top of the door on the inside and then run the ribbon over the top of the door and tie it off at the hook.  And wouldn’t you know?  It works like a charm!  Such a simple idea but I never would’ve thought of it. 

So much more attractive “after”:

To help “gussy” up the front door area, I also bought a nice maroon (WHOOP!) Smith & Hawkin door mat at Target.  I think it helps make things look really nice. 

I plan on adding some pumpkins and more Halloween stuff to my teeny-tiny porch when we get a little closer to the holiday.

Today, for the first time in a very long time, we enjoyed cool temps and stormy, rainy weather.  It really got me in the mood for fall so after Aidan’s dance class, we went to Hobby Lobby and I picked up some stuff to make a fall wreath (which was all on half-off), a few new candles for my entry table and some glass beaded pumpkin garland.  I was feeling all warm and fall-ish and then I walked outside…the storms had moved on and left us with nothing but a hot and muggy afternoon.  Did I jinx the coming of fall?  We’re ready for cooler temperatures.  It’s been so hot for so long here.  Fall doesn’t technically get here until September 21 but we won’t have consistently cooler temps until mid-October or later.  Maybe someday I’ll live somewhere with seasons.

Ok, onto the pictures.

I built a very full, fall wreath out of a grapevine wreath and about $10 (well, $20 worth but they were on for half-price) worth of  fall picks.  I attempted to add our last initial a`la Nester and Lindsay but mine just didn’t look as good as theirs did.  I wonder if it’s because their wreaths were bigger than mine?  I dunno.  Anyway.  I’ll find somewhere else to put my Heirloom White “B.”

I tried to incorporate more burgandies/maroons than orange (Gig ‘Em, Aggies!) 

If anyone knows how Nester or Lindsay attached their ribbon on the inside of their door, I’d LOVE to know so I don’t have that hook showing.  I’m really hoping our door is protected enough from the wind so my wreath isn’t beaten to death.  The wind blows like crazy here y’all, at least 10-15 mph ALL.THE.TIME.  It’s enough to drive you batty.  I think it’s from all the open fields around our house where the rest of the neighborhood was supposed to go.

Here’s the glass beaded pumpkin garland.  I liked it because it looked like a vine of pumpkins growing but had a little sparkle too.  I think I need to add a runner underneath it, though.  I was thinking burlap, what do y’all think?

(Wow, I really should’ve dusted my table before taking the picture!  Yikes!)

And here is my seasonally decorated entry table. 

When we get closer to Halloween, I’m going to get some real pumpkins to put out on the porch.  I was thinking white but now that I have the fall wreath out there, I’ll probably do orange ones so they’ll coordinate.  That reminds me.  I have a wooden black cat that I need to find to put out front.

Maybe if I will it hard enough, fall will come?