Baby Don't Ya Cry, Gonna Make a Pie...

There is something about pie that always makes me think of my Grandma Bodek. Especially, when I eat or make pumpkin pie. This afternoon Claire and I were in the kitchen making pies and my mind drifted to her. Grandma didn't make the prettiest pies, but they were always yummy. I remember helping her in her 50's pink and turquoise kitchen a lot. She watched me after school when I was young and looking back I admire her patience as she let me empty random ingredients into bowls and mix the concoctions with water. Growing up during the Great Depression, Grandma never let anything go to waste, and there I was wasting anything out of the cupboard that my little heart desired.I don't remember her using recipes when she baked, she always let me put a "spoon full of this and a little of that" in the bowl.
Grandma never got to meet Claire or hold her like she did my boys. I know that regardless they won't remember her except through my stories. Today when I looked over and saw Claire dumping sugar and cinnamon into a measuring cup and stirring away I got to tell her about how I used to do that with my Grandma. It made me miss her. It also made me think of the things I remember the most about her. Not the presents she got me or the treats she let me pick out at the store. I remember the things she did with me and the independence she let me have. I remember her love.
As we head into the holiday season, I hope we can remember to just be with our kids. Let them feel our love. Try to stress less and do less, that's my inspiration for this week.

Creative Tuesday

Aside from finding new spots to stash Christmas gifts, not too many creative things have been happening around here. Isaac has been working on a school project for the third grade economics fair coming up so I thought I would share what he has been up to. He is making cloth candy cane ornaments (pictured above) This has been a great project because he can completely do it on his own. (part of the point of the project) Yet, it is something that you would like to have on your tree and keep for years to come. You can find the instructions here at: Family Fun.

Creative Inspiration

Charity clued me in to this site: Everyday Food Storage. Check it out! This girl is amazing! She has some great ideas to truly use stuff up and make meals that your kids will eat!

Creative Tuesday

This idea is not a new one but it serves a great purpose. I had my boys make fall leaves out of construction paper. Each night before they go to bed they take a leaf out and write on it something they are grateful for. Jed and I are joining in. I have a basket on my kitchen counter and all of the "thankful leaves" go into that basket. On Thanksgiving we are going to draw all of the leaves out of the basket and read all of the things we are thankful for. We are planning on doing it during dinner. It has been good because it has made the boys think of more things they are grateful for.

And Finally We Have a Butterfly...

We were finally able to get some photos of Claire in her costume after more than a week of a fever(the fever didn't last that long) and then a rash....

Grosgrain

Ok, you have to check out this site. This amazing lady, Kathleen, is starting her own business and has been sewing incredible costumes and clothes that she gives away! She truly is an artist and spares no detail. This is true creative inspiration! It's too bad I don't possess the skills. :) Click on the link below to check out her last costume giveaway.

Nordic Bo Peep and Long Lost Sheep Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

Creative Inspiration

Our inspiration comes from Krystal this week. She has a 3wk old baby and is still doing creative things....
This is from her blog:
I found a thought. "Keep Christmas in you heart the whole year through". The suggestion was to give a calendar. I found these little day planners in the target dollar spot. I am going to personalize them for the girls in my YW class.
Krystal, you are amazing!

Creative Tuesday

This a magnet board that I put together this week as an example for my boys' teacher gifts. They are going to make one for their teacher and make magnets and a stack of papers to go on the board as a gift. I have to admit that I am getting a bit tired of the whole painted wood w/vinyl lettering home decor fad, but at 4 bucks a gift- you can't beat it. Also, it is a project they can totally do themselves.
The next photo is Luke's contribution to Creative Tuesday. Imagine my delight to walk into the kitchen and find him so very creatively practicing his name on our cereal container. To which he responded: "But, Mom it's my favorite cereal!"

Creative Inspiration

We have two sources of inspiration today. This is Claire in the shirt that Dani made that I had mentioned before. She made the matching bow and shirts for all the little girls in the family. The second is from Eli.(I couldn't get the photo larger, sorry) He made this costume for his daughter-complete with a 5 point harness, it was great! What a witchcrafty family.

Creative Tuesday

Well, most of my creative efforts went to Jared's costume last week. Scroll down to take a peek at that. But I did manage to copy an idea from Dani and make this shirt for Luke. It did not turn out as well as I would have liked but he was happy and he was my client. Dani made similar shirts for all the girls in the family for Halloween (but a lot cuter), which I will post tomorrow. I loved this project because it was under 5 bucks, including the shirt and it took me about 20-30 minutes to finish.

Over 100 Posts!

So I was updating a few things and noticed I have reaching the 100 mark! Wahoo! The reasons I started this blog were: #1 to keep a better journal for our family....#2 to keep in touch with those we love but don't see often. I'm feeling pretty good today that both of these goals are being met. So in the spirit of 100 here is a fun tag to celebrate...all who wish...go for it!

100

So here’s a list of 100 things. All the things I’ve done are in blue print.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (closest was a duet)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language( does ubadubee count?)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia(but I could see it from my house:)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check...notice the honesty here
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club, and participated!
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake....nasty
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100.Visited Italy

Ghouls....

Here are the boys on Halloween Night.....
Jared and Isaac went a lil' old school this year. Nana had a spook alley in her back yard and the cousins had posts during the night, so their costumes went along with that. Claire was a Monarch Butterfly- but her photo did not turn out. Hopefully we can have a redo today. We had a crazy weekend complete with sugar hangovers and an eleven hour power outage, Sat-Sun. I'm glad to be starting a "normal" week!