Ack! Turkey Day is upon us!

Ack...

if you're wondering where i've been ...

just trying to get this house company ready. and doing a little reorganizing.

you know...a shelf here and a shelf there.

then doing a few craft projects to keep the girls occupied.

i can't wait to show you my laundry (aka utility room). it's gone from (near) ankle breaking disaster to...

you'll just have to wait and see. (okay...it's not that amazing. i'm just too pooped to take photos of it and post)

Have a Great Thanksgiving!

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And the winners are...

And the winners of the soap giveaway are as follows:

1. Emily P
2. Rae
3. Christy
4. Christian
5. Debi

Congrats on the win! I'll be contacting you to find out which bar of soap you'd like to receive.

Thanks to all who entered the contest!

I think what I really need to do is create a spreadsheet and determine what the cost per bar of soap is based on the prices I paid for the oils (and add a dollar amount for the time I spent making the soap). If the cost per bar of soap is around $5 then perhaps I can think about selling the soap and setting up an Etsy shop.

Have a great day!

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Fun with the Salad Spinner

This summer I finally broke down and bought a salad spinner (funny that it took me so long to buy it since it was only $3! I think I can spare that). I've used to wash and dry berries. I've used for washing and drying beans. I've used it for the intended purpose (amazingly it works for that too).

Now comes the BEST use for the darn thing-

SALAD SPINNER ART!

It's great fun! I've seen this done in magazines & I've always wanted to try it. I'm glad we did and my girls are at the right age for it too. It was kind of like magic. Plop in paint, cover, turn and open for your special surprise!

Here's what we did-

Used a very cheap salad spinner from Wal-mart. It really was only $3.

I magically found a circular piece of cardboard that fit inside it perfectly. I have no idea where it came from but it fit magically! You'll want to have a circular cardboard (should be stiff) that fits in the bottom of your spinner.

Cut paper to fit inside the spinner...it'll sit on top of the cardboard you just cut out. I used plain 'ol computer paper since that's all the white paper I had.

Dump in some paint...Now we first tried food dye. Yawn. Boring! Then I had remembered that I'd just bought giant bottles of poster paint at HL for 99cents each (yeah for Hobby Lobby!). That's when the fun started! Dump a little paint in...

Then cover the spinner...OH! You do want a plate or something on the bottom of your spinner to catch the run-off paint. Unless of course you like paint all over your countertops!...And now spin the spinner! Annika did this like a pro but Ava needed help (which is why there aren't many photos of her doing this activity - I had my hands busy helping her).

Open up & view your creation! I put ours on some old newspaper to dry.

Now all you need is a creative way to display your unique creations. :)

Don't you just love Annika's doggy mask? It just arrived in a package from Oma! The girls just had to wear them right away. :)

See? Ava did it too!

I completely forgot to take a photo of our finished creations. :( Oops! Now I'm coming up with creative uses.

Here's one use:

I used it to cover my Gift in a Jar!

Perhaps you'll remember- earlier I'd asked for ideas for a gift in a jar idea that I was planning on doing for the Homemade Holidays event put on by our Family Connections (that's a nonprofit organization in our area helping families). The event was last night and my jars went over well!

Oh...perhaps I should explain the Homemade Holidays event- like I said it's put on by Family Connections. It's an event for families- the parents get to do various craft projects to take home (like my table did the gift in a jar- there was also peanut butter & chocolate cups and various other paper craft tables) and there is child care available (so that means some much needed adult only time!). And it's all FREE. It was so much fun! (now do you see why I love volunteering for Family Connections?)

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Don't forget about the Giveaway!

I just wanted to remind you all to PLEASE ENTER MY GIVEAWAY !!!

Thank you!

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Happiness

Happiness is being able to play a game with both my girls and we're all having fun.

Happiness is knowing that I've gotten some Christmas gift items crossed off my list. WOO HOO!

Happiness is having a LOVING & CARING husband who goes to work every day to support is his family.

Happiness is know that Grandma and Grandpa are coming here for Thanksgiving.

Happiness is having a brand new nephew!

Happiness is having a loving & caring Oma who showers us with the Best Care Packages Ever. Many, many thank yous!

Happiness is planning next year's garden. My first seed catalogue for the winter just arrived.

Happiness is a clean house.

Happiness is having two very sweet Girlies.

Happiness is when Ava gives me a giant hug, showers me with kisses and tells me she loves me (in her very cute two year old voice).

Happiness is when Annika gives me hugs and kisses and tells me she loves me.

Happiness is working on craft projects. (except when they go sour like my most recent adventure with attempting to make a pillow from a thrift store sweater. didn't work)

Happiness is visiting family. I love how the girlies love to play with their Cousins and will talk non-stop about them after we're long gone.

Happiness is visiting friends.

Happiness is volunteering at Family Connections.

Happiness is helping out in Annika's class (with Ava).

Happiness is watching the fire in the woodstove and feeling the warmth.

Happiness is eating good food and trying cuisines from around the world. Even better when the girlies try it and like it!

Happiness is knowing what's for dinner and not having to scramble at the last minute figuring it out! That reminds me...I'd better get the slow cooker set up....

I know I've missed a lot...this list could obviously go on forever and ever. It's just nice to sit down and remember the Good Things in life instead of focusing on the parts I wish were different. (that list could go on too!).

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Pumpkins and Leaves...craft projects

I mentioned the other day that I had a couple of craft projects I wanted to show you.

First up- felt maple leaf wreath. (trying saying that fast!) I found some maple leaf templates online and cut each one out by hand. There are two different sizes but perhaps next time I'd just stick to one size. I already had a floral wire wreath form. I just wrapped the wreath with green felt and then hot glued the leaves to the form. Love that hot glue gun! (actually a little too much...I got burned ...AGAIN!) That's it.

Don't you just love felt? I do. It's simple & easy to use and it has a certain warmth to it. I remember my Mama made us Advent calendars out of felt. Hey... Mama- whatever happened to those calendars anyway? I wonder if I can dig up photos of those calendars- they were awesome!

Next up- pumpkins.

We made some pumpkins in a MOPS session I once attended. (it's that orange one with raffia). I thought it looked lonely so I decided to make a few others to help keep it company.

I cut out a circle from fabric and then did a running stitch with some embroidery thread I had. I cinched it by pulling the two threads (like a little purse) and then stuffed it with whatever it's called stuffing (sorry...I'd have to go look at the bag to see what it's called). I closed up the pumpkin and stuck a small stick in the middle for the stem. Then I took some twine and wound it around the pumpkin to give it a little more of a pumpkin shape. To make the leaves I Googled "pumpkin leaves" and found a nice template- I cut them out of green felt. I cut a slit in the leaves so they'd fit over the stems. Then I used green pipe cleaners to make the curly part and attached it to the stem as well. I used hot glue to secure any loose parts. Not the prettiest but at least my orange pumpkin won't be lonely anymore!

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set Annika's alarm

I'm a mean Mommy.

I set Annika's alarm clock last night. I set it for five minutes after I usually try to wake her up.

I wonder how she'll react to it!

(I kind of feel badly- she's just a Kindergartener- but we have 18 more years of this!)

ETA- Surprise! Surprise! Annika was up before I came in for her initial wake up call. I did let the alarm go off so that she could hear it and hopefully understand what it is. I think I'll set it every night.

Another surprise- I found a pair of tights in Annika's drawer and I asked her to put them on. She grudgingly put them on (some fuss). I told her I'd give her a quarter after school if she kept them on. Woo hoo! Now she's excited and telling me how much she loves her hot pink warm tights. (Thanks Oma for the tights!)

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my Sunday

My back is going to have a great laugh at me tomorrow. I'm sure of it. I'll probably be crying though. Why you ask???? Today we spent several hours splitting and stacking wood. At least I can't say that I didn't exercise this weekend. Oh boy- did we ever exercise!

So...I'm making some gluehwein right now to help "cure" my pain. Okay, so it won't cure it but it will make me not care about it! Try this recipe - it's very similar to the gluehwein we drank in great abundance while visiting the Christmas markets in Austria last year. (okay okay...not that much!)

Here are some photos of our little helpers today:

We asked the girls to help pick up the small cedar logs and stack them in the garage. It was nice to have some quality family time outside. Aren't they great helpers?

Oh...and do you see that Annika is wearing pants? I told her that she needed to wear pants while working outside and she and put them on without a fuss! Me thinks she isn't a morning person. Dear child, why can't you do that for me on weekday mornings????

I think we're going to have leftovers or frozen pizza for dinner tonight. I think I have enough energy to make a peach and blueberry cobbler and that's it. I'm pooped!

I do have two projects that I'm hoping to finish quickly today. Crossing my fingers that I can share them with you tomorrow.

On a separate topic I completely forgot to mention that Mark, Ava and I had lunch with Annika at her school. Annika knew that Mommy and Ava were coming but it was a complete surprise to her that Daddy showed up too! We ate the school lunch. It's amazing...why is it that every school smells the same? The school lunches haven't changed much but I have to admit that I don't remember there being a salad bar in our school cafeteria. After lunch Ava and I stayed behind and played Uno with Annika and some of her Kindergarten friends in the gymnasium. :)

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GRRRRRR!

I find it extremely frustrating that I create a post with different paragraphs and spacing....only to have it globbed into one giant paragraph when I go to publish the post. GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

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my daily struggles

Most weekday mornings I just don't know what to do to keep from blowing my top off.

It's silly...I know. My girls are very good girls but we do have a few issues around here.

Every morning I struggle with Annika's strangely sensitive to clothing issues. She only wears very loose dresses. She hates wearing pants, leggings, or -gasp!-tights. She hates socks.

This wasn't an issue until now. It's getting colder and she needs to wear warmer clothes. They do play outside at recess time even if it's cold outside. I can't have her freezing her tushie off because she's stubborn.

So...that comes to my weekday morning routine of late. It goes something like this....

1. Trying to wake Annika from her deep sleep. Naturally she doesn't want to get up. Go and try for about 10 minutes to get her up. (of course she refuses to sleep in on the weekends!!!!).
2. Have Annika dress herself. I have Annika pick out her clothes for the night before. It's always a dress. Why can't she pick out one of the many lovely long-sleeved shirts and pants that she owns?
3. Remind Annika that she needs to wear either leggings, pants or tights under her dress because it's freezing outside.
4. Listen to her argue and then start to cry.
5. Try rationalizing with her- I mean I do understand about not liking the way clothes fit. I used to hate clothes that constricted my neck & socks. Try reminding her that we'd discussed that when the temperature dipped below a certain point she had to wear something on her legs.
6. Rationalizing doesn't work.
7. Just make her wear leggings or pants (forget tights- she won't wear them!) and listen to crying through most of breakfast.
8. Now it's time for socks. Another crying game. Don't listen and she just try to shoe the girls into the car quickly without blowing my top off.
9. Repeat tomorrow morning.

Okay, so it's not like this EVERY morning but close to it. Some mornings are better than others. Last year Annika would actually wear pants and shirts but so far that isn't happening this year. I would LOVE it if she would wear pants and a shirt! Do you know how difficult it is to shop for her? I went to Kohl's yesterday hoping for a dress for her...forget it! I can certainly order them from Hanna Andersson, Gymboree or Land's End but I'm sure you can guess they cost a small fortune. (thank goodness we'll get double use out of them since Ava can wear them too). Also, a HUGE thanks to Oma for sending us dresses....I don't know what I would have done without them!

So...what the heck can I do?

For the record, I do love dresses. I love that she loves to wear them. However, I'm finding it challenging to find dresses that fit her requirements in her size and that don't cost a fortune. She also has complained about being cold. Hmmm....

(oh yeah, she refuses to wear those super pretty bows in her hair. We have so many of them and they are so lovely and yet she will.not.wear.them. Period.)

Fortunately Ava doesn't care what she wears. She wears it all and doesn't complain.

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Wash Away that Dirt! Soap Giveaway

This is my first giveaway! Just in time for the Holidays!

Here's the spiel- I've been making cold process soap for almost ten years now but I still haven't gotten the courage to sell it. I only use vegetable oils in my soap (no animal fats). Most of my soaps contain a mixture of luxurious oils such as shea butter, cocoa butter, macadamia butter, avocado butter and mango butter to name a few. I lightly scent my soaps (I'm not fond of stinky stuff) with mostly essential oils ...although I also use fragrance oils.

What I want from you is HONEST input on whether or not you would actually buy handmade soap (like the bars I'm giving away) and what you'd be willing to pay for a bar of soap. It's okay if you're brutally honest (but in a kind way, okay?).

What am I giving away? These....

I'm going to let five random winners pick one hand-cut bar of soap from the following choices:

1. Oma's Lavender Patch- contains lavender essential oils and lavender flowers from my mom's garden
2. Don't Eat Me Chocolate Soap- contains chocolate fragrance oil and unsweetened chocolate
3. Symphony of Smells Soap- made with beer (instead of water) and is scented with patchouli, lavender, ylang ylang, bourbon geranium and orange essential oils

Please let me know if you have any allergy issues (I can provide an ingredient list if necessary).

Please leave me a comment in this post telling me whether you would or would not buy handmade, hand-cut soap and what you'd realistically pay for it. I'd also love to hear what fragrances you're especially fond of. I'm always looking for new smells! I'll pick the five random winners on Saturday November 22, 2008. Please make sure you leave me some way of contacting you! I will then contact the winners and let them choose which bar they'd like.

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Autumnal Decor & more

I LOVE fall colors...

....which is why most of my house is painted in fall colors (deep reds and oranges with tan and sage green).

I love pumpkins and winter squash.

I love sticks and mushrooms and acorns.

I really love finding stuff that I already own (and had forgotten about) and using it to decorate!

I made the letter plates above. Super duper easy. They're not perfect but they'll do! I'm not in love with this particular arrangement but I've poked soooo many holes in the wall that I think I'll leave it alone for now.


I wanted to show you my version of the mitten dryer I saw in the latest FamilyFun magazine. I just strung laundry rope (I guess it's rope?) between my skis. I prettied up a few wooden clothespins. And ...Wa La... my mitten dryer is complete! I've even gotten to test it out and it works! It's a lot nicer than having wet mittens and hats sitting in their own puddles on the floor which is usually what happens.

OH!

I've totally forgotten to mention making yogurt in the crockpot! I've made it twice using this recipe. I can't believe how EASY it is to make! My girls LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to eat their yogurt with honey. (especially Grandma and Grandpa's honey- it's the BEST!).

Go ahead- give it a try! I won't be buying yogurt (if I can help it anyway!).

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Welcome Miles!!!

We have a brand spanking new NEPHEW- fresh out of the Mommy Oven! Yippeeeee!!!! We're excited beyond words!

Congratulations to Auntie Margaret and Uncle Jon! We can't wait to meet Miles. :)

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Come & Join the I Can Make That Party!

Chris at Just a Girl is having at I Can Make That Party today...

And who can resist a party and an excuse to exercise those brain muscles that seem to rarely get used these days?

At the Galena Country Fair we went to recently I saw lots of craft projects done with mini(between 4"and 5" long) dried gourds. So...I thought I'd try making a few ornaments.

Obviously one has a small bird sitting in a nest. The other isn't so obvious...I guess I'd call it abstract art? It has a bouquet of button flowers in it.

It was easy making them and I still have a few gourds left to fill (I had wanted to do a nativity scene in one but I'm having trouble locating small enough peg people).

Anyway...all I did was cut a hole very carefully using a Dremel tool. I did this outside. Then you clean out the insides (dried seeds, etc). I tried sanding down the insides too. I put a piece of felt on the bottom (not really necessary) and I painted the inside with acrylic paint. I rubbed either brown shoe polish (the birdie one) or with beeswax (the button flower) to bring out the natural character of the dried gourds. I very carefully poked a hole at the top with my husband's Leatherman and strung a wire through it.

So...whatcha think of them?

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This is what they call Teamwork

This is Annika and Ava's idea of teamwork:

I was working on a project in the guest bedroom next door when they shouted for me to come see what they were doing. Annika had mentioned something about teamwork which really perked up my ears. Little did I know. They thought it was super funny!

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Cookies in a Jar Gift- Help me!

I am going to do a cookie in a jar gift at the Homemade Holidays event put on by Family Connections. (it's an event that moms can go to and make gifts while their children are in childcare provided by Family Connections- not a bad deal!). I'm also planning on doing a cute decoration for the jar.

Here's my problem: while there are tons of recipes out there for cookie in a jar gifts I can't possibly try them all out to see which ones taste the best. (my jeans are telling me I need to take it easy on the pie. Hint, hint).

So here's my question to you: do you have any cookie in a jar recipes that you just LOVE? Did you try any that you just hated? I need to select a cookie recipe that is also easy on the budget (this is for a non-profit organization).

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

To get you in the Holiday Spirit- photo taken at a Weihnachtsmarkt in Muenchen- just look at the goodies!

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Christmas-y Thoughts

Halloween has come and gone.

Company has come and gone.

Now it's time to really concentrate on Christmas gifts. But I'm floundering. As usual. I can never make up my mind- and then by the time I do make up my mind it's too late.

I'm going to try and make it a goal to have the bulk of Christmas gifts purchased before December comes. Do you think I can do it?

Sooo....

I asked the girls what they wanted Santa to bring them. Annika made up a cute list. Annika wants: a pet frog, a toy house (not sure if she meant doll house), a Barbie doll (naturally...although the other Barbies are taking a long nap as she hasn't played with them in months) and a few other things...perhaps you can read her list:

Ava said she wanted Santa to bring her a sleeping bag. She's asked us to go camping and sleep in tent several times recently. I told her we'd have to wait until spring.

Hopefully the girls and I will do some autumn-y arts and crafts projects. The house seems bare now that we took down (most) of the Halloween decorations.

Oh...and I'm still planning on doing the soap giveaway. I'm working on putting a post together on it!

Have a Happy Friday!

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Waving Good Bye

Wow!

We've had an amazing week.

Sick girls.

Friends visiting. FUN!

HALLOWEEN! (need I say more?)

And....

A brief visit from Grandma and Grandpa!

Grandpa with girlies. (don't look too closely at our unfinished island.)

Grandma and Grandpa are currently blazing a trail across the U.S.A. on their way to visit Aunt Margaret (who is due with her first baby any day now- it's okay to come out Baby Boy Cousin!). The girlies were absolutely THRILLED to see Grandma and Grandpa for a few hours. Naturally tears flowed after they left.







We've had some very warm weather recently. We didn't even need jackets for trick-or-treating this year- a first.

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Dear Chip and Amy,

Thank you for visiting us!

Ahhh...the memories!

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Pumpkin Carving

Ahem.

So we waited until the last minute to purchase our carving pumpkins.

And then we carved them AFTER Halloween.

Better late than never, right?

A Howler and a Growler...

Did you notice that Annika carved that howling pumpkin all by herself? She had a little bit of help but she did most of it by herself!

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Our Halloween

WOW.

I can't believe Halloween has come and gone!

Tails Meow Rose (aka Annika in black cat costume)

Annika and Ava hopping around- excited about Halloween!

Trick-or-Treaters

What's so dang funny Chip and Amy????

The cutest little Bat showing you her candy. After every stop she wanted to show me what candy she got.

We were blessed with a visit from our friends- Chip and Amy-this Halloween. We had a BLAST with them!

Thankfully Annika got over whatever she had early in the week to enjoy trick-or-treating and the Halloween Party at our friends' house. Whew! (insert sigh of relief- I wouldn't want to console a child who missed the school Halloween party AND missed trick-or-treating!)

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