From who, I say, who?

I got this book set in the mail 10 days or so ago. There was no note from the sender. Was it you? My kids think it came from the North Pole. My cousin, Kate, sent me a handmade "Organized Christmas" book last month. As I have been working off my holiday checklist from this book, I should be completely Christmas errand free the first week of December! Click HERE to see the program. Many, many thanks to my cousin Kate for introducing me to the program and her book. Oh, and to the giver of the Elf book. I can see you are checking off your "Organized Christmas" as well.

The babysitter destroyed my house.

Or maybe, she let the kids. Either way, it was destroyed. In a matter of 4 hours. We got home at 9:30 pm and Ryan decided that he now knows what are children would do if they were left unsupervised- but we, once again, did leave them with a 16 year old girl. Emma doesn't lie yet. And Emma told me the orange peels all over the house, both levels, were from the babysitter. And the kitchen was dripping in puddles of water, the table and counters were covered in food and pizza and cheesecake. There was cheese on the couches and and the kids had climbed on the furniture in the office to get to the top of the bookshelves. Everything was out. The house was littered in craft papers and scissor scraps. I paid her (well for around here too), and as Ryan said, that was her severance pay. Never again. We talked to our kids about how we treat our home and do we do this......... to our house? As Ryan and I spent almost 2 hours cleaning it up. We argued a bit. He's always telling me to get a sitter, I always complain I can't find the right one. Was our night out worth the disaster we had to clean up? Even when I am sick on the couch the house does not reach this level of destruction. Not ever.

So, we decided, the babysitter must have had a good time. Or our children were wild. A-N-I-M-A-L-S. As in, they belong outside. I hope the babysitter just had a good time.

My etsy love

I need new stockings- Love these screenprinted stockings. from The Bobbins Nest.

And a bit of this idea too. From My Adobe Cottage.
Love this look from South House Boutique.
And then these little banners. from Perch Papiers.
And this shops beautiful door greeters. From Two Inspire You.
And my sister told me to look up baby rattles. Little Sapling Toys.
And I can't get enough of Funkyshiqe.

I bought my Emma these headbands and bows. The headbands are sized right. She loves them. I love them. From Billiebrand.

I put this birdcage on her wall above her bed. The cage in white and bird in pink- her walls are lavender. It looks darling. From Leen the graphics queen.

How about this for Ryan? In place of his dogtags maybe? Alibalijewelery.

I ordered 2 of these steel magnet boards. I hope they fill up with Christmas cards (do you know I just threw out in the move here 3 years worth of Christmas cards?). From Steel Dreams Designs.

Pirates with their Monkey

yes, that's Ryan, aka "Jack Sparrow"

I made it through our Ward Trunk or Treat. I dragged a couple new-found friends into the decorating mix with me and then my mom and brothers came out to help throughout the night. I promise to NEVER do a trunk or treat on Halloween day ever again. (Maybe that will get me released?) I think we had 400ish people. It was standing room only. I look back at this month and did not make a special dinner for my family or even carve pumpkins. So lame. Once the weekend cleared I looked around my house and thought some wild people must live here! I've been cleaning and putting halloween stuff away and went to add some more to my attic storage and realized, the key is gone. Like I think the baby threw it away. I have a locksmith coming out to break me in. Such a big bummer- I can't wait 6 weeks to find it. All my christmas is up there. Speaking of Christmas, I think I need a bigger break between the Trunk or Treat and our ward Christmas party. Can I change the calendar?