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?

Last Saturday

I called my mom while we were out running errands. I knew she had weekend clinical's for her nursing school (an A student she is) and her side job, but we thought, if we bring a pot of soup and pies, can we come for dinner? She called my grandparents, and after church, church meetings and naps, we drove into Boise. It's not more than a 50 minute drive or so. We got to my mom's house, unpiled, and were greeted to a lighted Halloween Tablescape. After all she had done that day at school, she made the table look perfectly festive. There was orange soda with chocolate straws and candy owl cones for the kids. We talked about the Balloon Kid, and h1n1, and Thanksgiving plans. We took samples of 3 Marie Callendar Pies, and finally bathed the little kids in her swimming pool bath so they were ready for bed on the drive home. My lousy iphone photos just don't capture it the way it should. And next time around, I'll remember my Grandpa does not like Potato Cheese soup. Or Razzleberry pie. But he loves Lemon Meringue from Marie's.

my grandparents

ps- Ryan passed his boards! I knew he would, but he did it! No more tests for 10 years for this guy, unless, he fellows. Or trains in allergy with the Air Force. And, I think he is. Let's pretend there are no more tests....

pss- My trunk or treat ward activity turned into a 2 ward activity and a spanish branch. Can you imagine? Helpers anyone?

psss- the Pirates are coming out at our house this week. I love Emma's dress!

Giveaway

Go here for my friend Melissa's darling, darling banner.

You won't want to miss this...

oh, and neighba-lady, Traci of Amazing Mae, has a great tutorial on a burlap pumpkin.

life here

View from out my kitchen. Wide open spaces with the subtle sound of the highway.

(warning- totally random post)

Landon turned 3 and potty trained himself on the same day. I turned 31. It was easier turning 31 than 30. Starting school an hour later gives me a better start to my day. I'm ready to go by the time I wake everyone up- I like that. Emma's preschool and dance, and Tanner's scouts and school are going well. We gave Tanner a "bonus year" and had him repeat second grade. I am so glad we did- he is doing so much better and his confidence has dramatically changed. He's not the oldest, or the tallest, and his teacher says he is shaping up to be a gentle leader, a new place for him certainly. He has not thought twice about it either- if we had not moved we could have never pulled it off. I agonized so much over what to do, talked to so many parents and teachers and reading specialists, but it came down to just me, Ryan and prayer. Isn't that what always happens?

We have gotten a good taste of military life now. Ryan has "readiness" days where he might see 2 patients and then has to get fitted for gas masks and exercise. He likes his staff and most all of the doctors that went active with him seem to be young and just out of residency too. Once again, it's just a nine-bed hospital. There is an OB unit for delivery- where I think most of the action is. Ryan's call schedule has been very easy. He takes week long call and gets paged very little. I got a mac daddy migraine this weekend. Sunday to be exact. He took me into the base Urgent Care (ER) for an IV. From 1-10 I was at a 9 (and as he pointed out, even in labor with a bad epidural, I've never ranked myself that high) and they could not push IV meds on me. There was no pharmacist to release the meds to the ER. He happened to be the on call doctor and said he could admit me to the floor and then they would have to call in a pharmacist, but who would watch our kids? They doped me up on some shots that brought it down a bit and now Ryan is under orders from me, if that ever happens again, admit me and knock me out.

I credit my migraine to two things, the smell of smoked food. I think it's a trigger. Ryan thinks I'm crazy. I point out to him even when I'm pregnant and sick it's the worst smell to me ever. He says he doesn't forget- it is vividly in his mind watching my "reaction". And, secondly, I attended a festival on base for just the medical officers. There I met other wives who detailed there husbands deployments and the challenges they faced and I could not get there conversations out of my mind. I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking how could I live for 9 months without him? And I know they need 40k more troops which means they need more doctors. And our base is considered a high ops base. Meaning, they pull from us often. Ryan says, I need to stay away from the other wives and not just smoked food smells. As of right now, Ryan is scheduled to leave next December. Which he points out, they might not need him. Overall, he still likes his job as Captain, Chief Internist. He thinks it's funny. He's the only internist, that's why he's chief chair.

Landon just bit Emma on the nose, my phone never rings. Still trying to find the rhythm of this place. And although there is so much unknown with the Air Force, still no regrets from either of us.

And I love fall. It starting to feel crisp here. I am breaking in my new cardy uggs. Love those too.

(still love my banner Traci.)

(bought this burlap glitter banner and witches boot on etsy this year)

(board from Real Deals. Love that place.)

My menu board.... dry erase. Trying to get meals organized better.

No Qdoba to run to last minute at this truck stop town.

I was inspired to paint some furniture black from a couple KY friends. Ryan thinks he's going to come home to the entire house painted black. I think I'm about ready to put down the can. I bought my office chair on Craig's List.

See how organized I am? Just don't look at the floor.. or the desk... or open the hall closet.

Question?

Can I pull this off?

Does this look like a large garbage bag mashed into a pumpkin?

I was asked by my new bishop, "If you could have any calling.....?" To which, I replied. "Activity Chairperson???"... To which, a couple weeks later it was extended to me, and to my husband, 1st counselor in the young men's (about Ry's calling.... I guess you need to hunt, own a truck, a motorbike/quad thing, or play football, and since, Ryan played junior college football, he fit the requirement. When he was announced for his calling, no mention was made of him being an eagle scout, or husband, or doctor, or new Airman. No. Just that he played "college football" to which I saw him cringe, because it was "junior" college and that was over 10 years ago. Although, I think he's in pretty good shape. Just less hair.)

Anyways. I am the Activity Chairperson. I put together a list of activities I would like to do and then I got my budget. Pretty much like 10 bucks. I could not believe it. And I have the Trunk or Treat, November Pie Social, and Christmas Breakfast.

Do you think my garbage bag pumpkins (I was thinking of making 30-40 of them for the round tables) look like garbage? I am at loss on how to pull this off. I ordered orange tablecloths and would like to layer them with cheesecloth, piles of yard leaves, and then the pumpkins. Does this look as cheap as it is?

Any ideas out there? Here's my press posters/flyers/insert.

ps- did I mention, I know no one. And have no committee. Stephanie H. where are youuuuuuuu?

Sending out thanks

Dear Amy S., my Tanner loves his Star Wars room. But, most especially, I love it. I love that when I walk by his room I see this canvas right above his bed, that you painted. That I could never have done. Can I tell you how much I miss you? And that I think of you often? And that you are so talented. And when you go big, please remember me. Please. Thanks.

(ps- Mandee Grant, I read your bedroom decorating Star Wars discussion post. I bought the Star Wars Blanket and Pillow from PB and then pulled in stuff from the Kids Company Store. I thought my kid could grow into the cartoon-less sheets better. )

Dear Traci, aka neighba-lady. I still think when I leave my house you should be my neighbor next door. Even miles away you still gift me your goods. If only you could have sent Gage in the bag too? This bag I will love to it's death. Thank you!

Thank you, sister Ashley for this little award. You're funny. And your hair really is awesome.

(oh, and thanks Tip Junkie for liking my Halloween Dinner!)