Pumpkin Party 2012

Hurricane Sandy or not, we went forth with our little pumpkin party for our kids and some of our friends.  Everyone was out Hurricane prepping, and I was just getting ready for a party....  This is the 3rd year I have had this.  This year with work and life being crazy it was hard to find time to get stuff done, and there was so many things I wanted to make or do for the party that I didn't get to do, but all in all it was still fun.  We had to move the time up for the party which worked well as we were able to dodge the rain.  I love having kids over, and doing crafts, but I did not want to have a pumpkin painting party in my house for young kiddos.  Call me crazy.  

It went well and I think everyone had a good time.  I made nutterbutter truffles with halloween colored sprinkles, some cupcakes, and dipped pretzel rods and oreos.  This always looks impressive but really is super easy. It's been my go to for the last few parties we have had.  The nutterbutter truffles were new, but delicious! Tastes like peanut butter balls pretty much.

 So my cupcakes were from a box, I wanted to make them from scratch but time was limited.  No one seemed to care.  I got the cupcake toppers and wrappers at TJMAXX earlier this season for a steal.

The kiddos went out side, painted, glittered and carved.

Once again I made a simple piñata.  I go with the balloon method and equal parts of water and flour for the paste with scrap paper.  Never looks that pretty, but it does the job.

I do love some Halloween!  Love having this party for the kids and know they will look back one day with great memories.

Right  now I am in survival mode as I finish my last week of dealing with being on opposite schedules with my husband.  For the month anyways.  I will relish for a month of having my lovely husband home more for the next month before we do this all over again.  I am thankful for jobs, and job security, but I am not a flexible type b personality type person who can just go with the flow.  I like timeliness, organization, planning for things ahead of time, and getting things done right.  I like these things in my personal life, work life, etc, and when they don't go that way I tend to melt down.  I can not relax if my house is a wreck and I am even further behind on laundry (I am never caught up, but when I am 5 loads behind then I panic).  I know when I am single parenting that things will get behind and I try to relax but I end up killing myself to attempt to get it all done.  

I am pretty much in melt down mode this week. I am trying to tell myself I can only do my best and control my actions, and reactions.  But it seems I can tell myself this all month long, I even do a pretty good job at first, and then the last few days I need someone to just hug me and tell me it's ok.

I don't know how single moms do this.  I don't know how someone can work a demanding job, keep a clean house, and parent appropriately.   But millions of women do it. Every day.  They are my heroes, and I am so thankful I have great help from my husband.  I am not a super mom.  I try so hard to be there for every event for the kids, keep them involved in activities, ensure they have all their needs met, and I have to realize that my kids are not going to understand the sacrifices and always show appreciation like I want them to.   If they don't get it today, one day they will.  They might be 30 years old, and not get it until they have kids of their own, but one day they will hopefully thank me.

Vinyl obsessed...

I have been having way to much fun with vinyl.  The theme of my weekend was vinyl projects...I did stop to have some fun with my family.  Dave and I had a nice date night, and had dinner and a movie, the girls had a tball game and a play date, and we went to a birthday party.  In between though I stayed busy... Here is what I made:

I wanted to do one of those cool glass blocks, and I came across them at AC Moore.  We have an AC Moore where Ben Franklin's used to be.  I had not been there until this Saturday, and OH MY GOODNESS!  This place puts Michael's to shame.  They have the glass blocks, the nice rolls of mesh that you can make wreaths with in a slew of colors, and just a bunch of the great craft stuff.  I could have spent forever in there!

So anyways, I cut out this design and put it on the glass block, shoved a strand of Christmas lights in there.  I think it's adorable!

 In preparation of movie night at the girls school next week, I decided to decorate my beverage dispenser for the movie theme.  I think it turned out cute, and the kiddos will like it.  It peels right off, so when movie night is over, I will just rip off and throw away.

My sister gave me her large pool tub that she puts beach towels, and what not in.  I added the words, and stuck some flip flops on there and called it a day =)

Craft adventures with Vinyl

Once upon a time I was a hard core scrapbooker.  I scrapbooked all the time, all of my extra money went to supplies, I even went on many weekend trips where we just rented places and scrapbooked around the clock.   I also did year books on each year of our family.  Then I discovered digital scrapbooking, which was easier with our busy schedules and kids.  But even then it's been hard to find time, and now I just do them for the grandparents for Christmas gifts.  I need to work on changing that, and get on the ball with doing them for us.

When I was pregnant with Laura I got a Cricuit for Christmas from my parents.  That was about 7 years ago, so it's an old Cricuit.  I used it a lot for printing out stuff on paper for scrapbooking, then about 5 years ago my mom got me a Silhouette.  This one is more complicated but works well with a computer.   Sadly I never really used much these last few years, and I always saw cool vinyl ideas but always shyed away from it.  I didn't know where to buy vinyl, and was just too scared to try it.  My blog friend Jenny sent me a cool G for my pumpkin that she made with her machine, and that got me inspired to try to figure this vinyl thing out.

 Oh. my. goodness.  I have been missing out!  Since Wednesday I have made, name decals for the girls doors, monogram for my work planner, two stickers for two of our cars, name buckets for my sisters,  and Trick or Treat buckets for trick or treating for my 3 kids.

I did the project both with my old Cricuit and Silhouette, and I am hooked!  I prefer the Silhouette as there is so much more freedom with designs.  My Silhouette is an original, but I am able to use the updated software that you can download for free online.  I am sure the newer one is cooler, but I can still do a lot!  What I don't like about the Silhouette is that the supplies for it are not around here.  We just have a Michaels and a AC Moore, and they just carry Cricuit supplies.   I had to order a new blade online already as I dulled it already.   Vinyl around here is also hard to find... Michael's is lacking in colors, so I plan on ordering that online as well as soon as I price it.

My husband already has a list of stickers he wants me to make for his truck, kayak, etc. My sister wants me to do a beverage tub for her, and I know what I will be giving now for all of those kid birthday parties that we will go to this year.  So stinking excited!!!