Halloween

Happy Halloween, ghouls and goblins! True to myself, I didn't plan and we didn't have any costumes this morning. It all worked out in the end and the kids looked great and had a fun night of knocking on doors. Some friends came over and the Daddy's took all ten kids trick or treating while Nicole and I stayed home to pass out the candy.






Chuck decided to go as a pirate. I had a vest from back in my high school days bought from a craft fair. It's made out of ties and so cool that I've never been able to part with it; even though it hasn't fit in quite a while. I pulled that out along with a lacy white shirt of mine. Complete with some stash fabric wrapped around the head and voila, he was a pirate.



Matt wanted to go as the Grim Reaper. This one was pretty easy. At Target this afternoon, they had black jersey knit twin sheet sets on clearance for $13. He wrapped the top sheet around his body and secured it with a few safety pins and then we put the pillowcase over his head. I didn't cut into any of it; so not only did it make a cool outfit, we also have cheap, new sheet set. For his scythe, we used a mop stick and the top of an old Rubbermaid container for the blade. We just happened to have some copper colored spray paint lying around to give the blade a metallic look.



The girls had some Gothic looking princess dresses from last year that still fit them. On the trip to Target they found two $1.39 witch hats; so they decided to be witch princesses this year.



Johnny went as a mummy. I had an old queen size that I had been saving for a rainy day (like today). I tore it in strips and soaked it in tea to give it a browned, aged look. The poor thing started coming unraveled, though, soon into the trick or treating. Derek said that one of the other kids would step on his rags and J would stop and get pulled backwards.



I think my favorite was Nate. He wanted to go as a nerd. He wore some of Chuck's pants and shirt that were way too small for him. We slicked his hair down and I stuck some up in the back Alfalfa style. The greatest thing of all was some zit makeup I found at Target. They really looked disgusting.

*yawn* ~ more pajamas

Are you tired of seeing the pajamas I've been making? Well, there's still three more pair to show after this; so get used to it.

Here is Matt's pair with the flannel that, I think, screams pleasant dreams. He's been after me to make these since February; so he was so happy when I finished them last night around 9:30.



It is so hard to get a good picture of this boy because he's always making silly faces. Here is Matt with the girl version of himself .... don't they look just alike?

The three older boys had their piano recital yesterday. Boo on me because I forgot my camera. However, my dependable Father-in-law brought along his trusty camcorder. Knowing him, he'll have us a copy of it by Friday. Have I ever told you that he keeps all of our children every Friday night for my man and I to go out? Yes, he does! It's something he started when our oldest was a wee 2 weeks old. Little did he know we'd have six or he might not have started that tradition.

Allright, so back to the recital. Wow. My boys stole the show (don't all Mom's think that way?). Nate even composed his own song and played it. I am so proud of each of them and the hard work they put into practicing.

Since I don't have a picture of the recital; I'll leave you with Chuck practicing his violin. This boy loves his fiddle and plays it everywhere. I've seen him bouncing on a big Hop ball playing, curled up on a sofa playing, and here sitting on the floor in the corner of an unpainted room playing.

More pajamas

Today it was Red's turn for pajamas. I used more $2.40 a yard flannel from Jo Anns. I wish y'all could reach in the screen and feel these; man are they soft.

I learned something today. After having my Grandma's old sewing machine for 10 years, I finally learned how to sew a buttonhole. Yes, friends, you read that right .... I've never sewn a buttonhole on my machine. They've always scared me. My machine manual doesn't have any specific instructions, but thank goodness my Grandma wrote in the side margin "press tie-off buttonhole". I found out that once the button is as long as I need it, I press the "tie-off buttonhole", then it starts sewing back up the other side. Now the trick that I didn't realize before today is - I need to press the "tie-off buttonhole" one more time at the end for it to finish it off.

I'm rambling, I know, but my point is I learned something that I should have learned years ago. Check out these fabric covered buttons on the PJ top - precious!




I'm glad I finished the girls PJs. It's supposed to get down to 38 degrees in the south tonight, brrrrrr.

Pajamas

I bought lots and lots of flannel last winter hoping to make my kids some pajamas. I am just now getting around to it. I used the Favorite Things Little Sleep Well pattern. I bought it a while back because it includes the patterns for boys and girls sizes 1 through 14. One pattern that is a fit for all my six is a deal in my book.




I thought I'd start with the smallest size and work my way up, since little bit was the most excited about a new, warm pair of pajamas. She also loved the little ballerina flannel. This flannel is the softest stuff; and at $2.40 a yard on sale at Jo Anns it was a great deal.



Please excuse her chocolate face. I noticed blood in her ear during lunch today and took her to the dr. It turns out she has a very infected ear and her ear drum burst! She never complained one bit or had a fever. At the ENT, they really had to work hard to clean all the goop out of her ear. She kept completely still and even laughed because the vacuum thing tickled; so I thought that merited a Frosty.



I love how this pattern worked up. It honestly took me a few hours. Doesn't the inside look good? I love when the inside looks neat and tidy! Man I love my serger.

Halloween fun

Picnik has their Halloween features up. Let's jut say I've been having fun making some of the kids into monsters and ghouls today.

Apple overload

My sister and I went up to Ellijay to the apple orchards a few weekends ago and I came home with four bushels of apples. Do you realize how many apples that is? Let's just say I was up to my elbows in apples. Thanks to my wonderful Mom, she came over last week to help me peel them and make my kid's favorite .... applesauce. I froze some of the that (isn't it beautiful?) and then made some apple butter with the rest. I ended up with 22 pints. Chuck, my #3, is the one with the biggest love of apple butter. His absolute favorite thing to eat is a peanut butter and apple butter sandwich. When I finally finished canning he exclaimed, "Tomorrow, we'll be eating like kings!"

Grosgrain: Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

This girl's creations are amazing; but I think she may be a bit crazy to be GIVING them away. Check it out.


Grosgrain: Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

The kids and I went to visit my dog loving sister over the weekend while my husband was away on a motorcycle trip. We had a lot of fun and I came home with 4 bushels of apples. I guess I'll be busy making applesauce and apple butter the rest of this week. Back to my dog loving sister; my Tippy fell asleep on her couch. Kim gave her a pillow to lay her head on, then covered her up with a blanket, and gave her a little stuffed puppy under her arm to snuggle with. I wish is was a different color stuffy with her so you can make it out better in the photo.

As cute as Tippy is cuddling with a stuffed pup, my little Redhead was even sweeter sleeping on the way home.

This is the usual way my girls walk around the house during the day. They call the skirts on their head their long hair.

Notice Anna's dress, skirt on body, and pants.