Costume Parade

You gotta head on over to Make it and Love it, to see the Costume Parade.

All handmade costumes.....WONDERFUL!

Oh and Sugar Bear is there......she is among such crafty company. :)

Photostory Friday~ This girl is Fierce...and Fun!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

A few months ago....my girl asked me if she could be a cheetah for Halloween. Being the crazy mama I am I said, "Sure.....I'll make a costume for you!" And the planning began with a trip to the fabric store. I found the perfect fabric, and then just wandered around aimlessly hoping for inspiration. Soon I had a few ideas....and away I went with supplies in hand. In the end it was a snap to make. I didn't use a pattern. I just winged it. wang it...wung it! (whatever) :)

The spirit of a cheetah really does fit my girl, at. She can be a real go getter. She is sassy, and fun. However, a lot of the time she is shy, and sits back observing from afar. She takes it all in, and makes sense of it all before jumping in. Oh, and she is really proud of how fast she can run. :)

The other day, when I finally completed all the pieces of her costume, she took a moment to try it on. She looked so cute, I couldn't help but snap a few photos. At first...she was holding back...

and a bit sassy, a bit feisty, a bit like a teenager (eekkkk)...

And then....she just broke down, and remembered that she is a delightful four year old girl, and it got better and better.

All those fun and games can mess up even the most serious of cheetah's outfit, and a girl has to take the time to adjust. I was surprised to see that not only did the costume get an adjustment.....

the attitude did too, and suddenly....she was one FIERCE Cheetah!

She has it all. The fun...the sass....the frill....the thrill. I am one lucky mama!

The Joy of a Good Cause

It just doesn't get much better than this. Good times at the pumpkin patch. Last weekend, marked our third annual trip to this special place. Even though it is quite a drive, there are several reasons we find it such a treat to take part in this particular pumpkin patch. Not only does Sugar get the chance to ride in the pumpkin ferris wheel......

take several turns around the joint in the pumpkin carriage.....

to smile and wave from the train as she goes round and round the village.....

try her hand at fishing....

catch a few ducks.....

toss a few rings......

eat some REALLY yummy food....

and get her face painted....

100% of the money spent goes to a camp for children with cancer. While watching my child blaze through the activities with such ease, such vigor, such joy, I say a few prayers of thanks for her health, and spend a few extra dollars in hopes to bring a few smiles to a child who isn't so very lucky.

Wordless Wednesday~ When mom makes you sit on a pumpkin

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE and HERE!

5 Little Pumpkins.....Sugar Style!

Boy howdy, do I have a special treat for YOU today!

Hang on to your socks.....The Sugar is performing!

♥♥♥♥

Don't you just want to eat her with a spoon?

NO?

huh.....must just be me!

I ♥ Faces~ Halloween Dress-up

Of course this week over at I ♥ Faces, they are featuring DRESS-UP. I'm soooooooooooooo looking forward to seeing all the fun shots of kids dressed-up. Seriously.....it just doesn't get much cuter than a child all dressed-up in character. LOVE IT!

The photo I choose to share is a shot I took of Sugar Bear last Halloween. She was TOTALLY into the Cowgirl character.

YEEEEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Head on over to I ♥ Faces to get in on the dress-up fun!

Sunday Citar~ All Aglow

Welcome to Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by Tabitha @ FreshMommy. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

"When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things - not the great occasions - that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness." ~ Bob hope

If the pumpkin fits..........

...WEAR IT!!!

There is just something about holidays that make me start feeling all nostalgic. I post this every single year, but I seriously can't help it. Wasn't Sugar Bear the sweetest pumpkin you have EVER seen?

......and a really good sport, as well! ♥ ♥ ♥

And the Kitty is BACK!

Day 36

(Spent what felt like the entire day in the car traveling to an out of area training for work.)

Day 37

(Do YOU take the toiletries...even if you don't use them? Kitty wanted to, but I reminded him that we converted to only using natural products almost two years ago.)

Day 38

(So very glad to get home and UNPACK!)

Day 39

(Stacks and stacks and stacks of work awaited my return....sigh.....)

Day 40

(For the first time in 5 years, upon waking, I stayed in bed and read for a few hours. LOVE IT!)

Day 41

(Sugar Bear made it home from Grandma and Grandpa's house, just in time for some marble races. She won.)

Day 42

(Typical Monday at work.....on the phone the entire time, diverting crisis, answering big questions, and making decisions.)

As you can see, I'm back in business. My photos are secure, and I'm editing like crazy. Now I just need to figure out how I can continue to do everything I've been doing, AND get back to blogging. There are simply not enough hours in the day to do all the extremely cool things I want to do. CHOICES....CHOICES....CHOICES!

Tuesday night musing

feeling
extremely crafty lately. I can't get enough of creating. I am literally jumping from one project to the next, and most are only half done, but I eventually come back to it. I'm not talking about doing this in a month...or a week, I'm talking about an evening. I jump from project to project every half hour or so. I am just so excited about everything I'm making.

wondering
if it will take all night for my NEW external hard drive to copy over all my files from my portable hard drive. I'm so glad it came today, but it is quite a chore to get all the files backed up.

missing
sharing my photos with my friends. I haven't taken very many since my hard drive crashed, but I am certainly missing the process of taking, editing, and sharing. Can't wait to get back to it.


looking forward to
getting my blog caught up with my Kitty Project. I've kept on snappin' throughout this hard drive fiasco, but haven't uploaded a single one. There will be a plethora of Kitty pretty soon. :)


also looking forward to
going to the pumpkin patch this weekend. Crossing my fingers for NO RAIN! We love the pumpkin patch. It is really more like a harvest festival, than a pumpkin patch, but it is tradition for Sugar and I. Can't wait! ♥


grateful for
all the wonderful contributors to the Gabriella Fundraiser. We raised just over $1000. WOO HOO!!!!! what a blessing!


hungry for
nearly everything I see. Man, I want a pumpkin pie blizzard......drooling.....droooooooling........


excited
to be finally back to reading books for pleasure. I used to read 3-4 books a month, but for the last 5 years, I've only read blogs, magazines, and parenting/educational books. I made it a goal of mine to get back to leisure reading, and in the last month I've read 2 books. I'm easing into it, and loving every minute of it.


should
get back to coping over my files, if I want them to ever be done.

Have a great Wednesday!

Gotta Love It

Because my new External hard drive still isn't here, and I haven't uploaded photos in over a week, but I really wanted to blog today, I have decided to make a list of some of the things I LOVE. This was inspired by Carol, of InkyBlog.

~crisp fall leaves.

~library books.

~fuzzy slippers.

~carving jack o' lanterns.

~cool water to drink.

~making just about anything for Sugar Bear to wear.

~coming home to find dinner already made.

~fresh baked bread.

~good back up systems.

~a fire in the fireplace on a cold day.

~a surprise in the mailbox.

~kissing the warm cheek of a sleeping child.

~seeing the number on the scale go down.

~the purr of a kitty.

~learning something new.

~movie theater popcorn.

~hearing the words, "I love you!"

~the feel of my camera in my hands.

~holding a finished project.

~making someone smile.

~sticky notes.

~80's music.

~warm pumpkin muffins...or scones....or well....anything pumpkin, really.

~hot glue guns.

and

~bedtime stories, and lingering snuggles.


While, I've been away....I've been so very fortunate to take part in many of the above mentioned loves.

LIFE IS GOOD! Hoping yours is too!

Okay....Gabriella Fundraiser....take TWO!

Hey there friends! I've missed you. ♥

I have GREAT news! Gabriella is going HOME tomorrow. :) Isn't that wonderful? I'm so very happy for them.

There have been some changes to the fundraiser we had started. Please visit Megan's blog to get the NEW skinny on it. Even if you aren't interested in donating, please consider sharing the news on twitter, your blog, or facebook. We'd love to cover the expenses of the Ronald McDonald house (approx.$400, I believe). Every little bit counts.

Have a great rest of your week!

When things don't go as planned.... (raffle update)

There has been a small snag in the Gabriella Raffle. Thus putting a small hold on the proceedings. Please see Megan's blog for explanation.

We will be moving forward, and are so very thankful for all the generous donations so far. :)

Very Important reason to Break my week off of blogging promise

See, I totally can't stay away. :)

okay...really, I'm just a major dillweed, and forgot that something super wonderful and exciting is happening today through Thursday.

You all might remember my sharing the story of little Gabriella Vega. She is constantly in my prayers, and I hope some of yours too. A great friend of mine, Megan, has arranged a really AWESOME.FANTASTIC.EXCITING.AMAZING raffle to benefit the Vega family. PLEASE head over to her blog to read all about it. Even if you THINK you aren't interested in the raffle. Just do me a favor and read about it. Then.....if you feel so inclined, please pass the word. Tweet it, Facebook it.....mention it on your blog. WE would really love for this raffle to be VERY successful.

The prizes are INCREDIBLE! Tons of stuff....TONS! handmade, handcrafted.....super cool stuff!

Oh and if you liked my little Octopus I made for Sugar....well, there is a very special little red one over there as a prize. I made it with hearts in honor of Gabriella. It is VERY cute!

You don't want to miss this opportunity to not only possibly win some very cool stuff, but to support a young family in great need. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this raffle please let me know. I know Megan VERY well, and have been a part of planning this raffle.

Have a super great day!

I could be stressed out.....but.....

I'm not! Want to know why?

Because I have a very GOOD backup system. A GREAT backup system. A "so very GLAD I have it" backup system.

You see, my desktop external hard drive that houses ALL of my photos since 2004, decided quite suddenly, after nearly two years of service to just up and quit with NO two week notice. IT.JUST.UP.AND.DIED!!!!!!

I could be freaking out. I could be crying, and moaning, and rolling around on the floor in despair.

But....I'm not.

You see, I have a mini portable external hard drive that I used once a week to backup my desktop external hard drive. Not only do I use it to back up my precious photos each week, I then take it to work where it lives for the rest of the week, in case of a house fire. Having my photos stored on TWO hard drives, and kept in TWO different buildings, has to be a very AWESOME back up system, right?

Let's just say, instead of losing 5 years worth of precious photos, I only lost 4 days worth. While, I'm a bit sad about losing 4 of my Kitty Project shots, it seriously could be a lot worse. WHEW.....

However, while I'm waiting on my new desktop external to get here, I am NOT accessing my photos. It worries me to do so when I have only one set of these precious memories available.

So...I'm doing what any crafting crazy, having six sewing projects waiting for me to finish mama would do.....I'm taking the week of blogging off.

Well....I think I am....something might call my name, but honestly, I could use some time away from the computer.

Catch ya on the flip side.....and I have one question for YOU.......

DO YOU HAVE A GOOD BACKUP SYSTEM?

Sunday Citar~

Welcome to Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by Tabitha @ FreshMommy. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

“You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her.”~ Unknown

Tell Me Thursday~ Kitty Project Notes

Yesterday's post was simply a quick share of the most recent week of The Kitty Project.

Day 29- Work was C-R-A-Z-Y, and I was quite literally feeling like I'd been pinned to the wall.

Day 30- The season of a REALLY dirty truck begins, and I loved the "real" kitty footprints on my hood. Unlike some folks, who can't stand to see cat prints on their vehicle, it makes me smile each time I see them. Such sweet little prints. ♥

Day 31- Just us girls at home tonight, so we snuggled with our quilt, watched a movie and ate popcorn. ♥

Day 32- Sometimes I just feel so very stuck in the middle.

Day 33- Spent the entire day crafting, sewing, and creating with my Sugar. These are some bits and pieces to be thrown away after making Sugar Bear's Halloween costume. I set Kitty up with a fun ensamble, and when Sugar saw is hours later, she said, "Tee Hee....Kitty is from Russia!" What a silly little cookie that girl is.

Day 34- Sugar spent a good deal of her time on Sunday learning to play darts. I was the audience.

Day 35- Took this while hanging out by the recycle bin with some friends at work.

Not only did this past week, start off the second month of this project, it wraped up September. I had a little fun, and made up a collage of all the photos I took in that first month. They are not in order of how I took them, however.