The Simple Things

It's Time...

This blog has been dying for a long time. Tragic, but true.

I used to be a daily blogger full of witty things to comment on. I had just one child, worked a full time job in Corporate America and this was the perfect release for me.
Now I have three, a demanding calling, consulting work and PTO taking up my time.
So, since I have to pay for my blog (so lame!), I'm officically sticking a fork in it! But, I'm definitely still around. Follow me on Pinterest (Lola B) or on Facebook, if you don't already!

Thanks for sticking around!

xoxo

Halloween...Better Late than Never

I realize that Halloween is a distant memory to many of you. But I'm just getting around to posting about our happenings. I'm not going to lie...I spent more time on costumes this year than all the other years combined. I petered out and ended up buying Emilie's and Grace's. It was money well spent.

Grace was Olivia the Pig, Emilie was a Bat-erina and Claire was a homemade owl. Whooo's the best mom ever?!

Precious.

Olivia fits her personality PERFECTLY.

Cute Claire wanted to be this snuggly owl we saw on a blog one day. So when Lu was here, I sewed and sewed and sewed those little feathers on. But she LOVED it and was so snuggalicious!!!

I die. She walked around Hooting at people all night.

Ben declared that this was his last year dressing up. From this point on Halloween is dead to him. Since this was my last year getting him in a costume, I had to make it good! We went as Jessie and Woody from Toy Story! Because I refuse to pay for crappy costumes, I made both of ours.

I may do a post on the how to but let's just say that Ben's shirt was a solid yellow when I bought it. Yes friends...I drew a plaid on the shirt. I propped the Woody and Jessie dolls up and matched our costumes exactly. If this was to be the last year, than I was going to go all the way! :)

Please note the pull strings!!
Anyway, Halloween rocked. We also carved pumpkins and had Claire's Monster Mash Birthday Bash, but that is going to have to wait for another post!!!

Now...On to Christmas!!!

Spooktacular Spectacular Entry

Several weeks ago Ash and her friend The Mostess came up with a little friendly Welcome Fall competition. Once I saw that there was to be a Halloween Decorating competition, I BEGGED Ash to open it up to the public. I knew that I had this thing in the bag.
But before we get to my Spooktacular Entry, I feel the need to air my opinions about WHAT is and isn't good Halloween decor (feel free to write this down).

1.) A couple of strategically placed pumkins, does NOT a display make. Displays are multi-faceted. They are meant to bring people in. Not scare them away. Which brings me to...

2.) Gory, Ghoulish creepy displays belong in a trailer park. We do not trick-or-treat to people's houses to have the pee scared out of us. If we wanted to be freaked out, we would go to the Haunted House. So keep your bloody phantoms to yourself. No one wants to see them.


3.) The thing that I hate most of all...SCARECROWS! I do not know WHY people feel the need to put these on their doorsteps. Folks...they are HIDEOUS. 1994 called and wants it's scarecrow back. PUT THEM AWAY. They have NO place in Halloween decor.

And now I give you BEDAZZLED BEWITCHING SPOOKTACULAR SPECTACULAR (also known as...How Halloween should be Decorated)

It doesn't look like much from a distance...but upon closer review...

Halloween should invite you in.
This walkway says, "Come and enjoy this Halloween season!" Not "I'm going to chop you up into 3 million pieces and use your bones to brick my house."

PDR #1 - Glittery Bat Wreath
It should have SEVERAL Pieces de Resistance. One is adequate...yea even expected. Two...three...now that is spectacular.

PDR #2 Spooky Halloween Garland

Close up #1

#2...a delightful mix of creepy and cute!

Close up #3...featuring PDR #3...the glitter spiders!

PDR #3 Giant Spiderweb and the Glitter Spiders

They are precious. And deserve a place of honor in this entry.

If you don't think that these are the cutest, then you do not really love Halloween.

Other components of the Very Glittery Bedazzled Barlow Porch include (but are not limted to):
These PBK inspired Ghosts.

PBK's Version ($59.00 for three)

It should include homemade knock offs of something that is absurdly overpriced. My versions...total cost $14. And Emilie helped make them. Yep...that should be double bonus points!

And it should have a divine welcome mat. Because nothing says Welcome Halloween like a Spooky doormat!

And there you have it people. Let the praises begin!  

The Hostess with the MOSTESS

Oh my goodness. I had to share. In the next 2.5 weeks, I am in charge of the following parties:

Pre-K Class Party
2nd Grade Class Party
YM/YW Combined Fall Bash
Preschool Class Party
Claire's Birthday Party
and last, but not least
The Couples Halloween Party
 
Oh my goodness. I could die at the sheer fun of it all! I had to share some highlights of the invites. 

Claire is having a Monster of a Costume Party. I'll share more details later. It will be epic. and in case you were concerned...Yes. Her birthday is technically in November. Bygones.

Emilie's take-home treat for her class party. 2nd grade boys will eat crap like this up. (ha...get it. Crap...ghost poop. i'll be here all week!)
And finally. The Piece de Resistance of all this party planning:

The Couples Costume Party Invites. Coffins...

 
when opened you find a moldy finger (with a black ribbon attached) and all the party deets. The fingers were flesh colored suckers. I painted them gnarly green grey, distressed them, added a bit of shellac, cut off the sticks and threw them in there.
I'm pretty sure the Coffins with the Moldy Fingers are my finest work. I may have peaked too soon.
Now, how to fit in decorating for Spooktacular Spectacular. I need to put that Mostess person in her place. Everyone knows that Scarecrows are so 1994.
(no offense to anyone who has one currently propped on their doorstep)

Do you die at the fingers?
Now, what should Ben and I be for Halloween????? He's declared that this is his last year dressing up. We've gotta go big or go home.

Rejoice!!!

Today was the first day of school. While I've LOVED every minute of our summer, I am ready to get my life back. MY routine and some ME time each day! Blessed relief!
 
All three of my girls are in some type of school this year. *sniff*
 
Em is starting 2nd Grade. She's so excited!
 
She is starting to get a little "tweeny"...moody, emotional. But she is such a good girl. She loves reading and can't wait to get back in the classroom.  
 
Claire is starting Pre-K. She goes 4 times a week! Yay!
(do you DIE at her wedges??)
 
She continues to be the sweetest, most obedient child I have. I'm sure she will turn on me when she's 16, but for now I enjoy the sweetness.
 
Gracie is my firecraker. She never stops moving. This is the only picture I got where she wasn't completely in motion, eyes shut or tongue out. She'll be in Preschool two mornings a week and is SO excited to be going to school with the big girls!
 
Ah...the backpacks!
 
My favorite shot each year...the shoes on the first day of school. I love how these shoes totally represent each girl's personality.
Here's to a GREAT school year!!!

Our Summer...

Summer has exactly 5 days left here. School starts on Monday.
Blogging for me has been non-existent for me this summer. Wanna know why??

I've been either at the pool or the lake almost every day.
 

Last week we went up to Lake Michigan with my mom for a GLORIOUS week spent on the beach.
 
It was pure bliss.
 
I could seriously spend every moment of every day lake/pool/beach side.
 
We did not waste one moment.
 
It was the perfect ending to the summer.
I'll be back with more lake pictures this week!

*for the record, I am NOT watching Bachelor Pad, so there will be no commentary on it. I cannot stand 95% of the people on it and refuse to watch. Are you???

School's out...

And the cleaning ladies are here!!!
Time to get to work!!!

Pillow Talk Revisited

*I found this post from 2007 and laughed so hard about it. You'll be happy to know that these lists are still accurate!

So, I think Ben and I might have the best pillow talk. Seriously...I look forward to the end of the day because we have the greatest conversations. We had a doozy of one the other night. I'm still laughing about it.
It started off with Ben thinking that he was dying because he had this massive ingrown toenail (gross, I know). He told me that if he dies, I'm free to go after Bono.
That led us to start talking about our Celebrity Crushes...who would be on your Top Three List? Face it, we've all thought about it. Friends had a great episode on it.  If we could date one celebrity, who would it be? Ben's answers still have me cracking up.
His first response was Jennifer Aniston.

But when I told him that she smoked like a chimney, he quickly retracted her from the list.

My first choice was easy:

mmm...Hugh Jackman.

Ben's response..."he's so hairy!"

Not Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Ben. More like this:

Yummy.

I digress...back to the conversation. So, I kept throwing out choices for Ben...Nicole Kidman (nope), Julia Roberts (too big of a mouth), Angelina Jolie (no way!), the list went on and on.
Finally, he had a winner...

Elisabeth Shue...circa 1983 --> The Karate Kid.

Love it. I laughed so hard! Apparently, he had a big crush on her back in the day.
I think that's when I loved Luke Perry and Dean Cain.

Ahhh...pillow talk. Isn't it great?!

Week #4 - Bachelorette

 

Ugh Ashley. This was not your best episode. In fact, the whole episode was a complete snoozefest.

Maybe it's just Thailand. It was rainy and dreary and I can't imagine why someone would choose Thailand over some place in the Carribean. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

The dates were lame. Constatine looks like a caveman and has no personality. I cannot imagine why she chose him to have a 1-on-1. Baffles me.
 
Then there was the group date, which was good. I'm happy that they were able to spend ABC's money and give back. But, I want more interaction. More romance. This was a service project...not a date.
 
And then there was Quasimodo. Again...why she chose HIM to give a 1-on-1, I'm not sure. I'm even more perplexed on why she gave him a rose. I still think he is super egotistical and not super attractive. But, whatever. Apparently he's growing on some people (cough...Den Farlow)!  
 
Let's get to the real issue of last night's episode. Bentley...or the lack thereof. Seriously, if I was a drinker (which I'm not) and I had to drink every time she mentioned Bentley, I would be dead of alcohol poisioning today. It was UNBELIEVEABLE people!!! She barely knew the guy. He was a complete scum bag and she's acting like she lost the love of her life!!  I can hardly stand it!

And...he's coming back next week. Why, I wonder? Just to mess with her more?? What do you think about the whole thing???

Has anyone read Reality Steve? I've stayed away this season, but part of me is dying to know! I am pretty sure Ashley will walk away with no one.

Although, I sure hope she ends up with JP!

Board Book Albums and a CONTEST!!!

Several weeks ago I received a Take Your Pix Board Book from Board Book Albums to review. I was thrilled with the opportunity to create something and knew just what I wanted to make! The book was much sturdier than I had anticipated...perfect for little fingers to handle over and over again! Each page has a 4x6 opening for a picture. They are easy to slide in and out. But the girls and I had more ideas for those pockets than just pictures!!
So, today the girls and I got down to business! They've been SOOO excited about this. And I'll be honest...I'm a little Type A. So while I wanted this to be THEIR creation, I could not fully hand over creative control.
So we worked together to create this masterpiece!! 
 
 
An "I Love You Because" board book.
 
First, the girls got to work thinking of reasons why they love their Dad.
A couple classics that (unfortunately) didn't make it into the first round of the book:
-I love you because you don't jump off bridges and make sure that we are a safety first family.
(for anyone that knows Den Farlow, this is hysterical. He is ALL about safety!!)
-I love you because you let us go to McDonalds a lot. For pancakes AND Chicken Nuggets. (also true)

Each page featured a strip that said "I Love you because ___________". Then the girls filled in the blanks and chose a picture to go with the words. On some pages, they drew pictures and inserted them or wrote love notes to daddy. We made secret flaps that hid secret pictures and made pull tab messages to make this book as interactive as possible.

Here's some of what we came up with!!

 
{inside cover}
 
{I love you because you teach us how to play sports}
 
{A framed picture of Claire and Dad}
 
{It's true...we all love Den Farlow because he's funny}

 
Emilie wanted to do a "super secret for dad's eyes only" note. So we attached a ribbon to the top of the note so Den Farlow could do this...
 
...easily grab the ribbon to reveal a SUPER SECRET NOTE!
 
Each of the girls loved being able to illustrate a picture and have it be PART of the book. 
 
 
I LOVED seeing the happy faces from ALL involved!!

Here's the exciting news...a contest!

BOARD BOOK ALBUMS DESIGN TEAM SEARCH

Board Book Albums is looking for Design Team Members! The chosen designers will have their designs featured on the Board Book Albums website, including links to your blog or business site. The Design Team Member will also have the opportunity to do custom design orders using their own designs featuring the Take Your Pix Board Book Albums. 


Here's what to do:
1.) Purchase a Take Your Pix Board Book Album (get a 10% discount using code: Blogger10)
2.) Create ANY type of Board Book Album you can think of. No limitations...it could be paper scrapping, digi scrapping, homeschool focused, vacation themed...we can't wait to see what you come up with!
3.) Email pictures of your finished product to laura@boardbookalbums.com by Monday, July 13th at Midnight MST
4.) The Top 3 Designs will be chosen as Design Team Members and have an opportunity to create a lucrative design business.

I know there are MANY crafty and talented people who read this blog! So get crafting! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Please note: This is part of a compensated campaign with Board Book Albums through Broadcast Bloggers. I received an album to design, but all products, photos and opinions are my own. The Design Team Contest is open to everyone...everywhere. Board Book Albums has the right to use any or all of the design photos that are submitted for consideration on their website for marketing purposes, etc.