Red Ribbon Week begins....

Today begins Red Ribbon Week at school to encourage children to make healthy lifestyle choices and to say no to drugs. We start with WEAR RED DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty simple, right?!

Here are my kiddos, in 4th and 2nd grades. 

Say NO to drugs!

County Fair Time....

It's County Fair Time here in South Texas. Normally, it is hot, sticky, and rainy as the fair rolls into town....thus why we rarely go. This year, Thursday was beautiful!

My husband had a morning training program at work and was home just before the kiddos got out of school at 3pm, so we decided to travel to the fair to check out the attractions. 

It was beautiful. We arrived and realized it was free entrance that day. There weren't very many people there yet, it was nice and breezy, and there was no mud anywhere. Ideal time! The kids had a blast. We were able to view the exhibits....

take pictures with a friend's award winning rabbits...

learn how to milk a cow....

view friends' artwork...

and eat yummy fried fair food (funnel cake and fried oreos)....

Fun family times at the county fair make Fall a total reality. I am so ready for Halloween, so we can move toward Thanksgiving!

Tie Dye gathering

In preparation for our school's 70's party in two weeks, a few of the PTO moms gathered at my house last night to tye die some shirts.

We let the kiddos play, got some pizza, tons of die and got to work. I mixed up some RIT in a few squeeze bottles and my friend, Crystal brought some spray. Each person banded their own design and then we cut some stencils out of plastic plates, and sprayed designs onto the shirts. 

It was pretty much a freestyle session. We just experimented with designs and techniques until we go what we were looking for. It was super fun. 

We made shirts for ourselves and our kiddos. My three are the last ones: Caleb's is blue, Jansen's is blue and green, and mine is the bottom one. I got the shirt big so that I can gather it at the bottom on the side and tie it with a scrunchy. Old school fun!

We are ready for this party!

Dollar store school posters

Our school is launching a new program that is based on positive behavior supports instead of a conduct mark system of penalties to help our students' behavior. Every grading period (9 weeks), the students who have a 90 or better in their behavior folder get to go to a party the school hosts.

The PTO is responsible for the decorations.....70's theme! 

While the party isn't until the end of the month, we needed to get together to work on some signs for the walls....

Our local dollar store had the posters, letters, and stickers for roughly $10, and the rest we die cut using the school's machine. 

I can't wait to see it all come together, and see all the kids having a great time!

Disney Cruise Countdown

Now that it is almost October, the deadline for payment is looming near. We have to have this cruise paid for by Christmas, and once paid for, we can start to schedule reservations for restaurants and shore excursions. We are halfway there!!!!! In two and a half months, it will be paid for!!!!

In honor of our halfway there payment this week....I made a countdown ticker.....

Vacation Countdown Clock Generator
Pretty soon I will be making a few more Disney themed treats for the kiddos and a couple more fish extender gifts. Caleb is really excited. Jansen is excited, but Caleb talks about it more. I know that once we get on the ship both their little minds will be blown!!! For sure mine will. 

Happy Halfway Point!

Quick Fall wreath...and a few other decorations...

Time for craftiness. I have been so miserable with my back problems that for the past 6 months at least, I have been unwilling and unable to do much of anything. My house got out of control, the laundry was mounting, I couldn't stand or sit long enough to craft anything...my life was just boring and painful.

After having my nerve block, each day has gotten better and better. Each day I wake up, I feel just that much more like ME! My house is pretty clean and it is time to get back to some crafting...especially in preparation for the best part of the year...THE HOLIDAY SEASON!!!!!

So today, I made a quick new wreath for the front door...

$3.25 total! The dollar store is the BOMB! I got all the supplies there and didn't even need to whip out my glue gun.

I love it. The exposed grapevine is the rustic look I wanted and the colors of the flowers are just perfect for Fall. How easy was this??? You can make one too...just stick a bunch of flowers into the wreath and you are done.

The extra flowers look really cute in my cloche...

And a few artificial pumpkins took the place of the candles on the candlesticks on my bar...

I also filled various containers around the house with leaves, acorns, pine cones, Fall fruit, and mini pumpkins. 

I will probably fix up my front porch a little more, but that is the extent of my Fall decor. Christmas is the time to bust out all the decor and go crazy!!!

Cool air...come our way!!!

Fall is creeping in...

Oh Fall...I love you. I am sad that I won't see you until November (probably) as our crazy Gulf Coast weather only has three variations: Hot, Hotter, and Center of the Sun Hot. 

Every year, I wait for the moment when my internal clock feels differently...when I wake up and FEEL the change inside my head. Today, I felt it. 

It was less than 90 degrees today! All day!

There was just the tiniest of Fall smells in the air, it was stunningly gorgeous outside, and there was a soft breeze drifting around my face. This is it, my friends. This is the turning point. Later on, it may still return to 95 degrees, but there is no turning back on Fall. 

Last year, I wasn't really feeling it, and why, I will never know. But this year....welcome Fall. I am so happy to see you. Give me a hug!

I got out a few decorations from storage to begin the season....

That is as far as I have gotten, but there shall be more....maybe tomorrow!