My Little Monsters

My Little Pumpkins

 We carved pumpkins  this weekend. Because C was convinced that we were the only people IN THE WORLD without a Jack-O-Lantern on our porch. And she reminded me of the fact for the past week anytime we passed a house with pumpkins.

This year both kids put their hands in the pumpkin and for the most part cleaned out their own pumpkins. YAY!

Supermom

Yesterday was one of those days when I could read those 'I-make-my-own-bread-while-my-6-kids-play-educational-games-with-homemade-play-dough-in-organic-homemade-outfits' blogs and not feel like a complete failure as a mother. For a brief moment I was part of their crowd. I made a sensory box (ok a box filled with beans and construction trucks that I found while cleaning my bedroom).

But the read piece de resistance- I DIYed a Halloween costume. Claire is now of the age where she has opinions (on everything). So of course she picked a pirate princess from her favorite Disney TV show to dress up as for Halloween. In the past I have kept their costumes more generic, less commercial but nothing could sway her from being Izzy for Halloween. So I looked up the costume. Here it is:

Simple enough. Pink shirt, purple pants, strange shoes for over your shoes and a bandanna with a wig. 

Now guess the price. No really. 

$82! 

I waited to see if it would go on sale. Bad move, apparently Izzy is the hot costume this year, and the price went from ridiculous to downright absurd. This weekend I could not only not find it in C's size but the one or two I did find were upwards of $100. for a costume she will wear 3 times? Enter sewing machine, several youtube tutorials, and rummaged and reclaimed fabric.

4 hrs later I had this:

Pretty good for my first attempt at a shirt + first puffed sleeves + made my own pattern. Plus it cost me $0.(that's right you can be amazed- call me super mom)
So C is done and now N wants me to make him a crocodile costume. I'm not so sure about that one. :/
Stay tuned for the next DIY where we make something you can't even imagine DIYing.

Apples Apples Everywhere

 We went apple picking! And have been eating apple ever since. We picked them down low, we picked them up high- and we ate them (a lot of them).

 We went with some dear friends of ours the Niccodemmi's - They have a name similar to Aunt Ami's- you just start doubling letters and you just - can't - stop.

Don't worry- we took Jimmy too this time.

 We picked a TON of apples and I have so far made Apple Pie (plus two pies worth of filling in the freezer) Apple Sauce (3 made, 1 1/2 left) And I just bought some pork since I hear pork and apples go well together. (any recipes are welcome)

Happy Birthday!

 This past weekend we celebrated.... and celebrated .... and celebrated C's 5th Birthday. She had a cake from Brooklyn's finest bakery with Grandma and Grandpa Bill. it looked like a bouquet of flowers with butterflies flying all around it. (it was truly spectacular in truth)
Then we opened gifts. We got some great school clothes and a few toys and a bright yellow rain coat!

 The bonus of having two sets of grandparents in the same town is two parties! So mommy tossed half of the flower cake that didn't get eaten and made a new cake, complete with a sprinkle filled number 5 and Cinderella candles.
Again we opened gifts. We had a mystical theme for this one completely unintentionally. She got fairy wings, a unicorn pillow pet that lights up, fairy stampers (which we haven't stopped playing with since we opened them) and stompies!
This girl shares her mother's love for 'As Seen on TV' gifts.