Happy Halloween!

I have never really decorated for holidays besides Christmas. I really only have seasonal decorations. This year I was determined to have some Halloween decorations. So I started cruising some home decor blogs, and found this idea.

Then I was off to DI to find a cheap, yet suitable for my needs picture and frame. I finally found one for $15 on my 3rd trip to DI. YEAH! The picture was some hideous modern thing I was happy to cover with tinfoil. So I spray painted the frame black (gloss), and cut my tinfoil squares. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to hang in front of it, until I found a grapevine wreath on sale at Robert's. I spray painted that black (flat) too. I hung it from some silver/grey and black striped ribbon I already had from something or other. Then I found some black birds at the dollar store. I put one inside the wreath and strung cobwebs and put plastic spiders on it.

When my ward had their Super Saturday activity I signed up to make the "spooky" blocks. (On the reverse side it says "thanks".) However that night I also helped with a holiday treat demonstration, so I didn't have much time to get my blocks done. I had only painted them. I finally decided to do them in all black and white/tan. I think they turned out awesome.

I knew I wanted some candlesticks with taper candles, but I couldn't find what I wanted. I finally found some crystal candlesticks at Walmart for $4. I bet you can guess what I did next. Yep! I spray painted them black (gloss). I bought some red candles and spray painted them black (flat) too. Then when I burned the candles, it looked like they were "bleeding". Kind of morbid, I know. But I thought my mantle looked great for Halloween.

Crystal, Gracie, and Stephen in front of my "Spooky" Halloween-ly Decorated mantle.

We also carved pumpkins. Kate liked digging the "guts" out with her hands.

Andie prefered a spoon. The girls divided out the pumpkin seeds and we roasted them. The girls didn't know if they would like them, but they did.

Andie had said all along that she was going to be Minnie Mouse again this year, but 2 days before her preschool party she decided she wanted to be a bunny. I told her that would mean she would have to dress all in pink. She consented, and we found a set with bunny ears, bow tie, and a tail. She was the cutest bunny ever.

Kate wanted to be a witch, and I had intentions of making her a witch tutu, but I got sick and ran out of time. Luckily Angie let me borrow a darling witch costume. Kate loved it.

And she was the cutest witch I've ever seen!

The girls were so ready to go trick-or-treating, it was like they were already on a sugar high. And trying to get them to calm down, was almost impossible.

Luckily Rob took them out, and I stayed home and handed out candy.

Good for me because it was cold and rainy, and I still wasn't feeling great.

Ready to go, with whiskers and a nose.

Friday night, Rob and I were invited to a costume party. We weren't sure what to dress up as, but I came up with this.

Juno & Paulie Bleeker

Kate took this picture with my phone, so it's not the best.

Someone took some at the party, so hopefully I'll get a copy.

Before and After

Earlier this summer I found this vanity at a yard sale. I'd been looking for things I could refinish or spray paint, and couldn't pass this up. It was mine for only $20!

So, after spending time disassembling, sanding, trying not to lose pieces, painting, and varnishing. It is done. I spent about $20 in paint and varnish, and another $18 because the girls broke the mirror. It didn't end up being as cheap as I had hoped for, but it turned out beautifully and is now sitting in the girls' bathroom.

I think it turned out great, and I LOVE it.

And so does Kate!

The Girls' First Day of School

Kate's first day of first grade was August 25th. True to form, she had her outfit and hair picked out days in advance. The night before we put curlers in her hair, and she had to sleep on them. These are definitely not the most comfortable curlers to sleep on, so I let her use my neck pillow, and she ended up putting her face in the hole most of the night.

She was so excited to be going to school "all day, and not just half of the day."

The thing she was most excited for was not recess,

it was not music class,

or science class,

or even getting to use the school library.

(Look at that posing. I promise I did not encourage this. She comes up with it all on her own.)

The thing she was most excited for was school lunch.

She was so excited to go to school and eat lunch there, and be there all day. She loves her teacher, and loves learning.

Andie's first day of preschool wasn't until about 2 weeks later. As you can imagine, this seemed like forever for this four-year-old. Every day she would wake up and ask, "Do I get to go to preschool today?" Every day I'd say no, and tell her how many days until preschool started.

True to form, Andie couldn't have cared less about what outfit she was wearing, or how her hair was fixed for the first day of preschool.

In fact, right before we took these pictures, she had a complete meltdown because I had put a bow in her hair. Heaven forbid I do such a thing!

She finally stopped crying when I told her I'd take the bow out after pictures, and that she wouldn't have to wear the bow to preschool.

See, no bow and she's as happy as can be.

She was so excited to go to preschool. She had met her teacher a few days before, and was happy to walk right in, hang up her jacket and backpack, and start playing.

She is growing up way too fast.

P.S. There are more pictures of Kate's first day simply because Kate is more cooperative in front of the camera. Andie was done after about 5 pictures. Kate would have let me take tons more.

On Conference weekend we went up into the mountains and attempted to take some family pictures. This one is one of my favorites. I love Andie's face in this. LOVE!