Last day of October aka Halloween

Halloween is not my favorite holiday so we don’t play it up a ton, but it is fun to let the girls dress up and get candy. When I was younger, and I was called Mandi, I was commonly called candy Mandi by my siblings b/c I LOVE candy. Almost all candy too – I’m not too picky. I steer clear of black licorice and the like, but sugary sweet sour candy – bring it on! Fall back with time for us tonight too! Extra hour of sleep, but that just means the girls still wake up at their normal time of 7:00am which will really now be 6:00am. So I’m convinced that us parents don’t really get an extra hour of sleep. Oh well – at least we have an extra hour to get ready for church tomorrow!

I helped out at Braelyn’s kindergarten pumpkin carnival yesterday. I ran the duck pond game. It was fun to see the kids having so much fun! Braelyn seemed to be loving it that I was there. She kept waving to me from all corners of the room. Here are some pics from the day.

Here are a few LO’s I’ve done recently as well.

Have a great Halloween weekend everyone!

MandaKay

New Blog Look

I won some new blog wear from Leah at Funky Playground Designs! Pretty festive for Halloween! Something I can use every year around this time – very fun! Thanks Leah!

It’s been a great weekend with the family this weekend! Friday night Kyle was home most the day because he is cut to 40 hrs. It was nice to have him around even though he had quite a “list” to work on this weekend. We at least got to hang out with him while we crossed off some of the things! He surprised me with a date night on Friday night – just him and I. We don’t go out just the two of us very often. When we get baby sitters it is normally for group events or trips with other couples, etc… Fri. night was just us and we needed it! I love just talking with him and connecting every once in a while – so needed in this stage in our life! After dinner we went to watch the movie Couple’s Retreat. It was funny, Vince Vaughn is always funny. I was surprised that the outcome of the movie was actually about staying married and how that is a commitment. Not that the whole movie was moral moral, but for a big Hollywoodish movie it was encouraging.

Sat. we hung out, went to Gander Mountain and Sonic for lunch! Movie night with the girls and us at night – Bedtime Stories. It’s been a cold rainy weekend so perfect for relaxing and staying inside. We had a rip roaring fire going in the fireplace. I also made yummy peanut butter cookies and used the Candy Corn Kisses on top of some instead of reg. chocolate kisses. Sam’s Club has their great peanut butter cookie kit out – makes it so easy and they are delicious.

That brings us to today – Sunday school, church, and lunch at mom’s. And as usual our Sunday night Pizza night. Tonight’s movie for Kyle and I: I Love You Man. Now that I am journaling our weekend I realized it’s been a movie weekend for sure!

And of course a blog post from me wouldn’t be the same without some scrapbook pages, so here you go.

I am trying to mentally prepare for the busy week I have ahead. We have something every night except for tomorrow night, which I guess is good because I won’t have to really make dinner all week! I can’t believe that October is almost over – can you?!

MandaKay

Weekend!

I love weekends! Especially ones with not much going on! Friday night we went to a birthday party for my niece Sadie. Saturday morning we just lounged around, did some laundry, had some homemade waffles, took nice showers and baths, and hung out. The two older girls had a princess party at Sadie’s again for just little girlfriends – they had a riot! I took Gracie and we went to a few stores for groceries. Me and the girls got McDonalds for dinner and ate it at home – YUM – my favorite! We had movie night last night – watched Hotel for Dogs. Braelyn is my only child who will sit and watch a movie in one sit. The other two girls just got a bit obnoxious, so they ended up being put to bed on time and me and Braelyn finished the movie. Braelyn then wanted to sit and look thru her scrapbooks so I was more than happy to show her! I love when they want to look thru their books. They laugh and giggle at their pictures! Today is lunch at my mom’s and then home for more relaxing! LOVE it!

I haven’t taken any photos this weekend, but have been trying to scrap some recent ones to stay caught up!

All credits can be found on each LO in my gallery (links to my galleries are on the upper right hand side of blog)! Lots of Lilypad goodies and some KStudio goodies!

Thanks for all of your support last week – it was a huge comfort to know that we all have those days. I’m so thankful that they are so momentary in the scheme of things!

Journaling Therapy

:::Disclaimer::: Hear me out – I am just needing some journaling therapy.

I have this mental picture in my head. I’m in an ocean – no land in sight. I’m treading water, but I am getting tired. The only thing above water is my head – from the chin up. It’s getting foggy and dark, there’s even a bit of mist starting to decend upon me, making me grow more and more frantic.

Can I get an AMEN? Do you ever have those days? I’m so thankful that it is just a mental picture and that it is not reality. In reality I am having a bad day. A bad week. A bad month. Aren’t we all there at some point or another? I know I am going thru this to make me stronger. To make me seek out my Creator – God. I also constantly remind myself that no matter how bad I have it, someone has it much worse right now. Some people are starving. Someone is being physically abused. Some one has lost a loved one. Someone has no home, no food, no love. It could be worse, and I pray for those people who are in the valleys.

My day started with a fender bender – my fault. I had taken the morning off to go with Braelyn to her pumpkin patch field trip. We had gotten in the fender bender on the way to her school where we would ride the bus to the patch with her class. I felt like a failure for my daughter. I was instantly flooded with feelings of failure. Not just the failure of the accident, for some reason every failure came to mind. I totally forgot the daddy night at Threeschool this week. I forgot to send Braelyn’s library book back to school on library day, I don’t spend enough quality time with Kyle, I don’t spend enough quality time with the kids, etc… etc…etc… I’m telling you they were FLOODING in. So again – that is when the mental picture of me barely treading water flashed in my mind. Work, school schedules, house, marriage, finances. So much to try to do. Trying to live up to the worlds standard of a mom/wife. Am I alone here – do you all have those days/times/seasons??? There is strength in numbers – just tell me I am not alone! :) So, we missed the bus, but we did make it to the pumpkin patch for most of the trip. I got to stay and have lunch with her and she loved it and she was so sweet and kept telling me I was the best mom – that’s what matters most! She was great and we ended up having a great time! My afternoon at work was totally busy, so that took my mind off of things for a bit! I had a night off from teaching at Wed. night church, which was much needed and Kyle went b/c he had to teach, so he took Braelyn and I just had the younger two. They played great together and I got to do my bible study, which was much needed!

I’m thankful. I’m thankful the accident wasn’t worse. I’m thankful for Braelyn and her attitude. I’m thankful for the Deputy that came. I’m thankful for health, for life, for my family and friends. I couldn’t help but wonder what you are living for if you have no belief in God and heaven. I couldn’t imagine a bad day without some hope. I did know that thru my day I had hope. I a little bit hoped for God to come back right then and there truth be told! If I didn’t know that there was so much more than this life, then I think I’d sink into a deep depression. I love HOPE.

Ok – enough. That was super therapeutic to me. I probably lost everyone who has ever read my blog, but for those of you who made it thru that – WOW. Thanks! I hope I enlightened you a little bit. I enlightened myself at least! ;) Night.

(taken tonight by Selah. Just wanted to prove to everyone that I am still smiling! Might just have a few extra bags under the eyes from random tears thru the day)

MandaKay

Mostly LO’s

Shabby Miss Jenn Designs put out a new kit this morning – it’s so cute and shabby! It’s called Pumpkinville!

Here is the LO I created with it!

The Lilypad has put out a bunch of new goodies as well – and now they have a new faster server and store!!!

Here are a few of my latest LO’s with Lilypad goodies:

(using Pea Green Boat by Kaye Winiecki)

(using Love is {Keely} by Karah Fredricks)

(Using Mac-N-Cheese Collab by Val – Spotted Dog Designs & Amy Sumrall)

Today is my busy day off from work. Braelyn is off to school, Selah has to get brought in a few minutes. Then I attend bible study with Gracyn until we pick Selah up again. Then I need to go color my mom’s hair, pick up some girls for gymnastics with Selah, and finaly by 2:00pm my day slows down a bit. Although then I should clean and do laundry and make dinner! My day is going to fly! ;) Hope you all have a busy productive day!

MandaKay

Exhausted

I feel like this is the first time I have really just sat down and relaxed since like last Tues. night! Lot’s of fun stuff this weekend! Wed. nights are always consumed with church activities. Thursday night after work we did a quick pizza dinner and then it was busy with prep stuff for the party we threw Fri. night for my daughter Gracyn! Friday morning it was school for Braelyn and Selah, running a few errands, picking Selah back up, lunch out before a Dr. appt for Gracyn! Gracyn is doing well and the Dr. was impressed by her speaking at 2 years old! Gracie was at 50% for height and weight – right where she’s always been. While the two girls had their naps I was busy making Gracyn’s birthday cake. The party pony was fun to decorate. The quests all arrived and I was mostly ready. We had a taco bar, guacamole, and Spanish rice. Gracyn was surrounded by family to celebrate her 2nd year of life! She loved every minute I think! She received a lot of great new outfits and some cute little toys that she has been playing with today! Today we hit the morning running. Kyle took Braelyn and Selah all over town – doughnuts, visit to their Great Grandma, Home Depot’s kid project morning, and a few other places. I got my workout in with Gracyn, cleaned up a bit around the house, cut my nephew’s hair, showered, and then got lunch ready. After lunch we hung out for a bit, and then it was time to hit the Pumpkinfest parade in town! The girls scored LOTS of candy and they enjoyed the Critter Barn animals downtown as well! So tonight is finally just a home night. The kids were in bed by 8:00pm! Tomorrow is another fun day of church activities and then we are heading to the apple orchard! It’s been raining all weekend on and off, so we are hoping tomorrow’s rain holds off in the early afternoon! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend so far!

Parade:

:::Scrapping Related:::

The October BYOC is here at The-Lilypad!!! I love BYOC time! And the October guest designer is Nathy – Cinnamon Designs! I was gifted with this kit recently by Nathy – she is the sweetest! I had answered a question in a forum about what kit you would buy if you could only buy 1. I answered that I would buy her Aquamarine kit.

Isn’t it so pretty?! I have used it for some LO’s in my vacation shutterfly book! So, welcome Nathy – can’t wait to play with more of your goodies!

I created a couple LO’s with the new BYOC:

Here’s to a good rest of your weekend everyone!