One for you

OK more on gifts, but this time instead of urging you to buy them, I'll share a super simple but very impressive gift you can make.

Decoupage. Oh don't look so shocked, I could have said macrame you know.

The basic tools: Mod Podge or other type of decoupage glue, available at any craft store or probably at walmart. Papers, I love using the pretty tissues that you get your china wrapped up in when you buy dishes from outlet stores, however, you can use any pretty papers such as scrap booking paper, holiday napkins, or wrapping paper. I personally prefer thinner tissue type papers rather than good sturdy scrapping paper, but it will all work.Something to decorate. For this project we have made a number of journals. I got blank journals with hard covers for $1 each at Michael's Craft Store, I'm sure you could find suitable books at the $1 store or decorate things like mini photo albums or even picture frames. I was fortunate to find journals that had the metal spiral binding that allowed me to completely remove the covers and then put them back on later. You can do this on books with non-removable covers, you'll just have to take care not to spill glue over the pages.This book had lovely stiff covers, but was also graces with burnt orange and brown designs... I simply covered the covers with stiff card stock before starting to decorate with my tissues.Choose some papers with motifs that you like and start cutting them out, bits and pieces from a variety of papers can look really nice. I cut out fine work like the flowers and like the look of ripping motifs from scrap booking papers, such as the words in the above book. Also, when I rip the paper, I like to use a tinting marker to color the ripped edges. I will also rip strips from the tissues for stripes and bands. It's all up to you really.

It's time to get messy. You'll need a big-ish paint brush, or even better one of those small foam brush things, they are usually about .20 at craft stores and work really well for evenly applying large areas of glue. After a trial layout start gluing, you will apply a coat of the mod podge all over the cover and begin laying your paper designs on. Decoupage is all about being loose... don't get all huffed up if your papers wrinkle or the lay out changes from your original plan... and layer! I think it's nice to start with a large motif and then layer, layer, layer, on top and around it. Glue, lay stuff on, cover it with more glue, lay more stuff on, and on and on.

For your last layers of glue, you will want to pay close attention that you anchor down any edges or thick pieces. Also, depending on how much you wrapped around the edge of the covers, you may like to cut one piece of paper to fit inside and glue that down, just for a clean inner cover (hint: I often use one sheet of the paper from the journal...it fits exactly and gives a nice place for an inscription if you so desire). Once everything is dry, just reassemble the journals.
The one on the top left is what Jessi made (with help, yes, but she did all the cutting and most of the gluing) for her teacher. Of course you are not limited to books, here is a wooden star that we picked up for less than $1 at a craft store and then decorated both sides
Here is a little trinket box that Joey and I did.

I'm sure I left out some vital part of the directions, so if you are interested and have a question, just leave a comment and I'll try to clarify it or take more pictures!

Hymns and help

OH I have so much to say and share and talk about but this is gooing to have to be a quick post.

let me be to the point. i love hymns, i miss hymns, sometimes i'm so frustrated that if i could find a church who actually sang good hymns i'd go there regardless of the flavor of church.

so, please, i want recommendations of recordings i can get of good hymns... and to be a bit more picky, I would like them to be singing not instrumental, i would like them to be sort of "normal" in that they aren't fancy arrangments, but more what you would sing in church, finally, if they could be kid friendly that would be great. that doesn't mean falsely peppy, just listener friendly. My kids can enjoy good music, not just "kid music" (for instance, they know by heart most of the music from Sound of Music, even the slow songs) but I'm not sure they will be tempted to sing along with slow or operatic type music.

So really, is there such a thing out there? is it possible for my kids to grow up in this age of 7-11 praise choruses and still learn the great hymns? thanks!

Ummmm...

Ok here's the deal, I have a rough draft of a Halloween rant, thoughts on a movie review (The Business of Being Born), or the option to do another shameless promo for one of my WAHM friends.


Guess which one won?


The thing is, I've actually already blogged about Tara's soaps before but that's ok, they are SO super-duper that they deserve another spot, especially in light of gift-giving season.


First off, these are home made soaps, not glycerin melt-n-pour from the craft store. They are made from goat's milk and are simply divine. They are good for your skin and smell good enough to eat--although, and trust me on this one, they do NOT taste as good as they smell.



Now, in order for this recommendation to carry the proper weight, you must understand that I am cheap beyond all measure and to pay $6 for a bar of soap.... it ain't happenin'. Except... that this soap lasts and lasts and lasts! I got five bars last fall to use as Christmas gifts... and then couldn't give them away (more on this later) and I just now finished my last bar. Now that is just me using them, not the whole family, but still.



So here it is, gifting season once again, and Tara has absolutely outdone herself. She has mini-gift sets of a soap and handmade wooden soap dish for under $10, and a full-on gift basket for under $25--get this-- INCLUDING SHIPPING!

I challenge you to think outside the box and instead of doing another Bath and Bodyworks gift, to go to Tara's shop and check out her goods. You will be buying American, supporting a Christian work-at-home-mom, and getting a very high quality product. Only one warning note... if this is intended for a gift, you may want to take advantage of her shipping directly to the recipient option. Everything she sells is packaged so carefully that it truly does not need any additional wrapping from you and I'm telling you, if you get it and smell it, you will have a HARD time not keeping it for yourself!
Tara's Store

Shameless Promotion

In case you haven't noticed, I'm big on supporting small home businesses (since I are one ;-P) and I'm very, very please to highly recommend my great friend Lisa and her graphic business called "UnOrdinary Life." Now, if you read here much, you know that I am into photo-editing and digital scrapping, etc. But I have to tell you, Lisa can do wonders. I was pleased to have her design our family Christmas cards last year, and I'm pushing for all of you to take advantage of her skill and get your personalized cards done with her this year.

I'll give the link in a minute, but first I have to gush some more. When I say "personalized", I don't mean pick from a list of premade templates, I mean totally custom. Your colors, your designs, your total choice. You describe your idea (classic, humerous, victorian, retro, modern, etc) and she will create it. I think what I most admire about Lisa's sense of design is that she can do such different work. My card last year--disembodied heads cleverly perched atop snowmen bodies--totally us, whacky and funny. Some of her customs cards from this year--totally classy, deep rich colors, formal designs.

Oh! photo editing. Anyone with more than two people in their family knows that it is pretty much impossible to have everyone's eyes open at the same time. Throw small children or babies into the mix and you are pretty much hosed. Doesn't matter. Really. Send Lisa the one shot of you and Sally looking nice, the other shot of Daddy and baby looking nice, and that final shot where the dog is looking at the camera instead of licking himself, and she will merge them together and create a perfect family portrait!

Lest you think that I'm getting a kick-back from this advertisement, let me assure you that I'm not, I just REALLY believe in her work.

Here's the website, her prices are extremely reasonable and all the printing is professionally done at one of the biggest professional labs in the country.
UnOrdinary Life

Election day

Today is voting day and I am still undecided. Well, I suppose I'll end up voting for the lady who's sign has been in our yard for several weeks, but I'm not happy about it.

I'm trying to find a balance and not be "Single-issue voter" but it seems like the candidate that I like very much in some areas I really do NOT like in other areas. It all comes down to voting for the lesser of two evils, I know that, but on which set of "evils" do I weigh my choice?

I have very little brain space to devote to this anyway, I am torn between doing my civic duty and the niggling thoughts that it all really doesn't matter anyway, the stupid politicos are going to do what they want to do anyway and I'm so far in right field (and to complicate matters, have a few ideologies that are distinctly left-field) that no one is going to accurately represent me anyway.

I think the thought that will actually be what drives me to juggle the kids and make it out to the polls tonight is the fact that for all our faults and inconsistencies, the USA is still the one country in the world that people are willing to risk their lives to get into. That motivates me to celebrate my freedom by doing my part.

And I do fully realize that I'm so far behind the Disney postings that I'll probably be finishing them in time for our next trip, planned for 4 years from now.

Happy Birthday Dean!

We interrupt the regularly scheduled Disney Journal in order to talk about Dean's 18th Birthday!

Dean celebrated his 18th birthday on Friday. It's amazing to think that he's been "ours" for nearly 2.5 years now.

He decided that he wanted Sushi for his birthday dinner and since the closest he's going to get to that in MY house is a can of tuna or a frozen fishstick, Jeff took us all out to dinner.

Here is Dean and his girlfriend, Erin. Joey had a ball. I couldn't believe how much he ate. He ate the tofu chunks out of my miso soup, he ate steak, chicken, veggies, shrimp, and rice. Jeff explained that he should bring his mouth to the food instead of the food to his mouth... to minimize spillage with the chopsticks. Joey took this to heart. Joy also enjoyed herself. She loves to eat. She's my smallest child so far, yet can out-eat them all. She also had tofu, soup, rice, chicken, and fish. We were mean though and didn't let her use her own chopsticks. That is Jeff's hand you feeding her.
Jessi moaned and groaned about being hungry (but would have no part of any of the appetizers) and when her food finally came, she ate more than I have every seen her eat in one sitting. Seriously. Chicken and rice, then some rice and chicken. To finish off, she had a bit more chicken, and a bit more rice. Deano got a big old platter of bait. I mean sushi. More power to him. I did that once, in college, in Baltimore, with Tom McCasland and (I think) Jason Miller. Once was enough.

We had mentioned to the waitress that we were here to celebrate a birthday, so at the end of the meal she brought him icecream with a candle and sang to him. She also brought ice cream for the kids. It was SO yummy, mango icecream.
I guess the one remaining part of his birthday fun is to go in and register for selective service. Hey, I wonder if he can just do it online? I'll have to check.

funny kids and disney, part 2 (townhouse, Medieval Times, Downtown Disney)

The other day I had some music playing and I knew I had put on my "kid stuff" playlist. Joey asked if a certain song was Jimmy Buffet and without even stopping to listen, I said no (since I knew i had put on the kids playlist, not a Jimmy Buffet playlist). Joey cocked his head, listened again and said, "Mom, I DO think that is Jimmy Buffet." So I listened and sure enough it was (I forgot that there are one or two JB songs on the kid's list) so I said, "wow buddy, you are right!" To which he matter of factly replied, "You know mom, I AM a parrot-head!"

Today we got a box in the mail and i opened it partway up to see what it was. I saw a package with computer stuff and the term "dvd" on it and told the kids it was just the new "cd-dvd thingy for the computer". Joey, without missing a beat, said, "I think you mean 'new disk drive' mom."

well, umm, yes, actually that IS what I meant.

Apparently he's a tech-head as well.

Ok my last Disney post talked about the train ride. In case I didn't make it clear, it was sooooo WORTH it. I should make a commercial. I wonder if I refer enough people if Amtrak will give me my next trip free?

We arrived in Sanford Florida on Friday morning, got off the train, visited the station's facilities (mustn't ever let an opportunity to go potty pass you by!) and I took the kids out to the play ground. We were only out there for a few minutes when I heard them announce our car number (they put a big magnetic sticker on the side when you turn your car over, then they use that as your call number later). We hopped in and headed for Orlando. Sanford is only about 20 miles or so to Orlando and it was still super early--the train had arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule and then our car had been unloaded rather quickly. We got to the outskirts of Orlando and decided to stop for a bigger breakfast at Denny's, something to hold us over until our big dinner that evening.

I will say that this was our first day and that we had not yet learned that while adults may be able to eat a lot at one sitting and save it for later, the little ones really just can't manage that. more on that later...sigh.

I was very grateful for making good time and for the fact that the touristy parts of Orlando are actually quite easy to navigate, but our problem was that we arrived way too early. Our check-in for our townhouse wasn't until 4 pm... and it was only 11 am. We went ahead to the realtor and did the paperwork for the townhome, went to the discount ticket place and got the disney tickets, went to the resort and located our townhouse and got our gate pass, tried the keycode (which didn't work since we were 4 hours early), drove past the Medieval Times place so we could know what kind of a trip to be prepared for in the evening, then went to Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney is a place that I learned about while doing my research for the trip. Essentially, it's a huge shopping area, but it's very entertaining to just walk around. There is a humongous Disney store, a Lego store, a number of toy stores, and much, much more. It was a great way to get into the "disney mood" on arrival day since we wouldn't start the parks until the next day.

On Friday evening we went to the Medieval Times Dinner Show. It was pretty cool. If you have ever been to Dixie Stampede or the like, it is very similar, except themed around knights. The performances where very interesting, lots of horses and jousting and sword fighting. We were cheering for the Blue Knight. I have to say we got a really great dinner, the kid's tickets are less $$ than the adults but they got the very same meal, also, even though we had not purchased a ticket at all for the baby, the waitress (sorry, just can't bring myself to call her our "wench") brought out some of everything for her too, a whole serving of soup, bread, potato, and even a rib. The only thing Joy didn't get was a half a chicken. I don't really think she missed it though. From left to right- Dean (our oldest), Anthony (Dean's friend who we brought along so they could go off and not leave Dean stuck with the us and the under-six crowd), Joey, Jeff, Jessi, Joy, and me. You love the blue crowns, don't you? You wish YOU had some. There was a time when certain people reading this blog would have gladly worn these crowns to class or the dining hall. You know who you are.

Pictures of the kids getting ready to go out and swim in the rain (hey, wet is wet, and we are on vacation after all!). This was our little splash pool at the townhouse.

Joy is just so stinking cute in this swimsuit. She hasn't yet learned that horizontal stripes add unwanted inches to her figure.The resort had two big playgrounds, although we only ever made it to one. It was very neat, castle themed as you can see. Here is the entrance complete with a drawbridge and moat.Joy riding the dragon in the moat.Jeff and the littles playing chess.

I won't post pictures of the inside of the house, you can see them hhttp://www.floridasunvacationhomes.com/property_vh.asp?Rooms=3&ID=13365&AD=4/5/2008&DD=4/10/2008ere. and my fancy little link on the word "here" didn't work. oh well.

Ok, pics of Downtown Disney are we are done with this post.

The Lego store had so many neat sculptures. The kids riding a train.Joey. He's so serious. I wish the child would just lighten up sometimes.

Bye for now. next time it will be the first day in the parks--Magic Kingdom!