I Love You Because...

Homemade Gifts 2011

Speaking of traditions, this one is another one of my all time favorite traditions... HOMEMADE GIFTS! Every year My siblings and I homemake our gifts to eachother. Every year it's different and fun and always heartfelt. It just brings such a personal touch to the gifts and puts their personalities in our lives and in our homes. We went to Florida a few weeks ago for my nieces baptism and it was so fun to see the same decorations and family themes decorating their house too. As I was getting ready for this post I realized that in EVERY room in my house you can see evidence of homemade gifts over the years.... 

A tableloth pieced by Teri in Owen's room.

In our living room, Sean's Photography... (I wish I had more!) 

In my kitchen, Emily's recipe boxes (she took all my Grandmother's and Mother's recipes, typed them up, printed them and laminated them for us one year... This is probably the MOST USED GIFT EVER!!) 

In our entryway, from April and Gentry the ledges (he made those!) and from Spring and Sean the Santa cross-stitch (yeah, crazy, I know but, I love it!) and that picture of Christ? It's cross-stitched as well, My Mom made it for me 15+ years ago. (now are your starting to see where we get the craziness from?) 

and in every bedroom, This year Teri and Chad gave us Christmas Pillowcases... (the kids are so mad at me because I took them off today to wash them.)

This year my Mom also made me a Santa Quilt, it's in Lorali's room and it's so beautiful. Santa's from around the world, all appliqued on, I LOVE IT! ...

This year Sean and Spring gave us a super thoughtful gift, it's a little candy cane countdown to Christmas, exactly like the one I grew up with (makes me smile every time I see it.)...

Then Emily really out-did herself this year, I have no idea how the heck she found the time to make this with her busy schedule but, I'm not complaining it's perfect and I have the perfect spot for it this fall in my entryway...

and what did I make this year? All November my dining room was turned into a leather workshop, Yep, more leather projects just like last year. I now realize how my Grandpa had it as his lifelong hobby. It's addictive! I already have ideas for projects to keep me busy all year. This time it was just for adults... Blank Leather Books. Fishing Logs, Hiking Logs or Journals, whatever they're used for they're all personalized. 

I've already made some for most of the grandkids but decided not to give them at Christmas but to give them to the kids one at a time for thier birthday's this year...

and for Dad's birthday I made him a few more Fly Fishing Reel Pouches... 

Now, I'm off to start planning for next year! 

 

 

 

 

 

Cute Clown

Fall Fun

Last night Phil and Alicia and the kids came over for some Chili, Caramel Apples and Pumpkin decorating. Soo much fun. We are loving living closer to them and being able to see them more. I mean seriously, do you see those cute faces? 

Instead of carving pumpkins this year we opted to pull out a few craft supplies and paint them instead, the idea was that it would be less messy, less time consuming and the kids could do it on thier own..... WRONG! Paint took forever to dry, they still needed help poking holes for pipe cleaners or adding more glue, and the paint? yeah, it's all over the garage floor (thank you Ethan!) BUT.... that being said. The kids were adorable and it was totally worth the time and effort. Everyone had a blast. 

My favorite pumpkin of the night? Owen's cute little bear. Really, he is cuter then his bear but he loves it so much there's nothing to do but smile at them both. 

 

Easy as pie, err... krispies!

My kids are so easy to please... a few rice krispies, a little black melting chocolate and a couple tic tacs go a LONG way in entertaing them! Our ward does The Halloween Phantom just like my home ward in did every year growing up and I LOVE THAT! Our new ward? It's the best. This was our little treat, the only problem was that the kids didn't want us to share them. 

(you should start the Halloween Phantom in your neighborhood, kids love it and  there's still time! Here's a great printable one.) 

A Dead Man's Chest

 

This year's party was the least stressful one I've ever hosted. It was a blast and I honestly wouldn't change a thing! It was unscripted but because the company had other 'goals' to the game it made the flow so much easier then other unscripted Murder Mystery Parties we've had in the past.

You can see/download more pictures of this years party HERE.

and a little trip down memory lane.... 

A Taste of Translyville Terror (2010)

2009 Decor here. 

Flapper and Gangsters (2008) aka- the year Joanna tried to please everyone... and failed.

In the Crystal Palace Saloon (2007)

Another Pirate Party (2006) 

Trick or Treat

Mickey Mouse, Rapunzel and An Indian Chief. (Like Chief Mountain he says.) 

A Taste of Translyville Terror - Murder Mystery Party 2010

This years festivities were stress-free and so much fun. The game was wonderful, the food was yummy and the company was the best!

The setting? Dracula's castle in Transylville. One banquet table this year, everything black, white and silver with a little drop of red mixed in for fun. Lots of skulls.

The food?

Appetizers;
   Monster Meatballs, Witch fingers and blood a blood bath,  Mouldy Dip with Bread, Mini Chicken Pie Pockets, Fruit.

Main Dish;
    Honey Baked Ham, Orange Rolls, Sweet Corn Souffle', Crunchy Cabbage Salad, Potato Fingers

Dessert;
   Spider Cheesecake, Bloody Balls (Cherry Layered Dessert) and Witchy Fingers.

 

The Cast?

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde and his lab assistant aka James and Andrea.

Gomez and  Morticia Von Adums aka Chris and Jenn.

Dracula and his Bride aka Jon and Kerry.

Kruella DeVille aka Jaime.

 The Wicked Witch and 'Franky' aka Jamie and Jeremy.

(I didn't get a picture of them together, which is a shame because together they were the best costumes of the night!)

Poison Ivy and her maker aka Ginny and Bryan.

Certainly an evening to remember and so much fun to be with such great friends. I love this little tradition of ours. 

10 hrs to go

If you need me this is where I'll be for the next 8 hrs. Hopefully then it will look dramatically better.

Halloween Books.

I've written about our Christmas tradition of getting a new book every year... this Halloween tradition kinds stems from that, it just overflowed a bit. Seasonal books are so fun and it's a special treat to pull out books that have been put away in the decoration box all year long. It renews a love for reading every season and as long as the books are good, I see no harm in it! This year, they're all on display on the piano for the kids to grab anytime they want... and they do!

Witch, Witch come to my Party... we got this one a few years ago because my big sister had it and I loved hearing her son read it when he was four... (Man, I miss that Rhode Island days.) The pictures are beautiful and the story is adorable but, I'm warning you.... you have to read it with different voices for each character. Trust me, it makes it way better!

Every year we have the kids got trick or treating at our house and put in a present in their bags instead of a treat (they already get too many candy as it is!) Sometimes it's a new DVD, or a new shirt, just something little but something just for them, Last year we added Pumpkin Hill and Go Away, Big Green Monster to Lorali's and Owen's bags. Pumpkin Hill is a cute silly fall story, great for reading at story time to the Kindergartners. Go Away Big Green Monster is Owen's favorite book right now. He loves reading it to himself and I love that Ethan can sit down and actually read it to him and not even realize he's just read an entire book! 

Goodnight Goon is new this year and my favorite, I couldn't wait until Halloween to give it because it was just too fun to save. It's a Halloween Parody on the classic Goodnight Moon book, it's witty and the illustrations are so cute.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You - Scary Stories is part of a series we're slowly buying for Ethan to help his reading and is confidence, I read one line in Blue, He reads the next line in Red, the correlate and rhyme and match up telling little stories that are silly and fun. The Illustrations are perfect. They show just enough to keep kids interested but not enough to give away the entire story. (which really encourages Ethan's reading) 

I have a few picked out for this years treat bags... but I'm open for suggestions before I finish off my amazon order so speak up! What are your favorite Halloween books? 

Little Lymrics.

Okay so those tombstones I posted earlier this week? Yeah, they're pretty awesome and yeah, I designed them and went through a lot of trial and error to get them out of my head and into peoples hands so yeah, I'm pretty proud of them. But... the truly creative part? The part that made them come to life? That part was all Husbandface. He personally wrote all the little lymrics for each person individually. He's got some mad skills in the poetry department. 

Ginny was killed by some thieves
And now her community grieves
But a new identity death gives -
As Poison Ivy she lives
Wearing nothing but vines and some leaves! 

 

Here lies a man named James
Whose ship went down in flames
Now, when he drinks the strange brew
He gains the personalities of two:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are their names. 

 

This is where Kerry Lynn died
Oh how long the masses cried!
She descended from above
Now a vampire’s love,
Alive as Dracula’s Bride!

 

Jon Cottrell was no stick in the mud,
But he died in a raging flood
Amidst the circling crows,
That night he arose
As Dracula looking for blood! 

 

Jamie was left dead in a ditch
Burned alive at the stake on the pitch
All Salem was surprised
When soon ‘twas realized
She’s still alive as the wickedest Witch! 

 

The eulogy from Jeremy’s preacher
Said he was quite an eloquent teacher
But his body, all swollen
Was surreptitiously stollen
And now he’s Frankenstein’s creature! 

 

Here lies Chris Brooks ever more.
His body was found washed ashore.
From death’s ethereal prison
A butler has arisen,
As Lurchio he answers the door! 

 

Here lies Jen Smither now dead
She took a nasty blow to the head
Where death had defamed her
Reanimation reclaimed her
as Morticia Von Adams retread! 

 

Rest in Peace beloved Chris Smither
In this box his body did wither
Morticia awaits
Through the family gates
For Gomez Von Adams to slither!

 

An amusement ride gave too much thrill,
Now Jaime’s in the Big Chill
When finally she thaws
Wearing clothes made of paws
She arises as Cruella DeVille!

And my personal favorite?? MINE! My character is the murder victim this year with everyone trying to find my murderer...  I can't wait to pull this out every year as part of our Halloween decorations.  

Virginia Vestalata here rests
A beauty with perfect-shaped breasts
From the tower she fell
While rang the church bell
Can the mystery be solved by our guests?