hello fall! so happy you're here!

The past three days have FINALLY felt like FALL!!!!Im so excited! Fall has always been my favorite time of the year.I took the girls outside yesterday to play in the leaves a bit.Well,what leaves we had after Kevin cut the grass earlier.Ha!

Zoe had a blast!

I think Fall must be her favorite time of hte year as well!

She tossed leaves into the air.

She jumped in the leaves.

Amelie took a while to warm up to the idea of throwing the leaves.(She would much rather play on the swing set) BUT she eventually "helped" with the rake for a bit.

Then she finally threw a handful at Zoe!

Hopefully over the next few days we will get more leaves to play in,since there weren't as many this time.I look forward to,Fall Birthday parties,Trips to the pumpkin patch on our annual "pumpkin day breakfast" ,Halloween party planning,halloween costumes,Zoe's first Halloween party at preschool,hot apple cider,and hot coa coa, warm homemade pumpkin pie,pretty scarves,new Fall clothes,watching each day as the gorgeous Fall leaves change color,Thanksgiving dinner with family,Thanksgiving day parades on TV,Baking treats for Thanksgiving dinner with the girls...oh Fall I really am happy you are finally here!

Sunday morning traditions..

Sunday mornings.Around here they are spent busily getting the girls and family prepared for church.Shiny shoes are always worn by Zoe and Amelie and my aunt always gets them adorable dresses to wear.

I know that church isn't about wearing pretty clothes,but I think it is a tradition in the South. Especially in the African-American churches.Plus it feels good to look your best for the Lord. Every Sunday morning I get the girls ready for church and I finish preparing my activity for the kids at children's church.After church we usually head to my parents house for a big Sunday dinner.These are a few of my favorite Sunday traditions.Traditions I think keep our family in love.I truly thank God that we are able to hold some things so dear,especially when they involve praising Him!

Have a very happy Sunday!
<3

happy saturday to you!

it's the weekend.but we all know mom's jobs never stop! i think i will bake some more of these today to slow things down a bit.

i made these a few weeks ago YUM!
happy weekend to you all!

a little bit of nature and happy mail

I was pulling out of the driveway yesterday and I noticed something in the neighbors yard,a gorgeous,big,white mushroom!

I hadn't seen it the day before and I was amazed at seeing it in someone's yard(since it was so big) usually I see little ones here and there.I guess all the rain we have been getting lately is helping nature grow a bit quicker!

So, I made note that when I got back home I would take a few pictures of it. I really thought it was pretty! For some reason it reminded me of a wee little fairy house?! Can't you just picture a cute little fairy living under it?!

It definitely makes the changing Fall landscape a little more magical and well...cute!
After taking a few pictures I went to get the mail and was happy to find only one bill(instead of ten) and two happy Fall magazines!(Martha Stewart Living and The Land of Nod)

(and isn't it ironic that the Martha Stewart cover had pumpkins turned into mushrooms?!
So excited for the October issue of "Living" BUT I must admit there weren't as many Halloween ideas in it as last year's issue(I did however see an advertisement in it to get the special "Halloween" issue?! So I guess that's where all the goodies went this time!Ha! There were a FEW things I can possibly use as ideas for the Halloween party at Zoe's pre-school so that helps a bit.Oh,did I mention that I had a moment of temporary crafty ,party -pants insanity and signed up to help with ALL of the parties at Zoe's school?! HA! I know I'm crazy...but, it seemed like a good chance to get to meet some of the other moms,and make stuff for the kids in Zoe's class.I dunno? I'm sure it will be fun.

ps has anyone ever made cupcake pops? was it hard?how did they turn out?

sick days...

Zoe was sick Tuesday and Wednesday,she seems to be better today.She went to preschool this morning but still has a bit of a stuffy nose,now it looks like Amelie will soon be sick too(her nose sounds yucky especially when trying to nurse:( Sick days for little ones in our house are the same for both girls,lots of cuddles,favorite movies (for Zoe)

Some sort of medicine,vitamins,lots of temperature taking.

Yummy soups(sometimes homemade,sometimes store bought)

And lots of lounging around with favorite dollies.

And of course lots of prayers sent up to heaven to help our little girls out!
Today I am watching Amelie to see if a cold is in fact on the way,attempting to catch up on house work,trying to possibly make a few ribbon bows and flower clips to add to the stash for this falls craft festivals,and I will be making yunmy beef enchiladas for dinner tonight,however I'm not sure what time poor Kevin will get off today since he got called in?!

putting myself to the test...

WOW! Today I had my first test in the teaching class I am taking this semester.I have spent the past five days in some sort of crazy daze studying every spare second I get! The other night when Zoe woke up so sick,I was holding her in one arm,Amelie woke up,so I was holding her in the other arm,and somehow looking over flash cards,with my book light! I as a very silly sight indeed.I'm very happy the first test is behind me! And I can once again use paper

and pencils for more creative ventures....at least until it's time to study for the next test!

I also talked to my Education Major counselor this morning and discovered that if I take classes full time,I will be able to graduate with my associates degree at the end of next year! So I have a lot to think about as far as school goes...full time school will be very hard since I'm a mommy of two,but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" right?! So I shall put this issue into prayer. BUT, today wasn't all about my educational endeavors ,Zoe also had a mini play date with Zoe...(yes her friends name is Zoe) (she thinks this is so funny!) We had a very god time and can't wait to do something else with Zoe and her mom! Any way...
Good night blog land! Tonight I am working on a fun creative gift for the girlies,I will hopefully get to share with you all soon!

the sun will come out...

So after days upon days of rain,we finally had a break yesterday and the glorious sun came out! As soon as we saw that the sun was back,we raced to get our shoes on and out the door to the backyard we went.Amelie insisted on bringing the bubbles so we spent some time playing with them on our teensy tinsy patio.

Amelie has finally got the hang of doing the big bubble wand,and she would not share it with Zoe at all! The girls also insisted on wearing their beloved dress up frocks to play in.AS you can see by Amelie's glorious pink tutu.

WE had a lot of fun playing with the bubbles,but boy was it HOT and HUMID out there!!! JEEZ! I think we only played for about 45 minutes then we had to come in!

Zoe did well playing with the small wand (since little Amelie refused to share the big one!)

So happy to see the sun,so happy to play outside again before it starts to get too cold.

Speaking of cold(s) ,Zoe is now sick :( (oh how quickly things change right?!) I kinda knew it was coming,as she kept telling me her throat was scratchy and she kept sniffing the whole time we were playing outside. I was up ALL night ,AND i have to finish studying for my first test in my class..And I"m sure Amelie will be sick as soon as Zoe's cold is over...le sigh. HEAVEN HELP ME!!!!:( I'm exhausted.But at least there's some sunshine again today.Right?!

rainy day craft.

Like I have mentioned in all my posts lately Fall in coming our way,in the form of RAINING EVERY DAY!!!! And like I've also been mentioning,instead of getting upset at the rain,we are trying our best to embrace it. Friday I remembered reading about "coffee filter rainy art" So,while Amelie napped,Zoe and I got our supplies together.
For this project you will ned:
markers
coffee filters
rain drops or a wet just rained on ground

ok here's how to make "coffee filter,rain,tye-dye art"
First we got our markers and coffee filters together.(Kevin and I don;t drink coffee so we used a ton of them)

Next,flatten out your coffee filter.

And THEEEEEN...color color color like crazy!!!!

By the time we got done coloring the rain drops had stopped but left us plenty of wet grass and puddles. While the original directions for this craft say to put the colored filters out in the rain drops, we improvised and put them in the grass.

Then on a wet part of the drive way (Zoe put some directly in puddles and they just kinda faded,but I didn't have the heart to tell her they were a bit messed up ha!)

After you are done let them dry ,they turn out really pretty and look like tye-dye art.

Im trying to figure out what to do with ours .I kinda want to string them together and hang them from the ceiling?
Any way,after we were done Zoe HAD to jump in a puddle to celebrate!!

YAY! Have a great day,hope you try this project the next time it gets rainy!!

relaxing.our way..

Right now as I am typing Kevin is in the bedroom playing his guitar...

The girls love when he plays his guitar,as do I.Sometimes he plays such pretty songs all I wanna do is curl up and go to sleep! These pictures are from the other night.(and yes the girls are wearing christmas pajamas lol)

Maybe one day the girls will learn to play the guitar too.

Today has been a world wind.I'm exhausted!It's been raining off and on all weekend,we've been trying to make the best of the yucky weather. (like playing the guitar,painting,watching movies,and cleaning closets ha!)After I get the girls in bed,I have another round of studying for my first test in the class I'm taking this semester. Then I'm going to relax,drink some tea,and read my book.(I loved this book when I was young,I found it at my mom's house and brought it home with me.

Things are hard around here these days, God is testing us right now,but I know he will see us through and we will come out on the other side praising Him all the more.
I hope everyone takes a little time to relax this weekend!!

"photobooth" shoot #2 three little bunnies.

Zoe and Amelie LOOOVE bunnies!They have a ton of stuffed bunnies,some I've made some were gifts from grandparents and friends.They love bunny books like Peter Rabbit,and Max and Ruby as well.So I decided to have a fun round two with masks (remember round one?)
So much fun!
We got our supplies together and began to create cute bunny masks.I cut them out the girls added some dabs of crayon magic!

A few snips,and glue dabs later...So cute!

After the girls colored them ,t was time for our "photo shoo"t!! We decided that Amelie should be a sad bunny because she was being so stinky the whole time we were crafting!

It's been raining the whole week,which is what is prompting so much(extra) fun stuff around here.I really enjoy creating with Zoe and Amelie,even though it can take a LONG time and there are melt downs in the middle, but it's fun I'm sure they will remember all their lives.

table forts made of sheets...

Things haven't been ideal around here lately.Like I mentioned in my last post,we are all going in a million different directions.Kevin and I seemed to be bickering all day yesterday.It got on my nerves and I'm sure it REALLY got to the girls.We are deep in prayer this week to get the Lord's help to make it through this rough patch.

At the beginning of the week we thought we would go to our local fair,since it is in town this week.But yucky humid weather and rain showers,have changed those "plans" So since this has been such a roller coaster week and the girls won't get to go to the fair,I made one of our favorite activities,a "table sheet fort"

Last winter we were constantly pitching a table sheet fort in the middle of the kitchen.Amelie mostly slept in them (since she was so little) but we always invite the same friends over...

We played with puzzles,

and read books.

Here's the view from the outside with the "door" partially closed.So much fun with the lights.

I think the lights were the favorite part for the girls as well!Amelie kept playing with them.

After reading a few books and playing with puzzles I must confess,the girls wanted to watch a movie so I put my macbook in the fort and they are now watching backyardigans. Maybe I can squeeze some housework and possibly bow and flower clipie making in while they chill out in their "secret hide out" I sure wish I had a secret hide out to go in sometimes!!

turning ribbons into bows

I have been spending the last two days turning beautiful spools of ribbon...

into beautiful bows...

I haven't stopped making my flower clips,I was just thinking that ribbon bows might sell pretty well at the craft festival and Christmas Cottage.
I feel like I'm getting behind on so much these days. Between my school,Zoe's new school,countless activities for both Zoe and Amelie,I think we are going in a million different directions. I'm sure it will all come together soon. It's nice to just sit and make pretty things to take your mind off of all the craziness and stress going on around.

We like...no wait we LOVE books in our house,Kevin loves to read,I love to read and the girls love being read to.The girls have a HUGE kids book collection (I'd say 200+ books!) some of them were my childhood books,some were Kevin's,some we've bought them,some were gifts.No matter where they come from,it is safe to say that we have a HUGE collection of children's books.Here are a few of the girls (current) favorites.


"goodnight moon"
"tie a bow book"
"madeline loves animals"
"max and ruby"
"corduroy goes to the doctor"
"shoes"
"bunny cakes"
"llama llama red pajama"
"where the wild things are"

Every night Kevin or I read a book (or books) to the girls before bed .I might read books to them during the day as well,but reading books before bed is a constant never changing activity.

I think no matter how chaotic or day has been reading a book or two...er or three,always changes the mood from panicked and stressed to loving and calm.If you don't already read books with your kiddos at night,try it! It really helps calm you and them down,and takes you to magic places you and they are sure to never forget!


What are some of your favorite books to read to your kids?