Halloween decorating

So I have been toying around with the idea that I need to decorate the house a little more for the holidays now that I have kids. 

My daughter absolutely loves to make crafts and decorate so....

I found this great idea for little gohst pumpkins in the Goodhousekeeping magazine for October.Here is the web address  www.goodhousekeeping.com/bedazzled.  So here is how mine turned out...

I know the one is a little crooked but I think they look great!  I also added in a little leaf garland that I found for $4 at Michael's.  Ashlee really likes them , I do still need to add in some tombstones or something but so far so good!

I have also found a lot of great ideas on my new favorite blog http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

I want to make these little pinwheel decors!!

pinwheel crafts

Please feel free to check them out!  I love all of their great ideas!

 

Master bedroom beadboard install

Oh my gosh ... so excited.  Finally talked my husband into adding some waynscoating to the main wall in master bedroom.   I was looking for a little dramatic something on my wall to help it stand out!  Came up with the beadboard after reading so many blogs that used it. 

So we are going to give it a try......  will do an update with some pictures once it gets started!

Run Baby Run Update

Wow I made it!  It was so better than I thought.  I did the race today and felt very good about myself afterwards.  I made the first half of the race on a good pace... 31 thru the first three miles and finished 6.2 in 67 minutes... that is a lot faster than I thought I could do!
Today was a beautiful day too, it was so warm and sunny.  Thanks Kali for talking me into yet another great race!  I was ranked 290th out of I think 500 and 32nd out of my age group... that is not too bad!

yeah the finish line

Chillin' on the sidewalk afterwards

A Little family outing

We got to go out on a little family trip... to SilverFalls State Park.  The park is gorgeous and we had ok weather.. well until today, this morning when it started raining... but we still got to go on a short hike around the South Falls.  I was still really fun.  I need to do so many more of these!

Image via Wikipedia

Why is it so hard for things to go right?  I wanted this short little camping trip to be fun and relaxing and as soon as we got in the car I was the one that was grumpy and irratable?! why?  who knows, little things bothering me, like "why do I sweat the small things?"  I wish I knew. 

I let way too much bother me and not just let it go.  I know my husband hates me when I get like that and frankly so do I! 
 I know I just need to learn how to stop letting things bother me so much. 
I think I need more BEER! just kidding LOL. Ok now that I vented a little... I feel better, lets get back to the good stuff....

Image by st_photos via Flickr

I love watching my daughter get into being outdoors and hiking.  She is SO cute.  She loves taking hikes and looking at the trees and sky!  I cannot believe that she is so interested in it. 

Even though it was raining... and a little chilly, Ashlee did not shy at all going down the path to the falls and then she saw the trees, "Mom, look how tall they are?!, I think I can see them getting bigger."  I love it! Te-He..

Sawyer was the same old little man, just taking it all in, silently.  A little whine here and a little whine there, needing milk or a cracker but not a lot else.  That is ok, because sometimes I need TOO much!

Image via Wikipedia

More great pictures of this park waterfalls to come!

upcoming Marykay events!!

Ok ladies, I am so excited to announce that I am going to Beach Retreat 2010 in Lincoln City, OR.! Yeah me!  I have been in Marykay now since February and this will be my second training conference that I am going to.  Career Conference was great. 

Image by aaron schmidt via Flickr

I was a little apprehensive at first, but wow I was surprised at the things I learned and the great people that I met.  So when the Beach trip came up I knew I needed to get signed up.. I am hoping to get the trip paid for this week and then we are on our way!


I know there are a lot of things that I need help with, closing my shows,

Image by las - initially via Flickr

getting those basic sales, setting up a customer base, getting new clients, warm chatter, just all the things involved in starting my business. 
I am hoping to have an open house this holiday season and I am looking for ideas to get foot traffic to my show! Hope this is the place to learn that! 
I have also heard about the great girlfriend time and shopping!  so that sounds good, I am SO in! 

Image by JonathanCohen via Flickr

I will surely check in and let you know what I have learned after the trip.   Until then, think PINK and try some Marykay! You never know how it will change you!

How to Make a Christmas Tree from Scrapbook Paper | eHow.com

I came across this craft while searching for a neat way to use up some of my old scraps from scrap booking!  I think this could be changed around to do for Halloween tree also, even seasonal trees!!

How to Make a Christmas Tree from Scrapbook Paper eHow.com

baby, baby, BABY!

I was so excited to meet the newest addition to the family, Devin's boy, Jameson.  He was born August 30th 2010.  Ashlee and I got to hold him, and feed him, and take lots of pictures of him.  I cannot believe how sweet he is.!  Wow, Jim and Carol have a great little grandson there!

Just look HOW SWEET!!!

Family Time

The countryside around Almota and the ranch house!  When I lived here it did not seem so pretty.  Guess that is how things change.  I love where I live but it is also great to be able to go back home to your roots every once in a while. 

I look forward to the trips to my brother's house. I like the scenery and also the company when we get there.  I forget how great it is to see that there are families out there that love one another and really do enjoy being around each other.  That is something I look up too and strive to have in my home. :)

I love the fact that my kids get to know my brother and his family.  Ashlee looks forward to seeing them each year more and more.  After this years visit I think Sawyer will look forward to seeing them too!  He really enjoyed Aunt Carol and Uncle Jim, and Cody!



Until next year and our next visit.  Thank you Larsen's! Love you lots!

This was taken by Ashlee, she told uncle Jim that she takes GREAT self portraits!

Baking! Cooking Oh MY!!

Ashlee loves to cook and bake! And while we were at my brother's house she was around one of the best cooks I know!  and she got to cook with her.  Everytime I was in there with them there was a lot of "trying it first", here is some great shots of her helping out with the stuffed french toast and fruit!  wow!

I am hoping some of Carol's abilities rub off on Ashlee, because she is not getting anything from me!  They made, baked beans, ham, potatoes, cake, french toast, grilled cheese, home made macaroni and cheese!  I feel like we were so spoiled!  Thanks Carol!

Our visit to WSU and U of I campus

It is always interesting to go back to a place that you spent so much time and energy at.  I know when I was in school it did not seem like there was really a world beyond it.  Now when I go back to visit it is amazing how much things change.  It is still the same school, but so much has grown up around it.  Pullman has grown so much larger than when I went to school there, and Moscow is the same... I mean growing in leaps and bounds!

The view of WSU from Bishop Blvd. coming into Pullman, WA.  I got to do the rounds on campus, up stadium way, a Martin Stadium driveby...

The stadium has grown a lot also, I do not remember all the gates up next to the road like that.  Still looks like it could get pretty cold and windy with no cover!

The next stop and the most important of all was Ferdinands  Creamery and Ice Cream!! Ashlee got a cone and the rest of us got milk shakes.  Wow were they SO good.  I forgot how great their ice cream is!  We also got a bag of the famous Cougar Gold cheese! Yum yum!

Off to Moscow ID now.  The seven miles between the two University's sure has changed alot!  There used to be just open farm land all the way along that road, and it was a two land road back when I went to school there... now it is four! wow!  There is even a big Toyota dealership out there! what? This is a shot of the business building, where Eric went to a lot of classes!  Sure is a neat brick building!

This is a shot of the music building!  I liked the way it looks!

The countryside is sure pretty here!

We came on Dad's weekend! There were sure a lot of Alumni there, guess that is why?  I was even asked if we were going to the game.  No, we are just buying some souvenirs!