Wicked Witch...Squashed!

So here it is!  At my work, they have an annual contest where any employee can decorate a pumpkin (no carving or piercing allowed) and display it in the waiting room.  So we found a cool Hubbard squash that was already green (Evan takes credit for finding the one with a perfect witchy nose) and so I just had to make a wicked witch. 

 One idea led to another, and the witch became the Wicked Witch of the East from the Wizard of Oz smashed by Dorothy's house complete with green striped socks and ruby red slippers.  But of course in this scenario the witch was "squashed" with a shocked look on her face (courtesy of my friend Sandie).

Some others in the contest included a doctor pumpkin, a penguin, Angry Birds, a Rose Festival pumpkin, Dumbo,  and a scarecrow.

And the good news is that I won!  I got the blue ribbon and will win $100.00!!!!! The patients all cast their votes for their favorites and mine came out on top. Supposedly, the nurse that wins every year was not too happy!  Now I'm on to plan for the "Scary Foods" contest (It's between Bloody Brains Cupcakes  or Skull Cheese Dip)....On Halloween, the front desk will dress up as 101 Dalmations and Cruella De Ville and guess who I get to be! 

"She Put the Music in Me"

Here is a sweet, touching video sung by Calee Reed of how her love of music was influenced by her mother teaching her the beautiful messages of primary songs.  I love all the allusions to those tender songs we all grew up with like "Popcorn Popping," "Smiles," or "Teach We to Walk in the Light" she so lovingly sings about.

I truly feel the same way about my mom.  I remember her being the Junior Sunday School Chorister for so many years (she's the only one who was in my memory) and she taught me those precious songs and gospel truths which I in turn loved teaching my own children and grandchildren and now am thrilled to be teaching  those songs to a new generation in Primary.  I also remember so well her encouraging us to practice our piano and saying "You will regret giving it up"  when we all decided to quit.  Which, of course, I do regret, but I have taken it up again and at least can play many hymns and those sweet primary songs.

So this is for you, Mom.  Thanks for "putting the music  in me!"

(Get those tissues ready!)

Weighty Matters

Dad's Progress

Mom's Progress

Katie's Progress

Chris' Progress

Sweet Baby Grace

I recently found this little verse I wrote for Katie's shower when she was about to have little Gracie. I had given her an array of cute little baby clothes for all occasions and wanted to present them with a memorable little ditty...(I have an addiction to pink baby clothes!)

Your sweet baby Grace will soon make you smile,
A wardrobe she'll need, she must be in style!
So behold this fun bundle of chic new apparel--
Grace can eat, sleep and poop in...These looks she will wear well.

From AM to PM, from waking to sleeping,
When laughing or crying and rolling or creeping.
Whether sunning or splashing, then playing or eating,
Even crawling or walking and to every church meeting.

A cute fashionista, with pizazz and such flair-
A baby so darling, so fancy, so fair.
Dress up your dolly, but alas, this won't last,
One day she's thirteen--they grow up too fast!!!

And now she's already 9 months old!
Post those pictures quick before she goes to kindergarten!

"Bouquets of Freshly Sharpened Pencils"

With the start of the new school year and as a former teacher myself, I love to see fun ideas for teacher gifts although I really do not have anyone to give them to. In any case, I sent this cute idea to Sarah since Max just started Kindergarten this week ( and his comment was "It was much better than I thought it would be. Best day ever!) and then thought others might be able to use it for something. ( I know not many really look at this --Evan doesn't even read this unless I make him!)

It's a pencil vase for the teacher! Courtesy of Imparting Grace.

http://www.impartinggrace.com/2010/08/easy-gift-for-teacher.html

So cute and easy!



It reminds me of a line from one of my favorite movies. The character is speaking of his love for the season of fall and he says something like "I'd send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils." Do you remember the movie?
Give up?



It's from "You've Got Mail"......I could watch that movie over and over again!

So to any who read this, celebrate the fall with a beautiful bouquet in a pencil vase!

By the way, the count of our days with temps 100 degrees or over is 67!
Can you believe it?

Fall seems very far away at this point, even though we do have falling leaves and dying trees from the drought!

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We're Having a Heat Wave!

We have now had our 41st day of temperatures over 100 degrees! It's definitely a record-breaking heat wave. We haven't seen anything like this since temperatures even started being recorded in the late 1800's. Wednesday temps got up to 111 degrees here in Tyler! Can you believe it? It's like we're living in Arizona with the added humidity!

Our grass, flowers and shrubs are all burning up... We're just all thankful for air conditioners and pools and icemakers and our trees shading our back yard. Whew! It's hot, hot, hot!Luckily, we'll have some reprieve as we leave for San Diego shortly. We've been missing those cool mountain temps we felt up in Brighton last month at the family reunion, so maybe we'll get to experience a little cooler sea breezes in sunny California....

The Civil Wars

I saw this duo on Jay Leno and loved this song. "Poison and Wine." It's so full of beautiful harmony and angst... Have you heard of this pair? Their song"Barton and Hollow" is also a great one but a little different flavor. Listen to it..

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