preschool Halloween

Tess and her teacher carve a pumpkin on Halloween Day.
There are only 3 children in her class and 4 adults!  Awesome ratio!

The preschool "parade."  Holding his papa's hand, makes Jude very very happy.

 Jude was a little freaked out by trick-o-treating.  He came home early and dined on candy candy candy till I was positive his gills would turn green... but they didn't.

 Tess would not take off her very hot costume all. day. long.  And seeing as how it was 85 degrees that day, her entire body was soaked with sweat most all day.

Instead of saying trick-or-treat at each home, Tess "roared" at each person as they answered the door.  She was they scariest skunk on the block.  She consoled Jude at each house when he was scared, patting him on the back saying It's OK, Dude.

I consumed a some too many Baby Ruth's after everyone went to bed.

Does sugar make you child hyper?

I'm going to say something that may cause some shock.
Some horror.
Something that is contrary to all the motherly advice I've peen programmed to believe without question for a decades now.
Something that my own grandmother probably would have fought me to the death about.
And I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get kicked out of the Mom's Club for it.

Here it goes...
I don't think sugar makes children hyper.
I think it's all in the mind of parents that kiddos get crazy hyper after eating sweets.

And... here's the shocker... I have science on my side.  Like here and here.

There's a TON of sugar coming in to our house this weekend and on Monday evening.  Literally it might be close to a ton!  OK, not quite, but we have 4 trick-o-treaters that will be bringing their treat bags home no doubt heavily laden with candy and sweets.

I used to get really really stressed out by Halloween candy.  And I mean really super-duper stressed!  I didn't know what tact to take.
Let them eat it?
Exchange it for a special toy?
Ration it out over the next 16 months?
Throw it all away?  (I did that one year purely out of frustration.  It wasn't one of my finer moments.)
Among mama's, it's a polarizing subject!

Over time, I have decided that our children can eat absolutely as much candy as they want Halloween night.  It's quite disgusting actually.  Each year I'm sure I'll they'll turn green and get sick, but I they never do.  And after the carnage of Halloween night, we put all the candy up and resort to our old house rules re sweets.  A few weeks later, when all the favorites have been consumed, I throw away what's left of the Halloween candy.  I'm not sure it's the best tact to take, but it works for us, and most importantly I don't feel wacked-out about the whole candy thing.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like sugar in my children's diet.  They're empty calories that cause cavities! And the caffeine that comes in chocolate and soda absolutely can give children extra energy.  And I do religiously monitor caffeine intake at our house.  But I don't think sugar is inherently bad.

So... bring on the candy!  I personally will be eyeballing the Baby Ruth's!  At least for 1 night that is.

As a mama, what's your plan for all that candy that will be coming home Monday night?

Going Home

Still waiting for our LOA.  We are on day #52 today.  I'm still in a good place waiting, but occasionally I can feel the stress and worry seeping in.  I keep thinking of ways to take my mind off it.

Liv, Jude, and I traveled back to the small town and home I grew up in.  It's only about an hour and a half north.  What is it about going home?  It melts me right back in time, to a time when all was right with the world.  The ceilings seems a bit lower and the rooms a bit smaller.  But the feelings when I drive into town, and when I step in the door are all the same.  So easy to exhale and savor every little thing.

First we stop at the rest area, a pit stop I've been at no less that 17, 508 times.

And the view still is amazing.

Then up the mountian, out of the desert, and home.

There's an apple tree in the front yard.  Yes, it was a perfect childhood.  

And my mom and I went down town for lunch, then icecream at the town square.  

Then back home for some plain ol' fun on the swing set.

Going home, even just for the day, rejuvenates me for a long while.

Bliss I tell you.  

Pure bliss.

If Martha Made Halloween Cookies...

...they'd never look like this!

Surely Martha Stewart would just die right here and now if she saw these.  

I guess there are more important things than pretty and well done.  

Like lots and lots of frosting.  

And sprinkles.

# 41 - 55

From Mimi's auntie, uncle and 2 nephews!  What blessings to have such a family to come home to!  We are so lucky!  And I LOVE this fabric!  It's so pretty.  Auntie K, I think I need some throw pillow out of this!

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These two squares are from a dear bloggie friend, and mama of 4 over at Scooping It Up.  She is amazing and a constant source of  inspiration, a testament that the good Lord will provide all we need in due course.  The little piggie fabric is one her oldest, 5 years old, picked out.  Yep, you read that right, her oldest of 4 children is 5 years old!  The pink square has some beautiful embellishment on it.  Wonderful additions for our Miss Mimi!

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These are from my one of my best friends in the whole world and her mom, who knew me way back when leg warmers and shoulder pads were new.  Who I learned to drive with.  Who I met when we were 12 years old.  I love these fabrics!  I love you, M, and am so so happy that this love will be represented in the quilt.  I'm blessed to have you in my life and a better woman because of it.

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And these are from a very special family over at Our Treasure in China.  First, don't miss the froggie fabric, which stands for "Fully Rely On God."  And the John Deer fabric is so cute!  In pink no less!

There is one more... the print of the polka dot fabric is very symbolic.  This family is adopting a special little girl also in China named Hope.  Hope was born with "polka dots" (or nevus) on her skin, and her new family is completely unphased by her special skin.  Their son was born with the same condition.  There were quite a few God moments that had to happen to unite this family so far.  And God is still moving mountains to bring them together, hopefully sometime in the spring or summer of 2012, we'll be able to see this gorgeous baby girl in her mama's arms.  Their story is truly inspirational!

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And look at these wonderful fabrics from a family all the way in Florida!  Aren't the flamingos the cutest!!!  The colors are wonderful, even though you can't really see the solid navy one on my black counters.  These will make a wonderful additions to the quilt!  Thank you so so much!

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This one is from a young lady who will represent Mimi's new Vietnamese family ties.  Thank you so very much, H!  I hope my love for China will grow just as big as it has for VietNam and the Vietnamese people.  The little hearts are just perfect to represent this!  She writes, "wishing you smiles..."  Oh my, that's so much what I want from our Mazie too, days and days of smiles!

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I've been blown away by the generosity and grace we've received.  This squish will forever remain one of my most treasured!  It is from one of my students way back when I was teaching 5th grade.  She follows my blog, and I am honored to follow hers.  She has 2 gorgeous children of her own now and has blossomed in to the more incredible woman.  Her writing in her wish brought me to tears.  You are an amazing woman, P.  I am blessed to see how you've grown into a woman, wife, and mother.  She writes that she chose this fabric with leaves because, "leaves grow and change, leaves that come back after a hard winter."  {Maternal sigh.}

You know... I think I just may be able to get to 100!  Click on the 100 good wishes count down on the right if you'd like to participate!