Boogety

Wild Weekend.  Started off with the Hall-OWEN-y Party.  Let me just say there is absolutely NO difference between a party of fifteen 8-12 year olds or teenagers.  They may just be drinking root beer and juice boxes instead of raiding the parents liquor cabinet. The drama and mayhem is all the same. Trunk or treat is the LAMEST excuse for an activity I can think of, but for some reason kids really like it. And Halloween itself was extremely anti-climactic this year despite all of my preps, but I have learned from the experience...

1) Start making pumpkins in the summer, when rain won't interrupt drying or painting efforts.
2) At least one child will always change their mind about their costume days before the actual event.
3) Don't make your husband dress up because he will inevitably complain about being "too hot".
4) Cook dinner early on Halloween night so you aren't handing out treats with floured, messy hands.
5) Friends or family make it more fun.

All in all, it was good fun. Wyatt seemed to enjoy it the most. He was a trooper, continuously wielding his magic wand and submitting willingly to eyeliner glasses. Happy Halloween!

Who Needs a $15 Yo-Yo Anyway??

Owen came home retelling the tale of an assembly at school.  As the visitor told the story of NED walking the dog, and visiting the Eiffel Tower, and eating spaghetti; he performed tricks that corresponded to each vignette. The kids were awed at the things you could do with a yo-yo.


The visitor was actually a motivational speaker. His aim was to motivate the children to "Never give up", "Encourage others" and "Do your best". Owen came home motivated to buy a yo-yo. Who could blame him, really? This NED guy was inspiring. He could do cool things. Maybe the N.E.D. actually stands for:


Never give up on asking your parents for a yo-yo.
Encourage others to buy a yo-yo.
Do your best to get your parents to buy you the yo-yo.


You may be shocked to learn that the motivational speaker actually...SELLS YO-YOs...after his performance. So, Owen drooled as he watched peers buy the Ned-yo ($6.50), the Boomerang ($10) and the Cosmic Spin ($15).  And upon his return from school, the first words out of his mouth as he rushed through the front door: "I NEED $15. If I don't get $15, I won't be able to get the best yo-yo EVER and I only have like, 5 more days until the school won't sell them anymore!"


Wow.  This is desperation now, not motivation. 


My first thought? "Sheesh, $15 bucks? Don't you have 5 yo-yos hidden under a pile of dirty socks somewhere? I've just given $40 to your school this week already."


However maybe I could use this...


My response? "$15 bucks is quite a lot of money...  and I am not going to just fork it over because you WANT something RIGHT now.  How about I will let you earn it over the weekend? If you are really wanting this yo-yo, and then you can show me how much by putting in a little effort for it."


I'm sure he went to bed thinking about all the yo-yo tricks he so desperately wanted to do. But that now seemed impossible because of the heavy chore burden I was about to enforce upon him.


Okay, I probably shouldn't use 'enforce', but if you don't have first hand experience with it: 10year old + chores = exasperation.


However, I was pleasantly surprised... Owen worked with gusto and determination I have not seen before. When reminded of the things he had agreed to work on, he gladly did them - even re-did them when they were not quite passable as having been complete. This must really be some yo-yo.


So today, as I hand over the envelope with the $15 check, I don't feel like I'm getting totally ripped off by some elementary yo-yo scam. My son learned a good lesson in earning rewards and I have clean bathtubs and streak free mirrored closet doors. Very win-win.

Does Anyone Need a New Dog?

Yeah. I have a really great one...she just needs more attention.

Lady Killers

Things That Go Bump in the Night

Oh, yes. My FAVORITE time of year. I can feel the magic that is coming. The smell of fall, black trash bags, and hot glue in the air... Now, I have been perusing Halloween costume sites for weeks, however last night I became far more interested in how to decorate the entry to our plain and boring mission style condo front for this years All Hallows after some site browsing at my fave, Grandin Road.  My late night web haunts have led me to come across some serious Halloween fanatics that turn their decorating endeavors into year-long projects! I have to say these are some pretty awesome dads. I am quite certain that my newest obsession is going to be paper mache jack o' lanterns. Check 'em out: SpookyBlue & Andersonville Graveyard & Stolloween.

Drawing for a Purpose

Miss Audrey's Pink Scrumptious Sprinkle

Hello, family. It's me, the self-proclaimed belated birthday wisher. I have a new mission. At one time I had made a New Year resolution to send birthday cards out to all my immediate/extend-O relatives. Needless to say, I have fallen short of that goal time and again. So today I have made an addendum to my original resolution.

I have decided that I need to find something to do with all this hidden talent wasting away inside of my person. And all of you need to know how much we really do think of you and love you each day, especially on your day-of-days. My artistic hand is wobbly and cobwebbed, needing practice and exercise. For this reason, I propose that I will illustrate a card for each of you, in celebration of you. Should I have missed your special day, consider the card an 'un-birthday' birthday wish. If your day is yet to come, look for our love in the mail.

Ebay Schmeebay

I am slow, yes. I have newly ventured out from my Amazon comfort zone to try out eBay... and I'm not so sure I like it. I don't know if I can handle the disappointment that is certain to follow being outbid on an item I have my heart set on!

Take this delightful cookie jar, for example. I loved it...hoped it to be centerpiece for my Halloween table this year. I sat at the computer watching the hours tick to minutes as the auction came to its close, reveling in the slight bidding war I was sharing with one other cookie jar hopeful.  Even upping my maximum bid seconds before the digital gavel slammed...and what! What?? With literally 15 seconds to spare, some unknown bidder swipes in and steals from me my already favorite newest Halloween decoration ever.

It's heartbreak, I tell you. I wanted to cry. Weep out loud like I had just lost something dear and treasured! This is madness for sure. But alas, you may find me perusing the collectibles listed on this wretched site another day.

So for now, farewell sweet Harry jar. I will keep and eye out for you in the future. And perhaps someday, this dream that I wish (of you adorning my dining table in Octobers to come) will come true.

Birthday Numba One!

First of all, babies are a BIG deal. And this kiddo was no exception. His daddy and I waited for what seemed like forever for him to decide on coming. From the first surreal moments of seeing those two pink lines on a test and the nine months that follow, down to those last few days of walking and waiting and wanting to be done... and yet, knowing that THAT is only just the beginning.

It's a cliche that never gets old - "they grow up so fast". It rings true in the hearts of all mothers. Wanting to keep them small forever, and yet marveling at every first accomplishment that graduates them forward into toddler-hood. Little milestones that might pass in a fleeting second. I have been careful to not miss much.

I have decided that first birthdays are for mamas.  A crowning moment of the past year that has changed your life for the better. A day to recall all the little treasured moments that brought you and this little one to this particular day. A bittersweet reminder that all of those times are now in the past and can only live in pictures and memories.  A celebration of all the tears, pains, triumphs, smiles and sleepless nights that have ensured your baby's survival of infancy. This is what a first birthday is.

That ... and photo ops. Here are some of the best from my Celebration of Wyatt Day.
We so love you, our bubba. Happy Birthday (July 29).

Alright Already...sheesh

Okay...okay. The T. Gilstraps are back on the grid. After another glorious move and resettlement, I can allow myself a few moments a week to post and share the 'haps' in our neck of the woods, with all you fine people. [Applause all around...thank you, thank you.]