Our trip to Disney

 We got back last week from a week at Disney World and getting back into the swing of things now.   We did have a wonderful time for the most part and tantrums were minimal (I, myself, only threw one!)   It was pretty warm still (mid to high 80s.) I was hoping by planning a trip in October that it would be a bit cooler.  The little man has little tolerance for walking in the heat and the sun it seems.  And, he isn't crazy about roller coasters or meeting characters.  But, he loves fireworks and parades.  And, it seems that Mouse Ears were made for him.  I think his favorite part about the whole trip was the Lego Store and the cable in the hotel room (we are cableless by choice.) 

This was the Mr's and the little man's first trip and my 4th.  They aren't really ride riders, but I managed to convince them to ride a few with me.  We stayed at a Disney resort and that was a great decision... no driving or parking!  You are at Disney's mercy though and unless you arrange other transportation (we flew) it isn't easy to get anywhere else (ie eating at chain places and at the parks all week long.)  We found it easier if you just go along for the ride.... meaning, if you want popcorn, get the popcorn.  It's expensive and there are trinkets around every corner to entice your kiddos.  I was enticed!  I wanted a balloon that had a Mickey balloon inside of it... and during the parade, they upped the ante and made those balloons light up!  Pure magic!  We stayed within our budget though and didn't say yes to everything.  

With my little guy being 5, we spread the trip over 7 days and 3 parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom.)  We had originally planned on going to Islands of Adventure so I could get my Harry Potter fix, but we were tired on the last day and the taxis were super pricy to head there from our resort.  

All in all, we managed to do what I felt was most important: (besides having family time)  See the electric parade, see the fireworks, buy Mouse Ears with our names on them, meet Mickey, and ride Dumbo.  Plus, we snuck in a bunch of other fun stuff too!

More soon~

Life got in the way

Well, I don't think I have ever gone a month without blogging.  September just happens to be my favorite month and I think we have been soaking it up.  I started off my month with one of my favorite traditions: I hopped aboard the Hogwarts Express and have almost finished rereading my favorite books.  I took a knitting class and knitted my first hat, then my second, then my third.... I like to knit  them.  We celebrated the Mr's birthday and are planning a few fall trips. With my little man in school for a few hours a day, 4 days a week, my life has started to revolve around taking him and getting him.  And, I have started some good habits for myself.... working out again steadily.  I have done some here and there over the past few years, but I am pretty much scheduled at the gym at least 4 days a week, but I end up doing more.  I have a bunch of cute clothes that I would like to wear again.    So, basically life has gotten in the way. And, I think that is the best reason ever not to blog as much.

We decided to put off moving and listing the house until Spring.  The Mr. has travelled so much this year and we are planning 2 trips this fall that it just felt rushed, and I don't like to half do things.  Plus, I can't imagine not snowflaking the house at Christmas just to appeal to those who don't like reams of paper hanging from the ceiling and windows.  So, we will work on getting things ready and hopefully sell and move before next Summer so we are settled by the time Kindergarten starts.  We are ready though.  We are ready to purge and simplify and call a new place home.  We were not meant for subdivision life.

I have stepped back on custom painting with the Mr's travel and our trips planned, but I hope to pick it back up soon.... either here or once we get settled.  I have been making things (besides hats and scarves!)  and have lots of ideas in my head, but for now, I am keeping them to myself.

I hope your September has been as lovely as mine!

Knitting Away

I made a little decision to knit a bunch of scarves for my family and friends for a little project in December.  I finished all of them this week, which brings my total of scarves knitted to 14. I decided it is time to branch out a little bit.  I need to learn how to knit something else.  So, I signed up for a little hat knitting class in September.  And, I have a bunch of people I want to have a hat!

Now, I am getting started on some new items for my esty shoppe this weekend!  More soon~

5.4.3.2.1. Blast off! A 5th birthday party

hello hello~  we have been pretty busy around this casa over the past few weeks.  The boy turned 5 and  we had a party just the 3 of us. Then a few days later a bunch of family and friends came to celebrate this little man.  We also found out that he was accepted into a program that he was on a waiting list for earlier this year. We had to juggle some school things around and are getting into a somewhat of a routine.  We love planning his birthday every year and this year he had plenty of his own input which made it even better.

The theme this year was ROCKET!  The Mr. designed and block printed the invites and made the 3 of us some pretty sweet shirts too.  We wanted a retro rocket theme.  We had originally planned on a Man in the Moon theme like from "Trip to the Moon," but after talking it over, we decided on a comic-y look.  I punched out several stars and sewed a little garland and draped them all over the treat table.

I bought some starry lights and they didn't really do what I wanted them to do based on the placement of light sockets and tape not holding the wires, but that is okay.  I am sure I will find another use for them.

We found all kinds of different candy and treats and I came up with some names and the Mr. made signs.  I found this great vintage set of cardboard standups with spacey things like rockets and aliens.

The lemon cupcakes had sprinkles shaped like stars. The cake pops did too!  I loved how the stars looked on the outside of the dark blue cake pop coating.

We had sixlets, pretzel sticks dipped and sprinkled, Milky Ways, rock candy on sticks, flying saucers (a really strange candy!) and cake pops.

The Mr chalked this giant comic book cover of the little man riding in his rocket

The rocket was the little man's and the Mr's project.  They went to Home Depot and found all kinds of stuff to repurpose and create this rocket.

They added a small fan to "fan the flames."

We had other food besides the cavity makers... really yummy tiny tacos, but we forgot to take a photo.  I made some limeade and some raspberry lemonade for punches.

I made some confetti out of tissue paper and put it in some clear balloons. It was much more exciting the next morning when we had to pop them. Confetti everywhere!!  Or, more confetti everywhere!

I found a company on etsy that makes these great wooden puzzles and they had rockets!  The treat bags had that and a space crayon and a Milky Way bar.

We had a blast!!  This may be the last birthday party in this house.  I sort of joked with the Mr that we should take into account decorating for birthdays when we are house hunting.  But, really, I was being serious.

More soon.... I have been busy knitting scarves for my December project!!

In the middle

Let me be the first to tell you, in case there was any doubt: opening and decorating a shoppe is much more fun than closing down two studios and moving everything.  That has been our life for the past few weeks.  We have everything out now and we are in full on party mode for baby hughes' 5th birthday.  The boy wanted rockets, so we are giving him rockets.  Not live ones, mind you.  That would be a disaster.  In the midst of all this, the Mr. has been super busy (which we are grateful!) He went to Chicago last week to chalk a booth at the BlogHer conference.  

We are giving ourselves at least until after the birthday party to really tackle what we need to get the house ready and on the market.  We are torn on putting it on the market this fall/ winter or waiting until spring.  I think the earlier, the better, but then I also don't want the house on the market over the holidays.  So, we will see.  I am just ready to start packing!  But, I also know that this move is much bigger than the ones I made in my single days.

The middle stages are always the hardest for me.  There is a momentum of an end and an excitement of new beginnings, but the middle is just kind of ehhh when it is longer than a few days or weeks or doesn't even have a determined amount of time.  I know it will all happen in time and to enjoy all the parts.  But, patience isn't one of my strong points.

It looks like there is a good chance that we will be moving to the Tri-Cities area if we stay in Tennessee, which we would like.  We still want to make another in depth trip there this fall and really look this time to see if it fits the bill.

Saying goodbye to our little space on Hardin Alley was hard, even as much as I like change.  I loved having my little shoppe there.  And, I know that it most likely won't be the only shoppe I have over the years, I will still have great memories of my time there.  And, I am excited to come back to visit.  Our friend that we met through the shoppe when she came to buy furniture for her sweet daughter is opening up a bakery there in the next little bit.  If you are local, you need to check out Delectable Art Bakery in Spring Hill.  I was so happy that someone I know is going to love the space as much as I did.

Okay, I think it is time to start cutting out several hundred stars!  I love party time!