falling leaves foto Friday

Project Runway - AGirl style

So I thought this year - since I've never purchased a Halloween costume for Liana - that I would give myself a break and buy her that sweet Minnie Mouse dress she's been dreaming about for months. And in the process of buying a Halloween costume for her I thought I WOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE ONE THIS YEAR.

Silly Mommy.

"But the girls need costumes Mommy. And Ivy looks just like me - can you please make her a Minnie costume too so we can be twins?" I don't sew, but I was pretty happy with the results of my felt and glue projects. Do you think I could sell my designs to AGirl?

(I didn't make Ivy's Minnie ears, we bought those at D*sney, and the candy corn treat bags are from Build*Bear)

A few weeks ago Liana & I went to an AGirl Halloween crafting night through the local park district. The instructor had the girls put the dolls on a different table while we were working with glue and glitter so they didn't get sticky. Julie was dressed in this little pumpkin poncho outfit and Liana sat her up on the other table so all of the other girls could see her doll. The girl who sat next to Liana cried real tears when she found out we weren't actually making that poncho in the class. And then the instructor asked me how I made it.

Really starting to think I'm selling the wrong thing ...

2010 Chinese New Year Cards Now Available!

Celebrate 2010 as the year of the tiger and choose from five Chinese New Year cards on my site http://www.lotusblossomdesigns.blogspot.com/ Please stop by, shop early, tell your friends! :-)

tricks and treats

Trick-or-treating with my favorite mouse and my favorite pug-bunny

Yes, we take the dog with us trick-or-treating.

Yes, he rides in the wagon as he can't walk very far due to his arthritic hip - he receives an astonishing amount of dog treats from our neighbors.

Yes, he is wearing bunny ears.

Yes, we know it's a little corny, but Elvis in bunny ears makes Liana giggle.

Yes, Neil is rolling his eyes.

And what was Neil dressed as this Halloween you might ask?

In his words: "a disgruntled Wall Street trader with diminished opportunities"

That costume sure scares me.

BOO!

Since the second Liana first spotted Cinderella's Castle in the distance at Disney's Magic Kingdom when we visited back in May, she has wanted to be Minnie for Halloween. And she was very specific, not a red Minnie Mommy, a PINK Minnie. (there was a 'duh, Mom' tone in there too) But I agree, she looks so sweet in pink & white polka dots.

She has done so much better with Halloween this year, though we don't walk down the costume aisle at Tget, she can GO to Tget - seriously, for the past 3 years I couldn't even take her to the store during October. She also rides her bike past the scary house on our street, in past years she looked the other way and closed her eyes when we drove past in the car, chanting to me "tell me when it's over, tell me when it's over." Though we did recently have to leave a restaurant because of their decorations - her reaction to seeing a witch, skeleton or scary monster are so hard on her, she tenses up, clenches her hands, backs away and screams. Most of the time we're able to scoop her up and run, and her whole body shakes. I wonder every year why she has such a strong reaction, what causes it .... added to a long list of things I don't know about my daughter.

So Halloween at our house is pink and white polka dots, candy corn, pumpkins and scarecrows - just the way Minnie likes it. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

favorite Family Day foto friday

September 14/Family Day 2009

(thanks to my neighbor M - great photo!)

so many pumpkins ...

... so little time.

I have not had too much time for writing lately, just in the mood to post a few photos. We have been very busy this fall, enjoying our favorite season of colors and crunchy leaves by visiting a local pumpkin farm, picking apples, and eating candy corn of course. :-) Neil has been crazy busy at work, staying late, not sleeping, the usual stuff. He has also been visiting one of his favorite uncles in the hospital who is not doing well following surgery 2 weeks ago. Such a wonderful man, so generous to us and others. I have also been trying to offer support to a really good friend who is dealing with some serious family issues - sending you a hug D, xoxo. It seems like everyone I know is having issues with work, their health, their family's health, something. Next week I volunteered to go on Liana's school field trip to a local pumpkin farm, so exciting! I just can't wait to see how she is interacting with her classmates and what friends she has made.

So happy today is Friday, as we are looking forward to seeing some little ghosts and goblins from our wonderful playgroup who are coming to our house for a Halloween party. Hope you are enjoying fall and all of the wonderful things this season offers -

Favorite School Foto Friday

Liana was all smiles for school picture day a few weeks ago and was happy to pose for me in my neighbor's backyard before school - my sweet girl, looking more grown-up and older than 6 .... slow down little Kindergartener. Please.

drink coffee and help find a cure

As many of you know, I am an avid Caribou Coffee fan, my daily small skim latte is a must! During the month of October - Breast Cancer awareness month - Caribou features Amy's Blend coffee, and several other great products including mugs, tote bags, water bottles and t-shirts.

Amy's Blend coffee was inspired by Caribou employee Amy Erickson who passed away after a valiant fight with breast cancer. To honor Amy's passion for coffee and life, and to do their part to find a cure, each year Caribou creates a special coffee and other products. Read her story here: http://www.cariboucoffee.com/

Caribou will donate 10% of sales from their Amy's Blend products during the month of October to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation: http://www.komen.org/

If you get a chance, please stop by Caribou during October and enjoy a cup of Amy's Blend coffee.

To my girlfriends: please get a mammogram if you are over 40 - and you've been putting it off a while. Go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation site at http://www.komen.org/for information about risk factors, early detection and screening.

Please help find a cure.