Saturday's snail mail...

My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

This card is on its way to Wanda.  I received the nicest letter from her about a week ago.  She is also mailing 52 letters in 52 weeks this year.  It was such a lovely newsy letter, that anyone who picked it up and read it would imagine that we are old friends.  But no, we have just become acquainted through this really wonderful practice we are in for the year.

accountability stats:  23 weeks / 44 letters

Welcome to my parlor...

Renewing a Halloween tradition that started when our kids were little, Carey and I spent yesterday morning constructing a giant spider web in Kasey's front yard as a surprise for the littles when they got home from school.  This year I found an awesome giant spider with wiry legs that was perfect for this project.

It was totally worth it to see their reactions.  (I actually think Kasey liked it best of all.) 

We are expecting a cold front to arrive tomorrow.  We shall see if our work survives the winds!

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Abducted by T.R. Ragan

Ten plus years after a teenager escapes a serial killer after being abducted and held for two months, he comes after her again.  Creepy.

Mixed up...

Ahhh...today marks the end of another work week for me.  Nice to be home.

I found myself at WalMart on my lunch hour today.  Since I'm going to have the kids on Saturday, I thought I'd better have some snacks on hand.  Of course with all the Halloween candy on display, the candy corn could hardly be avoided.  My friend, the other Kathleen, loves candy corn and Cheetos together, so I thought the kids might think that was a fun combination.  I thought I'd expand on the idea a little, and I got some Crazy Corn and M&Ms to throw into the mix too.  Done! 

Maybe I'll have some better nutritional options available too.  :)

Wouldn't you know that I forgot to pick up one of the main things I went for though?  Ugh.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

photo credit: Midnight Ink Publishing

Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney.  A woman from Austin, Texas moves to Maine and opens a bed and breakfast.  Hmmm...wonder why this book appealed to me.  Well...I don't really want to own a bed and breakfast in Maine, I would just like to visit one.  :)

Rachael Ray I'm not, but...

I'm tired and my feet hurt.  Now I remember why I keep an extra pair of comfortable shoes at work...too bad I didn't have any there today.

I did not want to cook for just me.  But neither could I face anything takeout.  So I threw together some bowties, and the only green vegetable left in the fridge (one lonely little zucchini).  And mixed up a fabulous (but easy) Alfredo sauce.  It was really good, but would have been better with more zucchini.

I know it wasn't exactly the best nutritional choice.  But it was this or popcorn.

A Caitlyn kind of day...

Caitlyn came over for her individual-attention day with us.

The first thing on her list of things to do was make a card to send to her great-grandmother.  Apparently the card that Chloe sent last week got her a letter from Ma by return mail, and it made an impression.  Caitlyn decided that she wanted to have a photo of herself on the front of the card, so we went out and took a few head shots, and settled on this one.
















The inside of the card had a stamped message and a handwritten one too.  She also drew a picture that I thought was adorable.  It's of her and Ma...and she gave Ma white hair.  (love!)  She is already signing her name by dotting the 'i' with a heart.












Then we made a headband from a kit we got as a giveaway from Stephanie.  We didn't get a good photo of it, because we were pressed for time...such a full agenda today...but she is wearing it in the photo below.  She already has a design in mind for another one to make next time.

She and Papa got to play outside while I got even more crafty stuff ready. We also made the obligatory trip to Sonic. If you look close you can see the remains of the Oreo Sonic Blast around her mouth in the photo below with the turkey. :) 

I've been wanting to make some 2x4 turkey decorations with the girls ever since I saw them on Ucreate last year!  Carey prepared the wood pieces for us, and Caitlyn and I painted and sanded and glued to our hearts' content.  Didn't it turn out awesome?  I have a feeling it will be among their fall decorations for a long time.  Chloe will get to make one next weekend.












We didn't have a lot of photo-taking time, because we were so busy creating all afternoon.  It was a DE-light-ful day!