Minnie Maya

Maya loves her girls!

It looks like they're about to get down to business.

Not candy business. Boy chasing business. Flirting. And so forth. That girl is one seriously boy crazy 4-year-old. {So we know she's from my gene pool, anyway.}

Maya was a hard-core trick-or-treater this year. She managed to collect an impressive amount of candy. Most of which will be consumed by me, I fear. Maya's worst Halloween habit is starting a sucker, getting sick of it, and putting it down - wherever. Already I'm finding them everywhere. But. At least she's not eating them, I guess. I'll be grateful for what I can...

Masey Mouse

Masey was as taken with Halloween as I figured he'd be. The candy part, anyway. We practiced and practiced saying "Trick or Treat" and he actually got pretty good at it, but in the end, dead silence was all he managed. {I think that boy is going to be shy! Mercy me, whose child is he??} At any rate, he dug right into the candy and was totally in heaven. And I'm having flash-forwards of him standing by the fridge, pointing up at his candy bucket grunting and tap dancing. It's going to be fun.

I Love This Girl

Maya was adorable as Minnie Mouse...

Halloween Ain't Just For Kids!

Us grown ups like to get in on the action, too!

Me, and the gorgeous Pirate Wench Jodi & Princess Candice.

My Mama, the bathrobe beauty queen.

Me & Kristi, all dolled up in a nappy wig and a Target name tag.

Let the good times roll!

Someday My Prince Will Come...

Until then, I guess I'll stick with this hairy guy.

He's a little creepy, but he's not so bad once you get used to him! :)

Giggle 'N Go

I was checking out the Fisher Price Giggle 'N Go Garage and Fire & Rescue Center today, and they are SO cute. I think Mason would love them - so they're going on his Christmas list.

Giggle 'N Go Garage

Giggle 'N Go Fire Rescue Center

Heavenly Hostess = Heavenly Aprons

A beautiful hostess apron has been on my wish list for ages now - and I've looked at plenty. And I have to say, the selection at Heavenly Hostess is pretty marvelous! Here are a few of my favorites:

Black Zinnia

Cocoa Aqua

Boho II

{Via Domestic Chicky.}

Best Bubble

I'm loving the "Best Bubble" box from Violet. Silhouette items really tickle my fancy. And this one is lots o' fun!

Lego Cake

How ingenious is this Lego cake made from a sheet cake and halved-marshmallows?! Absolutely simple and fabulous! Find out how to do it here.

{Via Design Mom.}

Must Have Christmas 'Tunes

It's almost time. Halloween is nearly-almost-practically over. Come November 1, we officially start cranking our Christmas music. Too soon, you say? Maybe. But I love love love Christmas music. So I set aside a full two months to enjoy it. Of course, I would be completely remiss if I didn't urge, nay, BEG and implore you to add Songs for Christmas - by Sufjan Stevens to your Christmas collection this year. It's a total masterpiece - something totally unique and different. I'm of the mindset that when it comes to Christmas carols, it's not necessary to reinvent the wheel. So when I hear today's tween stars breathing out almost unrecognizable versions of my favorite Christmas tunes, it's all I can do not to vomit on the spot. But. I also appreciate a new twist on a good thing. And Sufjan Stevens is all over that. He takes the classics and just tweaks them enough to make them interesting - but doesn't mess with them so much that you're wondering what song he's singing. His version of "Joy to the World", "Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming", "Holy Holy Holy", "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", "I Saw Three Ships", "The Friendly Beasts", "The First Noel", "Away in a Manger", "Once in Royal David's City" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel" (among others) are ridiculously fantastic. And he writes some of his own Christmas tunes, too, something I'm not generally in favor of (let's stick with the classics, people!), but I've certainly heard worse. At any rate, do pick this up if you're in the market for something different and wonderful this Christmas.

Although I might not gush so profusely about them, I do have other favorite Christmas albums. At the top of the list...

A Christmas Together - by John Denver & the Muppets

Christmas Portrait - by the Carpenters

Home for Christmas - by the Irish Tenors

And I'm always in the market for a new favorite! Add your suggestions to the comments...

Why Didn't The Jack-O-Lantern Cross The Road?

Because he didn't have any guts! Hahaha! That's a favorite joke of Miss Maya's, of course.

Anyway, we carved our pumpkins last night, and I have to say, I think this is our best batch yet...

Chris' has a big ol' smile, just like Chris!

How vomitrocious did mine turn out?

Maya's is {of course} a princess

.

And Masey is our pirate!

Gimmie Some Sugar

I absolutely love Sugar shoes. They are so funky and cute. And they're totally on The List. (Size 9.) :) Here are a few of my favorites:

Party Polka Mary Jane - White

Bronze Fisherman Cat

Origami Batik Floral

Graphic Boot

Rollin' Roundup (Navy)

Genuine Mason

Target has their little boy's Genuine Kids items on sale, and since they are SO very Mason, I picked up a few things for his fall wardrobe...

Striped Sweater

Puffy Vest

Who says little boys aren't fun to shop for?!

What To Do With My Leftover Gumballs...

Put them in my Gumball Belt Buckle, of course! Yours for under $15 bucks, this must-have accessory dispenses gumballs one at a time and is refillable. I imagine Mason would happily marry any woman wearing this contraption! {Judging from the mania having gumballs in the house has created for him.}

{Via Hungry Girl. Flat stomach not included. Unless you already have one. In which case, grrrrr.}

Focusing on the 8

My smart friend Stacie told me her philosophy on marriage relationships {and relationships in general} and I thought it was so brilliant, I had to share...

So when you were {or as you are} looking for a spouse, you probably had a certain list of qualities in mind that you were looking for. Let's say you had a list of 10 things you wanted in a spouse. So you meet someone who is pretty great. In fact, they have 8 of the 10 things that you're looking for in a spouse. Not bad, you think. 8 out of 10 is pretty darn good. I can live without those other 2 things I was looking for. So you get married. And everything is grand. For a while. And then those 2 things that are missing start bugging you. Just a little, at first. Then a little more. Then a little more. Until you're so focused on the 2 things that are missing that you're willing to give up the 8 to go out in search of the 2. This is why marriages fail! Because we forget to focus on the 8 things that are great about our spouse and instead choose to focus on the 2 things that are missing. Of course, if you think about it, it's totally silly. Who would give up 8 great things to go get the missing 2? It makes no sense. But it happens. A lot.

This is such a great reminder for me to focus on the 8 great things about Chris. {In fact, Chris is probably in the 9.5, close-to-perfect category!} It's so easy to focus on the 1 thing that bugs you about someone while forgetting about everything that is great about them. This is true in all relationships, with everyone you meet. Sure, there might be something annoying about them. {Unfortunately, there is something annoying about ALL of us. Sadly, no one is perfect.} But imagine what it would be like if we all chose to "focus on the 8" instead of the missing 2. If we were all more forgiving and less critical. If we all looked for the positive in one another and let the negative things go.

That. Would be awesome.

All Eyes on The Camera, Please!

Hello? I'm over here!

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad! :)

Handsome Devil

{Cruising the Pumpkin Patch - Halloween, 2007.}