Great halloween costume ideas #.. I forget

A desperate housewife

No offense ladies.... I am a stay at home mama so you know this is no slam. I dressed as a housewife before I knew what it meant to be truly desperate to escape to the grocery store... or just get a shower :)

Flannel pajamas, fuzzy slippers, and an old fuzzy robe. Curlers in hair, cold cream on your face and carry a coffee mug...... free costume!

Works for me Wednesday- using leftover meats

I am revisiting this from an earlier post. Times are tough and I don't know about you but I hate to see ANYTHING go to waste these days. I also get my little prince to eat some veggies!

I made homemade fried rice! It was easy and delicious and got my little guy to eat veggies and protein. He loved it! I thought I would share.... Either use a little butter or the oil of your choice in a large pan. ( We are Paula Deen lovers over here so you know we use butter :) )

You can then saute a chopped onion or leave it out depending on your little one. - Mine loves the taste of onion but I know not all rugrats do! After the onion or in place of add two eggs and stir until they are firmly scrambled.

Then add a 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots and stir until veggies are warm. While the veggies are cooking, prepare whole grain minute rice.

Add the cooked rice to the veggie mixture and stir. Add (or don't add) your leftover meat cubed. Finally add low sodium soy sauce to taste.

The kids seem to love the rice so much they don't realize that they are also eating veggies and protein... woohoo!!!

A spooky tale

I thought it was time for a real life Halloween tale......

I have been getting up now multiple times a night for about eight months now. Her highness, the princess baby, demands my presence for nursing and binky reapplication. This is spooky in its self but what is even more bone chilling is what I see during these nighttime hours.

As I sit in my rocking chair nursing her, I notice that something catches my eye. The first time it was a BIG FAT (I am sure hairy too ) spider. Making its way across my daughters floor like it was taking a stroll in the park. He wasn't even in that big of a hurry!

I freaked out. I let out a scream and lifted my legs in case it decided to change coarse and attack. This of course woke the princess baby sending her into hysterics that took 45 minutes to calm down.

Since then I have seen a parade of creepy crawlers taking walks in my daughters room. It makes me wonder how many bugs come out at night while I am sleeping. I heard a statistic one time about how many bugs we eat while we sleep and now I think it may be true. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!

The most recent encounter was particularly bone chilling. I saw this creature that had to have 116 legs. It was booking too, making a bee line to my rocking chair. I felt my breath catch in my throat. This thing that was making its way to us was freaky. My mind started to race to think what I could do or how I could make my escape...... panic. I didn't want to wake the baby...... I decided to pick up one of my daughters baskets and slam in on top of the assailant, pushing down until I was sure that it was trapped.

I left it there all night long and all the next day because my husband was at work and I wasn't looking at that thing. When he got home I told him of the attack and he went in to remove the vile creature. He went in equipped with a trash bag as I cowered in the door behind him ready to make a break for it.....he slowly lifted the basket as I got ready for the multi legged to bolt and I saw.....................................

nothing.

IT GOT AWAY ! My belief is that it was so strong it simply lifted the basket off of its back and kept going on his way. I am sure its somewhere planning its revenge on me. So now when I nurse I am vigilant. I keep my eyes open, careful not to nod off. The enemy can smell weakness after all!

Menu Plan Monday

We have been doing really well sticking to our meal plan after getting back from NY. Last week I got both buy one get one free pork chop loins and roast so we will be using these this week. The weather is getting colder so I am choosing heavier filling meals. Yum! Happy eating ladies!

For more great menu plans check out http://orgjunkie.com/

Monday- Italian pot roast over noodles with beer bread (recipe to follow)

Tuesday- Leftover night / Breakfast for dinner

Wednesday- Grilled marinated chicken, roasted carrots and salad

Thursday- Beef vegetable soup, cheddar biscuits

Friday- Pizza Night!

Saturday- Spaghetti and meat sauce, salad and garlic bread

Sunday- Breaded pork chops, green beans, mashed potatoes

Italian pot roast with noodles

1 2 to 2 1/2 lb beef chuck pot roast

1 Tbs cooking oil

2 Medium carrots, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs quick cooking tapioca

1 14 1/2 oz can Italian style stewed tomatoes

1 6 ounce can Italian style tomato paste

1 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 Tsp salt

1/4 Tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

4 cups hot cooked noodles

Trim fat from pot roast. If necessary, cut roast to fit into the crock pot. In a large skillet brown roast on all sides in hot oil.

Meanwhile place carrots, celery, onions and garlic in crock pot. Sprinkle tapioca over veggies. Place meat atop pf veggies.

In a bowl combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, pepper and bay leaf: pour over the meat.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high setting for 4 or 5 hours. Discard bay leaf. Skim off fat. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Great halloween costume #5

A lightning bug

This is so cute and pretty easy to do! A white or grey sweatsuit. Then add a pair of store bought wings. For the lightning bug tail you will need those break and shake glow sticks. Get some iridescent see through material at the fabric store.

Link together pipe cleaners or clear tubing found at the craft store or Hardware store. You want to make a large X with them laying flat on the floor. Attach them at the center where they meet. Then take all four ends and connect them with wire or tape. This will give you a bubble like tail in which you want to stretch the iridescent fabric over. Make sure that you leave a hold in the opening in which the light sticks can be placed.

When attaching tail, simply pin the tail onto the back of the sweatpants with large safety pins. ( Tail will droop but that's ok... it looks "real" ) Put sweatshirt over pins so it cannot be seen.

You may even want to add some antennas to the top of your child's head and apply some iridescent makeup around your cheeks...

Great halloween costume #4

This one comes from Marcy as well...

A bunch of grapes.

Grab a purple or green sweatsuit and then start applying the grapes! You can either get material and fill them with stuffing or you can blow up balloons and attach them. You can always fashion a stem for a hat. Great idea Marcy!

Progress report

So I have had a little set back.

1.) I have been very good about getting out once a week without children to do something for me. It has been really good for me, last night I even let hubby put the babies to bed.... wow!

2.) I have been drinking water but not as much as I would like. I need to add a couple glasses but overall I am feeling better about the water intake.

3.) I need to do better about stopping eating when I am full but Rome wasn't built in day people... he he he he

My setback has come in the fact that I have found out that I have hyperthyroid. While they are testing me to see if it is permanent or not I have been told not to exercise at all or do anything strenuous. GREAT. Oh well I can post other goals for myself....

so here it is for the week. PORTION CONTROL. I have found that I eat what is on my plate. ( Which is weird b/c my mom never made me be a clean plater) If I put a bunch on my plate I eat it... all. Last night I was in a hurry so I put a little bit of everything on my plate and you know what? I ate it and was satisfied. So I have decided that I would start to work on my portion controls...

How have you ladies been doing?

Great Halloween costume #3

I thought this costume was awesome! Very unique!! This is from Marcy

My best friend and I made porta john costumes one year. I think we used refrigerator boxes (or something similar) and painted them to look EXACTLY like the local porta john company (red with black roofs)...We even got decals from the local company to put on the doors (I think my friend's uncle worked for them). One of us was "Males" and the other "Females".

Too cute! Thanks Marcy... keep the great ideas coming girls!

Been OOT- Back from NY!

So we decided to visit hubbys father and his wife in NY. We had so much fun! They have about 51 acres of rolling hills, beautiful changing trees, apple orchards and horsies to feed. My son had so much fun he didn't know what to do with himself.

We got him some "chore boots" ( which are black rubber boots from wal-mart) and he would head to the orchard to pick apples for the horses each morning. The horses got to know him and would lovingly nuzzle him in the morning in which he would reply " dey spit on me mama". We also spent our time going on hay rides, visiting pumkinville and going to festivals. It was an awesome visit!

Of course it wouldn't be a trip away without a child getting sick. My 7 month old had decided that it would be the perfect time to get her first ear infection and spike a fever of 104. Talk about a worn out mama. I spent my nights praying and reciting " this too shall pass" :)

Anywho... I am glad to be back, glad my kids are back in a routine and feeling better and glad to be getting the mountain of laundry done.....

A great halloween costume idea #2

Thanks ladies for all the great costume ideas!! There are some creative mamas out there!

This one is from Marjie...... thanks girl!

A walking tornado

Paint your face and hands silver/grey. Wear a grey sweat suit or leotard. Then use silver tulle and wind from head to toe. ( I would think that depending on size of child you can use a hula hoop or wire to make a round top) Stick small trees, houses, cars and animals throughout the tulle.

Works for me Wednesday - A coupon tip.

I love cutting coupons and using them. What I do not love is having a big wad of coupons in my sweaty hands at the store or trying to go through my coupon organizer looking for the right coupons.


So I reorganized. I set up my coupon holder in order of the isles. I go to mostly the same store each week so it was easy to do. ( Most stores are set up in the same way in general so it should work in any store)


I started with produce and filed all coupons that I would use in that front section. Then came personal care items, paper products, cleaning products, canned goods, baking goods, dry goods, frozen foods, dairy and breads. Can I tell you how much time and more importantly hassle this has saved me. Now I don't have to fish out all the coupons out before I go to the store! I just cruise to the isle and open to that section in my coupon organizer. This of course... works for me!

For more helpful hints check out http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/

Great Halloween costume idea #1

I am a planner. I used to do it for living and now I do it for sanity :) So it came to no ones surprise when I knew what both of my kids were dressing as for halloween... in June. I am also one of those mama's that comes up with my own costumes. Its my moms fault really. We could never be anything normal and cool..... it had to be unique and original. Now that I look back I can see how cool it really was. So now I am ---scream--- morphing into my mother in this way.

I was a cowgirl when I was 2. A warm brown suede pant complete with fringe on the side and matching vest. I am soooooo excited that my son will wear m cowboy outfit as well. My grandmother kept it all these years tucked away in her keepsake chest for such an occasion. So naturally my six month old shall be an Indian. ( I am making this costume- many prayers needed :) )

This brings me to this particular post. I am always searching for creative ideas for my kids. I thought I would post some original ideas that I got from my past days of dressing up and some that I got from my friends. I will try to do one every week until halloween. If you have any ideas of your own email me at everythingmom@live.com.

So here is the first one.

Bag of groceries:

I wish that I could find the picture of me when I was this. I got so many compliments that year that I began to think that maybe my mom was half way cool.... then I got to middle school and of course that was over.

We went to the grocery store and got two paper bags. My mom then cut out two leg holes in the bottom. I wore a beige leotard and pantyhose but boys could wear black or white sweats?

We then saved boxes of granola bars, raisins, oatmeal canister etc for a month. Anything that we had used and were ready to throw away we would save. After putting my leg into the cut holes the bag came to my bust line. We then stuffed newspaper into the bottom of the bag and then strategically placed the empty boxes on the top. ( This gives the illusion like the bag is full without the heaviness

My southern mama finished the look with a big bow in my hair, lipstick and heels. ( At least I know where my love for all things heels comes from :) )

(You could always find a a box or other household item and make a hat out of it. )

Odd Lots

I love Odd Lots! I even signed up to get the early bird flyer through my e-mail. I received it today for deals effective Sunday.

I was so excited about some of the deals I found.

I have been looking for a 15' flat screen tv for my mother in laws new kitchen. Odd lots has one with a built in DVD player for $199. This is WAY cheaper than I have ever found anywhere else! I went and asked if I could buy one today even though they were not out yet and they obliged!! I am so excited to mark yet another person off the Christmas list... yipee skippee!!! ( My husbands brother is going in on it with us )

Anywho,..... while I was looking I noticed some other deals.

Disney Princess merchandise: They have Disney wigs, makeup, costumes, shoes, phones, laptops and big girl bedding. This is some primo stuff! I was wishing that my little one was older b/c I would have cleaned up. The wigs really caught my eye. They were so nice and were only $6!

Dora: They had lots and lots of Dora. Figurines, games, cell phones, and so many other things. You name it they had it!

Martha Stewart Crafts: I am not sure if you have seen this but Martha is making craft kits for all sort holidays and celebrations. They have these kits at Odd Lots at a marked down price. I was impressed with what I saw. It was a good thing... he he he he

Halloween costumes: Again I was surprised at the makeup, costumes and accessories that they had. They had lots of toddler costumes too!

Happy Shopping ladies!

A great deal

I am one of those people who won't pay full price for clothes. I just can't bring myself to do it. It could be that I am in love with stores like TJ Maxx and Marshals that has Ralph Lauren, Tommy, Gap and Carters along with many others for cheap prices. Sure you have to do some digging but you can find some stellar deals.

So you can imagine when I found an awesome sweater that felt and looked like Cashmere. Guess where? WALMART! Guess how much? $13. I am so excited to find such a high quality sweater that fits so well for so cheap. It is the GEORGE brand. I tried it on and you would not believe how flattering it is. My husband thought I paid a hefty price for it because it looked so good.

Its funny because I hardly buy myself clothes at all. I am so focused on getting my kids clothes that I rarely look for myself. For $13 though I found an awesome sweater that looks great and makes me feel attractive.... woohoo!!