The Week from Hades...

That's what last week was, at least for Baby Girl. After she got back from trick-or-treating, she started coughing. Not a big deal, I figured. She does that sometimes because of allergies. I gave her some Benedryl and Spartan and I went off to our adult Halloween party.

I dressed in Spartan's old military outfit (he even let me use his "good" red beret...he was in special forces back then) and Spartan went as the Molinator. I don't think most people got it. He was supposed to be like the tooth fairy on steroids. I thought it was very humorous!

Here's me with "my girls." Me as special forces, A. as a TGIF waitress, B. as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and F. as a jellyfish.

We had a blast at the party. We had planned ahead of time to spend the night at A.'s house since it was a bit of a drive for us.

Next morning, I get a phone call from my Mom telling me that Baby Girls temp was at 103. Home we went. She did okay the rest of the day with just some meds. Monday...not so much. Baby Girl always runs higher temps than most people, even when she was teething she'd run 102, but, even so, when her temp gets to 105 I get a little stressed (read: panicky). Wednesday got her into the doctor...tested her for H1N1...results: negative. Thank goodness! After writing us a script for tamiflu, an antibiotic and a pill to stop her throwing up, the Doctor sent us for x-rays. Thursday, after being on the meds for about 18hrs, she felt great! I got the call telling me it was not pneumonia. Again, thank goodness! She was still running a temp, but it was manageable. Friday...she was all better and driving me crazy with being wound up! I think that when kids are sick they save up the energy they would have used and unleash it on their parents all at once! That's okay...that kind of obnoxiousness...I can live with!!

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Happy Hallowe'en!

Magic...

"Practical Magic" that is!

This has got to be one of my all time favorite movies! Yes, it's a chick flick. Yes, it's silly. Yes, it's inane. So what! I love it! It makes me smile! Also it has Aiden Quinn in it...I had a big crush on him back in the back in the 80's when he played Johnny Rourke in Reckless. Love me them bad boys...

Anyways, I digress. Here is one of my favorite scenes in Practical Magic, Amas Veritas:

Being a sucker for romance, in this case witchie style, this is a montage set to music:

Apparently, I am waxing romantic today...

Have a magic filled day!

Living History...

We are blessed, here in Michigan, to have quite a few "living history" parks. We have Greenfield Village, which is famous and Mackinac Island to name two. About 20 miles from where I live there is another, smaller and lesser well known park called Crossroads Village. They have homes, stores and a school that date to about 100 years (or more) ago. The school pictured above, Stanley School, was originally built in 1883 and moved to the park in 1975. All the buildings on the park were originally built here in Michigan.

Why the sudden history/geography lesson you ask? Well, let me tell you! In my school district, every year, all the 3rd graders get to go to Stanley School for a day of lessons. They try to make it as authentic as possible for the children. They are to dress the part, bring their lunches the way children used to...even drink from tin "cups." (we used a mushroom can, sanded and washed for this) Baby Girl is in 3rd grade this year! I was over the moon! After going through 3 boys who could care less and just wore short pants and a shirt, I finally got to have some fun!

Of course, I had to bite off almost more than I could chew, I wouldn't be me if I didn't! I started searching for just the right pattern...found it! Thanks to the resurgence of popularity among the civil war reproduction materials, I was able to take Baby Girl shopping to pick out her very own authentic reproduction material for the dress! She made a perfect choice! A lovely blue flowered shirting dating from 1875. Unbleached muslin for the pinafore and we were ready to go!

I'm not much of a seamstress...I'm a sewer, but seamstresses are in a league of their own. It took me longer than most, I'm sure, but I ended up with something I am quite proud of. I only cheated in one small area, instead of actually doing button holes, which I have never done and am intimidated by, I used velcro for the fastenings with buttons sewn over top.

So, without further ado...

The front with a basket for her lunch. The basket has a bow to match her dress wrapped around the handle. I also wrapped the bottom of her braids with the same dress material.

Back view of the pinafore.

A very happy Baby Girl!

Needless to say, Baby Girl will be going as Laura Ingalls for Halloween this year! On a side note, I thought it was pretty interesting that the material dates from 1875, when Laura Ingalls was 8 and Baby Girl is also 8!

In the spirit of Halloween I thought over the next 5 days I would share a few of my favorite "spooky" things!

This one is a song from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. We love this movie! We watch it all the time, not just at Halloween! It was composed by Danny Elfman. If you've never heard any of his music, you really should check it out. He writes some of the prettiest, not just silly, music I've heard. Stuff you can listen to with your little ones! If you want to hear what the song sounds like just click the play button at the end of the lyrics!

Hit it boys

Hey, Give me a listen
You corpses of cheer
At least those of you
Who still got an ear
I'll tell you a story
Make a skeleton cry
Of our own jubiliciously
Lovely Corpse Bride

Die, Die, We all pass away
But don't wear a frown
Because it's really okay
You might try to hide
And you might try to pray
But we all end up the remains of the day

(ya,ya,ya,yaya,ya,ya,ya)

Well, our girl was a beauty
Known For miles around
When a mysterious stranger
Came into town
He was plenty good-looking
But down on his cash
And our poor little baby
She fell hard and fast
When he daddy said no
She just couldn't cope
So our lovers came up with
a plan to elope

Die,Die, We all pass away
But don't wear a frown
Because it's really okay
You might try to hide
And you might try to pray
But we all end up the remains of the day

(ya,ya,ya,yaya,ya,ya,yaya ect.)

So they conjured up a plan
To meet late at night
They told not a soul
Kept the whole thing tight
Now, her mother's wedding dress
Fit like a glove
You don't need much
when your really in love

Except for a few things
Or so I'm told
Like the family jewels
And a satchel of gold
Then next to the graveyard
By the old oak tree
On a dark foggy night
At a quarter to 3
She was ready to go
But where was he?

(And then?)
She waited
(And then?)
There in the shadows,was it her man?
(And then?)
Her little heart beat so loud
(And then?)
And then, baby, everything went black

Now, when she opened her eyes
She was dead as dust
Her jewels were missing
And her heart was bust
So she made a vow
Lying under that tree
That she'd wait for her true love
To come set her free
Always waiting for someone
To ask for her hand

Then out of the blue
Comes this groovy young man
Who vows forever
To be by her side
And that's the story
Of our Corpse Bride

Die,Die, We all pass away
But don't wear a frown
Because it's really okay
You might try to hide
And you might try to pray
But we all end up
The remains of the day

A Gift, A Bug and More...

I know I have been neglecting my blog alot lately. I've just been busy, and therefore, not had much of anything to share. I've been running around so much lately that it feels as if I am pracitically living in my car!

I do have one little finish to show you. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that a dear friend of mine got married. Well, a week after the wedding it was her birthday! I had brought home some of the flowers that were the centerpieces on the tables with her birthday in mind. I dried them in the oven then used them to fill this sachet that I embroidered and beaded for her. I think it turned out lovely! I know that my friend was pleased with it.

I thought this was interesting. One morning last week, when I was taking Baby Girl down to the bus I spied this cool bug. It's a walking stick! I have only seen one once or twice, other than this one, in my life! They are impossible to find if you are looking for them, but this one just presented itself to us on one of the plastic chairs on our front porch...how cool is that!!! If you are interested in learning more about this bug you can go here and read about them!

Last, but certainly not least Sharon over at Daffycat is having a giveaway for her 2 year blogoversary. She is giving away, to two winners, a Simon's Cat book. If, like me, you have apparently been living under a rock, check out the following YouTube video I have embeded. I am in love with this darling cat now! If you have a cat, these videos are a must see!!

That's all for now, though I will have my Daughter's costume finished in the next day or so and I will post pictures of that...she's going to be Laura Ingalls for Halloween and I am (trying to) make her a somewhat authentic costume. 'Till then...