Fiddlesticks Farm

I just heard about Fiddlesticks Farms this year from a friend and we really enjoyed it!

In short, it's a pumpkin patch with a lot of fun family activities like:
Corn Mazes
Hay rides
Potato sack slides
Corn and Pumpkin cannons
Petting zoo etc...

I would have loved to share a bunch of awesome photos with you, but my stinking camera died after one picture. I was left to scrape together a few memory shots with my daughters iphone.

Pink camo tractor- raffle for breast cancer awareness



The scientist takes a ride in a barrel cow pulled by a tractor


A bunch of animals I tell ya! :P


If you are in the area, check it out. This will definitely be a yearly thing for us. I think they have other things going on throughout the year as well, even winning Best Light Display for their Christmas light parade last year.

I'll let you guys in on a little funny tidbit that I wouldn't tell just anyone. It could put us in a "lazy, don't get out much" type peg that may or may not be true. lol
There are a few options when it comes to the corn maze. There is a shorter (low corn stalk) maze that lasts about 15 minutes, a 30 minute maze with med height stalks, and then there is the hour long maze with stalks that tower over my head at times and I'm a couple inches shy of 6ft.
We've never done a corn maze before. I know, it seems sacrilegious because we live in the south doesn't it? Anyway, for some unknown reason, we opted for the hour long maze. It started out good, but halfway through, it was obvious that we are the opposite of the hike-happy-outdoor-sy family.
They have markers with hints you can receive by text and "helpers" standing at different intervals in the maze and I'm sure they were having a blast listening to my family's complaints.
Ms. Thang was wishing for a hand held fan and an icy drink (at 10 am..can you imagine how she would have been if we had gone late afternoon?)
The scientist was wishing for a car so he could just drive through the rows and get back to the slide.
Even my Honey was mumbling something about a machete and some sunglasses. It was like they equated our family outing to being deserted on an island and were wishing they had each brought a specific survival tool. We were all happy to make it out though and proud we finished. I'd like to say we lost a little weight on that trek, but the sausage on a stick and fried potato twists probably canceled that out.

Not equivalent to the one in my head.

Remember that big "R" that I was going to decoupage (first time) as part of a wedding gift? Well it didn't turn out the way I had envisioned. I mean..I did everything right, I just think I used the wrong paper maybe. It seems too busy. What do you think? It will look something like this, but prettier ribbon, and a stack of gray towels and hand towels. Hmm I wonder if the bride-to-be would ever read this...Well, Mrs. Future R, you're getting the gray towels on your registry lol. But really, I don't think she reads. (But she should!)


So what are you thoughts? I went with that style of paper because she put a lot of black scroll decorations on her registry and other black items. It already has a hole for hanging if she chooses, or she can always just set it on a shelf. I hope she likes it! :)

Oh and decoupaging = EASY!
I just painted the whole letter (front sides and back) black. Then traced it onto my paper and cut it out. I used an xacto knife because the middle hole was a bit tricky. Then just mod podged it on, let it dry, and mod podged over it with a little paint brush. Oh, I did have to trim up the paper a bit around the edges. I just laid it down (paper-side to the table) and used the xacto to trim off any over hang before I sealed it with mod podge. Super simple.

Here is the one "in progress" picture I took.


I cut out the paper "R" while I let the painted "R" dry. I think it looks more finished if you paint the entire thing, including the back. Notice how I laid newspaper around to protect my counters and worked just off to the side of it lol

The hardest part of this project was waiting for every thing to dry between each step. Total time to finish, including drying time..about 45 minutes. Less than an hour, it goes fast!

Now I just have to go buy the towels today. I better hurry since the shower is this Saturday. Eek! I hope they have enough in stock. :S

A quick Funny-4-U-but-not-4-me: As I typed this out, I was letting Cutecumber bush my hair with her doll brush. I just noticed my hair is a little wet and she's apparently been dipping the comb in the dog dish. Nice.

Brag blogging...

First of all, can I just say that I got up early, went with Honey to early vote, cleaned out and vacuumed the van, took 3 big trash bags full to Goodwill (cause I gave Ms. Thang a closet makeover and it looks fantabulous. I probably should have done a post on that. oops) worked out a bit (and talked to my mom on the phone without sounding too winded I hope) shampooed both the kids rooms and straighted up around the house ALL before noon!

I feel freakin great! I'm even going to tempt the kids with a trip to the park if they do their homework and chores fast enough.

Speaking of my kids, look at the spook-tacular wreath Ms. Thang made!


I provided the wreath and she just went to town with a few dollar tree items and a hot glue gun. Her first time believe it or not. Only one burn. ;) I kept trying to add in a few things but she was resisting my help the whole way. Honey was on her side too. I made these cool looking web/cacoon things that looked like wrapped up bugs or something to hang on the wreath. Ms. Thang refused to use them and Honey said they looked like web turds. Nice huh? But I have to admit, she didn't need my help. It looks great!

I also wanted to show off this eye chart I printed out for the Scientists room.


It reads "Gavin Reece Qualls is smart, rad, and awesome." cause he totally is. I embellished a bit on this idea: HERE. You can also see a cool light bulb candle I found a thrift shop (which he begs to burn almost daily and I won't let him) and a couple of the scientists collections. Bottle caps, and yes it's 90% beer caps but apparently alcoholics litter the streets with their caps more often. (I'm judging you with collected FACTS) And his other jar holds those colored size-rings off clothing hangers. Please tell me I'm not the only mom begging her child to get out from under the racks, and later making her son pull them all out of his pockets, forcing him to ask the cashier if he can have them. They always say yes, but it's stealing if you don't! He wants a giant ceramic animal to glue them all on someday. Preferably a standing dog. Budding artist or hoarder? What is your vote? lol

Also got these tiny tea cups (all three and a tiny pitcher) for a $1 at a garage sale and I'm thinking of stealing Cassanda's Idea and making them into pin cushions.

The letter "R" and pretty paper are going to be part of a wedding gift I hope. It's my first real decoupage craft so wish me luck on that. The tea cups are about the size of a quarter and the saucers about the size of..well imagine if the cup was quarter sized, then look at the saucer in relation to that lol. They really are cute though!


That's all folk, and I hope my good mood rubs off on ya! :)

Tar-jay Robots

I once heard a friend refer to Target as Tar-jay. She said it made the store sound french and fancy. I thought she was an idiot. Now I started saying it as a joke to make fun of her but it's so catchy that I am now one of those idiots that say Tar-jay. Even my Honey says it now, but he was an idiot before that. :P

I am so excited for Sat. to get here because Honey is off and I hope to get his help in the Scientists room. I want to find him a better desk, paint the inside of his TV cabinet doors with chalk board paint, and add another robot. Here is the one I have in mind.

The original that I stole somewhere off the internet:


And my modified version, I think I'll paint him green.

I think it looks better with the one he already has.

I rarely ever stick to the original draft cause of mistakes I end up working with, or whatever. We'll see how close I get :)

He has this bed spread from Tar-jay


And I am actually thinking of doing some peel and stick tile on his floor in light and dark gray stripes or checkers. Carpet is not working for a young boy and am betting it wont work out until well into his teens. I want something I can sanitize! Here is the look I am thinking of:





But all in peel and stick tile. It's cheap but easily covered with other floor options later down the road, so I can get a little wild with it to make it fun for him. I just want it to be something he will like as an older child as well. The wall can always be painted and the bedspread can easily change down the road. But where can I find a wide variety of peel and stick?

Anyway, those are a few ideas I had rolling around. Thoughts?

I sort of wanted to cut the each peel and stick and do a puzzle pattern like this:


But Honey said I was out of my mind crazy, so I guess that's a no. lol

YES!

For two days I can only last 10 minutes on the new exercise thing I got at Target and hated that I was so winded and stopping frequently in increments of 10minutes at a time. I knew I was out of shape but dang!

Today, my son pointed out that it was on the hardest setting (5) and I could have cried! I feel so much better! Maybe I should read the instructions and watch the dvd? lol

The grocery store

I left to pick up the kids in such a great mood. My daughter had just received her report card. It turned out to be straight A's and she gets paid $7 for every A (her grade level) just as my son did a few days ago and received $1 for all of his straight A's. He bought a giant Bakugon and he is still trying to teach me how to say that right. My kids are geniuses. Am I bragging? Yes! But give me a minute....

So like I said, I was in a great mood. Ms. Thang was receiving cash that I knew she was itching to blow since last week, and I needed to go to the grocery store. As I sat outside of her school, I imagined the conversation to go like this:

You got your report card today! ..I did? ...Yes! Open it!...Mom, I got straight A's!..Oh joy happy happy...Mom? Can we go to a store so I can buy some things (expecting me to say no)..Why YES we CAN!...hug hug love love!

And basically that is how it went. Beaming and proud, we pulled into Walmart. We have to pass Chic-fil-a on the way in and the kids love it. Being in a great mood, I announced, "We'll go through there for dinner after I get all the groceries.

"Yay" they all chant. Life is so perfect.

In the store just moments later:

"GO! Or I'll step on the back of your heels every time you go too slow!"

"thwip thwip thwip thwip thwip" --Stop hitting all the signs on the aisle! Hands IN

"Mom, Cutecumber just opened the ritz...Mom, Cutecumber just poked a hole in the pork chops, ...Mom, Cutecumber just ate a grape...."

"Can I have this cereal?"
"Can I have these chips?"
"Can I have a lunchable?"
"Can I get Big Red?"
repeat a bazillion times.....

"My legs hurt."

"I'm hungry."

"sigh...SIGH..SIGH LOUDER" .."What's wrong?"..."nooothhhinnng"

"You never let me look at the things I like to look at."

"Why does SHE get to buy stuff and I don't?"


But believe it or not, all three of them made it out alive. We pull into Chic-fil-a. Knowing we have a van full of groceries, I tell the kids they can either choose fries or a drink to go with their nuggets and I'm not buying meals. They could have a juice, apple, or salad from the house. I immediately realize how ungrateful my children are. I totally used the "There are millions of kids starving to death in Africa and you guys are crying cause you can't have a Sprite AND fries?" They were quiet for awhile, long enough for me to order while they listened closely and prayed I was only kidding about the limits, but when I showed I was true to my word, the van atmosphere grew thick with pouting and displeasure. I started plotting ways to make them more grateful. Most of them were illegal. I admit I was in a bad mood at this point. The lemonade helped. I swear to you, that is the best lemonade in town.

We get home and I let the kids start eating as I unload the groceries alone. I only put away the cold stuff and left the rest for after dinner. The kids were being pleasant. We always ask "What was the best part of your day?" followed by the worst parts and it was unanimous that the worst part was Walmart for all of us. Ms Thang shared a sip of her Sprite for one of the Scientist's fries. I was feeling like my kids had hope after all, until Ms. Thang asked me for $1000 to go to New York with her drama class. I literally laughed in her face. I won't even shell out the cash for a complete meal at Chic-fil-a!

Halloween Owl

We had an odd day yesterday (by odd I mean the kids were driving me batty on their day home from school- Columbus Day) so the Halloween decor was actually brought out this morning. The kids made me promise to wait for them so I don't have many pictures to show you until then. However, I did want to do a small feature on this owl before/after in case Halloween comes and goes as quickly as it did last year so here he is.

Before:


Can you tell I craft on that old TV tray often? lol
I found this guy at Trade and Treasures (I hope I got that name right, local thrift shop) for less than a dollar. I believe it's ceramic. It's really heavy and a pretty good size. They had a whole flock of them in varying sizes. Did you know a "flock" of owls is actually called a pack? Makes them more creepy don't ya think?


After:


Isn't he sparklingly spooktacular? I just painted him with black paint, slopped on some glue with a paint brush and then sprinkled on the glitter. I had this big glitter container thinking it was going to take a ton. I used about 1/100 of the glitter. Seriously. That stuff goes far! I did it over a paper plate and then moved it to a clean plate and reused the loose glitter. I did it in sections: head, back, and front. It wasn't as messy as I thought it was going to be. The glitter I used was sort of heavy like sand. It was about a dollar at Hobby Lobby. Btw, during Halloween, you might want to get your black or orange glitter ahead of time because I got the last black glitter in the entire store. That's why I ended up with the fine sand type rather than the regular stuff but it was a good thing because I now prefer it. It doesnt blow around and you know how I feel about glitter! I wish it would have photographed a bit better. You can really see all the little details of the owl and I worried that it would get lost after the glitz was added but instead, it highlighted and brought the detail out.

Like I said earlier, I'm waiting for the kids to do most of the decorating, so I don't have much to show right now. I did this last night though, on the chalkboard in the kitchen...



I thought the kids would really love it, but they both had a few not-so-appreciative words to say about it. The Scientist said the bats were supposed to be black and that the Jolly Roger never appears on tombstones. I told him it was the sign for poison. He told me that is never used on tombstones either. Ms. Thang agreed and asked me what was up with the fat faced ghost. Um ghosts are floating free forms! They aren't supposed to be uniform. Gaw!
The kids decided this board will change daily or weekly with each of us taking turns, obviously thinking they can do better. I did like their idea for the week leading up to Halloween though. One will start by drawing something spooky and each day one of us will add to it. Sounds fun, but this doesn't mean that I agree with their views on my art. Everybody's a critic...


**I'm playing around with the header and background of my blog so there will probably be changes often until I find something I like best.

Checkers

Well Katie was right! The checkerboard was painted on my living room coffee table.



I taped it off and painted it with straight acrylic, knowing it would come right off if I hated it and thinking I would seal it to make it permanent if I liked it. After it was finished, it was too perfect and I ended up sanding it up a bit and liked that look much better for my room..I think. I also free-handed a thin border around it because I thought the blank squares looked too unfinished without the defining lines. There is no finish to the wood table except stain and now I worry that putting a sealant will add a sheen that I don't know if I want. So I'm leaving it for now and thinking I might just go over it in a more permanent paint. But then I may not be able to sand it as much so I'm still undecided.

What I DO love is that it will be a really fun table for family, sitting by the fire during the holidays. I can picture it now and I am SO ready! Now I just have to come up with checker pieces other than nickels and pennies that the kids have been using. I'm thinking I may just make some out of wooden disks and paint. I've been needing Xs and Os for this tic-tac-toe set also and I just need to get the pieces and do them all together.

Anyway, here is the table with a little context from the rest of the room.

I like that it's giving a layered look without the clutter.

Tomorrow we dig all the Halloween decor out of the garage. I'll show you what we come up with. :)

Living

Cutecumber had a birthday...







It needs a post of it's own, but I'm still reeling in the "It's finally over and I can relax" phase.
I also need to show you guys the checkerboard and owl I did. Yeah, not in the mood for that right now either, but I hope to at least have it posted before Halloween. :)

In the mean time, let me tell you about my late afternoons. Everyday The Scientist and I try to come up with exciting things to do while we wait for Ms. Thang to get out of school. It's a good 20-30 minutes. Lately I've been giving him a pink puppy poop bag (I have a bazillion cause my dog refuses to poop anywhere other than our own back yard..well, there and the laundry room *sigh*) so the Scientist uses them for a litter scavenger hunt. Ex: Find something red; Find something round etc.. and he's even made a friend or two that join in, including the crossing guard whom I absolutely love. I adore both of my kid's crossing guards. The one at my son's school goes out of her way to say hello and smile at my kids every morning and every afternoon. As a matter of fact, today she let both Cutecumber and The Scientist hold her stop sign for a moment before crossing. Made their day! The crossing guard at Ms. Thang's school is always fun. Just this week, she's sported pink star sunshades, pink hair, and even a pink cape. I've seen her hand out water on hot days to her crossing kids and she even brought a frisbee for the Scientist and his friends to play with the other day.

Lately this has been the scene outside my passenger side window for the past couple of days


and sadly it's because there is an epidemic of speeders/texters/cellphone users in the school zones. Just the other day, the crossing guard was hit by a car that failed to stop. :( She was very fortunate and was not hit very hard, but it really made me stop and think about how lucky we are that the crossing guards are there. If they don't step out first and enter the walk before the children, think of how much danger our kids would be in. So I have 2 favors to ask of my readers today.
1. Please please please save those phone conversations until you are out of the car.
2. Thank your crossing guards! <3
And now that you've had your saftey tips for the day, let me leave you with one last warning. If you spend half an hour trapped in the van with your children, they may rub off on you!