Turkey Napkin Rings

My fellow blogger and friend Lanette...who is awesome by the way...challenged her readers to spend last week crafting and working on projects they had found and intended on trying...some day. I managed with my unfocused brain to complete ONE project. It was a fun one for me to do for Thanksgiving. This is my first (finished) craft in ages! They cost about 21 cents a piece. I was able to make 16 with the materials I had.

Turkey Napkin Rings!

Materials list:

Brown felt .20

Camel felt .20

3 fall color flower bunches from a Dollar Store $3

Googly eyes I had at home

Instructions:

Separate the flowers

Re-layer the flower petal how you want them and hot-glue them

Cut the re-layered flower in half

For the body, cut brown felt out in the shape of a peanut

Glue the body to the "feathers"

Add eyes

I used a random petal as the beak

Cut Camel felt about 1.5 ''wide and 4.5'' long and form into a ring

Glue the ring to the Turkey....Done!

They are so easy and I love them!

For Granny and Pop

Happy Halloween!

The pumpkin patch

It's been about 7 years since we've been able to really celebrate Halloween in style. (I'm not sure what happened last year.) This year we finally made it to the pumpkin patch. We last went when Audrey was 4. The other 3 have never been. I know there are more severe forms of neglect, but you'd think I had committed the crime of the century. I was having a moment of self imposed guilt, "with a little help from my friends" so off to the patch we went. I was a little unprepared... Noah was the only one that had a jacket. I still forget that sunny does not mean warm. You would think an old lady would learn or know a thing or two. I figure no rain... we're good.

They had a fantastic time playing in the hay

Bowling with pumpkins....Noah takes it very seriously!

Blake grew a few pumpkins in the garden, ( I love scouts) most didn't get very big or turn orange in time. So we bought 90 lbs. of pumpkins and the kids had fun designing their perfect pumpkin...I don't think Dan enjoyed cleaning them all out. (It was his turn this year). I'm still trying to convince them that painting is just as much fun... less dry-heaving on their part!

Happy Haunting!

11 going on 15... well not quite, but close

Our Little Audrey turned 11 this Week!

She loves to draw, be with friends, and sing her favorite music. We took this picture at the Western Washington State Fair, waiting to watch Selena Gomez perform. Audrey and hundreds of other screaming girls could hardly wait for it to start.

This is a "manga" drawing Audrey did of me. She spends much of her free time drawing people and flowers. She was born with this ability, because I could teach her nothing about drawing. I struggle with straight lines!

Last Saturday we had a family party, because Dan was going out of town. Monday was her birthday so she took treats to share with her class. I was a little sad they don't allow you to brings things made from home, but she loves those Loft House sugar cookies so she took those. Friday, she had 6 girls spend the night. (The men folk wisely vacated the property). She had a hard time just choosing 6! She had a great time and I have recovered from the head ache. After a week of celebrating we are ready to begin the fall festivities! Happy Birthday Audrey! We are so lucky you are apart of our family!

Boulder Cave

I may get into trouble by sharing this info with those that do not live in Washington...but August and September are GLORIOUS in Washington ...it almost makes up for Nov thru June!

Yesterday we drove to the NE side of Mount Rainier (Chinook Pass) to do a short hike in a cave. It was a long way to drive for a short hike but I LOVE to hike around Mount Rainier. And the kids had a great time. Too bad September isn't 8 weeks long. I have a list of hikes I can't wait to do with the kids and not enough time to do them all this year =(. My summer was NOT long enough this year!



The kids found a snow hill to play on...pure joy!



Mount Rainier you are a Beauty and you mesmerize me every time you show your Magnificant face!



 

A "Quiet" Sunday Afternoon

The conversation goes like this....

Me "Hey Dan I have something I really don't want to tell you"
Dan "What is it"
Me " I'm pretty sure there is a leak in the upstairs bathroom"

One hour later.....

Dan "*#$%^#$%"
Me " I get a new Bathroom!"

A Hodge Podge Collage

I think it's only fair. I have cyber stalked all of you. Now I must share. Here's some of what we've been up to in no particular order.

Noah and his cousin Marshall playing at their first recital. I love to watch those kids play "Twinkle Twinkle" so darn cute!
Audrey and her cousin getting ready to play at a group recital...My amazing sister, Sarah.


We've been to the coast a few times to dig for Razor Clams! The boys really get into. The first time we went was a night dig. It was absolutely gorgeous! It is a little hard going from tropical beach to Northwest beach, but we loved it anyway. The attire is a little different. I'm not sure which is better. To be honest, it's not that pretty to see speedo man (who is in his 70's ) at the beach. Snow coats at the beach??...sometimes you just need to count your blessings!

All Madelyn cared about was carrying a bucket and getting her picture taken






The last time we went, we stayed at a dive and spent two days at Westport. Each person is allowed to keep 15 clams a day. We didn't take our limit but we have plenty to make A LOT of Clam Chowder. I'm good with that, just as long as I don't have to clean them.




After we finished calm digging, (the dig ended at Noon) we headed to the pier to try our luck at catching some crabs. I am fully aware that we are sitting in bird poo, but those crab where tasty.


Balloon Tag...a nice "quiet" Sunday activity!

It's a little ghetto, but we wanted smores and haven't built the fire pit yet...whatcha goin do!

The kids LOVE to put together carnivals. This was last weekend when we actually saw the sun. A true miracle and the kids spent the entire day outside with their carnival. One of their stations was weed pulling... LOL! Strangely no weeds got pulled.










Blake had his first Pinewood Derby. His car was all about design. He wanted a shark with flames...very much Blake. It actually won a race. He was thrilled!





We bought a house in Oct 2010. We love everything about it. It's amazing to go from high rise apartment to country living! We spend tons of time in the yard. It's 5 acres of land but only half of it is developed.

The Rhododendrons are in bloom! It's so great to see all the colors of Spring after a loooong winter. We have about 5 of these pink bushes in our back yard. Blake loves to catch the bees that hangout around the flowers.

Noah was out in the field picking me "flowers". He couldn't carry them all so he started putting them in his waistband!

Madelyn helping me weed. Everone has to pull their weight. And she's done for the day with her ONE flower.