October Was Anything But Dead...

This year is just screeching by... I am still in disbelief that it is already November but I am glad October is over. And I am so glad we are finally at the point of Daylight Savings Time (it felt so good waking up this morning and feeling refreshed even though I was still up "early"). I am hoping this refreshed feeling stays and the rest of this month (despite the fact that the holiday season is creeping up on us) can go at a little slower pace.

Of course, it was fun to decorate the house for the Halloween festivities. (See how "redneck" we are- the christmas lights from last year still hanging from the roof...)

And it was so nice to get out as a family and go on a long drive to Ione and take the train ride.

And carving pumpkins is always a blast- this year we ALL did our own- it's usually me just carving the kids' with their "help" :).

And then there's the dress up play that comes with the end of the month:

(My daughter as a young lady from the 80's for her school party... For Halloween night she opted to be a "dead bride" as you can see from the photo above.)

(My son as dracula -without blood for his school party...)

(And mom as a cat... Dad doesn't dress up. :))

 

And the candy after trick or treating... so much junk food I don't know how I, er, the kids are going to eat it all! :)

 

But now that all of that is over (along with school meetings, food and harvest preservation, a date night with my husband, and the birth of my brand new nephew) I want a few weekends before the holiday rush to just relax. I don't know if that is possible though. I am now looking over my list of what needs to be accomplished before 2013- doesn't seem like there will be any "dead" space in November or December either... Oh well.

 

An Idea for the "App"less

So- is it true that not everyone has one of those cool phones or tablets with all the apps on them? I am one of those people. But I do like having access to technology- especially when there are so many neat things you can find on the internet as inspirational ideas! So I have my handy laptop to use. BUT... my laptop is not always accessible to me: sometimes I let my husband use it, sometimes I'm letting my children watch cartoons or play learning games on it, and sometimes I just can't use it to access a good idea because I'm in the kitchen and I don't want it getting all "floured and greased" on the counter!

So- this is my idea for keeping some seasonal inspirational ideas together. Some of those ideas I have printed off from those amazing sites with boards of ideas, and some I have just ripped out of good old fashioned print magazines (which I still find very relaxing to look through without a piece of hardware on my lap!) This way, when I'm working in the kitchen, or on the living room floor with my children, I can just open up this folder and be inspired for creative gifts, foods, or fun!

1. Get a 3-ring binder with insertable cover area. Quickly put together a cute cover that says the season!

2. Make sure you have some tabbed folders or dividers to use so you can organize your ideas into different types (mine are "Food" and "Fun").

 

3. Place your "ripped out" or "printed off" ideas in folder inserts and place in your folder.

Viola! A "mobile" app- safe in the kitchen and save in some kids' hands so they can browse too!