{ diy: candy corn wreath, updated with pictures }

I love the fall. And I love Halloween.

Even though it will probably still be in the high 80s by the time October 31st rolls around, I love the pumpkins and the colors and the delicious smells...

And I love crafts.

I was waiting to check out at Publix the other day, when this Woman's Day cover jumped out at me.

I mean, seriously. Could that wreath BE any cuter?

The answer, in case you were wondering, is no. It could not.

Now, I realize I do not have a great track record with food-inspired holiday decor. Just see what happened last year with the marshmallow wreath and gingerbread house. 

But this looked so easy!

(That's how they suck you in).

The materials are simple: a flat 16" styrofoam wreath form, wide black ribbon, black duct tape, 2 big bags of Brach's candy corn and a can of Krilon Preserve It!

You might want to keep a third bag of candy corn on hand for sustenance. This isn't a long project, but it's nice to be able to keep up your strength.

First, use the duct tape to wrap the wreath completely (as shown in the above photo). Keep the tape as flat as possible, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

Spread out the candy corn on a parchment paper or wax paper covered cookie sheet and spray liberally with the Preserve It. Let it dry (about 30 minutes) flip it, and spray again. Let dry about two hours before using.

Starting from the outside edge, use your hot glue gun to adhere each candy corn, end to end, to the wreath form. You should be able to fit five rows on the flat side, so space accordingly. When you have finished the outermost row, reverse the direction of the candy and do the next row in.

Continue until the entire flat surface of the wreath is covered. Please try to avoid actually gluing the pieces of candy corn to your fingers. The combination of scalding glue and sugar will probably result in the shrieking of some very choice expletives. Not that I know this from experience or anything. I'm just saying.

Then move on to the inner and outer sides.

Cut a 48" length of ribbon and tie the two loose ends together in a knot.

Loop the ribbon around the top of the wreath to create the hanger.

And give the whole thing one more spray with the Preserve It before hanging on your door (pictures to come later - it was night and I didn't think the photos would do it justice. Not that this picture of a wreath hanging next to the child safety apparatus on my pantry door is visually stunning, but you get the idea).

People - this one was a snap. It took a few hours, but for about $10, look at this gorgeous wreath. You really can't go wrong!


Update: here are the photos from this morning with the wreath on our front door.

I love the way it looks against the green!

Happy Fall! And Happy Halloween!

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{ a very colorful playdate }

Often, I lack the creativity to come up with super fun playdate ideas. Things that seem really fun for me somehow aren't as fun for toddlers. Go figure.

So when the opportunity to attend a tie-dye playdate party arose, you know I jumped at the chance. The purpose of the party was to dye team shirts for the local NDSS Buddy Walk, but anyone could join in the fun.

Each party was to bring something to tie-dye (100% cotton), and then either RIT dye or Kool-Aid packets. Allegedly, if you mix the Kool-Aid with white vinegar, it adheres to the fabric, just like actual dye. 

I say allegedly. 

I also say that Michaels and similar craft stores seem to sell very effective tie-dye kits for approximately $9.99, complete with the dye colors, dye bottles and very handy directions. They have a variety of color combinations. 

My suggestion? If you're letting your child do the dyeing, give them the Kool-Aid. If you want a product that holds the color? Get the dye.

It's always good to start these projects off with a treat. 

These are tie-dye, casein free cupcakes, provided by one of the moms. 

Delicious.

Then you're going to mix up your colors. For the Kool-Aid, it's one package to one ounce white vinegar. For the dye, just follow the package directions. Also, set up some rinse buckets. These are great for dampening the shirts and also, for distracting toddlers during some of the messier parts.

I wanted to make a "bullseye" style shirt for Turtle. With the help of one of the moms, and the RIT directions, I wet down his white shirt, and then twisted it up like this.

Have plenty of rubber bands ready.

You're going to need about four of them for this shirt. You want to wrap them around the t-shirt so that you get eight "wedges."

But you can also roll your shirt in a tube and dye it this way.

Or in multi colors like this.

Or you can just go straight for the leg.

I took some of the nozzle bottles and soaked each wedge of our shirt with a different color. Some were Kool-Aid colors and some were RIT dyes.

Turtle was pretty interested in watching the process. And scheming on how to get more cupcakes.

However, it was way past his naptime and he was fading fast. 

In theory, the shirt was awesome.

I let it sit for a few days, then rinsed it and threw it in the wash by itself. However, when I did, the blue, green and yellow (which were the Kool-Aid colors) rinsed out.

In reality? The playdate rocked. The kids had fun playing with the water and rubber bands, and the moms had fun with the coloring and dyeing. 

Definitely a great outdoor activity for a nice day!

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{ i love this place, part the second }

Once Mickey and Minnie were met, hugged, kissed, high-fived and waved at, we were good to go.

And go we did.

Turtle's very first Magic Kingdom ride was the Barnstormer. Which made him giggle. Which means he is truly his mother's child. Because roller coasters rock.

And then, of course, he had to go on Dumbo (Disney really thinks of everything - please note how nicely they offer a prop Dumbo for close-up photographs).

Cinderella's Carousel was a huge hit, as well. Horsies are guaranteed to bring smiles.

Look at him. That expression can light up a room. Or an entire theme park. Either way.

(And do you see? His wee little crocs? They are his very first pair. I'm not a croc fan, but Turtle has a bit of a chunky foot and it's difficult to find "play shoes" for him at a reasonable price. I love these on him, though).

Now, I know Disney offers some app that allows you to get the wait time for rides or find characters throughout the park. Or you could just call me. For the price of a glass of pinot noir, I'll spot characters for you.

Just like I found Buzz while we were hopping on line for the Space Encounter ride in Tomorrowland.

And then Woody and Jessie tucked away in a corner in Frontierland.

Oh, yeah. And Goofy, dressed as a pirate, on the way to Pirates of the Caribbean. 

I am sad to report that Captain Jack Sparrow was nowhere to be found. 

Turtle went on a ton of rides, including my favorite, Peter Pan's Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, the People Mover, the Jungle Cruise, and even the Test Track in Tomorrowland.

It was the best day.

We're so rarely spontaneous (hey, it's hard to get up and go when you have a toddler and three pugs), and this all could have imploded on us. 

But we just rolled with the punches, and Turtle was such a champ. He was up, napless, from 6am til we left the park around 5:30. And he was an angel the entire day. It could not have been more wonderful. 

And there was something so wonderful about watching him react to things. I can't really describe it, but it's like nothing I've ever felt.

We'll be going back (twice in the next six months, as a matter of fact, due to the pass we purchased). And I hope the next visits are as wondrous as this one. 

Thanks for letting me share this with you. It was really one of the most amazing experiences of my life. 

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{ we interrupt this blog - winner, discovery toys }

I am so super sorry for the delay in this Discovery Toys giveaway announcement. Things got a little hectic and I fell behind.

But never fear.

The winner is here.

According to random.org, our winning comment number is...

And that makes our winner... 

Congratulations, Sippy Cup Mom! Please send me an email so you can redeem your prize! I know you'll love whatever you get from Discovery Toys!

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{ I love this place }

This past week, we were discussing "Things To Do." 

We have been rather stuck and I thought it was important to try to have some family time together, doing something fun.

My (obviously lame) suggestion was to visit a local, historic firehouse. Maybe get some breakfast. Spend the rest of the day window shopping or at the park. 

MacGyver mulled it over for a minute, and then said to Turtle "Hey buddy, do you want to go visit Mickey Mouse tomorrow?"

Who's an amateur-planner? Who is?

And so, a plan was formed. We would get up before the sun (and our friendly, neighborhood rooster), toss Turtle in the car, and arrive at the Happiest Place On Earth right as the park gates were opening.

And then pray like crazy that the sight of a life-size Mickey Mouse wouldn't reduce our child to a fit of hysteria in the middle of the Magic Kingdom.

Game on.

Turtle kept up a pretty steady monologue through the entire two-hour drive, informing us multiple times that it was, in fact, dark out and there were trucks on the road. 

We followed the 17,000 Walt Disney World billboards and arrived at the park at about 9:15, where we promptly parked in either Pluto or Chip & Dale (there needs to be an iPhone app to help find your car in Orlando - Steve Jobs? Are you listening?) and took the tram to the Ticket and Transportation Center.

At which point, Turtle could not believe his luck. Because it was not even 10 AM, and he had already ridden on a BUS! And was surrounded by huge pictures of MICKEY!

Toddlers have the best lives ever.

And then? While Mommy and Daddy were deciding which Magical Pass they should purchase for Maximum Disney Value, Turtle got his very own button!

Because it was his first time. 

(Cue Mommy Tears of Joy).

But finally, we had everything sorted out, and pushed through the gates to the monorail (OMG A TRAIN!).

And then we were there.

Be careful. He has a (5-and-under-appropriate) map and he's not afraid to use it.

He really had no idea what he was in for.

The parks were decorated for Halloween, which was beautiful.

You could see the theme all the way up Main Street to the castle.

You can tell how excited he is. 

"Mom, Dad. You brought me all this way for a map. And some guy in knickers taking our picture. Sheesh."

Thank goodness for Disney's photographers, knickers aside. There's no way we could have posed and snapped this picture without them.

Turtle is all "Really, people? REALLY???"

But, oh. How his little tune changed.

After waiting on a little line, we delivered him to....

Mickey and Minnie.

And it was beautiful.

(Go ahead, cue Mommy Tears of Joy. Again).

Walt Disney World is a truly wonderful place.

But for me? There was nothing like seeing it through Turtle's eyes.

It's a beautiful thing.

Turtle looked at MacGyver after his Mickey encounter and said "I love this place!"

Couldn't you just melt? 

Stay tuned... More to come in tomorrow's post! I didn't want to overload you all at once!

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{ the power of women. and champagne }

This week has not been my friend.

From restless legs to Turtle not sleeping well, from feeling overwhelmed to being discouraged, from hearing things that break my heart to not being able to take a moment to breathe.

A lot has been going on.

And I have been making efforts to combat my rut by reaching outside my comfort zone. 

Making regular attempts to go to a local storytime. Joining a new playgroup system. Putting myself out there.

It needed to be done.

Which is why, on Tuesday night, I put on my cute jeans, picked up my neighbor and headed to the local church for a Mom's Night Out

I had the added responsibility of bringing the wine. My other neighbor, a committee member, was running late, and asked if I could take the wine for her. 

It is rare that anyone trusts me with the wine.

And somehow, she beat me there anyway. But that's not the point.

I wasn't sure if it was going to be a good fit. I'm pretty anxious about meeting new people (even though some of the moms were women I already knew from Storytime). And we still have not really selected a church here, so I wasn't entirely sure how that would play into things. 

Since it's been a while since I've been in a house of worship.

My hands were shaking.

And they certainly didn't stop when it was my turn to introduce myself to a pretty large group. Even if there was champagne to temper the nerves.

The earth didn't swallow me.

And I met some extremely awesome women. 

Over the next few hours, we ate delicious home-cooked Italian food and chatted about our children and writing and baking. I think I encouraged another mother to either start a blog or come onboard for the Novel in November challenge. And I got to share stories with a fellow confection-ista (I totally just made that up). 

There were cute games and prizes and the promise of more nights like this to come.

And it was incredible.

Thanks to all those who put it together. It was a wonderful breather for me, and even though Turtle was up the following morning in the five o'clock hour, disturbed by a bad dream (or the urge to kick me in the spleen again), I felt mentally and emotionally refreshed.

Here's to more of those nights.

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{ i'm holding out for a hero }

So begins Day 2 of what I shall call "Distracted Blogging."

Where I start out with a plan, and end up going down a completely different road.

Today's road? 

Braylon Edwards.

I am going to post a disclaimer. I am well aware that Braylon Edwards is not the first professional athlete to be arrested for DUI, and tragically, he probably won't be the last. But he is the one that was arrested yesterday morning, and therefore will take the brunt of my rant. It is only by sheer coincidence that he happens to be a Jet. A fact I do not find surprising in light of the recent shenanigans coming from Rex Ryan's locker room, but that's besides the point. But what I have to say is directed at anyone (especially someone who is in such a public position) who would dare do something so selfish, heartless, and quite frankly, stupid.

At 5:15 on the morning of September 21, Braylon Edwards was pulled over for excessively tinted windows. The officers at the scene smelled alcohol and Braylon went on to blow a .16 on a breathalyzer. Twice the legal limit, people.

To Braylon Edwards I say this. 

How. Dare. You?

Do you mean to tell me that you, with your $6-and-change-million contract, do not have the resources to call an effing taxi? To hire a driver? 

That you don't have a friend in the world who would slip the keys from your hand and say "Dude, don't get behind the wheel."?

That you were unaware that your city has a branch of Safe Ride Solutions, where you can call 24/7 and get a confidential ride for you and your entourage from an off-duty or newly retired police officer? Did this phone number not make into the Player's Handbook?

Who the HELL do you think you are?

Do you think that because you handle a football for money, you are somehow above the law? Above decent human behavior? That it's ok for you to endanger the lives of innocent people around you just so you can get your party on?

Let me assure you. You are wrong.

And sure. Cry me a river about second chances and people making mistakes. That's all fine and good. I do give people the benefit of the doubt. More than I should, really. But we are talking about human lives. If Braylon Edwards wants to drive himself off a cliff, that's his business, I suppose. If he takes a few innocent bystanders with him, it's a problem. 

Victims of drunk driving accidents don't get second chances. They don't get a big do-over.

Maybe Roger Goodell and some of the coaches and owners read this blog. Maybe a few of them have pug crushes, or really like my recipes or something. In the hopes of that, I'm going to issue a challenge.

Take. A. Stand.

Instate a morality clause. A code of conduct. An edict that extends from the Manning brothers to Revis Island, to the ever-retiring Favre. From the top paid position in the league to the third-string punt returner. 

And stand behind that edict. Consistently. Proudly. It's kind of like disciplining a toddler. Consistency is key. 

It's fine that you want to levy fines and threaten suspension, but why not be proactive? Why wait for the infractions and crimes to occur? Why not demand a standard of excellence and behavior from the people representing you?

If you don't expect the best, you're not going to get the best.

 

These players are taking your money and representing your team and your league, and therefore, you. Do you really want your representation to come from people who have no morals? Who have no regard for the laws of this country or for human life? You're really ok with paying million of dollars to people who don't know the definition of self-respect?

Any other corporation would tell you that's a bad move, so put your foot down and say it with me. "Enough is enough." The brawls, the assaults, the DUIs, the domestic violence - it reflects just as poorly on upper management as it does on the perpetrators.

To Rex Ryan? Cut Edwards from your team. Will it be a hit to your offense? Sure. But you know what? There are greater things to stand for than strength of an o-line. I realize it doesn't feel that way in the heat of the season, but it's the truth.

It's really about time people like Edwards and those of his ilk learned something about accountability and discretion. If they learned to use their fame and their exceptional talent for making a positive difference in this world, rather than flouting their ability to walk away from DUIs or misdemeanors with just slaps on the wrist. 

I realize what I'm saying is a lot of wishful thinking. But I'm also pretty sure I'm not alone in my train of thought. I want my son growing up with real role models: people of character and dignity; people who may make mistakes but who own them, learn from them and don't repeat them; people who have respect for their fellow man and who understand that teamwork, sportmanship and winning are terms that go beyond the field.

Oh, and Braylon? I hope they throw the book at you. Make sure you catch it. 

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{ tragically unhip }

I had every intention of blogging, today, about Turtle's friend's second birthday party and how it was about the cutest thing ever.

But then I got distracted with sending follow-up emails and working out details of a birthday cake and then Dancing With the Stars came on, so my focus went promptly out the window.

And you'll have to wait til tomorrow to see the the sweetest themed party ever.

Dancing With the Stars was always my safe show. It's something I like, and it's also some that trends in the Twitter world, so my enjoyment is also actually relevant.

You don't see a lot of #QuantumLeapRerun on that Worldwide Trend list, do you?

No. Now move along.

So I'm watching DWTS and very excited about The Hoff and Jennifer Grey, and I got even MORE excited by the Bon Jovi and David Cook songs used in the episode...

And then everything came to a crashing halt.

Because of... You know. 

The Situation.

I have (brace yourselves) never seen Jersey Shore (is it "Jersey Shore" or "The Jersey Shore"? Does it matter?). I don't know what it's about, although someone told me it's a bunch of stereotypical NJ people, who live in a house and drink, and tan and work out and get into shenanigans, while being followed by a film crew.

Back in my day, that was called The Real World.

Yes. I've dated myself. And I'm going to continue to do so.

Because basically, there's this guy. Who has epic abs. And lives in Jersey. And apparently, everyone is so fixated on his abs that they fail to notice he has a pattern of stars and moons shaved into his hair for reasons I am unable to fathom.

Didn't that look go out with Kid "n" Play sometime in the 80s? Is it back and no one told me?

And while we're on the subject of bad 80s fashion, are shoulder pads making a comeback? Because if so, I'm going into hiding.

I don't know what to think about all this. About these reality shows focusing on people who are doing nothing but drama-mongering. About the message being sent that it's perfectly desirable to aspire to be a c- or d-list celebrity. 

Talk about promoting mediocrity.

I'm not even really sure if The Situation could dance well. MacGyver and I got into a conversation about who he was and why he was on the show, and if he was any relation to that orange girl who is constantly getting shown on TMZ falling over bicycles and flashing her boobs, and I missed the majority of his performance.

I guess we'll find out tomorrow if he stays or if he goes. He'll probably be one of those contestants who sticks it out because of his huge fan base. Sigh.

So, honestly. If you can help me get a handle on the whole Situation thing, please do so. I welcome the assistance. 

While you're at it, if you can explain any facet of Justin Bieber, I may bake you a cake.

(And if you're here because you don't want to read about my stumbling around the world of pop culture, trying to fit in, don't forget to enter to win a $20 gift certificate from Discovery Toys! You have til Thursday!)

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{ discovery toys party review & giveaway }

This past week, I hosted a few friends and their wee ones for a Discovery Toys Playdate Party, with my Educational Consultant, Kimberly.

If you have not yet heard of Discovery Toys, that's about to change. From the company's website:

Discovery Toys has been helping parents to "Teach. Play. Inspire." with our high-quality educational toys, books, games and music for over three decades.

You can read more, here. The things I find most important to emphasize are that the toys are extremely high quality, and that they are designed with "multiple layers of learning." Simply put, you have toys that are long-lasting both in actuality and in purpose. 

Another really fun fact? Discovery Toys sells individual replacement parts. So if something goes missing? You don't have to chuck/repurpose/garage sale the entire toy. You can just order the needed part and move on with your day.

I like that. A lot.

I had been to one of Kimberly's parties, and while it was fun, I really didn't know what Turtle would like. He's funny about toys and we often run into situations where I buy him something that I think looks absurdly cool, and he ignores it entirely. 

So I asked Kimberly if she would do a party in a playdate scenario - she could come in, set up her toys, and then we could set loose on them a bunch of toddlers, while the mommies sat back and took notes on what their little munchkins seemed to like.

Also, I promised light breakfast and mimosas.

The theory was sound. 

Turtle loved the Castle Marbleworks.

There is a larger, older-kid version, too: Marbleworks. 

And another crowd pleaser was Hammer Away.

There are tons of options, for infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers and school age children. 


And we had happy kids, happy moms, and now, I am pretty sure we are going to have some very happy blog readers.


Can you say "giveaway"?


Here it is. Kimberly has generously offered one of my readers a $20 merchandise credit* to her Discovery Toys store! I know. It's huge!


How do you win?


First, visit the online catalog and leave me a comment telling me all about your favorite toy, and who you think would love it. Don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you! Don't worry - if you win, we're not holding you to this toy.


You can also get a few additional entries. Please leave a separate comment for each entry so you can receive full credit.
1. Become a follower of Three Pugs & a Baby on Twitter (and leave a comment here with your twitter name).
2. Become a follower of Kimberly's Discovery Toys on Twitter (and leave a comment here with your twitter name).
3. Tweet the following: Enter to win a $20 #DiscoveryToys GC from @ReadandPlayKids and @3pugsandbaby! http://tinyurl.com/27vutut and comment here with the link to your tweet and/or your twitter name.
5. Become a Follower of Kimberly's Discovery Toys Blog (and leave a comment here, telling me you did).


Five great ways to enter. 


Giveaway will close at midnight EST on Thursday, September 23, 2010. This giveaway is currently open to US residents (sorry). Winner will be selected by random.org and announced no later than Friday, September 24, 2010 on this blog. Winner has 48 hours to contact me to redeem his/her prize.


But wait. 


There's more.


Even if you DON'T win, you still do. If you email Kimberly directly and tell her that you're a reader of this blog, you'll get 10% off your Discovery Toys order.


Amazing. 


Good luck! You're going to love Discovery Toys!


*sales tax and S&H are additional

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{ adventures in co-sleeping }

We are not co-sleepers.

Not for any shocking, controversial reason, where we have strong beliefs on one side of the issue or the other. We're very "do whatever works" in our parenting style.

The real reason was Turtle's heart monitor, which was pretty much incompatible with the concept of co-sleeping. Wires and equipment do not make pretty bedfellows. So, he snoozed within arm's reach, in a pack-n-play, and later, a crib.

In some ways, it made me sad. I heard a lot about snuggling one's baby in bed (or on the couch, or in general), and Turtle was never a snuggly wee one. I "blamed" that on how difficult it was to actually snuggle him because of the equipment. Or maybe, he just wasn't a snuggly kid. Either way.

Once his routine had been established, Turtle wanted no part of our bed. Or sleeping with us. He liked his crib, and that was that. 

It's led us to trouble, especially once he outgrew his handy pack-n-play, and we started traveling.

Which brings us to this week.

Last night, Turtle woke up at 1:47am, with a wail that shook the room. MacGyver went to check on him, and through the monitor I heard "Want to get in big one bed."

Followed by the pitter patter of toddler feet.

The pugs migrated away from the middle of the bed, with Molly choosing a spot under my hip and Oscar collapsing over my shin (Bentley sleeps in his crate).

MacGyver promptly passed out. I know this from the snores.

Turtle stuck his thumb in his mouth, cuddled Monkey, and it seemed all was well.

Until suddenly, I had a knee in my back. And a chubby toddler hand petting my shoulder.

"Mommmmyyyyyy" he whispered in my ear. He whispers when it's dark, apparently. 

And then began a three hour stint of (whispered) Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus and what may have been the Alphabet Song. I'm pretty sure he also recited Pajama Time. 

I'm rather certain he projected subliminal messages to me in my half-conscious state (Buy me tooooyssssss.... Give me cake for breakfasssssst.... Get me a pooonnnnnyyyyy....).

It was all punctuated with tight hugs around my neck, a few well-placed heels driven into my spleen, and at some points, he just draped himself over me entirely. 

Needless to say, sleep was not on the docket. For my side of the bed. And Turtle, because he has no problem telling me "no," was not interested in returning to his own room.

At about 4:30 or so, MacGyver finally realized that all was not well across the king-sized mattress. Perhaps because Turtle had given up on me and started whispering to his Daddy instead. Who knows? 

All I know is that sleep and I were not on good terms last night. And of course, this morning, I was hosting an amazing Discovery Toys playdate, and needed to be on my game. So did Turtle. He did try to sneak a nap halfway through, and I resorted to a mimosa. (More on that Monday).

So co-sleeping? For us? Theoretically wonderful to cuddle with the Turtle. In practice? Not a fun time. 

Happy Friday.

I'm going back to bed.

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{ a case of the rambles }

Today's post is a bit of a mish mosh of things. Just a case of rambles about what's going on with me in my life. 

I have kind of joked about my slacker behavior lately, trying to make light of my slump, but I confess. I'm a little disappointed in myself.

I've been kind of horrendous at time management, which is leading to later and later nights and more and more disturbed sleep. Not that I was ever a sound sleeper to begin with. 

I'm not dazzling anyone in the kitchen, lately, and I hate that. I really enjoy planning and making interesting meals, but I've been falling back on a rotation of staples, without much excitement. I have high hopes for a chicken pad thai for tonight, but I'm going to point out that the required chicken has not yet made it from freezer to fridge for defrosting.

I am buried in laundry. Potty training (and the subsequent leaks and accidents) is kicking my butt. I am at the point where I would rather just buy new clothes and sheets than wash another load. I'm pressing on, for reasons of frugality, but the temptation is great.

I want to spend more time blogging and connecting with the bloggers I love. But my blog time has been drastically reduced, as I am spending so much more time with Turtle, who, despite his independence and penchant for long naps, is finally taking an interest in more social play. Unfortunately, the pugs' lack of opposable thumbs makes them useless for things like "vrooming cars" and "playing trains", so I'm called in for the job.

Not that I mind. I'm hoping next year, I can pull an EZ Bake Oven into the rotation, which would be slightly more awesome than dump trucks.

I've also been trying to acclimate Turtle to his peers, with storytimes and playgroups. He's been very reserved around children his own age, and he's finally starting to come out of that shell. I'm proud of his progress, and I hope to continue it with a balanced range of activities.

A constant stream of cakes has been pouring from my kitchen, which is awesome, and I'm getting so much more experience. But I still hate that I have no concept of how to make a buttercream or gumpaste flower. To compensate for this, I am asking Santa for the Cricut Cake Kitchen Decorating Machine. I drooled over it a bit in Hobby Lobby today. Hopefully, I have been a good girl this year.

Football season is here, and that pretty much makes every weekend high-energy. Keeping track of one NCAA team and three NFL teams can be rough, especially now that Turtle is older and has opinions on why we have to watch football when the Fresh Beat Band might be on. Of course, I understand his point when the Jets are playing. Who am I kidding? I miss the season terribly when it ends.

Oh, and because I haven't been busy enough? I registered for National Novel Writing Month. I will have 30 days to write 50,000 words in order to complete the challenge. I'm a total mess over it, but I think I can do it. I have this idea that's been ping ponging in my head, and now, because I've admitted to it in this blog, I have to go for it. Otherwise, I expect my readers will be disappointed in me, and I can't handle that.

Turtle asked for a haircut yesterday. was playing with his hair and he said to me "Mommy. I need a haircut. I want to be handsome." He is incredibly handsome, with our without his haircut, but we made an appointment and went in anyway. I then spent $12 on grape jam scented hair texturizing wax, designed especially for wee ones, because I'm a big, fat sucker like that.


Last night, I ran around like a lunatic, decorating for fall. AKA Halloween. Maybe it's early. Who knows? All I know is that I am looking into a candy corn candy dish and wondering what delightful fall treat with which to fill it.


Another cute Turtle-ism: When he's really serious about something (like his dire neeeeeed for a snack), he'll pull me down to his level, cup my cheeks in his hands, look me dead in the eye and say "Mommy. I need pretzels. Please." It melts me.


So there you have it. An update from my corner of the blogosphere. Wish me luck with that pad thai and stay tuned for a new cake.


Also, if you've seen that Laundry Fairy flying around, tell her to wing her butt to my house. There's more sheets that need to be cleaned.

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