taking it back to the old school....

Today, I wanted to see if I could do it again, that old cheerleading jump.....and I can...well, sort of....

It was the cat...

I am the detective on this case, and it is my sole conclusion that the cat shredded the newspaper. That cat gets into everything...chews up all my toys, occasionally poops in the dining room and sniffs around for food droppings. He hisses at me a lot, maybe because he knows that I know...about his mischievous side...
Here kitty kitty kitty......I am watching you!

Bubba...and his extended Kin Folk

Our friends threw a Costume Dinner Party... These were a few of my favorite get up's! Bubba is always on the top of my list. T-Bone totally plays the part of Bubba, with his beer holder (koozie) attached to his hip. I was a cowgirl, last minute costume.

Butterfly, Fly Away...

It is taking me a little bit of time to catch up on my blogging, this is my busiest time of year with shows and keeping my store stocked....

The girls have an annual Fall Festival that is a fundraiser for their school. Parents purchase tickets, there are rides, booths filled with face painters, hair sprayers, silly spray, games and more. The girls held a snake (Python) and really thought it was awesome...Um, yeah, never never never ever ever getting a reptile. Ok, I caved on the dog, but NeVeR EvER will we own a snake, rat, iguana or anything of the sort...

Here, the girls are about to let their butterflies fly away (or get washed down the drain)...Pink hair, purple glitter, rocks in our shoes, silly spray in our face kind of good times.

Vegas Getaway...

T-bone and I got to take a 3 day getaway to Vegas with a couple of friends. He gambles, I shop...it's how we roll.
I found a pair of awesome Italian leather boots, a pair of black leather boots, got a MAC makeover and had a great time. I may have left my money in Vegas, but I am stylin' in South Texas :~)

Something About Apples...and Trees.

"Snapshots" in our family usually include the squinted eye, cheezzzy smile, cocked head and about a millisecond to capture that, uh, natural, spontaneous look?....Today, I went with it. Hey, if you want your scrapbook pictures to look Goofy, who am I to stop you?

Well, as it turns out, the apple, IN FACT, falls entirely too close to the tree. geez! Comedians...

Crazy Day.....

Dress CrAzY Day at school....any questions?

No Tricks Here....

This year, we had about 60 people at our Curbside Halloween Party. Complete with a hay ride, trick or treating, BBQ, glow sticks, a fire pit and good times.
Our friends, Mark and Shannon, set up a strobe house that was made of black tarp and painted white polka dots in varying sizes. The kids ate a bunch of candy and then stood in the strobe light house for about an hour or so...I'm thinking that they are going to have flashbacks of their candy rush/lightening flashes someday...ha! (Much like my flashbacks of 80's hair, brutal I tell ya, brutal)!

Lexie was a fairy this year (her ballet recital costume) and Bella was Cleopatra.
Bella's class is studying Egypt, so it was a natural choice for her. The girls stayed up until 11:00 and ate more sugar in one night than (I believe) they have had this entire year. The rest of the crowd fizzled out at 2AM...It was a Happy Halloween had by all!

Simplify

With every step of this journey we are on right now, I learn something new about myself and my husband. It is a great adjustment when unemployment hits a family. For some, it can be devastating, for others, a wake up call, for many right now, it is life changing. SO MANY PEOPLE in our country are without employment. Hopefully, the light is nearing at the end of our economic tunnel....

While it has pulled our foundation of "comfort" out from underneath us, we have found ourselves in a level headed place...This experience has enabled me to open my eyes to new possibilities, to realize what matters and to simplify. I look around and realize that "things" aren't what makes a family happy, it is togetherness that makes a family...Happiness is a choice. "Things" don't give our lives any worth, true worth. It is family, friends, our children and our faith that make a difference.

So, if you or someone you are close to has gone through something that is life changing...send them a note, say a prayer, give them a hug, call them and let them know that you are thinking of them. These small gestures make a HUGE difference when times seem grim.

"A diamond is a lump of coal made good under pressure"....

We are in the process of making our diamond. Thank you for the encouragement that you have given to our family in either your hugs, your notes, smiles, phone calls or prayers. You have truly made a difference!

It is Wuff Around Here...

I have doubled in size, but these people still take me out in the back yard on a leash. My friends next door get to run around in the FRONT YARD, free, without any leashes or ties...but not me, I am on a leash..Something about hawks and going on a one way flight, but I'm dangerous, my bark is smaller than my bite. I say they let me at 'em....I like a little adventure.
This morning, I smelled a possum. I know, I was shaking in my boots, but it was a fierce kind of shake...I was warding 'em off with my presence.
So, next time you talk to T-bone or Sassy, can you let them know that I am a killer beast and even though their friends call me a squirrel, I can kick some real tail!
Thanks,
the dog

New Goods

Check out some new fashions for Mom (above) and her Sassy Princess (below).
The new "Wild About Pink" necklace is definitely Texas inspired....Hot Pink and Leopard, what could be more Texas Girl than that? Ok, maybe big hair...
Anyhow. The leopard pendant can be strung on any color of beads, your choice...So, get wild with your imagination and look Sassy doing it!
-----> Click HERE or you can click any of the pictures in my Etsy store to see what's new in the My Sassy Pants shop!

TwO wHeeL'n it......

With a little instruction and a helping hand (or four), one can accomplish many feats....

Funny how a little competition can create incentive....Lexie's friend, a 4 year old, got on her 2 wheeled bike and mastered it in an afternoon. Well, little miss 5 year old wasn't going to be shown up by her friend....Lexie is a quick learner, she was able to balance and take off on her two wheeled bike in a matter of minutes. She never got frustrated, she NEVER fell and she giggled the entire time.

Lexie even had her own cheer-leading squad. Bella was a very good big sister, cheering Lexie on and giving her a few tips/instructions/step-by-step "how to's" along the way. Bella offered Lexie loads of positive encouragement and jumped up and down while clapping when T-bone let go and Lexie was on her own....

Hey, that is what Sisters do for each other, they love, encourage, hug, high five, laugh together, share toys, share secrets, know each other better than anyone else ever will, fight, make up....(hey, noboby is perfect), they are best friends without even knowing the treasure that lies in having a sister.

Bendaroo's

Lexie won the contest in our house for the BEST BENDAROOS creation. Inventive, eh?

Now, we are in the middle of a "Best Teeth Brushing" contest...The prizes vary from $5 cash to a trip to the toy store. But hey, our kids are brushing longer, scrubbing their tongues and ready for the FLASH LIGHT inspection once they are done. (The real prize is that the Dentist won't be making money off of us for any fillings).

Boo-T-Ful

Anyone tired of the same old Target pumpkin Tshirt? The pumpkin shirt has frequented our wardrobes since the girls were 1 year old. This year, I wanted to put my own twist on it and give it a My Sassy Pants makeover....I added the new wide leg ruffle pant with it (my new favorite). They got loads of Ooohs and Aaahhhs at school....Boo-T-Ful...

This is last years banner that I made with Scrapbooking supplies. It is super easy, the backing is made with adhesive foam sheets. I covered them with scrapbook paper and used chipboard letters to create the word "Spooky", then embellished with ribbons, stickers and papers. I aged the edges with inks. Ta-da, a keepsake banner that is durable, cheap and a festive (not at all creepy) addition to Halloween decor.

Rainy day craft.....We went off to Michaels to find something fun and creative to do....the girls wanted to make finger puppets. These came in a foam kit and turned out super cute. They kind of look like they are doing a hip hop dance. Next year, write a Halloween Rap Song! :~)

Camping Trip...well, kind of

The girls wanted to tent camp outside...and since I am such a novist at outdoor camping, I was all in, with both feet! Here they are, out in the wilderness, far away from the cabin, sleeping under the stars, listening to crickets and coyotes.

They had a blast...both girls slept all night in their tent...

Well, ok, so, I was a little chicken about letting them sleep outside, and I was IN NO WAY going to sleep out there with them. So, T-bone and I had a strategy....we would wait until they fell asleep (on our back porch, in a tent, no less) and then, we would move them and the tent, into the living room. Lexie is a lot like me, adventurous, but not exactly a lover of sleeping outdoors with bugs and lizards....SO, they finished their tent camping adventure (after 10 minutes of being outside) in the living room, inside the tent.

All in all, it was a fun camping trip! Totally MY STYLE!