Post Season (Fall!) is Here!

I have a love/hate relationship with Play-doh.  It can make me really happy when my kids find the new play-doh I bought them in the basket, and they *play* all morning (and I get to sleep in!)...yet, the mess is undeniably the most horrible ever.  I'd almost rather clean splashed oatmeal up.  It's just moist enough that I can't sweep it-it rolls, then it's dry in spots, and it won't come off the floor-especially after it's walked on!  And the tabletop?  It's a sea of crumbly bits.  I don't even care that they mix colors-that's no big deal compared to the mess.  I have learned a couple things:  1-If you wait a bit to clean the floor, the rolly bits dry enough to sweep or vacuum, and 2-use a dry paper towel to wipe the crumbs from the table, and 3-wait till the squished-into-the-fabric bits dry, then scratch them off.  Yes, all this for some sleep-in time.  But, yes, it was worth it!  (And when you come over, please don't mention the bits dried in the grout-I haven't figured that one out yet.)
We've had a ball the last few days!  I had a friend who shared her friends-n-family discount for Gymboree-50% off full-price stuff! (Woo-Hoo!), so I've been there twice, and called in an order to the outlet!  I was SO excited.  I now have ALL the gray/pink/leopard line-seriously!  I'd just gotten some with my gymbucks, so I really needed nothing.  I also got more of the Holiday Panda from the outlet, and the red poppy and Dance Rocks lines from the regular stores.  Whew-I'm done for the winter!  I even got the kids' Christmas outfits: the red plaid dress and shirts!
So, yes, there is life outside Gymboree..we had two baseball games on Saturday, swam every day, had *fun* at a World Card Making Event Saturday night, and here are a few cards I made:

A cute one with glittery candies

A birthday card with sparkly cupcake!

So glad I learned to "mask" and use the aqua painter to color these!

Today, we finally got down all our fall decorating tubs!  We had to go back up and look all over-I'd lost a couple pillows, but all's well now.  I found my pillow covers and fillers:

Then, it was getting close to the kids' bedtime, so I only did one more area-the entry:

Here's a closeup of one of my favorite pictures of Mary Claire when she was little-it's a picture of a picture, but the original is on Ches' computer.  She was always so adorable in pigtails!  I think this was the first year we were in this house:

I found this big sign-hanging thing I made last year, but it was all wrinkly from being in the attic.  I sprayed it down with water-I hope it'll lay flat again!  I don't know if I can iron paint...

And here we go into the week.  It's the first week of ticket sales for the Husky Hoedown-so I don't know how busy it'll be-I'll go in Tuesday to trade money for tickets.  Ethan will be with me, but he can play with Trevor! : )

Ok, the Phillies game is so loud, I can't think anymore.  They are doing so well, and Ches is pumped.  They are his team, and holy cow-they might go aallll the way!  They have finally beat the Reds for the third time-(including a no-hitter game at the first game!)!  He's so excited.  I'm really glad we went to watch them at spring training.  It's hard to get tickets in season, but spring was easy-and they've gotten even better!  I hope they win the world series!  It won't be that much longer. . . (and we had Philly cheese steaks yesterday just for them!)