Halloweens Past

Remember when Halloween used to be so fun when you were little? Or how creative your parents could get with your costume? I sure do! There was one picture in particular that I was looking for and couldn't find...me, my brother and sisters all dressed up as crayons one year for Halloween. We were each a different color and even had hats...it was so long ago that at the time, my youngest sister wasn't even one (and she's now 22). So to commemorate Halloween's past, I thought I'd share some random pics:


This was in 1986...I was a jelly bean bag (filled with balloons). My brother was a Care Bear and I have no clue what my sister was.

















This was either my freshman or sophomore year at Tech...several of us went as Army girls.

Me and Beth...2 of the 3 Charlie's Angels (the 3rd was around there somewhere). Like our guns?












This was probably 3 years ago at my church's Trunk Fest. I was the school girl on the left, with my Christian pumpkin...and my roommate at the time was a cowgirl.














My all time favorite costume though...Wonder Woman!!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween. If you live in the DFW area, swing by First Baptist Euless' Trunk Fest tonight from 6-8pm.

Cass

Who Needs Halloween?

As I was combing through boxes of old photos last night, I came to a realization (actually, a few realizations.)  

1.  I don't think my family was much for Halloween when I was little.
2.  I have gotten ooooollllldddd.

3.  Apparently, I have ridden an elephant.  How do you not remember riding a full sized elephant???

4.  Years 1 and 2 of my life were a really unfortunate phase for my noggin.  I had a HUGE head, and not much hair.  At first I was a little dismayed that there are more pictures of my sister (who was 2 at the time) than there are of me as infant.  However, that feeling quickly morphed into gratitude, as I realized that my parents were sparing me the lifelong memories of my first REALLY awkward stage.

Though I didn't find photographic evidence, I do remember trick or treating with my cousins at least once.  It was sixth or seventh grade, and I was a cow. Let's rephrase - I was dressed as a cow.  I distinctly remember attaching black felt spots to white sweats, and painstakingly painting my entire face and head (I had a bald cap on) white with black spots.  That picture apparently resides at my parents house, which is truly a shame.  But let me show you what I did find....

Not Halloween:

Also not Halloween:

Not Halloween here either:

Finally, Halloween:

And not just Halloween, but one of the worst Halloween memories I have on record.  I was going to a party being thrown by the cousin of my boyfriend at the time.  Being the naive 22 year old that I was, I wore this little get up with a black long sleeved shirt, black pants, and a tail.  (I made that collar myself, and I was terribly proud.)  I was by far the most modestly dressed female at the party, but that wasn't the problem.  A very drunk family member (who I was meeting for the first time) introduced himself by way of a VERY inappropriate comment about my costume, and it's relation to my boyfriend, within 5 minutes of our arrival.  I was mortified.  As was my boyfriend.  Though we dated off and on for 5 years, I never got over the awkwardness with the family member in question.  Good times.

I have to concur with Amelia.  Who needs Halloween as an excuse to dress up?  I'll take random costuming and less scary movie commercials any day of the week. 

Mary

Harvest time!!

Yes, Harvest time...that is how halloween was explained to me growing up. We didn't celebrate halloween...in fact, my parents would turn out all the lights and we would all go to the back part of the house and watch a movie as a family to avoid trick or treaters. So, I don't have any fun costume pics. Even to this day, I struggle with the relevance of celebrating halloween (other thank just an excuse to dress up in a silly costume), but I do enjoy going to the Trunkfest at our church-it seems like a fun way to celebrate fall.

There is a halloween memory worth mentioning though, that is a the halloween costume party that Randy and I went to for our 2nd date(in Octobwer 2002)...the party was with my college friends- so Randy had some pressure to impress, I guess...and he could have been mild with his costume as to not appear too dorky, however, he totally dressed up and I LOVED him for it! We dressed up as a 70's basketball couple (he was a player and I was a cheerleader)...he wore this HUGE afro wig and a basketball uniform- I was so impressed that he went all out- I think that may have been one of the first moments I fell in love with him.

Any Excuse to Dress Up

I love dressing up. Still. Why should you only be able to dress up once a year?! While I'm not too hot on celebrating Halloween, I love coming up with costume ideas (mainly for my children now) and then executing them. This year, my girls are hitting the princess stage, and I cannot say that I'm thrilled about it. Sure, they'll look cute in their princess garb... just like every other princess out there prancing around the streets. Oh well. I'm being a good mom by letting them choose for themselves, right? So here are a couple of my old costume pics that I had handy. One is from high school, and I remember having so much fun at that party. I was Marilyn Monroe with the big hair and formal gown... laying across people's laps on the couch. (Mary didn't have her Ace of Spades costume on in the picture, but see if you can find her.)

And here's a post-College days Halloween picture. I'm the nerd on the left. I was actually with a whole group of nerds... too bad I don't have a handy picture of the entire nerd group. My favorite part was my retainer, but you can't really see it in this picture. I even dressed up in my nerd gear at my "real" job that year (or maybe the year before) with my co-worker. I guess it was quite appropriate for us bankers. Another year, we dressed up as an 80's prom king and queen. We were the only ones on the "lending floor" that dressed up, but we didn't care! (Notice Cassandra in the picture below?)

I don't have a lot of dress up memories from childhood. I'm pretty sure we weren't allowed to trick or treat... minus that one year that we had Mary and Joseph costumes for something from school/church, so I think they let us go out in those for a bit. Is that right, mom?

Will you be dressing up this year?

amelia

Playing dress-up

There's either a huge gap in my memory, or there really was a long span of time when I didn't dress up for Halloween...I remember childhood costumes, but I can't for the life of me remember dressing up in junior high or high school. We always did something at my (private, Christian) school where we would dress up as Bible characters in junior high, and I guess Halloween just wasn't that big a deal to me in high school. Or, as I said, my memory is shot :)

College was a different story altogether! Halloween was a HUGE deal at Millsaps and EVERYBODY dressed up and went to the fraternity houses, where there were bands or DJs, for a long night of fun. I'm kinda proud of the fact that I have never, that I recall, bought or rented a Halloween costume. And so, it is with great pride that I present, in all their homemade glory, my college costumes:

1996 - Freshman year. That's me on the right. We were going for "futuristic alien girls from outer space" but it ended up more like "shiny go-go girls"...oh well.

1997 - Sophomore year. That's me on the bottom left. Somewhere there's a better picture of this costume, but it's probably fairly obvious that I was a ballerina. Sidenote: the day after this picture was taken I ended up in the hospital with a kidney stone. I was in a little bit of pain that night, but I thought it was the tights pinching my side!

1998 - Junior year. That's me on the left, with the beard. I am either Moses or Noah. My roommate had an identical costume. So if she was Noah, I was Moses, and vice versa. I think I was Moses. I actually loved this costume. I was anonymous under all that hair!

1999 - Senior year. Biker chick. Hardcore. I've actually worn this costume several times since then. It's fairly easy to pull together and COMFORTABLE! Jeans, t-shirt, boots - perfect!

It's looking like this Halloween might be the first time in a long time that I don't dress up. We've been so busy, and just put it off, and now I don't know what I'm going to do. I wanted to be Coraline, but I don't think I have time to make it happen. So...it might be another biker chick year!

As for Asher, I think we have finally decided that he is going to be Shaun from Shaun of the Dead.

We're not quite sure how we're going to do the moustache/goatee, but we'll figure something out.

Happy costuming, everyone!!

Holloween Past

So this week we are blogging about Halloweens past.

I remember my favorite Halloween costume was Scooby Doo. I'm not sure how old I was, but I couldn't quite say Scooby Doo. I called it cooby goo! Even after Halloween was over I wanted to wear my costume. Over the years I have been a punk rocker, a ballerina, a pumpkin, a baby, a cowgirl and even Axle Rose (long story and strange now that I think back on it). Halloween was fun when I was a kid, but now that I have a child it's is even more fun. Last year Reagan was a bumble bee for her first Halloween (pic attached) and this year she is going to be a butterfly fairy! I'll attach a pic next week!





Beth

Staples

My meal planning pretty much consists of a few staples. Why? Because they are so quick and easy to make. That and the thought of trying something new is always good in theory, but I never seem to get past the "oh, this looks like a good recipe. I'm going to print it off and try it soon." So what's on my list? Well, you can pretty much guarantee that one night we will have hot dogs, another night will be baked chicken, then Mexican casserole or tacos, throw in either spaghetti or ravioli another night, and probably sandwiches or cereal another night (usually on Wednesday nights when I get home late from church). Every now and then I will make something different...not necessarily something new...but something I haven't made in a while. AND, once in a blue moon I'll have my husband cookout on the grill. I ALWAYS make a list before I go to the store. I usually look through my fridge, the freezer, and the pantry and plan out my meals based on what we already have. A lot of times I buy things in bulk from Costco...such as hot dog buns, ravioli, chicken, spaghetti sauce. I try my best to stick to the list, but I usually end up buying stuff I really didn't need. Like those Oreos! Or M&Ms. So, my meal planning isn't very elaborate...it's pretty much the same things week after week. And if/when my hubby complains, I tell him, "next time you can cook." HA!

Cass

The Sweeney Larder

Larder - that word just makes me chuckle. You know what else made me chuckle? When I was told what our topic is for the week. Meal planning? HA! I have tried to get consistent with that for a looooong time, to no avail. I'm not giving up necessarily, it's just one of those things that doesn't really seem to make it to the top of the priority list.

Since my husband is the stay-at-home parent, he does most of the grocery shopping. I really appreciate this, but he doesn't often shop with actual "meals" in mind. We're pretty good at staying stocked up with the basics, but I often look through my recipe books trying to find something to whip together and I'll have everything I need except __________, and it's usually a pretty key ingredient. Oh, and our list is NEVER organized by the items' location in the store. We just add things as we think of them and then hope we don't have to retrace our steps too often.

So what usually happens is that we just throw meals together on the fly. I have about 10 recipes that are always on standby that are simple, relatively fast, and we typically have everything needed to make. It's not perfect, but it usually works out. I know it would be much easier if I would plan ahead and recruit Adam to do some prep work before I get home. Maybe we'll get there eventually!!

Gathering the Harvest... at Walmart

If there's one area I am inconsistent in (I'm sure there's way more than one), it's my meal planning. Some weeks, it looks like this: I sit down at the computer looking up recipes (saved or new), come up with a nice little list of Monday thru Sunday meals, make a list of ingredients needed, go to the store, and then try to somewhat stick to that schedule throughout the week. Other weeks, meaning most weeks, it looks like this: I go to the grocery store when I get a chance... especially a chance with only one or two kiddos. Sometimes I take suckers. I didn't learn that trick until a year or so ago, and it can really come in handy. I always have a growing grocery list, and I, like most of you, put it in the order of how I walk through the store. This comes in handy until you go to a different store... then it's just plain annoying. I stay stocked on all of our kid-friendly essentials and try to get the things to make a few good meals. The other nights, we're talking leftovers or quick fix things... and then we often throw a Little Caesar's $5 pizza night in there when it's a crazy day or a busy night. My hard-working hubby doesn't get home at a consistent time every night, so this has contributed to my lack of meal-planning. It's quite frustrating to make a dinner that the kids or may no eat, only to have the hubby call to say he's working late... and then by the time he gets home, he's not hungry anymore. Yay. And coupons... well, I have not conquered that skill at all. I have a great little organizer thing, and I have quite a few coupons in it. But do I use them?? Hardly. Someday I hope to get better at this. And if I had a dollar for every time I was at the grocery store with my children and someone said, "Boy, you sure have your hands full." Well, I'd have a lot of dollars... but I love it. I do have my hands full, and I'm so thankful... even for those moments where Ivy's yelling in the store and I have to hold her while pushing a heavy cart with two other children in it... even then, I am thankful... sweaty and looking like a disoriented, overwhelmed mess, but thankful.

amelia

Grocery trip

So this week we are all going to blog about how we put together our menus and grocery lists for the week.

I have several recipe apps on my IPhone that I like to use. So I look through those and see what ingredients I need and write out my list. I try to go grocery shopping once a week, but sometimes have to go a second time for milk and fresh fruit. For lunches I plan on hotdogs or sandwiches so I buy all the necessities for that. And then Reagan and I are the only ones that eat breakfast so I get her pancakes and then cereal for myself. And of course I have to have my coffee (which I can only get at Target) and creamer. I try to mix it up so we don't eat chicken two nights in a row or beef two nights in a row. Once I have my list together I plan on what day I go to the store. I try to go on Tuesdays while Reagan is at preschool, but every other week Shop n Save has $10 off a $50 purchase. Which is awesome, plus for every so much you spend that give you 3 to 6 cents off a gallon of gas up to 20 gallons at their gas station. I used to go to Super Walmart, but it's just too much for me. So I usually get a few items at Target (oh how I wish it was a Super Target) and then I go to one of three grocery stores. I really enjoy planning my meals and then grocery shopping. So how about you? Are you a meal planner or a fly by the seat of your pants kind of cook?

Oh and GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!

Beth

Good Times at the Office

Please allow me to interrupt our regular posting schedule to bring you an update from Friday's post.

I should probably find this embarrassing, and yet I find it quite funny.  These are the comments I received from co-workers Monday morning upon witnessing the gleaming empty space where my piles formerly resided:

"Did we get robbed?"

"Are you quitting?"

"What is this?  I mean, really, what happened in here?"

"Oh my gosh!  I've never seen it like this...like, since I started working here."

Sad but true friends, sad but true.

Mary

The Results

So remember a few months ago I decided to try Mederma? Well, it has been a little over 3 months and I thought I would update you with my results.
Before:














After:














I feel that the picture doesn't do it justice because I can really tell a difference when I look in the mirror. The marks are not that dark in person. As you can see though, I haven't started working out yet. : ) I've been quite pleased with Mederma and would definitely recommend it to anyone.

On a different note...here's my cute little pumpkin (I just had to share):




















Have a great week!
Cass

Progress

A few weeks ago I gave you a little peek into big chaos.  Behold, my office:

 

I had the good fortune of a quiet Friday at work yesterday.  This is a very rare occasion.  Everyone complains about Mondays, but for some reason, my Fridays are usually packed with putting out one fire after another.  It's my wrap up day for everything that's been put on the back burner throughout the week.  But yesterday, it was blissfully low key.  So I forced myself to tackle the stacks. 

Oh, the stacks.  When it gets to the point that I cannot tell you that without question the paper I'm looking for is 3/4 of the way down in the second stack to the left, I am in trouble.  It gets difficult to accomplish new tasks, and I get frazzled, hoping I haven't lost things, which undoubtedly are not lost.  So I spent the better part of yesterday tuned into the John Mayer station on Pandora, sorting all of the stacks into piles spread out across my floor.  (If only I'd gotten a picture of that part of the process.)

The finished result?

Ahhh, sweet relief.  The untrained eye may miss the subtle differences, but people - this is some serious progress.  I can't tell you how much better I feel about showing up to work next week knowing that my office is in order and I can tackle the next project on my list.  Bring it on Monday, bring it on.

Mary

Greater Tuna

So recently, Mary, Hillary, and I went to see Greater Tuna at the Flower Mound Performing Arts Theater. While I thought the two actors, who each played multiple characters, did a fantastic job, I can't say that I will be attending any other "Tuna" shows.

We had previously attended a couple of other performances at this particular theater, and we have always been very entertained. We've all heard about Greater Tuna, so we thought we would check it out. Well, if you're into announcements from the KKK and other racist comments, this will be right up your alley. I am not a fan. As we discussed after the show, this sort of humor will probably (and hopefully) begin dying down with our generation. The older white folks in the audience got a big kick out of it. And they get a big kick out of several other things that went right over our heads. Maybe we're just too young for Tuna?! Alas, something that doesn't make me feel old! We still had a fun time together... minus one inconveniently timed trip to the bathroom, but that's another story.

A few months ago, we were able to see A... My Name is Alice. This show was so much fun, and we all loved it. If you get a chance to see this one, I would definitely recommend it.

Do you have any shows or theaters to recommend?

amelia

I have one too!

I too like Mary have an iPhone 4! It is absolutely fabulous and can't believe all the neat things it can do! This passed weekend I found out about another cool feature it has. I had gotten an email about the grand opening of the new Kohls in Collinsville and there was a 20% off coupon in the email. So my mother-in-law and I were at the Kohls and I opened up my email at the checkout and they scanned the bar code straight off my phone and it took the 20% off. I couldn't believe it, and either could the kid checking us out! Technology is just absolutely amazing! You need an iPhone 4 people!!

A Whole New World

Ladies and Gentlemen, a modern miracle took place in my very own home today.

I finally got an iPhone.  And OH MY GOSH I can't believe I ever thought I was just fine with my 3 year old, piece-of-junk, antiquated, Samsung slide phone.  I was being a reasonable adult, saying I didn't need a fancy phone, that I'd eventually get one, that we didn't need to spend the money, blah, blah, grown up excuses, blah, blah, etc.  At some point my husband realized that I was never going to just say to heck with it and spend the money, so tonight he surprised me with a fancy new phone.  And despite all of my protests, it took me all of 45 seconds to get good with it, and less than 30 minutes to go buy a pretty purple case and add a matching wallpaper.  Two hours later, I have access to all three email accounts (personal, junk mail, and work), I've set all of my different alarms for their respective days of the week, my favorite wordgame app is downloaded, another app that will tell me what any song is in 30 seconds, a barcode scanner app that will price check any item at any store, and most importantly, Pandora.  I sit here in a state of euphoria my friends.  Words, music, and shopping, oh my!  How did I spend the last three years denying that I even wanted this?  Crazy talk.  Clearly.

The icing on this delicious cake is definitely the Pandora access.  As I type this post I'm listening to the Ray Lamontagne station and I've already heard Van Morrison, Ben Harper, and at this particular moment, Adele.  How did I ever live without this???  For someone who loves music as much as I do, 24/7 access to Pandora (and thus music that I'm almost guaranteed to love) is worth every penny of what this phone cost us.  Granted, I can listen to Pandora on the computer - but A) not in my car, and B) not at work (streaming music is outlawed - boo IT guy, boooo) - until now.  It's a whole new world people!

To commemorate this new chapter in my life, I will share a photo.  A photo of me with no makeup and some really lovely pre-bedtime hair.  I'm that excited.  Friends, meet my precious:

Mary

What's Up, Big Perm?

Ten points to whoever knows what movie that title came from. :)

I can't believe I used to like my hair PERMED. I'm going with Beth on the whole 80's thing. Although, a lot of that is coming back already. Crazy! The tight rolled jeans were possibly the worst thing. Possibly. I would probably do the perm all over again, but maybe not the stacked, feathered, cement-sprayed bangs. Ick.

I kept trying to brainstorm on this today... all the things that came to mind were things I couldn't say I used to like, because I still kinda do.... or at least I totally get why I ever did like them. These things included: wearing green mascara (it brought out the color in my eyes, right?!), watching Blind Date, overalls, dressing up in random costumes and doing corny things... the list could go on and on, and I'm probably just a fad or a random urge away from doing any one of those again. Watch out!

One thought to leave you with. I also can't believe that I used to like thong underwear.

amelia

Tight roll jeans

So this week we are blogging about something we used to like and now can't believe we did.

It's the 80's! I got bangs to the sky, tight roll jeans, blue eye shadow, my shirt with a tshirt tie at the bottom and big plastic earrings! Where could we have gone so wrong! It's just absolutely hideous that was the style! I cringe when I think about what I wore back then! How about you?


- Beth

Yellow Submarine

For some reason I named my first car 'the yellow submarine' even though it was a tiny little car. Anyways, my first car was a Plymouth Horizon (see picture to the left, though invision it being yellow). I don't even know what year but I'm thinking sometime in the 80's.

The only reason I got a car when I did was because my grandad wanted to give me his old car...and it was OLD! But it was a car! It also had a manual transmission and every car I've had since then has had a manual transmission.

I remember me and my dad driving back from Lubbock in the car. I was so excited. Once we got home I wanted to go drive around, so I headed out and while I was sitting at a light my car died. It overheated or something (must have been that 5 hour drive from Lubbock), but it took me FOREVER to get it started again. I was so embarassed just sitting there trying to get my car to start. I also did my best to avoid hills. There is this HUGE hill in Arlington, where I grew up, and I hated waiting at that light, especially if a car pulled up behind me. You basically had to gun it and hope you didn't die and start rolling back.

My car had its share of issues: one of the side mirrors fell off and eventually so did the rearview mirror, and more often than not you had to open the passenger door, lean over, and try to get the driver's side door to open because the outside handle was broken...but then you also had to wiggle the inside handle for it to open. That was always fun! It was a good little car though.

I tried to find a picture of my car and this is the only one I could find...it'd be the little yellow one on the left. And those two adorable kids...well that's me and my husband back in high school (me in my color guard uniform and Scott in his band uniform).

Fun memories.

Cass

Dorcas

When I was 16 my parents bought me a brand new midnight blue 4 door Saturn. I actually drove it right off the lot and headed straight to Wednesday night church to show it off to my friends. I do remember it was really important to me that it was a stick shift, because a boy had once told me he didn't think I was smart enough to drive a stick shift- so I wanted to prove him wrong!! Ha, and I did!

The name "Dorcas" came from the cars ability to be revived (in the Bible there is a story about a girl named Dorcas who was raised from the dead). You may be asking why did my car need to be revived, it was brand new?? We'll....2 weeks after my parents gave me the car, I got in an accident, and then a few months later another accident...and then before the year was over one more accident...if you addition is up to par- that would 3 accidents in less than a year...a few years later I was hit a few different times(those were not my fault)...it's ridiculous, I know! My sweet Dorcas kept going and going- it was amazing!