What will you or your family be for Halloween?

I don't know that I have many readers, but for those who do read the blog, I'd love to know what everyone in your family is going to be for Halloween!! We have 4 dalmations and Cruella Deville over here! Pictures to post soon.

Tuesday's Tip!

My friend, CC, is so smart. She throws fabulous parties!! Have you ever thrown a party and had a guest not receive an invitation? C does a smart thing. She mails herself an invitation every time she has a party. This accomplishes several things:
-She knows how quickly her guests will receive their invitation
-She has the fun of receiving one in the mail
-She knows if hers never arrives, the same thing may happen to some of her guests! I just love this idea.

The Service Industry

Our economy is in real trouble. Stocks have plunged 45% in the last year. Home values have fallen dramatically. The price of oil and gas has skyrockted. Many people have defaulted on their mortgages, and major institutions have fallen. Thankfully most of the people I know can still afford to keep their homes, and have had to cut back very little compared to most of the world. At a time like this, it is especially important to remember those in the service industry. This is not the time to stiff your waiter or waitress by skipping the tip! This is a time to choose carefully when you eat out, but to TIP when you do go out. Wait staff is paid less than minimum wage, and I believe their wage was recently REDUCED! They rely on us as customers to help their hourly wage. So, if you do go out, be friendly and do tip!! The same goes for cab drivers, hair dressers, et cetera!

Also, I have written quite a few letters when the service industry is lacking. However, I try to counteract that by writing just as many POSITIVE letters when I have a good experience. If a clerk is extra helpful at your local department store, make a phone call, ask for the manager, or send a letter. You never know how much you may help someone!

The crafts continue...

As if it wasn't enough to decorate our basement in sparkles, sequins, and glitter, I came home to find the children painting pine cones with a very powerful-smelling paint! I just had to laugh. We're trying to get our house ready to go on the market, and every where I turn are MORE and MORE CRAFTS!! I almost threw away all of the pinecones and then I looked at them. They are sweetly painted with red, gold, and green glitter paint. One of the children blurted out that they are our Christmas present. Now, I have tearfully & carefully packed them in bags to be brought out in about 4 weeks to decorate our home. They are beautiful. How creative of three 7-year olds and a 5-year old!!! Later I went into my bedroom, and found one more painted pine cone on my side of the bed, laying on a paper towel painted with K's name. Now I won't be able to part with the paper towel either!

So, I did have a great idea for today of having everyone help pack & clean as a family activity. The best laid plans are often.... destroyed!!!

D & I were upstairs organizing our closets when the children asked for a broom. We should have known.... we walked downstairs to see and although the big 4 had been asked to NOT get out anything from the playroom closet, every piece of glitter, sequin, and paint was all over the floor!!! Let's just say it was not a shiny moment in my life of being a mother!! I had to ask the children to each go to their rooms... and stay there. Now D & I have an even BIGGER mess to attend to, on top of all that we need to do!!!

Something for Saturday!

Saturdays are a special day of the week. For most of us, it's a day you can let your children be your alarm clock instead of your trusty old Sony. Saturdays are fun because you can stay in your pajamas a little longer, actually read the paper while eating breakfast, and enjoy your family. It is also a day for home projects! When your children are 3 and under, one of you is going to spend the entire time chasing babies while the other can be a bit productive. However, as your children grow and become a little more independent, start to involve them in raking the yard, picking up sticks, spreading mulch, etc. Little ones can even help with laundry or emptying the dishwasher and they LOVE to do it.

Today we will try to balance packing some boxes and being together as a family. I imagine there will be tears and whining (probably from Mama Henley), but hopefully we'll make some happy memories too!! Try to spend at least 2 hours today as a family... visiting the pumpkin farm, cleaning rooms, watching football, going out to eat, et cetera. You'll be glad you did!

I received this tag from Preppy Petitt

Here are the rules:Pass it on to five other bloggers, and tell them to open the nearest book to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences...The CLOSEST BOOK, NOT YOUR FAVORITE, OR MOST INTELLECTUAL!!

From "A Mother's Heart" by Jean Fleming:

""She didn't always drop what she was doing to play. Children must also learn how to wait patiently. Mother is a person too. Children need to know that our strength and endurance are not limitless. Mothers do not exist solely for their children's benefit. They need and deserve time for themselves."

WOW! I am so glad that I did this. I would not have known that treasure lurked on p. 56 of my book!!

Oh... I almost forgot! I tag:
Mommy Talk and More
The Homespun Heart
Monograms and Manicures
Monogram Chick