Soccer Girl: Guts and Glory

 The day of soccer practice was still very pretty. Flowers, Sunshine, forgotten ball, but plenty of water.

The day of the game was ridiculously rainy. The kids were in hats, coats, gloves, and blankets between halves.

But they smile like this, and go on to win the game 4-0. It was worth every raindrop to see Sass play with such heart! Go Savannah, Go!

California Dreaming!

The Coronado Shores Beach Club.

The View.

Sunset.

So the really great thing about these pictures is that they won't be pictures, but reality, in about a month. I can hardly wait. I am already feeling very thankful for Mare, and her parents' generosity in letting some of us have the second half of their week at the condo. If I stare at the pictures long enough, I can hear the waves...just like when the condo window is open in the rooms. Aaaahhhhh. Let the countdown begin.

For my expecting bffs who may be reading this, don't worry. One baby girl will be here before I leave, and the other will arrive after I return. I can't wait until we can take them to the beach!!

Cap'n Stinky Pants

This is a video that my 5 year old nephew, Wills, wrote. He had a little help from George putting it up on Youtube. It makes me laugh everytime. There is another one called Cap'n Stinky Pants and Larry. Too funny! Also...Stink, Stink, Stink, Stink, Stink...

October Ghouls

If the mummy greeting you by the front stairs didn't tell you...

Maybe the skeleton pinata on the back patio will...

Or perhaps these little October Ghouls will fill you in...

When it comes to Halloween, we drink it in...

Paint it on every gourd...

Spin it from every shelf...

Gobble it up...

Seek it out in every corner...

Acknowledge it in our ancestry...(I think I resemble the top one most)

Serve it up to guests...

Welcome it onto our porches...

and love it right down to our bones.

These are the pictures from Sassy's 8th birhday party. She had the full treatment including a mad scientist. My sister's house looked amazing and best of all, she is already decorated for All Hallows Eve. The party was tons of fun with lots of little costumed darlings and plenty of tricks and treats. Plenty more October fun to come!

Cupcake Co. returns

So it was a busy night at my house. We have a bit of a cupcake situaton for Savannah's birthday party tomorrow. I thought it would be fun to make some Halloween treats that would be appropriate for one of our October birthday girls. Naturally, I also thought it would be great to take a gazillion pictures of the process, mostly so I had proof that I actually did it myself.

 Here are the beginnings of the Tombstone cupcakes, and the baked, but still naked cakes waiting to become frightful!

I decided to do Tombstones, Mummies, Frankensteins, Bats, and Skeletons. I found a few cute pictures on the internet, and made up the rest as I went along.

Yum, what a delicious looking graveyard!

 Next came the Skeletons. These were actually pretty easy because of the darling bone sprinkles I found, but trimming the noses to the right shape was tricky...thank you tiny scissors! The faces above didn't have their orange pupils yet, they are cuter when they can see.

 Then came the Batty Bats. Sorry for the sideways shot. I just liked the way they looked lined up and I didn't remember to flip the picture before I uploaded it. Oh well.

 Now for the Mummies. These are so cute, and by far the easiest of the designs I made tonight. I'm sure everyone has seen them before, but they were a lot of fun to make.

 These are the beginnings of the Frankensteins. I thought they would turn out a little better than they did. I had to freestyle this one because I didn't have a picture or pattern. They turned out okay, just not spectacular. I do love, love, love my new gel food colorings. They made the most amazing colors, and the spray to turn the marshmallows green was really fun too.

 Frankenstein makes his appearance at last...at long last. He was my last one of the day. All told, I spend about 7 hours on the whole thing, from mixing through frosting, to decorating. Next time I'm gathering up my team of all-stars to help!

 The collection, and some solo shots. Because I couldn't decide which ones to put up, and my motto is: The more, the merrier!

This is the tray that is headed to the party. I hope the little goblins in attendance will love them! The others are plated to visit some darling friends on Saturday. Now it is time for me to get a little rest, in peace. Happy October everyone!!