New Decorating Series with My Mom - Today's Topic is Mantels

Welcome if you are here from The Blended Blog! If you are starting here, hope on over to Decorating with Mom: Mantels where my mom talks about how to decorate your mantel for Halloween, but really the same concepts can be applied to any holiday, I'll wait....

Now that you're back, didn't she do such a great job?! Growing up she decorated for every single season/Holiday, including St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's day, you name it she had something up for it. I wish I had that bone in my body, to have an eye like that. To see something in the store and say, hey I know where I can put that!

We incorporated objects of things I had and things we found in the store (Pier One and Home Goods). I didn't really picture document the whole process but I'll talk about it. We found the pumpkin garland at Pier One along with the curtain that we draped over the picture. I'm so glad that my mom talked me into getting that, totally worth it!

We started out by putting the garland on the mantel and trying to put everything in front of it, but found that it wasn't working out when we tried to place anything else, since the pumpkins were so big, we ended up covering how cute the garland was. See in that last picture how there is no room for anything else?

So we decided to change it up a bit and put the garland in the front and everything else behind it. We anchored the garland with some ribbon to the skull and cross bones on either side, and then took one of the "leaves" and put it under the skull and bird to keep the garland in place. Then placed everything behind it. In doing so, we now had a height issue, so we stole all of the kids books within reach and started stuffing them under everything.

I had the trick-or-treat bags (they don't have these specific ones, but they do have some cute ones), the spooky candle holder, ghost plate and the little men in front of the skull and cross bones.

 I think it turned out fantastic. We ended up not using a table runner or anything like that because the garland took up so much space we didn't think it needed it. I think I am going to try and find some flickering battery operated tea lights for the candle tree. Mom decided she wanted to use the rest of the stuff that I had, and we figured the dining room table was the best place for it.

Obviously I need a picture in that frame, yep had the frame out all last year...empty. Sad right?

And then the last touch is the Monster Wreath I made a couple of years ago, I just love this little guy, and the kids love him too. Click here for the easy tutorial on how to do this.

My new decorations sure look WAY better than last years decorations. And I used a lot of the same stuff, goes to show you with just the right finishing pieces can go a long way!

Linking up with That DIY Party, Tweek it Tuesday, Mad Skills Party,  Fabulous Party, Weekend Retreat , Tuesday Talk and Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party, 
and Let's Be Friends Blog Hop

Weekend Recap: Another Study Weekend

Another Monday that came to quickly. Even though I had Friday off, still seems too short.

As you know last weekend was spent staying away from the house so Mr. could study, and this weekend was the same. Friday we took Baby Fox to school. I tried to get a selfie...but you know how that goes...trying to get a 4 and 2 year old to cooperate. Well mostly the 4 year old, since the 2 year old was strapped in the stroller.

Baby Fox you're covering your sister...

Wait, now you're not in the picture...I give up, we're going to be late for school.

 

Side note: bad idea to walk to school in the heat, I didn't think it was that hot out, but I got all sweaty walking back...man I am ready for this heat to end!

Did you know that Toyota Camry's (not sure if other cars are doing this too) but the dash boards are actually melting? Yep, the other day Mr. says, why is your dashboard so sticky? I said I don't know, I keep the sun shade up when I'm parked, I have no idea how to fix it. He said I bet someone out there is having the same problem. Then, literally, 2-3 days later a recall notice appears in  our mail saying that some people's dash boards are melting in the heat! So I get a free dashboard replacement...in December...haha, that's how long it's going to take. Anyway, before dropping her off at my parents (didn't want to take her to the appointment at the dealership), our pool guy was at the house when we got back from dropping off Baby Fox with his doggy, who Mini Fox just adores.

I told her we had to go and she waves and me and say okay, bye Mama.

I went to the dealer ship to get my dashboard accessed, they told me it would take an hour, it didn't, it took 5 minutes) so I ran home and went to get some pants hemmed.

Then took this girl to the doctors.

She is in the 82% for height and 47% in weight. If those old wives tales are true about how you double the height at age 2 for girls, and 2.5 for boys, Mini Fox should be 5 feet 11 inches tall...haha. She is going to tower over me! All fun and games until the shot lady comes.

We headed back to my parents afterward and she was a crying mess, my parents fed right into it and catered to her every need. Little Miss Diva...my parents told her an ice pack would help.

Then she needed her water and all her stuffed animals.

And when she got up, she would grab her leg and limp, dramatic much? Don't worry, I had asked the nurse if I should give her anything for the pain, she said no, it's not like that and that it hurts the most going in. So I knew it was mostly all in her head.

But it didn't stop her from milking it some more just before dinner, dragging Baby Fox into her sympathy camp.

And then Ampa jumped into the same camp as everyone else...except Mama...mean Mama. This picture... my Mom bought her, her new favorite chips (we call them cheesy chips, in reality they are Cheetos) I told her she had to eat them at the table...instead my mom sets up a towel kingdom so she doesn't have to move off of her brand new couch. Talk about SUCKER! I'll talk about why we there all day later on.

Don't worry she recovered a few minutes after when her brother had something she wanted.

Saturday Baby Fox had soccer, and again the temps went up just in time for the game! Poor kids, but they seemed to be having a blast anyway. Getting pumped up for the game.

Afterwards we went to lunch at In and Out with the Coach and his family. Did I tell you guys I want to Elementary school with his coach? We reconnected at our 10 year high school reunion and it turns out that we lived in the same city and then went on to having kids only a couple of months apart.

Monkey #1...

 

We home got some naps in and then Mr. studied while I took the kids out. What better place than the Mall play area...

Monkey #2...

 I promised them one ride when we left.

We headed out to a late dinner (give Mr. some more time to study), and ended up at our favorite Mexican place, totally out of our way, but oh so yummy.

With chips bigger than your head!

So funny, she kept pointing to this sign and saying "Ariel! Ariel!" Nope sweetie, pretty sure that is Mexico...haha. But I give her points, it does sort of look like a fish tail there at the bottom.

Sunday I went to the grocery store, and there was actually fog...I forgot what it looks like. Please tell me Fall is coming!

I got home, packed lunches and headed off to the gym with the kids. I worked out for a bit and then we headed down to the pool. She loves watching her brother swim.

She's playing peek-a-boo with me.

She didn't want to swim so she ran around in the splash pad (no that other kid is not Baby Fox), he's in the pool swimming.

Heading out, had to wrap her up tight.

When we got home, down for naps and when they woke up Daddy was watching football, so they occupied themselves with their laptops, than you V-Tech and Leap Frog.

Mom in background writing her blog post (see announcement below), isn't she so cute? I'm making meatloaf in the way, way background

The meatloaf recipe I use calls for garlic croutons, since I can't eat any store bought ones I had to make my own. Yum! So easy and now my daily salads are going to be a little bit better and crunchier.

The kids wanted to help make the meatloaf, mostly because they like pushing the button on the food processor.

Dinner was yummy, both kids ate the meatloaf, win in my book! Plus tonight's meatloaf sandwich...that's what I'm talking about. (P.S. I really only made the meatloaf because I really wanted meatloaf sandwiches for leftovers.) Now onto that thing I was working on with my Mom and my project.

Usually I would take the kids home for a nap, but they napped at my parents because my mom and I are starting a new project, potentially a new series called Decorating with Mom on The Blended Blog. Tomorrow she's showing you how to decorate your mantle! And on my blog we're going to show you how we decorated my mantle. I'm so excited to show you, I will leave you with a hint of what is on my mantle: this spooky curtain, I just love it and can't wait for you to see it the whole thing!

Bad picture from the internet, but there are actually skulls on a sheer material as well as the black netting part

 Linking up with Erin for Weekend Snapshot4, B Loved Boston and Champagne & Suburbs  for Weekending,  and Ashley at A Cute Angle for Monday Madness

Friday Favorites #44

Happy Friday all! Sorry I've been sort of MIA with commenting and reading your blogs. Work has been super crazy. I don't normally talk about work, but let's just say it's crazy and they decided that we're moving offices on Tuesday and we have to be out and moved by next week. Crazy right? But since it is Friday I'll give you a recap of my favorite things this week.

Daddy got home and they just wanted snuggles, so cute.

Then we decided to open some more of Mini Fox's gifts. Yes it's taken us this long to open all of the gifts. We'd open one and then they would want to play with it, we finally finished opening all of the gifts, now to get on those Thank You cards.

This is what happens when your kids asks their Mom the engineer to play train tracks with them. I used every single track we had...this is my best one yet. I might have asked Mr. to alter one of the pieces so that I could get to get a piece with two holes and no pegs (all you train building Mama's know what I'm talking about)

2 minutes after taking this picture they went through and godzilla'd it

This video makes me so happy. We've been trying to get her on video doing her snoring bit. Up until about 2 weeks ago, she would keep her eyes wide open and stare at you while snoring. It was hilarious.

Random picture that make me laugh.

 

Doesn't every kid wear masks/goggles and eat dinner?

She threw a tantrum at the doctors office because I wouldn't let her eat gum.

I love that she is so girly, yet she loves to play with helicopters and cars and even makes the noise to go with.

Mr. went to get Mini Fox from her nap and found her like this. A girl can never have too many binky's.

 

 

And one more thing before I go. It's been a super crappy week, but these faces just make me smile. And yes Baby Fox took them right off because it is way too hot to wear long sleeve Pj's to bed, Mini Fox would not take them off, I begged and pleaded, she's one stubborn girl.

 

She's saying cheese behind that bear/blanket, I kept trying to tell her I can't see your pretty face. She didn't believe me.

 

Oh wait...just because this same picture from last year is on my desktop wallpaper (guess I need to update it)...they're getting so big!

 

 

Linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites, September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for Oh Hey, Friday! April and the girls for Five on Friday, and Jennie for Friday Favorites