A Very Successful Party

Final prep of the food included the pudding mud cups, and the mummy dogs, pumpkin P&J pumpkin sandwiches, bone bread sticks, and pizza that I didn't get a picture of. Maybe my daughter did. I completely forgot to take a picture of the food bar.

As the guest arrived the began their crafts. This table was occupied all night. The kids got realy creative and even went out side the box to create their own masterpieces. I sure hope my daughter got some pictures of their wonderful creations.

Most of our guest came in costumes.

The many games kept them well entertained. The cakewalk (no pictures on my camera since I was spinning the wheel) was a BIG hit. Our last game was bobbing for apples. (Tip: do not fill the tub so the apple floats, this way they don't sink when the kids try to bite them. For older kids it was easier but the younger ones had a hard time so I would hold the apple for them to bite). I know my daughter was taking pictures during this game. Will update when she sends me her pics.

It wa a very successful night and I so enjoyed my guest having an awesome time. In case you wonder what Mr. Y and I were, we were Hot Dog Vendors and Tucker was our Hot Dog.

Halloween Boo Bash

Claudia's Blog: God’s Timing: Trusting It

Claudia's Blog: God’s Timing: Trusting It

"Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about'" (Gen 22:2).


Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do almost anything to get it? Have you ever gotten so close to fulfilling a dream only to have it disappear right before your eyes? Such was the case for Abraham.

God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. He would have a son. However, Abraham panicked when Sarah aged beyond child bearing years and tried to help God by birthing Ishmael through Sarah's servant, who was not the promised son. Eventually, Isaac was born, who was the promised son.

However, God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son on an altar to demonstrate his obedience to God. Truly, this is one of the hardest instructions given to one of God's people in all of scripture. It compares only to the Heavenly Father sacrificing His own Son. God intervenes and allows a ram to get caught in the bushes nearby, symbolizing the Lamb of God as a prophetic sign of what is to take place in the future.

God often births a vision in our lives only to allow it to die first before the purest version of the vision is manifested. This has happened several times in my own journey. Oswald Chambers observes, "God's method always seems to be vision first, and then reality, but in between the vision and the reality there is often a deep valley of humiliation. How often has a faithful soul been plunged into a like darkness when after the vision comes the test. When God gives a vision and darkness follows, waiting on God will bring you into accordance with the vision He has given if you await His timing. Otherwise, you try to do away with the supernatural in God's undertakings. Never try to help God fulfill His word."*

When God's vision is finally birthed, nothing will stop it. Our job is to allow God to birth His vision through us His way and in His timing."

How full can one plate be?

I am excited that things are coming together for the party friday. I am excited Larry is progressing in the dinning room. I am excited that NASCAR at PIR is around the corner, just 2 weeks away.

However I feel like my plate is so full. There is still so much to do...all while working around Larry so to not interupt his work.

Over the weekend, with my daughters help we got a lot accomplished.

I love how the witch's wands came out and the nutterbutter ghost.

I still have decorating to complete. But it is coming along nicely.

Even Tucker is ready for the party....

There is still so much to do. I have guest coming in Friday and as always I want their stay to be comfortable and yet it is so disorganized. Thankfully my daughter and housekeeper will be pitching in. My son in law will get the outside ready as well. All I need to do is take a deep breath and accept the things I can do and let those I can't be done by others. That continues to be my weakest link, asking for help.

Never knowing from one day to the next how I am going to be feeling doesn't help. It just doesn't matter rather I rest or pace myself, each day is different. What I don't get to one day, I tell myself I'll get to it tomorrow, and then tomorrow begins not as planned. Please keep the prayers coming as I know God has a plan for us all and the more he hears the more he provides.

Grandma Day

I love how much Ellie enjoys her dance class. Of the 6 girls in her class, I must say, she knows her positions better then most. Her tapping is so cute and she keeps up with the teacher very well. Anthony is so funny, he repeats a lot of the moves in the observation area. Me and another mom talked about how he would enjoy dancing but we can't see him in a class of all girls. I'll continue to talk with the ladies about this and see if there is a class that would fit. He needs an activity of his own so we'll check into soccer for him.

After dance we came to the house so the kids could see all the decorations we had done, not to mention the new wall and work grandpa had done.

Anthony checked on the turtles and fed them. Ellie just wanted to read her new book. Once grandpa came home, he had their undivided attention.

I just love my grandma days, every Monday and Friday. Plus we have Sunday family dinners together. Our blessings.

Ellie ready for her dance recital this last June. She was a pumpkin in Cinderella and danced to Bibbity Bobbity Boo

The Work Begins With...

Planning a party take organization. After I have search and search, and searched some more it is time to put the ideas into action. Creating samples really help. Last week I wanted to see how the Candy Corn pizza would work so on our Grandma Day the kids and I gave it a try. It was pretty easy. I used premade pizza crust from Albertson's. After brushing the crust with olive oil it was time to create it. So Simple! One thing I plan to do different for the party is a large center of the mozzarella. Also, since my grandson can't eat much cheese I will make a special plain pepperonie for him.

Next was to get the supplies for the scarecrow. All pieces are cut and ready for the kids to do their craft. I have also decided to have available paper plates to make a pumpkin.

Onto some decorations. I loved the idea of the chair covers. I had bought some cheap white pillow caes for my daughter wedding but the did not fit the cushions I had planned to use them. Instead of taking them back I used them to creat the Ghost chair covers. Then while sitting outside relaxing, eyeing one of my stoles I thought...why not! So the stools at the island also got covered. I love how they came out.

These are an old favorite and have been making them since my kids were little. Even when they got older, I still made the for the little trick or treater's.

As it gets closer I will share more of the party prep. This weekend my daughter and I will make the Nutterbuter Ghost and Witch's Wands.

Life that doesn't include party prep...

Every Monday is grandma day. it begins with picking the kids up from school, off the Ellie's dance, then to grandma's house. Last week, Ellie didn't want to go to dance and since i had a headache, worked fine for me. Grandpa came home early to do prep work of his own and of course he can't run the fork lift without the help of Ellie and Anthony. Upon taking this picture, I told Amber, by the time they are old enough to drive it themselves, we will have a life of fork lift photos capturing their journey.

We also had water that day (we flood irragate) so they thought it was cool to swing in the water.

I have not wrote about my 3 other grandchildren that live away but are very dear to my heart. I yearn for the same realtionship but understand that their life is where it is and I will be the grandma that sees them 3 or 4 times a year. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I have not seen them since April. However my daughter was able to find a picture of them at a recent birthday party. I was amazed how long Lillian's hair has gotten. Serena looks like Ellie did at that age, and Titus is such a little man. I miss them so much and pray daily that someday we will get the chance to see them again. Until then...

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3, 5-6