Have A Great Thanksgiving? (Tons of Pics)

I sure hope you did! Mine was FANTASTIC! This year everyone from both sides of the family got their respective days off (in-laws are Thanksgiving and Friday and mine is Saturday) - so we got to see evveryybody! Yea  =D The kids are getting so BIG and accomplishing soooo much - sports, clubs and jobs - I have a hard enough time managing my time but these kids are busting it alllll over the place. Also this year I forgot my camera at home - good because I participated instead of standing in the back snapping picures and bad because I don't have this years shots. But since last year we went fishing (yup it was extremly cold) and this time only the guys went on the death-defying act of 4 wheeling (yea - like I was going to go and I didn't trust the guys with my camera) - I am posting last years pics and since my camera was new to me I took pictures of evverrything and evverrybody LOL

We will start with the drive there and back. This drive is about 7 hours but it feels like 30 hours - it takes forevvverrrrr - I'm so serious! If anybody has ever driven from Tuscon to Southern New Mexico they can also testify that it is horrendously boring. Flat dessert land as far as the eye can see but I know that most of my readers are not from the Southwest so you might enjoy these pictures.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY EVERYONE  =D

4 Thanksgivings Dinners!

Take a trip down memory lane when our favorite Girls did a whopping FOUR Thanksgiving meals in one day. In season 3 episode 9 "A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving" instead of saying "Sorry I have plans" they said "Yea sure we will be there" to evverrryybody. After thinking things thru and trying to drop meals from their holiday menu but noticing how disappointed people would be - they decided to put on their best streatchy clothes on and hit the tables! :-D



Meal #1 - Mrs. Kim's - Mmmmm Tofu Turkey : D
Mrs. Kim is watching you!

Meal #2 - over to Sookie and Jackson for some deep fried everything
*I love the outdoor deocorations*

It  is only late Nov in CT its not like it would be cold or anything
which this year it will be 43* and rainy

Meal #3 -  to eat with Luke and Jess
Yup this doesn't seem awkward at all :]

Are you getting full yet? Well don't - we have one more stop!



Meal #4 - Gilmore home

Doesn't this seem cozy? Wait where is she taking the turkey?!

Natalie (Dinner Guest) to Lorelai: You have your mother's wit.

Emily: Sometimes I wish she'd give it back.

**Also did anyone catch Jennifer Aniston's dad, John, in this episode?**

Meal #4 - Gilmore home

Doesn't this seem cozy? Wait where is she taking the turkey?!

Natalie (Dinner Guest) to Lorelai: You have your mother's wit.

Emily: Sometimes I wish she'd give it back.

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Garden Loving

The last few weekends have been spent preparing our yard for winter (cleaning, weeding, preparing window boxes, spreading grass and planting my lovely garden). Since the weather today was a beautiful 76* it doesn't need to be said that Phoenicians live outside for the 8 months of "winter". So getting our outdoors ready is mighty important and ours is almost presentable.

What a hot mess  =D

After sweeping the ground we spray down the patio - the dust here is horrible!

Charmed ...

I have a little (or big) treat for you today. This charm can be as large or small, casual or edgy as you would like to make it. You can use stickers, magazines, or even print a design off the net. All these things can be found at a craft store - I got the rocks, glue and felt at the $1 store and I got the rest of the items at Walmart. I hope you enjoy it. *sorry for the pics its from my phone*

You will need a few things: a CLEAR stone, felt (I like the way it feels rather than a card stock but that can be used too - paper is too thin it won't wear well and fabric gets weird after a few uses), 2 "o" rings, glue (regular and super) scissors, plyers, picture and pencil.

The hardest part of this craft is picking out a picture and then deciding which stone (shapes and clearness are different for each one) - Do you want a border? Then what color? The questions can be endless but just start it because the stones come in a large enough bag that you can make about 20 or so, there are plenty of ideas that can be made.

 Once you decided which picture then simply circle around it with a pencil. Not a pen - it tends to seep/spread the ink and it gets magnified by the stone.

Cut both the felt and picture together (a) it saves time and (b) the sizes will be the same. If you are wanting a color border - trim the picture alittle bit smaller.

Paint/spread white glue on the stone, then place picture (try not to move picture too much it might rip or the color might bleed). Wait until it dries.

Take one of the "o" rings and open it an bend it into a horseshoe design. Place the second "o" ring inside of it. Keep the horseshoe even.

Apply super glue to charm and "o" ring (make sure you are not glueing both on). Let dry completely.

Spread white glue on the back on the charm and apply felt. Smoosh the felt down alittle bit so that it won't be so puffy. Let dry.

Tada! Your one of a kind charm ready for the wearing. Just find a nice necklace (ribbon works nice for a choker and chain if wearing it longer) and enjoy. Or give as a gift and since it is economical you can make several charms, in different varieties for everyone on your list.

Happy Birthday Sylvia!

The gangs all here to wish you a wonderful Birthday!



Shabbat Shalom

Recall the young woman to their husbands, to love their children, to be sound in mind, chaste, wokers at home, good, subjucting themselves to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be spoken of abusively.

Titus 2:4-5

Half Moon or Reversed French

I have been seeing Dita Von Teese's reversed french manicure around lately. It was kinda big back in '07 then picked up last year and .. it'ssss baaaack. Dita sports a silver moon with a retro red nail base. Every kind of color combo (green/red, gold/green, black/white) has been out and the techniques for some have been too technical (and others look too sloppy). So here is my interpretation of this look.

I used this cool retro red (Cherry Red) as the moon color
Apply and let dry. 

 

Apply french tip guides ($1.88 at Walmart) where the moon would be.



Apply tip color - this is "Manhattan" by NYC .
It is such a great color. Let dry COMPLETELY!

CAREFULLY remove the stickers

Use orangewood stick or cotton swab to remove excess
around nail and swipe a coat or 2 of clear polish.
*Don't forget to put lotion on your hands - like I did ^o^*

There you have it ... clean, perfect nails :)
*I found that the matte colors looked best but maybe its just me*



Veterans Day Movies

There are so many great war movies to watch and I know that I am going to kick myself later for missing some but here is my list anyhow.

This 2001 movie is one of my favorites. Affleck and Hartnett are childhood friends that are stationed in Pearl Harbor before the attack. Affleck meets a pretty nurse (Beckinsale) and falls in love. Affleck joins Brittain overseas and is believed to be dead. His girl and friend find comfort with each other and when Affleck returns alive complications arise. There are some glimpses of the Japanese strategizing their attack on Pearl Harbor and US & FDR's reaction. This movie is kinda long (3 hours) and the plot of these two guys fighting over a girl might be a little bit of a stretch but the attack is so breath stopping that you are left feeling ... heartbroken.

This 1963 movie is based on a true story, a group of allied escape artist type prisoners of war played by too many great actors to name) are all put in an 'escape proof' camp. Their leader decides to try to take out several hundred all at once. The first half of the film is played for comedy as the prisoners mostly outwit their jailers to dig the escape tunnel.  The second half is adventurous as they use boats and trains and planes to get out of occupied Europe. A bit of trivia: Wally Floody-the real-life "Tunnel King"-was transferred to another camp just before the escape and he served as a consultant to the filmmakers.

If dramatic war movies are taking a toll on your psyche then there are two "war comedies" that I absolutely adore (please don't judge me roughly for adding them).

Yup! I went there :D This 1949 movie has the super adorable Cary Grant. Grant plays a French officer assigned to work with American officer (Sheidan). Through a wacky series of misadventures, they fall in love and marry. When the war ends, he tries to return to America with the other female war brides. This movie actually got both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe nominations. I love LOVE crazy comedies like this (Operation Petticoat, Mister Roberts) they show such an innocence that changed during the 70's which brings me to my next pick.

Most of everyone knows the premise of MASH but for those of you visiting the Dragonfly from overseas I will bring you up to speed. MASH stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital - this 1970 movie follows the surgical officers of the 4077 during the Korean War and seems to be a series of short stories placed together: a football game with another unit, two doctors take a trip to Tokyo to operate of a congressman's son, officers golfing with eachother, romancing nurses and TONS of practical jokes especially among the officers. This crazy movie won 13 awards! The tv show (of the same name) ran for 11 seasons (1972-1983) won an outstanding 42 awards and the final episode "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" aired on February 28, 1983, and was 2½ hours long. The episode got a Nielsen rating of 60.2 and 77 share, translating into nearly 106 million Americans watching that night, which established it as the most-watched episode in US tv history, a record that stood for nearly 27 years.

Other movies you must watch: Good Morning Vietnam, Stripes, North and South, Glory, The Green Berets,The Tuskegee Airmen, Halls of Montezuma, Stalag 17, Black Hawk Down, The Dirty Dozen, Sergeant York, and Saving Private Ryan.

Thank You Veterans!

Why does Veterans Day fall on November 11th? This is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.
The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919 (which got passed in 1938). In proclaiming the holiday, he said
"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner named Alfred King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "ALL" Veterans Day. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954 and in June congress changed the name to Veterans Day.*the power of what one person can do -imagine what YOU, as an individual, can accomplish* 

For those who died - you are not forgotten.

For those fighting now - just come home safely.

For The Kids At Heart

If your family is like mine and considers family time as sitting around a table with snacks and a movie, well I've some treats for you!
 

 

"Up" is a film made by the fine folks at Pixar *Monsters Inc, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Wall-E* It is about a 78-year-old Carl who sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America by tying thousands of balloons to his home then relizes he has a stoeaway in a kid name Russell. Well an adventure is what he gets!Story is abit bitter sweet but a great film for all ages. Be prepared to buy it!

 

 

"The Missing Lynx" is a 2008 animated comedy from Spain, clumsy lynx Felix and his animal pals try to thwart the plans of Noah, a rich man who wants to collect pairs of endangered animals and keep them in a vast ship where they will be safe from extinction. But when the animals elude capture, Noah hires a professional hunter to track and snare them. This movie has an "Over The Hedge" kinda feel to it. This movie is best for the very young at heart group but it was a decent movie none the less.

 

This 2010 Tim Burton Adaptaion of "Alice in Wonderland" is actually one to watch. Unlike some other Tim Burton films "Alice" isn't dreary or dark but it keeps with the wild wonderment that has made Wonderland part of our culture. And like every other girl - I love, love Alice's wardrobe.

My Room

About a week ago Susan over at "Between Naps on the Porch" is asking to see our "Mom Cave" well here is mine. It used to be our Princess's room and about 3 1/2 seconds after she moved out it turned into My Room :D I do EVERYTHING in this room: read, research, watch tv, chill, schoolwork (when Im not on the computer), excercise (kind of), wrap gifts and sew. So needless to say it gets really, really, really messy very fast! Once upon a time it had just plain white walls and a few years ago we painted the walls "False Cypress" by Behr and the wainscoting/trim "Ash White" also by Behr. *these pictures really doesn't do it justice - it is a really nice green/grey color* Any how ... my Mr made the bookshelves and desk for our daughter who is a HUGE reader and we put in a large slat wooden blind to complete the cottage look. I just need to still put up more corkboards (rather than pictures so that I can rotate my creative pictures to suit the project) This room is full of memories of the past and all the posibilities that the future has.

Holy Geez!! What a mess!!

Creative chaos :D  The calendar still says "September"
*Princess made me the "hankie" that says "Sneez" when she was about 9*



Aaahhh ... clean - Thanks for helping me clean Bobby : p
*the chair used to belong to my Dad-it must be 20+ yrs old*



All my craft books and jewlery supplies .. also my school supplies.
Kids projects and a few favorite things on top of shelves.

This is how you can find me. Nice use of the excersice ball.
Already thinking of Christmas ^o^

Sewing supplies on the right and STILL trying to master
Charlie Brown christmas songs : }

View from my desk - the TV is still outside - in Phoenix everyone
does this since the weather is beautiful right now : D

Only a few of my magazines .. organized by holiday and type.