Mix It Up Monday: Finally!

I know, it has been a while since I've done a fashion post.

But it's hard to remember to take pictures all the time.

Plus, my husband thinks I'm crazy when I ask him to take a picture of me all the time.

Maybe I need to invest in a tripod??

Anyhow, here's a few from this week. 

Hanging around the house and errands:

White Tank and Black long sleeved tee: Target, Red Cardigan: Garage Sale, Jeans: Goodwill, Hat: Charming Charlie

Taking my nephew for his birthday lunch (he turned 3!!):

White Tank: Old Navy, Black Sweater: Torrid, Jeans: DressBarn, Pink Scarf: ??(Super old!), Flower: Claire's

Getting ready to go to haunted houses on Friday's Date Night!:

Head Scarf/Band: A Local Festival, Black Sweater: Torrid, (shhh, same one I wore the day before!), white tank: Target, Jeans: Old Navy, Boots: American Eagle)

 At The Dayton Ballet Matinee performance of Sleepy Hollow:

Pants: Macy's, Black Shirt, shoes and cardigan: Goodwill, Belt: DressBarn, Necklace: Kohls

Running errands and going for pizza:

Black Shirt and White Tank: Target, Cardigan and pants: Goodwill, Loafers:  Elder Beerman

So, nothing really to wow you here, but it is what it is.  And FYI, my husband HATES the head scarf/band thingy, (what do you call those anyway??).  I LOVE it.  So much that I don't really care if the rest of the world hates it, I'm wearing it anyway :)

I will be linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW.  Check them out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Fostering Christmas Care

For those who read my blog regularly, you know that I haven't posted much in the past few weeks.

Well, I could make excuses...

I've been busy, I've had a lot on my plate, I've been sick.  Yada Yada Yada...

While all of that may be true, it's also true that I have just been feeling sort of blah about blogging for the past few weeks.

Not sure why.

I just kept feeling like I had nothing important to write about.

Who wants to hear the details of my crazy life?

Some days, I don't even want to hear about it.

Anyhow, as I was trying to motivate myself to post again, I got a message from a friend asking me to post on my facebook wall about a campaign to help foster children in Greene County Ohio to ALL get Christmas gifts this year.

Of course I was happy to help.  So I posted the story, and then read the blog post attached and I felt God nudging me.

This is what I should blog about today.

I know that mostly us "mom bloggers" post about our crazy life and all the fun, silly things we do.  But we also have a platform to share about the important things.

And this is important.

It all started when a friend of a friend, (who is a foster parent in Greene County), went to a picnic and allowed her little girl to take an American Girl doll with her.  Soon, many of the foster care children were following her daughter around and asking for a doll of their own.  The mom felt horrible that she had not thought of how these other children might feel when she allowed her daughter to bring the doll.  Soon after, that mom committed to buying each young foster girl in the county an American Girl doll for Christmas.  But knowing that she couldn't leave out other children, she went beyond that and committed to buying gifts for every foster child in the community.

But she cannot do it alone.  She needs help.  Our help

Please read the entire story here and then see how you can contribute!  There are many ways, (almost Ten!), and I hope that you will consider helping these beautiful little children who need a happy Christmas. 

By the way, I know this is not my 'typical' Top Ten post, but if you need a Top Ten reasons to do this, then here ya go:

10.  Because you will feel better about yourself knowing that you helped a child have a happy Christmas.
9.  Because American Girl Dolls are AWESOME!
8.  Because it's the right thing to do.
7.  Because every little child deserves a special gift.
6.  Because we are blessed, we should use our blessings to help others.
5.  Because you would want someone to help your child if they were in need.
4.  Because you can make a difference in a child's life.
3.  Because it will help you to start getting into the Christmas Spirit!
2.  Because this is a great way to spend some money.
1.  Because you can!

I am linking up with Oh Amanda for Top Ten Tuesday!

WFMW: Taking Kids to The Ballet (and a GIVEAWAY!)

If you haven't tried taking your kids to the ballet, you are missing out!

To expose your children to the arts is one the greatest gifts you can give them.

My girls love going to the ballet, and while some may think that it's more of an adult activity, it is DEFINITELY for the whole family!

Seeing a story unfold through dance awakens magic in children.

It helps to develop their creativity and opens them up to seeing beauty in it's many forms.

We try to expose our girls to the ballet and theater as much as possible.  And now you have a chance to do the same!

The Dayton Ballet is one of the most respected dance companies in the country.  We are SOOOO lucky to have this amazing level of talent right here in our city.

And today I am doing a GIVEAWAY to a performance of Sleep Hollow.  The winner will receive 4 tickets to a performance at one of their shows October 20-23, (you can choose which performance!). 

If your children have never gone to the ballet, this is a great way to expose them for the first time. 

But maybe you have already been and are looking for a different experience.  This show is perfect for kids to celebrate the spookiness of Halloween and before the 3pm performance on the 23rd, they are hosting a costume party for children! 

Could this be more fun??!!

There are several ways to enter (But make sure to leave a comment for EACH one you do!):

-Become a follower of this blog
-Follow Family Fun Mom on Twitter or Facebook
-Follow The Dayton Ballet on Facebook or Twitter
-Visit the Dayton Ballet Page and come back here to tell me about which performances seem most interesting to you.
-Tell us about your experience visiting The Dayton Ballet

BUT HURRY!!!!  This Giveaway will End Tomorrow at Midnight! Winner will be announced on Friday!  

I am linking up with We Are THAT Family for Works For Me Wednesday!

Disclaimer: I was provided with free tickets to The Dayton Ballet for this post.  All opinions are mine.   

Top Ten Tuesday: Knock Knock Jokes For Kids

My girls LOVE a good knock knock joke.

Okay, so even if it ISN'T so funny, they still Love them!

My oldest daughter caught on to knock knock jokes early, so most of hers made zero sense, but she thought they were hilarious just the same.

And of course, I thought it was funny just to watch her crack herself up :)

Now they actually know some real knock knock jokes and it's one of our family favorites to see who can come up with the best ones.

Here are a few that we love, and some new ones to add to the mix.

10.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Doris.  Doris Who?  Door is locked, that's why I'm knocking!
HA!  My daughter got this one from the show that used to be on Disney called The Doodlebops.  She told it over and over again.

9.  Knock knock.  Who's there?  Banana.  Banana who?  Knock knock.  Who's there? Banana.  Banana who?  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Orange.  Orange who?  Orange ya glad I didn't say Banana?  ...Also a family favorite!

8.  Knock Knock.  Who's There?  Boo.  Boo Who?  It's only a joke, don't cry about it.  Hahaha, this one's a classic!

7.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Andy Green.  Andy green who?  Andy Green grass grows all around and around Andy green grass grows all around. :)

6.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Police.  Police who?  Police stop telling these jokes.

5.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Luck.  Luck who?  Luck through the peep hole and you'll find out who's knocking.

4.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Woo.  Woo Who?  Don't get so excited, it's only a joke!

3.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Anita.  Anita who?  Anita come in!

2.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Howie.  Howie who?  Howie suppose to get in if you won't open the door?

1.  Knock knock.  Who's There?  Thermos.  Thermos who?  Thermos be a better joke that this!



I hope you have fun sharing some of these fun knock knocks with your little jokesters!

I am linking up with Oh Amanda!  for Top Ten Tuesday!

WIWW: I LOVE Sweaters!

Last week was kind of chilly around here, so I got to pull out some of my sweaters!!

I LOVE sweaters!!!

They keep you cosy and comfy and hide all those areas that swimsuits and shorts show off.

Yeah, I am DEFINITELY a sweater girl :)

Unfortunately, I was enjoying my sweaters so much that I forgot to take pictures of myself actually wearing them...

Except for this one:

We were going to my sisters for a get together and I remembered that I should probably get at least *one* pic for this week.

I love the layering I can do with this sweater, (and oh my.  As the winter wears on, you will see that I LOVE to layer too!), and I think the belt breaks it up a little.

And I got to wear heeled boots too!

This makes for one happy girl :)

Except it's now back in the mid 70's here...so no sweaters this week.

Gotta love Ohio weather.

I am linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS, and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW. 

Top Ten Tuesday: DIY Kids Costumes

Last week, I gave you my Top Ten for couple's costumes.

This week, it's DIY kids costumes.

Because honestly, it bothers me that it cost $20-$40 for a costume that my kid is going to wear once or twice.

Plus, they are usually made with cheap materials that don't last that long.

Nothing like paying $20 for a costume that rips in the first 15 minutes your kid has it on.

Soooo, I am a fan of DIY costumes.

Not that we always do this.

Sometimes, paying $20 so I can be lazy and my daughter can have the same costume as ten of her friends is worth it.

But in case you decide that you, too, don't want to spend a days pay on a cheap costume, then here are some ideas for you!

10.  Kitty Cat!  This is SUPER easy to do because all you need is a black leotard and tights, (or shirt and pants), and *maybe* a tutu or skirt over it.  You can add some whiskers and a nose with black eyeliner or face paint and throw on some kitty ears, (may your own with a headband or buy some.  They are usually pretty cheap around this time of year!).

9.  Cowgirl or Cowboy!  My daughter is going as a cowgirl this year and it's an easy costume because all we are doing is wearing a denim skirt, a plaid shirt, a cowgirl hat and boots, and a scarf tied around her neck.  Boys can do the same only with jeans. Easy peasy!

8.  A Christmas/Birthday Present!  My husband and I actually went as gifts last year to a wedding themed costume party.  You just get an old box, cut out arm and neck holes, and wrap it up with pretty paper and ribbon.  Voila! 

7.  Hula girl!  The dollar store has all kinds of grass skirts and lei's usually.  Grab one up and put a pretty Hawaiian shirt with it, and maybe a flower in your hair and there you have it.

You can also try this one from marthastewart.com




6.  A Robot!  Again with the boxes...just cut the holes, wrap in silver paper or aluminum foil and put buttons and gadgets on with construction paper.  Boys will love this!

5.  A Baby!  Put on some footed pj's, a pacifier (or bottle), a blankie and teddy bear.  Super easy (you probably already have most of this), and super cheap!

4.  Old Person!  Get a gray wig, (or throw powder in their hair), some granny/grandpa glasses, a robe and slippers and you have yourself a costume.

3.  RockStar!  Put some colored hair spray in, tease it up and wear either ripped jeans and a rock-n-roll shirt or a tulle skirt and bright colored shirt.  You can also make a guitar out of cardboard too if your up for it, or carry a microphone.

2.  Beauty Pageant Winner!  Have your little girl put on a fancy dress, place a tiara on her head (every family with girls has LOTS of these!), make a sash (you can use old sheets cut up or white plastic garbage bags cut to the correct shape), and give her some flowers to carry.  You can also check out these instructions on the Disney FamilyFun site!

1.  A Ghost!  Why mess with a good thing?  Grab a sheet, cut out eye holes and off they go. 

Hope that these ideas help you as you get your little goblins ready for trick-or-treat!

As always, I am linking up with Oh Amanda for Top Ten Tuesday!

Living Life

You may have noticed that I haven't posted in a few days.

Well, I've been out living life.

Do any other bloggers in bloggyland have this dilemma??

I feel bad when I don't update the blog or let it go for a while.

But the reason I do that is because I am actually out enjoying the life I blog about.

For instance, Thursday evening we made a meal and took it to a family whose 10-year-old little girl has leukemia and is going through chemo.

It broke my heart to see this sweet little girl who is dealing with so much, and her parents who are exhausted from worry, and almost feeling guilty for having the blessing of 2 healthy children.

Then Friday my girls were out of school, so I spent the morning letting them play with other kids and getting donuts, and having fun together.  Then Friday night we went to the High School football game with friends, (We WON!!!), and froze our little behinds off because it was soooooo cold!

Then Saturday we had parents day at my daughter's game, (she cheers), and did a little more freezing.  (We lost that game, though...)

And Saturday night we had a mini date at Smashburger, (and threw in some grocery shopping for good measure.  Nothing says hot date like a trip to Kroger!), and then went to my sister's for a get-together while the kids spent the night at the grandparents.

And today, we went to church and then to The Potato Festival with the same good friends from Friday night, and had so much fun eating our way through the entire thing.

Can I just say that potato skins and bourbon chicken make an EXCELLENT lunch??

After that it was nap time and then on to practice for the coaches charity flag football game tomorrow night.  I am a cheer coach, so I, (along with all the other crazy cheer coaches), will be cheering on our football coaches as they go for the win!

About 15, 30-40 year olds, out doing cheers and a half-time dance should be a good time...for everyone.

But now can you see why I don't have time to write?

I LOVE my life, crazy and hectic as it is, and I wouldn't change a thing.

So please forgive me if I'm not always sitting at the computer writing about it.

Just know that I am enjoying it, (and thinking about you and how I will tell you all about it soon!), and that THIS is the reason I write!

Thanks for continuing to tune in.