Sunday, October 30, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the McCash Family!



Q. Why did Dracula take cold medicine?
A. To stop his coffin.



Q. Whats a ghost's favorite type of car?
A. A boo-ick
 

Q. What do you get when there is a witch in the desert?
A. You get a sandwich.
 

Q. What do you call a witch's garage?
 A. A broom closet.

Q. What did the mother ghost say to her kids in the car?
A. Fasten your sheet belts.



Q: Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?
A: He had no guts.
 

Q. What instrument do skeletons play?
A: Trom-BONE.
 

Hope your Halloween is fun and safe and spent with friends!

We're spending ours at church and then with the movie, "How to Train Your Dragon," of course!  : )

Friday, October 28, 2011

Harbor Writing {35 Months}

This video is mainly for our family back at home to see and hear Harbor, but for those of you that have been following our blog for a long time, you might enjoy it also!

Have a great weekend! : )

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Our 2011 Christmas Card {A Sneak Peek!}

The colder weather has really put me in the mood for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving is a bit of a dark cloud, however, as we will spend it alone in Detroit. But, like the song says, "I'll be home for Christmas!"

I've been hand making hundreds of Christmas cards every year for the last 10 years {our entire married life} and love to plan them, design them, and construct them lovingly night after night. When I taught 5th grade for 6 years, I always finished them in the summer, since I had the time off.
But, now, I can start them in September/October.

This is the color scheme for this year- black and white houndstooth with turquoise. Though my paper cutters hate slick wrapping paper, I chose this wrapping paper roll as the base.



And this large bolt of slick ribbon to coordinate.



This design included two printed photos, which is a first for me!


When I showed my mom the design, she made Harbor a coordinating longall in houndstooth and monogrammed it with an "H" in turquoise!

Is she an amazing seamstress, or what??


His outfit matches the theme of the card so well! Thanks, Mom!
I can't wait to reveal the photo shoot and final card.  : )


These pictures are from our Christmas card photo shoot at the end of September. And would you believe that I have my cards about 85% finished? All 160 of them! So happy!

In other news, David finished remodeling and tiling the back steps off of our back porch.


And we purchased Harbor's first pair of outdoor ice skates! We have several outdoor rinks here in Detroit, and are looking forward to a few family outings on the ice. I know Harbor will outgrow these toddler size 8 skates so soon that they were probably not worth buying, but they are so small I justified using them in Christmas decor later down the road.  : )




It rains here every other day. It feels like Seattle or Portland weather. I guess when it is cold enough, it will all be snow. We have had so, so many rainy days that we have just put on rain boots and gone out anyway. : )



Harbor's and Mommy's rain boots


Heading out to the library for some rainy day fun!
With all the rain, we are usually desperate for an adventure!


Later that day, Harbor and David had a little soccer game on the driveway.



And Harbor found and picked the last remaining rose of the season. And gave it to me. : )


As I found a place to display it {in the kitchen on the fruit platter,} I couldn't help but wonder, looking outside through the kitchen window at all the rain and wind, how we will handle this first winter. 

Winter looms over us, full of snow and with it, a promise of adventure.
The kitchen is warm and cozy, but that last remaining rose makes me wonder what is around the bend.


Hope you are warm and happy and full of thanksgiving!
We love you, friends and family {and blog readers, too!}

Monday, October 24, 2011

Slipcover for Sitting Room

When my mom was here visiting, before she caught her flight back to Arkansas, she made a slipcover for the the ottoman in our sitting room out of some crisp cream fabric I had been saving. The ottoman is a great dark leather and the matching chair is actually in the guest room, but I wanted the ottoman for our master sitting room. I felt the leather was too dark for the space, so my mom was kind enough to whip out a pretty ruffled cover.

It looks so happy and bright in the sitting room now!


She made a slipcover for our living room as well, but for this one, instead of box pleats, she made a ruffle. Don't you love ruffles? Oh, they make me so happy! : )






She used my sewing machine and taught me a few new tricks, as well. Living 1,000 miles from home {and help} will make you listen very, very carefully to sewing advice.


She did get a few pointers from a little guy with a lot of sewing experience.
I know she was so appreciative to have been an audience for his surging and seaming wisdom. : )







Thanks, Mom.
Though I rarely have time to relax in our sitting room, I do put makeup on and get dressed there and I sure love seeing that pretty slipcover. 







Speaking of my little helper, he "helped" himself to my Sonic drink that I thought I had hidden away up on a tall counter.

Guess not! Little rascal!  : )


{I've added this post to my "Tutorial" page on my bar if you want to try your hand at making one for yourself!}

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Good

We hope your weekend was a good one!


McCash Family, Fall 2011
{We are old pros at using the self-timer on the camera now! Ha, ha! Poor us.}

Here is the template I used to create our Halloween critters for the stairs!  : ) Enjoy!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Mice in our House {Lots of Them and We Like It!}

This morning, our foyer seemed perfectly normal... until we rounded the corner!


Eek! Sometime in the night, white mice had invaded our staircase!




Some of them had even chewed holes! Man, those things are quick.




Several of them were having conversations about how pretty our staircase was. Even though I agreed, it sickened me to hear them. In my own house. Shiver!





Harbor wondered if they were real....


So he got a little bit closer...


and touched a few, right on their furry little tails! Brave, isn't he? Yep! That's my boy!


He heard them talking too. I have no idea what they were saying to him. He wouldn't tell me.  : )


And would you believe we even found grey ones trying to get outside!
You'd better believe we opened the door and showed them the road!


Happy Halloween!

{And if you want to find mice in your house, which you don't, I promise, let me know and I'll send you the template I used.}


Because, really. Who wants a mouse invasion? Not us!  : )