Pumpkins- Black Paint

So, I've decided the pumpkins need to be for indoor/porch use this year. This is my first go around and I feel I don't have time to seal them properly. So today, I went to the dungeon and got out the black latex paint and did the base coat. I'll head to Ace hardware to get paint to start the orange. Not sure if I'm gonna spray paint or airbrush...cause I really want an excuse for an airbrush!

So who do 3 year old girls want to marry?

Usually, it's Ken or Prince Charming. But my little darling Fred wants to marry Haku. They are going to live in a castle, and he is going to fly her around as a dragon. And apparently fight monsters. I say it's a pretty good deal. So for today, I present my future son in-law in both his forms.

Paper Mache Pumpkins- pre-sand and paint.

Last nights of summer

In my little world, school does not start until after Labor Day and summer ends the day after. I've decided Fred will start her homeschool pre-school that week. Summer should be time for parents and families to be with their children, not the long awaited free (or paid for) daycare, otherwise know as education. But that's another rant for another time. But we are probably going with Timberdoodle or The Learning Box monthly deliveries along with online supplementals and whatever we find out and about. Unfortunately for Fred, her tv also comes out of her room at this time, and she is going to be mad, but it's time for her to learn that not everyone needs a tv to go to sleep.

This week also brings the routine of picking up Ms. A and Ms. C at the bustop every afternoon. We can hear our neighbor and her daughter Ms. D take off with those training wheels and I'm sure just like last year, Fred is going to run for her shoes and take off to go get the girls off the bus.

So school is starting, the tulip tree in our front yard is dropping leaves left and right, today is cool and cloudy, but I still don't feel fall in my bones yet, but she's close. The pool is folded up and put away, the garage cleaned out for a path to Halloween decor. And now I need to clean my house before the end of September mass decorating begins.

So the list still to accomplish and probable upcoming posts :

Block Party Permit

Seal Pumpkins

Paint Pumpkins

Build Desk

Plan KI trip

Block Party Flyers out

Hit the fabric stores

Start Halloween window shopping

Preschool starts

The rundown on our absence.

I decided to help out a friend this summer with watching her girls two days a week, which turned into overnights also. It was a good time, but during this I re-injured my neck. I now have what is called 'military neck' meaning my neck is straight. Our necks are built to have a C curve in them, and mine is straight. I have no collapsed vertebrae or pinched nerves, but it hurts somedays to even hold up my own head. I wish I could switch out my head like Queen Mombi just to give my neck a rest.

During the past few days, I came to the realization that Halloween is on a Saturday. So I have to handle this one right! That means a dry run Friday night! So there is alot to do. I also have spent a couple of days and looking at my childhood Halloweens. I don't have pictures of specific houses, but I have enough pictures to trigger what it was like during the years my neighborhood (my own personal trailer park) was the life of Halloween. Ton's of neighbors decorated. The local clubhouse was made into a Haunted House some of those years, and when it wasn't, the locals rallied together, decorated and handed out HOMEMADE candies and cookies and hot chocolate. And I want that again, even if it's just my little street. But I want to build a big enough display to attract that kind of feel again. And since my child can only trick or treat on our street (no one needs that much candy at her age), this just may be possible.

I made six paper mache pumpkins, tutorials via Scotty Art, and they have been drying in my garage. Welp, the mice decided to help the 'carving' process. So, two had to be vanquished to the garbage pile. And the other four, have some repairs. But I went ahead and added the paper mache pulp to them anyway. So we will see how they will turn out. I'm hoping to use the spar urethane on them this weekend, but I'm thinking these will be indoor only pumpkins for this year. Pics to come soon.