Halloween Weekend: Costumes are only funny when people know who you are.

Apparently there are not that many Big Bang Theory watchers out there. Only a couple people knew who we were.  This had to be my easiest costume ever.  Almost everything is from my own closet (usually not worn together) except the purse which I barrowed from Fisch's mom. Fisch's costume is a mix of thifted treasures (those rockin' plaid pants) and ebay finds (that Flash T-shirt...the exact one that Sheldon wears occasionally).
 For those of you who are still wondering, we are Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler from the show The Big Bang Theory. They make me laugh out loud every episode :)

Happy Halloween!!

I get so excited about carving pumpkins and then I lose interest pretty much right after I clean it out and get the pumpkin seeds to roast (yum!).  So I always seem to do a simple design or a silly face.  This guy made me laugh as soon as I drew him.  

Fisch, on the other hand, gets super into it.  This is his free-handed howling wolf.  Pretty awesome if you ask me.

Hope you all had a safe and fun weekend!

Happy Halloween!

Fill in the Blank Friday

 Linked up with Lauren :)

1.   When I was a kid I wanted to be      a zoologist, a writer or an art teacher (yup, I knew back then :)  when I grew up.

2.   As an adult, my dream job would be   I would still teach art.  I can't imagine doing anything else that would make me happier. In my dream, though, being an art teacher wouldn't involve BS educational politics and it would be a respected and valued subject matter    .

3.  W hen I was younger I wanted to be just like  my cousin, Maren .

4. The childhood Halloween costume that I remember most was when I was   in 5th grade and was a 50's Movie Star.  My mom and I searched thrift shops for the perfect sunglasses and gold scarves. I even wore a blonde wig. When my grandma saw a picture later on she didn't even recognize me !

5.  My favorite childhood toy was   my doll I called Sister. She was freakishly realisic looking and I insisted that she actually was real. I actually got really mad once when my cousin told me she wasn't.  What can I say? I was a lonely only child.

6.  The time I got into the biggest amount of trouble when I was a kid was when I    was being a brat on Mother's Day. I had a big tantrum and it is the only time I can remember my Dad actually raising his voice to me.

7.  I get daily inspiration from   my students .

Thrifty Thursday: Homemade Cards

One of my favorite things to do around Halloween is make cards to send to my friends (Gotta love snail-mail right?). I try to make the cards different every year. This year I made them out of illustrations from a Halloween book I saved from being thrown away at my old school.  Aren't the pictures great?!

I am so excited for this weekend.  Fisch and I are going to see some old friends and then going to our other friends Halloween/Housewarming party.  Like the poem says:

"Let the fun begin!"

Wordless(ish) Wednesday: Miss Frizzle and the Magic School Bus

 

These were Fisch and my Halloween costumes from 2 years ago.

Fisch gets super into making his costumes every year and spent around 15 hours making the bus. The bus ended up in our garage after Halloween and became the home of a stray kitty we started calling Frizz.

 Last year we didn't have any plans for Halloween so we didn't make costumes (and really how could we ever beat Miss Frizzle and the Magic School Bus?!) but we did dress up in some stuff I stole from my old dress up clothes to go Trick-or-treating with our friends and their kids. Fisch wasn't allowed to go up to the doors alone with the kids...lil scary.

So what are we going to be this year?

We got plans...but you'll just have to wait and see ;)

Yummy Chicken Chili

I love Chili, especially on cool nights in the Fall.

Here is my favorite ever crock pot chili recipe 

(originally found here).

Super easy and super delicious!

Enjoy :)

Slow-Cooker Chunky Chicken Chili

1 can (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans, rinsed

1 can  (15 oz.) light red kidney beans, rinsed

1-1/2 cups  Mild Salsa

1 can  (16 oz.) tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 cup  frozen corn

1 cup  Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese

COMBINE beans, salsa, tomato sauce and chili powder in slow cooker. Top with chicken, onions and corn. (Do not stir.) Cover with lid.
COOK on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours).
STIR before serving. Ladle into bowls. Top with cheese.

 

The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: The Face

One of my favorite pictures of the Penny Poofers for Paper Mama's Weekly Photo Challenge :)

Fill in the Blank Friday

 

1.   Nothing says fall like    the sound of crunching leaves.

2.   My favorite autumnal tradition is   dressing up for Halloween.  Fisch gets really into making his costume every year and his enthusiasm is contageous. Pics to come next week of our best costume yet! 

3.  My favorite fall treat is  Affy Tapples! w/ nuts.

4. Fall makes me think of   chili   because   chili is the perfect thing to eat in the Fall...and I had it for dinner last night and it was amazing.

5.  Autumn free form word association, go!    sweaters, carmel apples, pumpkin patches, awesome art projects, plaid, warm colors.

6.  My go-to outfit in the fall is    anything involving plaid.

7.  My favorite fall holiday is (Halloween or Thanksgiving)    Thanksgiving. I love Halloween but I look forward to Thanksgiving every year because I get to see my family in IL, eat lots of amazing homecooked food, and it means Christmas season is right around the corner .

Thrifty Thursday: Thrifty Outfit #1

I am seriously spoiled by thrift shops.  I went shopping at Target the other day and couldn't even get myself to spend $15 on a sweater.  But really, why spend that when I could find it for a quarter of that secondhand?  I have noticed lately that more and more of my closet is recycled clothing. I have been playing a game with myself lately to see just how many all/mostly thrifted outfits I can make.  So along with thrifty finds, I will also be posting some of my thrifty outfits on Thrifty Thursday.

Here is my first one!

Skirt + Moccasins: thrifted, Button up shirt: Vintage hand-me-down from my aunt, Bracelet: gift, Necklace: market in Charleston

Wordless(ish) Wednesday: Fisch's Doppelganger

With football season now in full swing, random people are once again comparing Fisch with Tony Romo.  

Can you see it?

My Second Award

GERMAN: LIEBSTER (N.) BELOVED, DEAR, DEAREST, LOVE 

  I was given this award from Miranda over at Aimless Translation.  You definitely should check her out! She has lots of cool, inspirational projects going and an adorable son! Thank you so much for the award :)

 THE LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD IS GIVEN TO UP AND COMING BLOGGERS WHO HAVE LESS THAN 200 FOLLOWERS. LIEBSTER IS A GERMAN WORD MEANING DEAR, SWEET, KIND, NICE, GOOD, BELOVED, LOVELY, KINDLY, PLEASANT, VALUED, CUTE, ENDEARING AND WELCOME.

To keep this award going and pass it along to other new deserving blogs, the recipient must now recognize five other bloggers with less than 200 followers that have really stood out in the crowd.

The rules for the Liebster Award are:
1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top five picks. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love too!

 

My top 5 are...

Modish Cents  (A single girl's attempt at becoming debt free)

Go check out these great reads!

A Happy October

Reasons why October makes me so very happy:

1. The leaves hit their peek color

2. Cool weather means cute layered outfits and fires in the fireplace.

3.  Lots of fun autumn art projects happening at school

4. Going to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkins

5. Carving said pumpkins

6. Halloween

7. Getting caught up in Fisch's enthusiasm for Holloween costumes 

8. Scavenging thrift stores for the perfect pieces for our costumes

9. Watching all my favorite Halloween movies 

10. Candy (Not even sure if we will get trick or treaters where we live now but you can bet we bought candy just is case...and may have to run out for another bag, or 2, by Halloween) 

I love October :)

Homecoming Weekend

Fisch and I went to my family's place this weekend for my sister, Michaela's, homecoming.  Michaela and I are ten years apart so she is still in high school.  I try to be a good sister and make it back for her big events. Michaela and her friends took pictures by the lake around sunset.  It was such a beautiful setting I couldn't resist getting some pictures of my own in :)

Thrifty Thursday

I guess we were really into thrifting stripes last weekend.

Family and Wine

     Another gorgeous weekend in WI...80 degrees and sunny in October(Next week it will probably snow)?! It was the perfect weekend for my family to visit and for us to explore the Wollersheim Winery and take a tour. Wollersheim is located in beautiful Prairie du Sac, WI, about 30 minutes west of Madison. The scenery was breathtaking, the wine awesome, and of course the company was great.

     We took the $5 tour which included a wine tasting afterwards but they also have a store and wine garden where you can buy a bottle, relax and just enjoy the views.  I am thinking Fisch and I will have to go back sometime very soon.

     P.S. Isn't my Grandma gorgeous?  I can only hope to look so good when I am 89.

Fill in the Blank Friday

 Thanks Lauren for Fill in the Blank Fridays!

 

1.   Something popular that I can't stand/just don't "get" is    Coach.  I'm not a label person but I have tried to find a Coach purse I would actually spend that much money on and I haven't had any luck.  The closest I have come is really liking the little silver shiny cluch that I got as a bridesmaids gift...but I always do love shiny things :).

2.   Something unpopular that I secretly love is   meatloaf   .

3.  When I've had a bad day I  take a spoonful of Nutella and watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show  .

4. I prefer   teaching kindergarten students   to   teaching high school students    any day.

5.  Something that makes me nervous is  kids tipping backwards on their chairs! Can't stand it!

6.  Something worth fighting for is    friendship. The good ones. .

7.  When people think of me, I hope they think   "she is a kind and creative woman and a great art teacher." .

Wordless(ish) Wednesday: Picture an Hour

     Yesterday, I took a picture every hour to document of my day.  Being a traveling art teacher my schedule is different everyday.  Tueday is my least busy day with only five classes (four of which are 1st grade meaning I teach the same project four times) and 2 hours of prep time but I still go to all my schools. It was also the only day this week where I didn't have a meeting or open house after school. So here is my somewhat typical Tuesday.


6:00 am

Best iced coffee recipe found here. Obviously need a french press because this way takes forever!

7:00 am

8:00 am

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

12:00 pm

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

3:00 pm

Pumpkin Spice Shake makes me a happy camper.

4:00 pm

5:00 pm

6:00 pm

Day Zero Project. 101 Things in 1001 Days.

  




7:00 pm

8:00 pm

9:00 pm

 10:00 pm

  

11:00 pm

The Book of Awesome