One Year of Blogging... Time for a Facelift!

It's funny how your mind remembers certain things. As I was cleaning up this evening I thought to myself, "you know, I think I started blogging last November." and sure enough my first blog post was November 2, 2007. So HAPPY BLOG-AVERSARY 'Lulu and Bedelia'! And by happy coincidence I discovered the beauty of "cutest blog on the block" today and redid my blog. Concider it an anniversay facelift. I have seen other blogs and wondered how they got them to look so dog-gone cute, so we'll try this look for a while.

I also learned about "photo widgets" today and added a little slideshow of photos. Now what I'd REALLY like to learn how to do on my blog is create my own things using photoshop. I know it is possible, and I actually got photoshop on my computer so I could learn to digital scrapbook with it. But so far what I can do with photoshop seems very primative. So if anyone knows of any great tutorials that can help me in my digital blogging and scrapbooking layouts I'd sure appreciate the input.

Blogging is such an interesting sociatal tool now days. It seems like everyone has a blog, and they are all so unique. I'm greatful for the ability to keep in touch with family and friends, I'm greatful for the moments of escape it provides to journal and gain strength from others journaling, and also for the fun you can have creating your own web space! I just wish I knew how to use it fully. I have to say, I married a computer genius but I am far from being one. *sigh*

Happy Halloween: The Big Kahuna

We decided to go Trick-or-Treating with cousins this year. We had so much fun. Lulu was really excited to have Max the puppy going with us Trick-or-Treating, so much so that the dog was far more interesting than the candy. Eventually we ended up slowing the big kids down, so we split up and went our own route. I was very pleased with my daughters. They were very polite, even Lulu would say, "treat?" and "yo'welcome" (that's how she expresses thanks now a days.) and they just loved it. There were a couple houses which let the girls pick out their own candy. Lulu thought this was a great idea, and she raided one guys bucket taking all the suckers she could grab. He laughed, we laughed, it was a good time. Coming home from the festivities I realized, Halloween is a holiday in which neighbors open their doors for others, give "gifts" and show true neighborly kindness. Just for that, I love Halloween... okay, that and the candy!

Halloween Fever: Day 2

Our ward had their Trunk-or-Treat party on Tuesday night. Sadly, I wasn't able to attend with my family because of a rehearsal, but they sure had a good time. What do you think Dallan dressed up as? Any guesses?

And here is a photo recap of the party:

Nala, Queen of all Lionesses had a great time with her friends.

Lulu the kitty went from being angry kitty to roadkill by the end of the evening.

Halloween Crafts

For Halloween this year, we painted our pumpkins instead of carving. Bedelia's pumpkin was quite the elaborate work of art, including a painted back, face, arms, and I think hair... Lulu went more for the water colored impressionist art. She liked the way it looked when you smeared your paint with the water. She also did some nice belly-button art!

We also got this great idea from my friends blog to make ghosts using the girls footprints. We created some pretty spooky pictures! Bedelia wanted to take her picture to our Trunk-or-Treat and scare all her friends with her spooky ghosts.

Halloween Fever

We have Halloween Fever! We love Halloween so much, we've decided to have it three times! Here's day one's festivities.

1. Visit the Pumpkin Patch

2. Go to a Halloween party just for 3 and 1 year olds. It was so much fun! Thanks Sommer!

3. Go to an LDS "trunk-or-treat" with Max the Spider.

4. Come home and eat the loot! Yum! I love Halloween!

Lioness or scrub brush?

And this is Amelia, the Lioness (or scrub-brush, or monkey as Max would have it be). I thought it turned out pretty cute! We did it all in less than 24 hours time (started Saturday at 1:00 and had it nearly complete that evening, I just had the ears to do on Sunday and finishing touches Monday morning) This is thanks to my mother-in-laws amazing artistic mind and my perfectionism that got this thing done! And as Grandma pointed out, Amelia will add the sound effects needed to convince everyone she is a ferocious lioness! Happy Halloween!

Weekend at Grandma's

Last weekend we went up to Holbrook to see Grandma and Grandpa Simper. We had a lot of fun! The girls acted like it was Christmas morning when they walked into Grandma and Grandpa's house, they ran around squealing with glee to see all the toys, and they loved Grandpa's marble contraptions... anyway, the girls had lots of fun (even though Saturday was very blustery, that didn't stop their fun) Dallan read an entire novel and my mother-in-law helped me sew and complete Amelia's lioness costume for Halloween.