Uplifting Music

I saw this video on Facebook this week so I thought I'd share ... how grateful I am for music that lifts us. 

Thanks Hilary Weeks for sharing your talents. 

Beautiful Heartbreak by Hilary Weeks

Check out more of her songs on her Facebook page.  She has several of them that you can listen to.  When I went to her Facebook, I learned that a song I loved in high school was by Hilary!  It is the first song she published.  It greatly touched my life then ... and again tonight as I needed to remember "He Hears Me". 

Beautiful Music ... a blessing in times of trial and triumph.  Listen to music that makes you happy.  It can brighten even dark days.

Its tough! But we hope!!

People ask me how we are doing ... well, its tough. Its tough to say no to the kids about going places we normally go. Its tough to say no about going out to eat - because we used to be blessed to do that A LOT. Its tough not to buy the kids more long-sleeve shirts and more leggings/pants now that the weather outside is literally freezing. Its tough to say no to the kids about almost everything related to money. Its tough to watch others going on with their lives as if nothing is wrong (because for them, nothing is) and feel left out and left behind. Its tough to keep track of all the things that you "get" to do when you are technically unemployed. Its tough to not be able to plan for the holidays and be shopping for Christmas presents. Its tough to get emails for Sub for Santa (that I normally HELP with) and wonder what we'll even have for our own family this year. Its tough to not know whether we are going on our vacation in December - one that we've worked hard for and looked forward to for quite awhile. Its tough to hear your little kids pray for their daddy to get his job back so mommy won't be so sad. Its tough to tell your kids you just don't know "when" things will be normal again. Its tough to see your husband struggle and be frustrated. Its tough to hang out with friends and be myself when I just don't feel like myself right now. Its tough to stand up under all the stress of owning two businesses but only having a small income from one! Its tough to think about all the "what ifs" that might come if we don't get an income again soon. The list goes on.

BUT!!! Its nice to have friends and family that love you no matter what! Its nice to know people are thinking of you and praying for you. Its nice to have a small income from my business despite the economic times. Its nice to have clients that love what I do for them and refer others to me. Its nice to have a church that takes care of its members - spiritually and even physically in times of need. Its nice to have friends to talk to and who put up with my tears. Its nice to have lots of prayers going up for us from friends and family. Its nice to have kids who still love you, even when you have to say no a lot. Its nice to have distractions and to get to do fun things with family and friends. Its nice to have family to buy winter coats and boots for your kids. Its nice to get a package in the mail from family ... just for Halloween fun. Its nice to have friends who show up with Halloween candy for us to give out. Its nice to have a husband, despite the situation, who is willing to just keep working HARD. Its nice to have a husband who pulls me closer when I cry and constantly lifts me up by his example. Its nice to know that when we fall short, Christ's atonement makes up for what we can't do. Its these things that give us hope and hope is what gets us through!!

An emotional ride

As we've been going through this tough time, I've realized its harder to be social. Although I'm usually glad I went, (whether its a girls night, double with friends or a family gathering) it is definitely an emotional battle for me. Sometimes I feel depressed and would rather crawl back in bed. Other times, I want to be wreckless and forget it all - go be frivolous and care free instead of debating about even the things I normally considered a "need". And other times, I just sit and cry. I'll admit, sometimes I'm even jealous or flat out ANGRY at others. But most of all, I just feel like I'm not myself. Its hard to be as cheerful and easy going and upbeat when that's not how you feel inside. Its hard to not feel like a drain on the conversation and its hard to feel like I have something to contribute. Often, I want to fly under the radar and be a fly on the wall. But most of the time, I just want to avoid the risk of falling apart. For example, at church on Sunday, a friend asked a casual greeting ... "hi, how's it going?" and the falling apart, crying fest started for me. I'm sure she was totally thinking, "wow, didn't mean to open the flood gates." :) Or someone asks a simple question like "what have you been up to lately?" and I have to say not much, even though my honest answer might be any of the following: "Trying to hold it together" or "so excited because I bought this great gallon of milk the other day!" or "Cried about a dozen times so far this week, screamed about stupid things too many times to count, ..." Sometimes, coming up with an appropriate and yet honest answer while I control my emotions is tough.

Its all very frustrating for me ... I'm one who likes to be in control of things and especially myself so this depression/rage/bawling basket case, is just not comfortable for me. BUT, I am so grateful for friends who I can hang out with and just stay a little more quiet than normal, be a little more mellow than normal, maybe say a little less or sometimes unload and dump on and they still love me and want me around. So to my friends, I say keep inviting me to hang out but understand if I/we don't join you, I say don't give up on me because I need you right now, I say keep asking the simple questions and hopefully, I'll have honest happy answers to give you, but be patient with me if the answer isn't what you expected. But most of all, I say thanks! Thanks for the little things like a soda and popcorn at the movies, for giving me a hug when I fall apart at church, for inviting me to do things that take my mind off of things, for letting me be a little quieter than normal, for letting me talk when I'm ready, for being excited about interviews, for knowing what I've been up to even before you ask the question, sending me emails or notes on facebook and letting me know we are loved .

Halloween Costumes

Now that it is October 1st, the kids are asking about Halloween costumes ... so I've done some searching for ideas.

First, look at recycling old costumes you have on hand or borrow from others.  You can wear old dance costumes, sports uniforms, old costumes, dress up clothes.  You can also coordinate a costume swap with neighbors/friends who have children similar to your age.  You can also shop at second hand or goodwill stores.

Here are some ideas (most came from online):

Ghost - use an old white sheet, cut out eyes and mouth... feel free to dress up your ghost with makeup, eye lashes,jewelry, a beard or musache.

Nurse - scrubs

Baby - pajamas, bottle, teddy bear or doll, mess up hair like bed hair
Scarecrow - oversized flannel shirt, faded blue jeans, add some patches to the knees a rope for belt and to tie at the cuffs of jeans and sleeves, stuff with plastic bags or paper, a little bit of straw.

Clown - sweat clothes are too large.  Let the kids decorate with markers or tie-die. Add large pom-poms, add a cheap, wig, hat and make-up.

Crazy Daisy - do crazy hair, add crazy socks, a crazy scarf, clothes inside out, unmatching clothes ... anything crazy.  you could even take an old shirt and sew a bunch of random fabric scraps hanging on it - making a rag shirt and tie some scraps of rags into tons of little pony tails

Skiier - snow suit, some poles and snow cap

Hippy - Tie die cothing, long wig, headband, fringed clothing, sun glasses

Hillbilly - a colorful dress, add a flower hat, a scarf that doesn't match, a big flower corsage with crazy ribbon and "weedy" type flowers, some tennis shoes and colorful socks pulled up to your knees

Old man - dark paints and jacket, shirt with collar, old hat and can - gray hair with a dust of flour or buy hair paint

Old woman - grandma looking dress, knee-hi stockings rolled down a little, big shoes (oxfords), large black purse, set of beads around your neck. Feel free to add some stuffing.

Nerd - slick back the hair, some pants that are too short white socks white shirt, a pair of glasses with some tape, use a backpack or briefcase for a candy bag.

Miss America - an old bridesmaid dress or formal add a wide ribbon with Miss America (or any city/state you choose) written on it. Add a tiara some jewelry and heels.

Mummy - white bandages made from sheets.  use some green pain to create a blotchy look.

Costumes with tights, leotards or Sweats

Skunk - Black with white strip down the pack.. be careful everyone may run

Bunny - Pink, brown, or white, add a powder puff or large pom-pom to the backside, and a set of ears make from constriction paper and a plastic headband.

Turtle - Green with a piece of poster board attached to the back. Simple cut the poster board into a large oval, make random marks like a turtle shell, and paint.

Puppy - Brown, tan or white, either paint, or pin paper spots on. Make floppy ears and bobby pin to hair over your ears. The tale can be most anything, depending on what type of doggie you wish to be. Add a little make-up.

Kitten - Gold, brown, tan, white. Make ears from construction paper, attach to head band or bobby pin in to hair. Sew a simple round tale, and pin on.

Spider - Black, For the legs grab some cheap black hose, stuff with any thing dark and light weight. Either sew, or staple to keep stuffing from falling out. Pin to clothing, add a little make-up

Snowman - white sweats, christmas socks, white keds tennis shoes, a cheap black hat, fake snow, mittens, scarf and black pom poms for the coal, spray the hat to look like snow and add a cheap red bird or flower from an old Christmas decoration or the craft store. Use a white mask and a cheap carrot from the craft store and glue it onto the nose part of the mask.

Bag of Jelly beans - lots of different colored balloons, large clear plastic bag (see if the grocery store can give you one - the kind they put the recycled cans in) colorful ribbon, two safety pins, two pieces of white cardboard --- cut leg and arm holes in the bag, have child stand in the bag, then fill the bag with blown up balloons, add a "jelly beans" logo or title to the bag and safety pin the signs to the bag. Tie around the shoulders with the colorful ribbon (make sure the bag is not near the face).

Ragdoll - take an old sleeper and cut out the feet,, sew patches in various places. Add wide cuffs at wrist and ankles. For the head, use an old stocking cap and sew strips of fabric from old clothes to the stocking cap. Then give them red cheeks and freckles.

USING A BOX

Dress up as a box ... Christmas or birthday presents are fun. Just cut holes for arms, legs and head. You can also use the bax to turn a child into a collecting card (baseball, Pokemon, etc) or a birthdy card. Make yourself a fridge or washer, robot, race car, train, head on a platter (on a table), rubics cube, dice (would be cute for two kids to dress as a pair of dice), lego block.

Hope this gets your creative juices flowing and helps you save money and have fun this Halloween. Feel free to google for more ideas (there are TONS of them) and share your favorite in the comments! I got most of these ideas from this site.   I'm not sure her site is 100% kid friendly because she mentions a kid friendly area so be warned before sending your kids to look for costumes online.  Some may not be appropriate.

But one of my favorite sites for ideas for kid things is Family Fun.  They have LOTS of ideas here.  I loved the girl at the spa (robe, slippers, green "mask", hair up in towel) and the gargoyle!