Enough Halloween?

I used to love Halloween.  All candy, no pressure.  All costumes, no whose house are we going to for dinner dilemma.  But I'm afraid I may have become a Halloween Scrooge.

We've been watching Halloween specials on Disney Junior since the beginning of October.  We carved pumpkins two weeks ago.  Instagram and Pinterest have been full of Halloween party pics/ideas since August.

Enough.  
Parties have gotten bigger and my patience has gotten smaller. Ugh.

It seems the only holiday that is sacred and not overexposed and overdone is....wait, let me think....maybe Valentines Day?  Ugh.

Just when I thought I was going to cancel Halloween and just put a bowl of candy on my front porch and turn out my lights this happened:

The kids came down in their costumes, all ready for their school parties.  All excited about the possibilities of Halloween, candy and costumes.
Oh my, they are  cute.  My heart grew three sizes.

Even with blurry pictures, the cuteness is captured.  At least I think so, I am sorry about the blurriness.

Okay, Halloween isn't so horrible. Maybe I'm just tired. I need to rest after the morning parties before the evening trick-or-treating fun.

Happy Halloween!


*****Giveaway Alert****

*****Last Day To Enter****This is a special giveaway.  Not only do you get to win something, but you also get to meet a very cool mama.  Jen VanHowe is my daughter's running coach for a program called Girls on the Run and a rep for Jewel Kade.  And she is sponsoring today's giveaway.

Win this beautiful monogrammed
piece from Jewel Kade.

Leave a comment here on the blog or on the blog's Facebook page and your name is entered to win a beautiful piece of jewelry and have it monogrammed.

Jewel Kade is a business with a great story--a mom of five started making jewelry in her basement, love it.  The jewelry is described as "vintage, yet modern. Universal yet very personal." I describe it as cool, yet pretty.

Just like the jewelry, Coach Jen, as my daughter calls her, has a pretty cool story too.  She is not only a mom, coach and businesswoman, she is a runner.  A runner who is raising money for a Team Challenge half marathon next month.  When I found out that she was raising money for Crohn's & Colitis I sent her an email and typed something I never thought I would: "We not only have running in common, but also an understanding of an autoimmune/gastro disease." She probably thought I was crazy, but I get how a disease that is similar to my JT's Celiac can impact a whole family.  And I love how she is using all of her passions for all kinds of good.  Click here to find out more about how you can help Jen reach her Team Challenge goal of $3,700.

Don't forget to leave a comment here or on the blog Facebook Page on the blog to be entered to win.
*****Last Day To Enter****

Try It Tuesday/Pinterest Poser Challenge

It's time again for the Try It Tuesday/Pinterest Poser Challenge.  In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,* every week I  detail a new Pinterest challenge whether it be a new recipe or a craft.  Or maybe it's not even on Pinterest, maybe it's just something totally new that I'm trying for the first time.  

**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.** 

I had big plans for this Pinterest Poser Challenge.  They involved red paint, furniture and sewing.  But like many of my greatest ideas ever, I found myself with a lot of enthusiasm, but little time or energy or ability to sew.  Normally, I would maybe cry a little and say trying to be creative and try new things is stupid.  But new Pinterest Poser Challenge me refused to give up and I simply downsized my plans.  

Over the weekend, I made a smoothie for the first time and the recipe came from Pinterest.  I know you're thinking smoothie, really? Big deal. Oh but it was a big deal for me, I've never done it before.

I'm always looking for healthy breakfast options, so I was hopeful that my kids would like the smoothie.

Wade was fascinated by the blender.

The taste testers.  And the verdict...

Lucy was like "ehhh, sort of, okay" and JT was gagging. Whatever. It was good and healthy, so I told them I was going to make them drink my new favorite smoothie once a week.  Don't listen to these kids, it was very delicious.  Click here for the recipe.

One of the fabulous things about Pinterest is all the inspiration.  Yes, smoothies are great.  But there are so many god damn ideas on those boards.  Pinterest is my new Google for many of my searches like "quotes about family" or "crafts for my kid's school party" or "fancy appetizers" or "colorful homes" and more.

I began Pinteresting a boring hallway in my house. Spray painting a frame and a free printable download--BAM, I have a spruced up hallway.

This hallway is outside the kids' bedrooms and I love the quote- Love Is Spoken Here.  The rug is an old IKEA purchase that I found in the closet (the big kids were not happy with the elephant on the rug, but again, whatever).
I will add to the wall, but it's a start.

Click here for to download this printable (which I found on Pinterest of course) and more.

So how about it, will you take the Try It Tuesday/Pinterest Poser Challenge? What have you made, painted, cooked, arranged, sewed, Modge-Podged from Pinterest?  Or did you try something new and outrageous?  Share it in the comments or leave the link to a picture of your project or meal or furniture or pumpkins....well you get the idea.  

Oh yeah, and follow my Pinterest boards too.

*****Giveaway Alert****
This is a special giveaway.  Not only do you get to win something, but you also get to meet a very cool mama.  Jen VanHowe is my daughter's running coach for a program called Girls on the Run and a rep for Jewel Kade.  And she is sponsoring today's giveaway.

Win this beautiful monogrammed
piece from Jewel Kade.

Leave a comment here on the blog or on the blog's Facebook page and your name is entered to win a beautiful piece of jewelry and have it monogrammed.

Jewel Kade is a business with a great story--a mom of five started making jewelry in her basement, love it.  The jewelry is described as "vintage, yet modern. Universal yet very personal." I describe it as cool, yet pretty.

Just like the jewelry, Coach Jen, as my daughter calls her, has a pretty cool story too.  She is not only a mom, coach and businesswoman, she is a runner.  A runner who is raising money for a Team Challenge half marathon next month.  When I found out that she was raising money for Crohn's & Colitis I sent her an email and typed something I never thought I would: "We not only have running in common, but also an understanding of an autoimmune/gastro disease." She probably thought I was crazy, but I get how a disease that is similar to my JT's Celiac can impact a whole family.  And I love how she is using all of her passions for all kinds of good.  Click here to find out more about how you can help Jen reach her Team Challenge goal of $3,700.

Don't forget to leave a comment here or on the blog Facebook Page on the blog to be entered to win.

Stranded at the Pumpkin Patch and a Giveaway!

I love leaf throwing pictures.

It's time.  
Time to pack in all the pumpkin-y traditions, cider mill visits and leaf jumping fun.  

Signs, signs, everywhere signs...it's also this time of year.

Because soon, it will be all time change darkness, holiday madness and lots of indoor-ness (at least here in Michigan).

With that in mind (as well as Tim's shoulder surgery), we headed over to the pumpkin patch last weekend.  Per usual, it wasn't what you would call picture perfect.  
Check out how we got stranded at the pumpkin patch:

Click here to subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/jumpingwithmyfingers

Apparently it's also time for every photographer to be taking pictures outside.  This weekend we accidentally photo bombed five families, two very in love couples and a wedding.

Wade and JT couldn't take their eyes off this wedding party while we were at the library this weekend.  

*****Giveaway Alert****
This is a special giveaway.  Not only do you get to win something, but you also get to meet a very cool mama.  Jen VanHowe is my daughter's running coach for a program called Girls on the Run and a rep for Jewel Kade.  And she is sponsoring today's giveaway.

Win this beautiful monogrammed
piece from Jewel Kade.

Leave a comment here on the blog or on the blog's Facebook page and your name is entered to win a beautiful piece of jewelry and have it monogrammed.

Jewel Kade is a business with a great story--a mom of five started making jewelry in her basement, love it.  The jewelry is described as "vintage, yet modern. Universal yet very personal." I describe it as cool, yet pretty.


Just like the jewelry, Coach Jen, as my daughter calls her, has a pretty cool story too.  She is not only a mom, coach and businesswoman, she is a runner.  A runner who is raising money for a Team Challenge half marathon next month.  When I found out that she was raising money for Crohn's & Colitis I sent her an email and typed something I never thought I would: "We not only have running in common, but also an understanding of an autoimmune/gastro disease." She probably thought I was crazy, but I get how a disease that is similar to my JT's Celiac can impact a whole family.  And I love how she is using all of her passions for all kinds of good.  Click here to find out more about how you can help Jen reach her Team Challenge goal of $3,700.

Don't forget to leave a comment here or on the blog Facebook Page on the blog to be entered to win.

Stay Ahead of the Pain and What I Know For Sure (this week)

"Stay ahead of the pain," the doctors advised my husband, Tim, after his surgery on Monday.  "Once the pain hits, it's hard to play catch up."

It's been our motto all week, but now I'm making it my motto for life.  It's brilliant really.  I just might make T-shirts with "Stay Ahead of the Pain" on them.  I love it. 

Isn't that what we are all trying to do?  I mean sure, sometimes you have to feel it all and go straight through the pain.  But for the most part, avoiding pain sounds better.  I'd rather go for a run and keep my body (and my mind) healthy than feel cluttered, out of shape and in pain.  I'd rather work on my marriage and compromise than fight.  I'd rather drink alcohol than think about my past and worry about the present, okay I'm kidding about that (er, um, sort of).

Staying ahead of the pain is a pretty damn good way to live after surgery and beyond, that I know for sure.

This is my back up motto for pain:

Because you better believe I know this for sure too.

Here's what else I know for sure (this week):

• Instagram is art.  

I enjoy all things social media.  It's the perfect kind of madness for my ADD brain.  But Instagram is a little different.  It lets you make art with a picture, with a moment and yes, with a filter.  I love capturing my own moments and seeing other people's.  

  
Follow me on Instagram: @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

• I was meant to live someplace warm.  This week we have had several 70 degree days, which is unheard of in Michigan this time of year.  Flip flops in October? Hell yeah!

• Laughing is good. Pivot! Who doesn't re-enact this classic Friends scene when moving furniture?  My husband and I do, every time.  And every time, we laugh.  Awww, I miss Friends.

• I will not stop saying good things about Twitter.  I love Twitter.  Come play with me @AngelaYBlood.

• The Brady Bunch did drugs. This video is such bad quality, but so funny.  Carol and Mike Brady discuss taking tranquilizers.  I'm obsessed with this clip.  They really knew how to stay ahead of the pain.

• Yes, you can love your neighbor (friend, husband, Facebook pal, etc) with opposing political views in an election year.  Check out a blog post I wrote for Patch with some tips on exactly how to do that.  And a fun Brady Bunch story. Click here to read the whole post.

• Feist's I Feel It All is still a bad ass song that I thought was appropriate for this post.

What do you know for sure (this week)? C'mon, we're friends, share what you know.  Leave a comment here or on the Facebook page.



I'm linking up today with my instagram/Blissdom/blogland friend Greta from Gfunkified.com for #iPPP link up.

We Are So Not Boring (and other lessons from old TV shows)

I've told you before I can benchmark my life by what was happening in TV-land and pop culture.   I can tell you who was president (Reagan), what boy I liked (major crush on Doug, the new kid) and which house we lived in (the greenish condo, we moved quite a bit) all because of an episode of Different Strokes that aired in 1985.  You know the one where the first lady visits Arnold's classroom to talk about the war on drugs?  I have a million more episodic memories like that---a very undervalued gift.  Right or wrong, it is what it is. 

Last weekend, Lucy and I watched Little House on the Prairie together.  She had never seen it and has refused to read the books (which breaks my heart).  

But she was intrigued by this episode, which I knew like the back of my hand of course.  It was the episode where Mary and Ma have a disagreement, a total communication breakdown.  Mary accidentally sets fire to the barn, by staying up late reading and knocking over a lantern, and Ma is pissed.  She screams at Mary and punishes her by not letting Mary take a big, important "examination" at the schoolhouse.  Lucy watched thinking the same thing I was, "what the f&#k, Ma?"  Okay, I hope Lucy wasn't thinking with the F word, but you know what I mean.  

Ma came down hard on Mary for basically staying up late and studying.  That seems crazy!  Anyway, the whole story unfolds with Mary feeling incredibly guilty and lying to Ma and then she feels worse.  Meantime, Ma feels shitty for yelling at Mary and goes and visits good old Reverend Alden who helps her feel better about everything because that man can make anyone feel better.  I love Reverend Alden.   Then Mary and Ma make up at the end crying and apologizing. 

I teared up watching this episode as a mother to a daughter.  Since I always want life to look like a television show, why can't it look like Little House?  Lucy and I will have disagreements/communication breakdowns and more over the years.  I hope they are always over Lucy studying too much.  I hope they end with both of us crying and apologizing, and then me making pie and Tim playing his fiddle by the fireplace.

After the show was over, I turned to Lucy and saw that she was still confused.  She couldn't get over the fact that Mary got in trouble for studying and her punishment was getting out of a test.

"Isn't Mary Ingalls amazing?" I asked.  "Don't you want to be more like her?  So honest and full of integrity.  Wouldn't it be great to be like the Ingalls."  I was selling it a little too hard, I know.

"No way, she's boring," Lucy said. "I like us just the way we are, sooo not boring."

Lucy is no Mary Ingalls.  She wears shiny silver pants to lounge on a Saturday afternoon. She is so not boring.

She just might be right, but I still totally wouldn't mind having smiling, kind Reverend Alden around to pray for me.

Frustrated by the election?  Think it's impossible to peacefully, politely disagree with someone voting differently?  Fear not, I have used my episodic TV brain to conjure up an election compassion lesson from The Brady Bunch.  Here's a post I wrote for Patch called How To Love Your Neighbor In An Election Year.

Click here to read the whole post on the Patch.

Here's a moving clip from that very special Brady Bunch episode.


And just for some old school TV fun, check this out:

Tom Hanks on Jimmy Fallon performing slam poem about Full House. So good.

Beyond Grateful

Monday morning, I drove my husband, Tim, to the outpatient surgery center.  I took him in for his first surgery ever.  How is that even possible?  Thirty-eight years old and no surgery? To say he was nervous, was an understatement.

The whole thing was strange.  In our almost 15 years together, it has always been me in the hospital bed.  Either having a baby or having some minor surgical procedure.  I'm the one hooked up to monitors and oxygen.  I'm the one being poked and prodded and drugged.  

And here's what...I prefer it that way.  No, I don't love all the drugging, poking and prodding.  But I prefer to go through it rather than watch someone you love go through it.  Any of it.  The nerves, the scary possibilities, the what ifs, the pain, the worry, etc.

Tim is my rock.  He is the stable one in this relationship.  He is the healthy one in all definitions of healthy--physical and mental. 

His shoulder surgery went smoothly.  He has been a surprisingly good, relaxed patient here at home.  And for that I am relieved.

He is still the one making jokes and making everything okay.

That is the one perk of this whole surgery ordeal, he is home from work.  Even though it is a challenge to keep baby Wade away from him while he rests and the big kids are at school, I love being able to hang out with him in the afternoon.

These past few days have been weird, slow, long.  I knew it before, but now I know it more, I love Tim so much.

This post is so sickeningly sweet, I know.  But it's my truth.  It's my life.  And I am beyond grateful.

As Alicia Keys says, "I don't want to forget the present is a gift."  Love this song- Like You'll Never See Me Again

"When the kids are old enough we're going to teach them to fly." Damn straight Dave Matthews Band. Love their song You & Me.

Try It Tuesday/Pinterest Poser Challenge

It's time again for the Try It Tuesday/Pinterest Poser Challenge.  In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,* every week I  detail a new Pinterest challenge whether it be a new recipe or a craft.  Or maybe it's not even on Pinterest, maybe it's just something totally new that I'm trying for the first time.  

This past weekend we hosted a small party.  Little Wade turned three years old and we invited my in-laws over to celebrate.

Wade doing a little taste testing before the guests arrived.

I made two appetizers that I had pinned on my Gluten Free Goodness Pinterest board.

These little cups of Mexicana wonderful were the hit of the party.  Individual 7-Layer Dips?  Genius.

Here's the link to the web site with the original recipe.  I didn't really follow the recipe, I made mine from looking at the picture and changed it a bit.  I refuse to use black olives because I hate olives. I used red onion and lettuce on mine which is also different from the original picture.  

I served the 7-Layer Dip as an appetizer. Next time, and you better believe there will be a next time, I will use smaller cups if I can find them.    

This one is easy, but impressive don't you think?  Putting the veggie dip in the peppers looks so cool.  It is also something that I never would have done without seeing a picture of it first.

Thank you Pinterest.
Poser Update:

Last week's Try It Tuesday turned out not to be the disaster I thought it was.  When I looked at my Pinterest-ed address pumpkins, I saw imperfection and mistakes.  But others commented on their cuteness. 

Sure they weren't the just like the picture from Better Homes and Garden on Pinterest and they were by far perfTryect, but they were/are cute.  What's so great about perfect anyway?

So how about it, will you take the Try It Tuesday/Pinterest Poser Challenge? What have you made, painted, cooked, arranged, sewed, Modge-Podged from Pinterest?  Or did you try something new and outrageous?  Share it in the comments or leave the link to a picture of your project or meal or furniture or pumpkins....well you get the idea.  

Oh yeah, and follow my Pinterest boards too.

**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.** 

Two Weeks in Two Days

It was a very busy weekend around here.  We crammed two week's worth of fun into two days.  We went on tractor rides, picked pumpkins, carved pumpkins, celebrated a birthday, sang, danced, read, taught, listened, laughed, ate (a lot), visited, hosted, watched movies, read books, ate some more and took a million pictures.  Not to sound like I'm a high teenager, but it needs to be said,  it was epic.

We crammed in all of our Fall celebrations and traditions into one weekend because my husband, Tim, is having shoulder surgery today.  It's not major surgery, but in a house with a lot of kids and a lot of action, having one parent down an arm and doped up on painkillers can really put a damper on things.  Hence the cramming of all things Autumn this past weekend.

One tradition we had to take care of was our annual Youngblood Kid Photo Shoot.  Every Fall, I force gather the kids together for a picture at the same red barn in our town. We started this tradition three years ago.  I love to compare the pictures year to year and see how the kids have grown. Yesterday, we had exactly 15 minutes to get some good shots.  Here is what we were able to get:

Here's some of the mayhem that happened in those 15 minutes:

Lucy jumping with her fingers crossed.  Love it.

Epic.

All Kinds of Good Stuff and What I Know For Sure (this week)

Yesterday, I put up a post about not being so happy with my body and being a little hard on myself.  Then I went to a class at my gym and felt so much better.  It's not just a class, it's a community.  A community of women (and a few men) that come together once a week to push themselves to the brink.  Push-ups, jump lunges, burpees and more.  

I love this class.  I look forward to this class.  I feel strong and beautiful.  

Look at this fierce group of strong women and a couple men.  Love it.

It's also a place to catch up with friends, most of them I met at this class.  Some days it is the only time I see other grown ups.  Some days the end of class where our instructor says "just lay still and relax and let your mind go," it is the only time I do that all week.  It's just all kinds of good stuff and everyone needs a class or community like this, that I know for sure.

Here's what else I know for sure (this week):

• Bullying is serious.  A local filmmaker is trying to make a movie, called The Bully Chronicles, that I believe will truly make a difference.  Watch the trailer and then click here to see how you can help get this movie made.

• Who needs toys, when you have potatoes?  At least if you're my toddler Wade.  I found him playing in the living room, having a grand old time, with potatoes.  Guess what he's getting for Christmas!

• This YouTube channel, Kin Community, makes soup look cool.  I've said it a couple times, that I hate soup.  But yet, here I go again posting about soup.  Maybe I don't hate it after all. 

\

• Jimmy Fallon + Justin Timberlake + History of Rap= Never Gets Old.  Enjoy, again.

• Women friends, especially mom friends, are critically important.  Over the past two weeks I've had lunch dates with a couple members of the Mom of Four Club (the club consists of women crazy enough to have four children).  It is so nice to talk to other women that know what it's like to be so vastly outnumbered in your own home.  I felt so much happier and relaxed after spending time with them.

• Online friends are just as important.  Honestly, I've gotten to know so many people via this blog, instagram, Twitter and Facebook. For that, I am so grateful.  Come on over and be my friend on Facebook page, or follow me @AngelaYblood on Twitter.

• Check out my non-craftiness as I try to Pinterest my pumpkins in the latest MomPulse video.

• Giveaways are fun.  Congrats to Kristy on winning the Anti-aging EyeCream from Rodan + Fields.  Special shout out to  my talented, brilliant friend Dodi June, the R+D consultant who sponsored this giveaway. For more information on R +D click the link below:https://dodi.myrandf.com/Shop/Product/AAEY015

What do you know for sure (this week)? C'mon, we're friends, share what you know.  Leave a comment here or on the Facebook page.