Giving Advice to Newlyweds & Linking Up With Mama Kat

I talk a lot about my marriage.  Just last week I was talking about how in love with my husband I am.  But I try to always keep it real, like in this post or this post .  So, when one of the vlog prompts over at Mama Kat's Losing It was to give newlyweds (like Kelly Clarkson) advice I found it a bit tricky.  I mean I don't want to scare the happily just-married folks with too much keeping  it real.  

Check out how I handled it here (and check out my first vlog with my attitude glasses on):

(If you are an email subscriber, click here http://youtu.be/PDFZ8RL6MOg to watch the video).

Let me know what your advice to newlyweds is.  And maybe more importantly whether or not you dig the attitude glasses or not.  And most importantly, subscribe to my YouTube Channel please.

Then head on over to Mama Kat and check out her HIGH-larious advice to newlyweds and some great last minute Halloween costumes that I am totally stealing.

And yeah, did you see Kelly Clarkson's sweet wedding video?

Glitter, Gratitude & A Pinterest Poser Challenge

Ready for a couple Pinterest Poser Challenge* projects in one post? Here you go:

Wade and I spent the day crafting.  So. much. fun.

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.   

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

Glitter Falling Leaves Garland

I love glitter.  I admit it.  I mean what's wrong with glitter?  Sure it is hard to get out of anything.  But I kind of love that about it.  I mean it can make your carpet sparkly (why is that bad?).  It can make you laugh when you see a speck of it on your husband's forehead three weeks after using glitter in a craft project at home (when he wasn't even there).  Not everyone sees the humor or gets the whole glitter appreciation.  That's cool, we don't all have to agree on everything.  

If you happen to be one of those glitter-loving fools than this project might be right up your alley.  You might also like it because it only cost me around $3.  

After getting the idea on Pinterest from this site, I headed over to the dollar store and bought glue, glitter and a packet of fake leaves (all for $1 each).

Wade was more than happy to help.  Actually he did all the hard gluey, glittery parts.  

I poured glue onto a paper plate.  He dipped a leaf in the glue, then sprinkled it with gold glitter and let it dry.

I found some yarn and glued the leaves to it and hung it.

This project was simple, fun and I am surprised how much I love the way it turned out.  It is great for Halloween or even to dress up a Thanksgiving display.

The Gratitude Dinner

When I was a kid my dad took us to a fancy restaurant where we could draw on the paper tablecloth.  We used to have so much fun.  Then as a grown up my now husband and I used to go to a restaurant like that when we were dating.  But who says you have to go to a restaurant for that kind of fun?  And who says you can't tie a little life lesson into it?  Pinterest that's who (and this site).  And now me, because I am no poser.

Last night at dinner I laid out a piece of plain brown paper I got for $1 at my favorite dollar store.  I also sat out a bunch of Sharpies. 

After we all sat down, I informed the family that while we ate we could draw and write what we are grateful for right now. 

We had fun with it and each shared what we wrote.

Tim got fancy and drew pictures.

I love how Lucy is thankful for her brothers "sometimes" and how she is grateful for herself!

Quick, simple, fun, cheap and meaningful.  

Have you made something from Pinterest lately?  Had any great successes? Or advice?  Or warning about a project that's a total waste of time? Do tell.

Please share whatever you're working on in the comments here or over on Facebook.

Speaking of Pinterest, do you follow The Fake Pinterest on Twitter?  It pokes fun at all us Pinterest lovers and it's pretty funny.  Here are a couple tweets:

 

You should follow them, and me, follow me on Twitter (@AngelaYBlood).

Come on over and follow my Pinterest boards too.

Here are some of the projects I've already attempted, the good and the bad:

Birthday Shirt- click here
Gluten Free Pop Tarts- click here
Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here

Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here

Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click here
The Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

Come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

Oh yeah, and come follow me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood and subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel here.

The Beginning

This week is the beginning.  The beginning of THE holiday season.  The beginning is my favorite part.  Because I love Halloween  There's no pressure, guilt, bitterness, questioning of your faith or your family like at Christmas (yeah, I know, I have issues).  Nope it's all dressing up, Boo-ing people, The Great Pumpkin, eating candy.  

I know Halloween has a dark side too.  When I was a teenager I loved watching the Friday the 13 movies on or around Halloween.  Or all my friends would sleep over at Laura's or Christine's and watch Halloween.  That sounds like pure hell to me now.  I hate the over-the-top scary part of the holiday and zombies and realistic dead people costumes.  I can't watch scary shows on TV like The Walking Dead or American Horror Story or even Criminal Minds. The whole idea of death gives me a panic attack.  And yeah the slutty costumes for women and teens and even young girls makes me question and hate our sexist society.  But I do my best to tune that out.  I focus on pumpkin patches and plastic spider rings and happy magic.

Every year we kick off the beginning of THE holiday season with a Halloween Hoopla.  My in-laws, otherwise known as Grandma and Bubba, host the extravaganza.  And it's quite a party.  In fact there ain't no party like a Youngblood party and a Youngblood party don't stop. Woot-woot! 

They really go all out and the kids (and the grown ups) love it.

There are costumes and games and food and fun.

The kids run from game to game.

The scavenger hunt is a favorite.

Bubba's famous tractor rides are also a favorite.

Bubba and Grandma turn their garage into party central-- playing music (holiday classics like Rap'n Halloween Hits), dancing and crafting and painting and candy bar bingo and so much laughter.

Uncle Joe bustin a move and showing the kids his serious break dancing skills.

Maybe I love this beginning so much because it reminds me what ALL the holidays are about.  This beginning is a great party, but it's so much more.  It's about seeing my husband's parents still in love and truly enjoying being together (which after being married for forever I find beyond inspiring). It's about grandparents who still have fun together and with their grandkids.  It's about the teenage cousins coming to the party in costume and helping out and playing with the younger cousins.  It's about my husband, his three brothers and his sister showing up, hanging out and being together with their parents. It's about traditions.  It's about bringing the dessert, connecting, laughing and dancing and eating.  It's about family. 

It's the best beginning of the holiday season ever.  

Once In A TGIF, What I Know For Sure & #iPPP

It's been a long week.  It's been an emotional week.  It's been up, it's been down. Issues I thought I'd dealt with hit me hard and knocked the wind out of me a little.  This has been the kind of week that has me saying TGIF.  

This is a sign that Wade and I made for Tim after he had a particularly bad week.
We saved it and bust it out every once in a TGIF.

I usually don't say such silly things because duh, I'm a stay-at-home mom and just because it's Friday doesn't mean my work week ends.  I'm always at work.  Waaaa.  But after an exhausting week with crappy weather I am TGIF-ing all over the place. 

Weekends do mean a break from homework and school drama for the kids.  Saturday mornings mean I can stay in bed and let the kids watch multiple episodes of Jessie on the Disney channel(which I most definitely don't mind sleeping through).   Weekends have their perks and I could handle a few perks right about now.  

So bring it on weekend, I'm ready.  TGIF is what I know for sure right now.

Here's what else I know for sure (right now):

• Sure the kids love their iPads and video games, but sometimes the classics are the best.  Wade got an electronic football game for his birthday and my kids (and my husband) have had so much fun with it.

• Speaking of football, I have concerns and I am conflicted about my own sons playing.  But I also have a confession.  Check out my sports mom confession in my latest vlog:

• You don't have to be a kid to look cool in a fake tattoo.  Funding issues have delayed my quest for a real tattoo, but I've found an awesome alternative that I'm getting for only $2.  Check out this website, her art is beautiful.

• I will never not wait until the last minute for everything, it's just who I am.  Halloween is next week and of course we are just now shopping for costumes.  Our pumpkin patch tradition is going to have to happen between football and baseball games this weekend because well, this is the last chance.

I tried to convince Wade that this was the best costume ever because oh my god, look how cute he is. But he wasn't so sure.

• I can't wait to watch this Sunday's The Good Wife.  Many of my favorite shows have been sort of disappointing so far this season.  But The Good Wife is finally good again and this Sunday's episode is going to be the bomb.  Just one more reason I'm TGIF-ing.

What do you know for sure (this week)? C'mon, we're friends, share what you know. 

What has you TGIF-ing?

Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page.

Please come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed. 

All the pictures in this post were taken with my phone.

I'm linking up today with my friends Greta from  Gfunkified.com and Sarah from SundaySpill.com for the #iPPP link up.  They host a link up where they encourage people to share "your funny, your yummy, your heartfelt, your favorite photos of the week" from our phones. 

Check them out.