Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - What I learned Oct

PRE-WRITING 

Pre writing or at least having your 31 day series mapped out really is less stressful. I started the month with a good 50% of my posts pre-written. I would say the ideal should be 75%. I hit the mid way point and struggled a bit even though I had things to write about.

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EBAY AND PLANTS

Did you realize you can buy plants off of eBay - like African violets and Christmas cactus. GAME CHANGER. I am always disappointed by grocery store houseplants and sometimes also disappointed by Home Depot and Lowes selection as well.  No I just need to convince my husband I REALLY REALLY need some more plants.

BOTTLE FLIPPING IS A THING

I had no idea this was a craze.  For you not in the know, it is where kids flip half full plastic bottles and they land upright.  I confirmed this was a craze with my middle schooler.

Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Bad Mothers I Love

Some mother's that have come to my attention that I just want to friend.  We NEED to be besties

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker- Jack O' Lanterns Past

We have a little history of  trying to do something a little unique each year with our Jack-O- Lanterns.  I blame my Giant Man Child Husband.  This definitely is his THING.

This one is in honor of my blog - It is a Pumpkin in a Honeypot. The Honeypot even had a toilet paper holder

This was the classic throwing up pumpkin with all the other pumpkins reacting.  This was 2013

The Great Pumpkin Crash of 2004

Those are just of a few of  my husband's creations.  I never know what he will come up with.

Geeky Pumpkin Ideas

Cool suggestions on how to preserve your pumpkin creation (turn off music)

DO YOU HAVE A FABULOUS PUMPKIN CREATION?

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - 31 Writer Blogs I Heart

I have been trying to carve out some time to read some other Write 31 days blogs.  There is so much inspiring writing.   I am always drawn to travel blogs so my list is heavy in that area. 

There are so many awesome bloggers writing for Write 31.  Please take some time to check them all out. I chose a few categories and these are the blogs I was drawn to in those categories.

Too Awesome to Categorize

Global Life Series - A day in the life of an expat.  This is seriously interesting series
Third Culture Mama -Our Family in Global Transition - Discusses there transition to France

Family Life

31 Days of  Family World Travel
Life in Boro Bridge
Generations Remembered - This is fascinating stuff about her family research.

Anyone else have some 31 Writer Blogs I should check out?

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Mr Bones (Paper Plate Skeleton)

Halloween wouldn't be complete without a paper plate skeleton

A week ago I had my young 1st grade charge starting way to early.  I thought this would be a good time filler.  I had most of the skeleton cut out.  He drew the face and we traced his hands and feet. This was definitely a "we do together" activity.  In a previous version, I used brads but I tied them bones together I have done this activity in the past so I knew having things pre-cut was really the way to go. The idea is from " The 36th Avenue." We also watched the below video several times.

 

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Notes of a Mediocre Housewife - Wild and Precious Life

Sometimes I feel like I am living with the wild men of Borneo. 



What are you doing to pursue your passions?  There are many many things I do mediocre not just being housewife.  I know there are people who are passionate about homemaking and I am not one of them. Despite that, I am writing a series basically on homemaking poorly.  I am OK with that.  I am passionate about people being real. I love the quote below because it reminds me to pursue my passions.

I created the graphic in photoshop elements. Something else I am passionate but mediocre at.

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Temporary Art Installation

How do people come up with these interesting ideas for temporary art installations

Above is some pictures of a temporary art exhibit in our town.  It is a series the art commission is doing.  The first one I didn't get a picture of was a chalk board  hung on the fence with " Before I die and lines with I will______. "  I thought it was thought provoking but unfortunately once it was hung it began to rain non stop so I don't think it held up against the rain and it was hard to write on a wet chalk board. This exhibit looks promising.  The weave is made with colored construction tape. Article on Temporary Art

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Can't Stop Creating

I can't stop creating.  That is close to I can't stop believing that I am a not a  preschooler.  I love preschool art and I love messing around with kid art ideas.

The above piece I made the web with rubber cement and used water colors for the paint. The idea is from I heart arts n crafts.

I am a crafter at heart.  I love a good accessible craft.  I also like preschool art and elementary art because that is the level of art creating I am at.  In our local elementary schools and at one of our middle schools there is no art program.  I think that is sad.  Doing this kind of art is relaxing to me.  Lately, I have been inspired by spiderwebs. The spider web below is simply water color painting and sharpie drawing. The idea is from Learn with Play at Home 

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Coffee Cup Wisdom

Any morning wisdom I gather is not going to come from the internet but from my coffee cup. I believe in COFFEE FIRST

Come to the
woods for here
is rest

Between every two
trees is a doorway
to a new world

When one tugs at a
single thing in nature
he finds it attached
to the rest of the world

Linky Love

The Anti-Helicopter Parent Plea, Let the Kids Play -  I actually agree with a lot of this.  Long article but worth the read.  Maybe we don't need to go to this extreme but I am all for encouraging kids to play outside without screens

 

Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - What Washington State People Google?

Who buys gift cards?  How many grams in an ounce? What is Spam? What is dim sum? What is kombucha? What is Reddit? Is Comcast down? Is Breaking Bad over?  Will Bernie win? Can Bernie win? Is Ted Cruz Canadian?  

Evidently, we Washingtonians have a few questions. I guess I need to "fess up" that I had to look up kombucha up not too far in the past.  I actually got to exposed to it at Bible study. I have also googled, " Is Comcast down?/"   I feel like I need to step into the google confessional.

My Husband has a term for this  - GTS  I  have written a lot about my adventures with GTS.

Check out what people have googled in your state at Estately

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Halloween Front Porch Lust

Don't look at Pinterest when your porch looks like the pic below.  It is in need of love

My porch was blah and just not spooky or fall like .  In general it is always like that.  So I tried to kick it up a notch.  

I added the "Beware " chalk board . Hung my snake wreath and put magnetic spiders on the door. My bush eyes in the bush. I think it still needs some work - Pumpkins!  Trash bag spider web?  What do you think?

Tatertots and Jello had a round up of spooky porches along with their witching hour porch. I just have to say people are SO creative.

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Notes of a Nediocre Homemaker: Riding Stuffed Animals in the Mall

Who thought having riding stuffed animals at the mall was a good idea?  Yes, large animals that you pay to ride around the mall

I am not a much of a mall goer but I have noticed at the mall we now have these rideable stuffed animals.  A lot of times, it is adults riding these and children who clearly don't have a license to drive. There is nothing worse than being chased by a giant panda. with a driver who is 7 years old. Does anybody encountered these stuffed riding animals?

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Haunted House Craft

Kids can't get enough of the haunted house. Especially when it involves windows you can open.

Haunted Houses seem to be a popular craft for the kids I watch.  This usually even wins over the least reluctant crafter. Boys seem to enjoy this a lot. I did the cutting out this time.  I used the template found at Sarah Jane. The windows can be tricky.  I used an exacto knife to cut the windows. I also had some left over stickers from a previous project. Just some perspective here are some haunted houses from previous years

Chuck 2010
working on his haunted house

2010
We made our own house template

2009

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Notes of a Mediocre Homemaker - Conversations overheard at the thrift store

You got to stop eavesdropping a the thrift store. OR How I  got to be so approachable by crazy people why shopping.

I only relate these conversations for your pleasure.  Please tell me I am not the only one this happens to (REALLY PLEASE). Below is a small sampling of conversations that happen to me at the thrift store.

Conversation #1

Customer is telling a worker about how his mrsa on his leg is weeping. He was in shorts. I totally wasn't trying to hear this one but why do over sharers always talk so loud.

Conversation #2

Man was looking at belts.  He asks me and my friend if this belt is a good one for whipping kids. SERIOUSLY.  Then later he tracks us down to tell us he was joking.  CREEPY

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