This cartoon is meant to be funny; but if you lived on my block it's so true, it's scary.

And I don't care who you are. This is funny.
Happy Halloween!

The church Trunk or Treat was a huge success with our candy-seekers and also a great dress rehearsal for the real show tomorrow night.

London ditched her candy bag and just started holding all the candy in her hands. Easier access. Atta girl.

Porter never has liked candy except for the occasional Butterfinger and Snickers bar (I'll have to share his secrets of "The Good Diet" sometime) so he could care less how full his bag or hands got.

There was a chili cook off and I prepared a newly invented recipe that I call Black Bean Chipotle Chili. It was off the chili charts amazing (or so my in-house critics say). My recipe was inspired by Mrs. Renfro's Rasberry Chipotle Salsa (mother of all salsas). But I never heard the cook off winner announced. Que sera. We were probably at the booth where you threw wet sponges at the Beehives. Porter had a perfect pitch every time. Those girls were such good sports.

Good Word Wednesday!

My good news today is that as of last week my gorgeous (see for yourself) little sister Bethany is engaged to be married! Why am I so excited? Besides welcoming another stellar brother-in-law into the fam, I get to help plan the parties! Oh the planning. Oh the parties.

B, where's the honeymoon?!

Photo courtesy of Life Happens Studios

What's your good news today?

Yesterday a friend asked me how my weekend was and I responded right away that it was great and then had to pause to think of what went on. "Yeah we...uh...we..." I drew a total blank. Huh.

What did I do all weekend? Where did the time go?

I know I made some killer potato soup and bread one night and Houston and Cara came for a visit. I remember there were dishes washed and floors swept. A play date with my sister and a session at the Mesa Temple. And I'm pretty sure I was at church on Sunday (although we're in the nursery now and everything is kind of a blur).
So, yeah. I guess that's right. It was a great weekend.

We're having fun sharing a milking cow (which has been named Peter over at our house). We get to go out and pretend we're farmers a couple times a week and feed the babies that keep Peter company while Olen does the milking. Quick, funny story: Olen is ambidextrous and so he's equally good at milking with both hands and makes the whole process that much faster. In his sweet hometown of St. David, families would line up to hire Olen to do their milking because he was so fast. His mom says "He had the fastest hands in St. David; he would milk so quickly that there would be foam on top!" This makes me smile because I picture a couple of good ol' boys in their overalls standing by the row of mail boxes (probably chewing on a piece of straw) watching little Olen ride his bike down Sybil Road saying "There goes Billy Ray's boy, Olen. Ya know, he's got The Fastest Hands in St. David? He brings in the milk with foam on top!" Then the other good ol' boy would say (as the straw dropped from his jaw) "Is that so? I wonder if he has time for my Bessie?" But Olen always blushes when I comment on 'The Fastest Hands in St. David'. He seeks no stardom. It's just a gift.

Awh...it's officially the holiday season. Bring it on. The annual Tietjen Family Halloween party was held last night complete with homemade chili, bread and pinatas. You know, I'm not a fan of Halloween especially; but I sure do love the parties. It's all about the kids and what's not to like about that.

Holiday Checklist: Get family pictures. Check.

My favorite photographers are offering an amazing deal (who doesn't need a deal?!) for your family's Christmas photo shoot. I just thought I would share the love and let you know before they get booked solid. Schedule your's today. Like now.

Life Happens Studios

Here are some samplings of the work they've done for me and my family in the past. To see their most recent work check out their blog.

P.S. It's Good Word Wednesday! I've told you mine (above), now, what's yours?

Handmade from the Heart

Mom, do you remember the Cabbage Patch Kid doll or the Pound Puppy dog you made by hand for us in Christmases of our youth? Do you know where I keep them? In my cedar chests. Tucked away to share with Porter and London and any other children we're blessed with (hint, hint, up there?) and maybe my own grand kids to come.

I love them more now than I did when they were first discovered peaking from inside my stocking on those Christmas mornings so long ago. Now I understand what it means to stay up late after we had all gone to sleep and paint each doll with the same eye color as its owner and hand-stitch each patch onto the puppies to make them unique. I'm sure I thought Santa was a swell guy on those Christmas mornings; but I think it's time for me to say "Thank-you" to the real creators of those wonderful memories and childhood friends. So, thanks Mom and Dad.

Inspired by memories of a joyful childhood and an insightfully crafty sister (shout out Pal)

I introduce the theme for our 2008 Holidays:

Handmade Holiday

Olen and I talked to our kids about our new holiday theme and London started singing the "Happy Birthday to LaLa" song and Porter asked if that meant "Dad was going to carve [him] a wooden dog, or something?" After clarifing that giving gifts that we think about giving and then making on our own makes them even better because you can't make anything with your hands without putting a little bit of your heart in to it.

Porter is an old soul, as you know, and he totally got it.

He then asked Olen if he knew how to make a bike.

Now our fall break is through and tomorrow begins the normal weekend that we see at the end of every normal week.

Our last day was spent playing at Nana and Papa's house swimming (only the brave and the crazy) and eating pizza. I also got in some shopping with Katie for the last bits of our Halloween costumes. (What will I make with 25 yards of tulle and some green leggings....stay tuned.)

Here's where I'll be tomorrow! Give the picture a click to educate yourself on all the wonderful things that grow out of the Blissful Living Studios. Oh, to live there...

All kinds of amazing artisans will be there with all kinds of amazing wears. Be sure not to miss the Paddywacks Studio booth!

Hello, eye candy.

My beautiful hometown has so much going on. If you're in the area do yourself a favor and drop in.

Eat lunch here.

Then walk around these.

But, hurry! Don't miss the gun fight here.

Now it's late. Go get your rest. Tomorrow is going to be one freak awesome day.

Today we celebrated the birth of Olen.

Here's the rundown:

1. Homemade almond chocolate cake. Candles. Smoke detector.

2. Dinner at Red Lobster. (It's "Shrimp Fest", yo!)

3. Cheering Uncle Big at the HA football game. Bootie was totally kicked.

4. Falling into bed happy and ready to conquer the next 30..something years.

Let's go fly a kite.

Good Word Wednesday!

Small.

Big.

Silly.

Serious.

Share your good news here.

Here's mine:

Tomorrow is Olen's birthday!!

Check back Friday to see the celebration.

Playdate at the park.

We get a whole week of having Porter home with no school, schedules or alarm clocks. I love having him home. London just follows Porter around and I get to have two-sided conversations without picking up the phone.

Today we slept in (hear that hallelujah chorus?) and then made pumpkin muffins and huevos rancheros for brunch. We kept the windows open as long as we could, but being the thin-blooded Arizonans that we are, got too cold and had to shut them down and bundle up.

After a quick trip to the local grocery for the usual stuff, we spent the rest of the afternoon either playing with a couple buddies, following Porter around, tackling the weekend laundry pile or working in the shop (aka the garage).

FHE this evening was shared with our ward planting the stake garden patch at the Little-Big Town Church Farm. Except that we didn't make it to help with the planting part. We did make it to help eating the root beer floats part. We'll be back when the weeds arrive.

Now it's bedtime and sounds like my lambs have officially arrived in dreamland. Time for my break to start which means cuddling with Olen and watching Alton Brown.

Ok. I know I'm his mom, but c'mon. Cute is cute people.

A couple Fridays a month I drop into Porter's class to teach a one hour art project. Yesterday we made these. Wouldn't they make the best Halloween-o-Grams? Have some good times with your little ones making them, then drop it off with homemade cookies on someone's door tonight! (If you happen to get one with a plate of Rocky Road cookies, please try to act surprised. Thanks.)

In a few weeks I'll be involved with the after school activities where I'll teach another little art class for first and second graders. Oh, the art we'll be having!

shining happy people holding hands

Let's go hunting and find joy together.

Introducing:

Good Word Wednesday

Here's a designated day to pause and think of your joy(s) and then brag, boast and shout from the roof tops all about it.

Who knows? Reading your Good Words just might be what someone needs to hear. Maybe it's you.

Here's how it goes. I'll start...

Even though Mr. Weather Man said it's suppose to heat up again later this week, the morning temperature couldn't have been better. We opened the windows and sipped on hot cocoa and savored the nearing Autumn. I think today is a good day to pull out our paper mache pumpkins from last year and pretend we live somewhere that the seasons change.

So what's the words?! Lay it on me...