September Nails

Playing with stamping plates.

Design by CutePolish on YouTube. 

Tutorial by Luxuriousnails on YouTube

Then I decided to archive all my polishes, because I can.  I have other pictures on individual hands, with what brand is each, so I can go later, see a shade I want to use and know exactly what it looks like.

 

Oh, I am not done archiving.  That was just for the month of September.  :)

2014 Buffyfest Ornament Swap!

It's that time again!  The 7th Annual Buffyfest Ornament Swap!  I've taken part in 6 of the 7 years; missed year one.

Every year, you make an ornaments based on the Whedonverse and get put into a group where you exchange them.  The ornaments can be from Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Cabin in the Woods, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, The Avengers, Much Ado About Nothing...pretty much anything that Joss has touched.

If you want to see my past posts showing what I have done and received, click here.

This year, I went with fuse beads (like the Perler brand.)  Isabel is constantly having me iron her fuse bead creations and I thought, "Oooh, can I find patterns online?"

Yes, yes, I could.  I went with characters from "The Avengers."

Loki, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk.

These were randomly sent to the other 5 participants in my group.  Can't wait to see what I get and to see how they like mine.

Diagonally!

Holy Moly! I have not posted in a month!  WHAT has happened in November?

Oh, I won tickets to Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights plus two one-day park hopper passes. I gave the HHN tickets to Jacob and a friend to use before they expired on November 1.  Then David and I went on a random Tuesday, while the kids were at school, to the parks to FINALLY see the new additions to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas.

Side note:  It is NOT CALLED HARRY POTTER WORLD.  It is NOT its own theme park. I groan when I hear people saying they're coming down to Florida to visit "Harry Potter World."  No, you're not.  You're coming down to visit Universal Orlando Resort, which includes Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and City Walk.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a section of Islands of Adventure, and now with the new addition of Diagon Alley, it's also a part of the Universal Studios park too.

We were not aware of what side the new additions were on when we got there.  We entered Islands of Adventure, looked at our map and realized we should have been at Universal Studios.  Ooops.  Thankfully, I won park hoppers AND there was a new attraction that would take you from one park to another, as long as you have a park hopper; the Hogwarts Express, a ride between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

Waiting to Board the Hogwarts Express

Squee!

Inside our own compartment.

Hi David!

As we rode off, we could see the countryside roll by us.  Even Fred & George flew by.  They'd missed the train, but then proceeded to get on.

Fred and George walk by our compartment door. 

Then Harry, Ron & Hermione walk by.

Arriving in London

So we're walking out of King's Cross, just looking around, when a park member says "Diagon Alley, this way" and points to brick walls, right where the people in the picture below are walking.  I'm thinking "What? Where? It's just a building facade,"  We walk in and around.

 and THIS is behind the wall/  I just stopped and gasped.  My grin was ear to ear.  I teared up.  It was AMAZING.

The Leaky Cauldron

Time to ride!  Wait time was maybe ten minutes! Woo hoo random Tuesday before the Holidays!

There were no pictures allowed inside the ride, but we sure did have a blast!


Lunch was at The Leaky Cauldron!  Squee!!

And dessert was at Fortiscue's Ice Cream Parlour.

I wish I could post ALL the shots we took (we went into Madam Malkin's robe shop, the Owlry, and even DARK Knockturn Alley), but they're not that great (cell phones) and way too many, so I will leave you with these two.

August Nails

Random design

R2D2 design by IHaveaCupcake on YouTube

     

UP-inspired nails. Luxurious Nails on YouTube.

Goodbye Mr. Williams. Found this design on Pinterest.

Cute Lacquertude design

Sweetness and Light

Having school-aged kids is a nerve-wracking experience. I had one sail through middle and high school with no problems. He told me later that being tall for his age, dark & brooding, made kids a little afraid of him, and no one messed with him.

Now we have a girl in fifth grade. She'll be in middle school next year, and I'm completely losing my mind over it.

Our girl is sweetness and light. Always age-appropriate in a world where kids we closely know her own age would discuss french kissing and perform gyrating dance moves, constantly confusing her.  We are active in our church. She loves the kids' church group and we try to do as much as possible with them. (Oh, these kids are not the gyrating ones. Ha ha.)

Sweeteness and light. We talk to her frankly about the changes to her body, sex, etc. and she giggles but has zero fear of asking either parent or big brother a question most would consider awkward.  I tell her she can ask us anything. She does. Boy does she ever. I enjoy the different shades her dad turns as he hears what she's asking this time.

Yesterday, I was off from work and was able to hear her walk in the side door after her bike ride home.  I ask her how her day was, and immediately hear the tone of sadness and distress when she say "Okay."

Protective Mom Gene kicks in.

I ask her what is wrong. She mumbles under her breath that it's nothing.  I try to cajole, hug, and wheedle the answer out of her.  "You can tell me anything. You know this."

For a good 10 minutes, we try to get her to spill it.  I am picturing bullies. I am already in my car, mentally, driving to school to get to the bottom of this!

She FINALLY capitulates, in tears.

She's a patrol member and there's a boy who won't follow the rules and told her "You're not the boss of me!"

That's it. I almost laughed my relief, but didn't.

"Oh honey, don't get upset over that.  You do your job and if he doesn't listen to your instructions, tell Coach and move on. The end. It's the kid's problem. He's the poop head. Just tell coach and move on. This is nothing that should even make you upset."

She is sweetness and light and wears her heart on her sleeve. She doesn't understand not following rules.

How do I toughen her up without changing her inner self?  Nerve-wracking, I tell you.