havocandmayhem.com

Do the ghosts look worried to you? Havoc is off at school in is PJs for their party. Mayhem keeps changing his mind about what he wants to wear for his class party. He is currently insisting on a skeleton. He's going as either a pirate or a bandit because that is the costume we have. These last minute changes just don't work around here. We haven't decided whether to do trunk or treat tonight at one of the churches in the town or wait until tomorrow and do the one at the county high school. We'll do silent supper on whichever evening we don't trick or treat. Tomorrow is the school fall carnival. Apparently they are going to have a forest of bounce houses for the kids and lots of food and crafts. I suspect I am not going to be very interested in doing ToT tomorrow after that. I finally got my CT stuff downloaded.  Be sure to check out SSD and CGEssentials for DSD tomorrow. They have some great stuff coming out.

Lack of a consistent internet connection is giving me lots of spare time. I cold be scrapping but I'm just not feeling it right now, which is a pity because I have some great stuff from Kim Hill to play with it.  But I want to do something productive so I decided it was time for a purge, followed by a reorganization. So far I have purged 3GBs of scrapping stuff I never use, another 4GBs of audiobooks I have already listened too (backed up onto DVD in case I want to listen again), numerous blurry photos of tops of trees, the ground, random body parts and pictures that were supposed to be of my kids but somehow ended up being of other people's kids. I also backed up and then deleted a bunch of music I never listen to anymore. I feel lighter! Then I tackled my bookmarks, which fortunately can be accessed off line. I have things I bookmarked back in 2004 in there. Info I no longer need, items I have already purchased, etc. I deleted all the useless stuff and reorganized the res

My kids go to public school here in our underpopulated (meaning poor in tax money), rural, conservative, nearly entirely Baptist, county. The county only has one of each kind of school -elementary, middle, junior & high school and to say they are underfunded is putting it mildly. The richer, more populated counties in the area spend more on high school sports than we do on the entire elementary school. They have a computer lab with 6 computers in it, for about 250 students. They only do one bus run per area. All the kids from all the schools on a road get on the same bus, and the bus stops at the various schools. So my 5 year old is riding home sitting in front of 16 year olds. This is bad from a "what might they hear and pick up" standpoint, but could be good from a 'need a babysitter' standpoint. So far neither has happened. I went to Catholic for grades 1-12 and before that I was in Montessori school from ages 2-5, so I'm not familiar with how public

has been canceled due to high winds. I get my broadband internet from an antenna, that due to the location and configuration of my house, is mounted at the top of a 50 foot pole. Picture a giant weather vane. It's tied down and can withstand most wind. But not really high gusty winds so strong they blow the front door open. My front door has been blown open twice now and is currently deadbolted in the hopes that will keep it shut. My weather vane, er, antenna, is currently pointed due south. Which is nice. But my signal comes from the east. I'm getting intermittent signal.  It's horrible. I've actually cleaned the house and made granola bars Pray for me.

Saturday is bucketed down rain all morning. The boys were very high energy & had no place to direct that energy, except into annoying the crap out of us. Which they proceeded to do with much joy. My SIL called to let us know the wedding had been moved to the Equestrian Center, where the reception was being held, due to the rain. She mentioned it was a bit chilly there the previous night, but once they got the huge wood stove going it might actually be too hot. So I thought jackets for everyone would be nice just in case. I was not looking forward to loading 2 high energy boys into a car for a 2 hour drive to a place where they would then be expected to sit still for 30-45 more minutes for the ceremony, but that's how things are so we're all just going to have to deal with it. This is my ongoing problem. Solemn events, which I think my children should experience & learn to deal with, always seem to happen a lengthy car ride away and it's hard on small energetic bei

This is my amigurumi dodecahedron.  I adapted the pattern from Berroco, found here, to make it amigurumi.  I ended up with 2 different patterns, one makes the points more rounded & the other more pointy. I used the more pointy version I used a ball of some worsted weight cotton that I have had for years and a 3.50 sized hook. My dodecahedron ended up about 7 inches in height and width. Rounded point pattern Ch 3, 4 sc in 2nd chain Row 1 - 2 sc in each sc around - 8 sc Row 2 - sc, (2sc in each sc around) 7 times - 15 sc Row 3 - sc around - 15 sc Row 4 - (sc, 2sc, sc) 5 times around - 20 sc Row 5 - sc around - 20 sc Row 6 - (sc, sc, 2sc, sc) 5 times around - 25 sc Row 7 - sc around - 25 sc Row 8 - (sc, sc, 2sc, sc, sc) 5 times around - 30 sc Row 9 - sc around - 30 sc Row 10 - (sc, sc, 2sc, sc, sc, sc) 5 times around - 35 sc Row 11 & 12 - sc around - 35 sc Leave long tail for stitching - 4"-6"   Pointy point pattern Ch 3, 4 sc in 2

This week's photos are all from my Project 365-Boys Play collection. Havoc received some Legos for his birthday a couple weeks ago. This week they got together with the few Legos we already had and decided to stage a coup against the dinosaurs. They thought the best thing to do was to get the smaller dinos out of the way initially. Indiana Jones led a hand The dinos were loaded for transport out. But then the larger dinosaurs realized what was happening The Legos never stood a chance Oh no! Indiana! Despite the dinos victory this time, I suspect the Legos are just biding their time until their numbers are reinforced at Christmas. For more Weekly Winners check out Lotus at Sarcastic Mom

It is chilly and bucketing down rain here. It's the first real rain we have had since sometime in July I think. I don't mind it but it does mean driving 2 hours in the rain to a wedding that has now been moved indoors. I'm sure that is a bummer for the bride & groom. To go from getting married in the beautiful fall mountainside to getting married in a random building that will either be very chilly or very overheated, because it was not intended to be used today, must be a bit of a letdown. DH and I have colds so we're grumbly. The boys are, naturally, very high energy. Not sure how we are going to rein them in for a 2 hour drive and then a wedding ceremony. They want to watch Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls, but I'm not too sure. They've seen the other 3 over the summer with no ill effects but this has better graphics and there is that long chase scene in the jungle and the whole lead up to the dramatic ending, plus the ending, which

and some exchanging. I tried on a bunch of dresses and skirts. Ok... designers who design  pleated skirts with wide pleats that start at the top of your hips are just plain MEAN and obviously hate any woman who doesn't have the body of a 14 year old boy.  AACCKKK!! Then there is the 'high waisted' style dress, that doesn't take into account the fact some of us at this point in our lives are in possession of low waisted boobs. At least build some underwires into where you think my boobs ought to be sitting, to help keep them in the general vicinity. There were some no waistline dresses that made me look pregnant, both the form fitting and the bag style. Lots of skirts and dresses that were just the wrong length. Some were too short to bend over to deal with small kids and some hit me at mid-calf, giving me a dumpy, stunted appearance. Have I mentioned that Vanity has watched every episode ever of What Not to Wear? Vanity finds duplicating the results of $400

I have not dyed my hair yet. Common sense & vanity have been distracted from the hair issue by something in my previous blog post. I knew when I wrote it that there was *something* odd about it, something about that post rang a tiny distant note in my brain. It took until Tuesday afternoon before that note was loud enough to be heard.  Wedding, it said. When was the last time you were invited to a wedding?..hhmmm.... Oh my god! I'm supposed to go to a wedding on Saturday and I have nothing to wear!!!! Yeah, vanity has been much much too busy trying on every even slightly 'nice' item in my closet and fantasizing about wearing my purple, pointy toed, kitten heeled shoes to even think about hair. Common sense has been going on about budgets, a lack of wedding gift, squished toes and shooting pains up my calves & hasn't even thought about hair. Vanity and common sense agree that my summer 'nice' dresses are too summery & light for an outdoor (yes

I am at heart a practical person. I have my vain moments & a quick glance at my shoe shelf will reveal that I own a number of very impractical pairs, but by & large common sense tends to win out over vanity. It has always had, at bare minimum, a 50-50 chance of coming out ahead, even during the worst of my 1980's excesses (and I was 13 in 1980, so I got to experience the whole glorious decade in full).  Commons sense said that one really wide belt was sufficient, even if everyone else was wearing 3 at once. So was one necklace and perhaps 2 layered shirts instead of a Mr T starter kit and 4 shirts in varying states of coverage.  However, there were bad perms a plenty in the 80's and some truly huge amounts of teasing and Aqua Net went into my hair. But those choices were as much common sense as vanity.  I didn't think my hair looked particularly stunning with 5 inch tall bangs and wings out so far they made taking off a t-shirt impossible, but it was the look. No on

Took some shots at local orchard this week Mayhem had an art project for preschool. The dinos pitched in to help Things got a little out of hand The favorite outdoor toy And the dinos' supremacy is coming under attack Tune in next week to see what happens next Visit Lotus at Sarcastic Mom for more Weekly Winners

I've been a bit lacking in digi mojo this week. I did get one layout done though with Traci Reed's new Sweater Weather kit. It is for the cookie challenge at SSD Visit MammaDawg for more scrapbook Saturday

I've got nothing for a post. Nothing but a rant about how I don't want to get a dog, but repeated attempts to make it sound less vehement & hostile have failed so I am not sharing it. I'm not hostile about not wanting a dog, I just don't want one, but I can't seem to get that across in writing without sounding like some malevolent dog hater. I like dogs. I just don't want one. So instead I've decided to make this an "ask Stacey" post. Specifically it's an 'ask a witch' post. Go on, ask me anything about wicca or witchcraft you want. It's close to Halloween, all sorts of things are out there in the bloggy world both pro and con about modern day witchcraft. I'm sure some of you have read stuff that have made you think "I wish I knew an actual witch to ask about that." Here is your chance.  Ask me anything witchy related and sometime next week I'll post an answer. It can be anything - How did you get into the

Speaking of the past...

I went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival this weekend.  I went with some friends. It was our annual coven outing so we went without spouses or children. I have not been unencumbered at the Fair since 2002. It was liberating!  It also made me very nostalgic. The first store we went into was a pottery shop. It was the people who made this bowl. I bought it from them in 1997 It is currently on my kitchen island full of recently picked apples. They had been a guest vendor in 1997. They had a single weekend spot in a temporary pavilion near the jousting arena. Over the years they progressed to a tiny shop on a side corner to a shop in the back row, to this one, on the main road. The temporary pavilion is long gone, replaced with a permanent building. The next shop was Catskill Mountain Moccasins. They've been in the same place since we started coming to the Fair. I gave them almost an entire month's salary in 1998 in exchange for the custom made boots I was actually w

Havoc bought home a homework folder last Monday. In it were 7 worksheets and a list of various things to do. It was supposed to be returned on Friday. Monday we did a worksheet.  Tuesday we did 2 worksheets. Friday, around noon I realized that I had forgotten to send the folder back & it was just as well because we still had 4 worksheets to complete. Havoc was upset with me because he got into trouble for forgetting his homework. We did a worksheet Friday night & I intended to have him do the other 2 on Sunday afternoon. I forgot about it until bedtime Sunday night. Oh, and Mayhem? He came home Thursday with a project to complete by Monday as well. It didn't get done Sunday either. Mayhem didn't have school until Monday afternoon, so he had all morning to color in his project. Havoc stayed up for 20 minutes last night doing 2 of the worksheets. One involved coloring in pumpkins of various sizes & Havoc is a bit of a perfectionist so it took most of the time.

The week went to visit some friends. They live near a place called Dinosaur Land , which is one of the boys favorite places to visit. We saw a Pteranodon & a mammoth A Stegasaurus EEKKK!! a Velociraptor There was a King Cobra and a Parasaurolophus along with 148 other dinos and ice age creatures. It's a fun roadside stop. Visit Lotus at Sarcastic Mom for more weekly winners