Rain, rain, go AWAY !

Picked up my little pumpkin head (Phoenix) from the vet this morning, and apparently, all is forgiven. All the dogs are happy to have him home, but I know that they are keeping an eye on me to make sure that they aren't the next one to take a ride and have a little sleep over at the vets. Muwhahaha . . . I can tell them the exact order that they are going; next Pete, then Midnight, and finally, little Spunkers. And somewhere along the line, I'm going to slip Angel in there for her shots. By the time all this is said and done, I'll be so broke that we just may have to become Jehovah's Witnesses for the Holiday season this year.

In other news, I've done nothing but run all over town today in the pouring rain. I think that this has been one of the wettest Octobers in a long, long time. (although, they say that Saturday, Halloween, will be dry) Between staying on top of all the mud that keeps getting tracked into my house, the kids and dogs, and my allergies kicking my butt, I'm not getting a lot done in the way of last minute preparations for Halloween. I've got a to-do list a mile long that HAS to be done TOMORROW. Maybe, I'm starting to feel a little stressed. It's been pointed out to me this evening that I have "a bit of an attitude." In fact, I've managed to piss off two out of three of my children tonight. Of course, in all fairness, one of them has a tendency to be an occasional drama queen, and the other, has a history of being an argumentative pain in the ass.

So . . . I think that it's probably in every one's best interest if I get my spooky little butt off to bed so that, maybe, I'll feel like getting things done in the morning. Who knows? Maybe, I'll make it through the day without anyone running to their room and slamming the door?

Good night all, and to those of you on the other side of the International Date Line, Have a Happy Halloween!

Bad Mommy .

It's been a trying day. This morning, I took Phoenix to the vet to be neutered. One down, three to go. These past 7 days have been awful. We have had to keep Phoenix and his father, Pete separated. While one is out with the other dogs, the other is kenneled in a room, alone, and whimpering. Phoenix has been picking little tussles with Pete and Midnight (the other two males) for so long, Pete just decided that enough was enough - and he's still holding a grudge. They can't be in the same room together without major injuries. Hopefully, getting them neutered will end some of this insanity.

It's not that I feel bad about having them fixed, that part was inevitable, and it's the best thing for him - and the others. I've been telling Roy that it HAS to be done for almost two years now. I just feel like crap because I had to be the one to take him in and drop him off. As I was driving home, I started thinking about what poor little Phoenix must be thinking and feeling after everything that's happened this past week. He doesn't understand why this is happening, he doesn't know why mom abandoned him with some stranger who wants to do strange things to him, he doesn't know that I'll be back to pick him up in the morning. He's never been left alone at the vets office, much less, spent an entire night there. From the day he was born, I've been with him every single day. I couldn't help feeling like the world's worst mom. Why do I always have to be the "bad guy?" Why couldn't Roy take him in, and let me be the "rescuer" who comes to pick him up? It's just not fair.

When I got home, I decided to keep myself busy by finishing up some of the little details on the Asylum. Normally, when I am busy working around the house, I have five curious dogs following me from room to room and everywhere I go. Not today. Today, all four dogs, even Pete, laid in the Living Room, all alone, pouting. When I came upstairs to make some lunch, I looked up to see Angel, Phoenix's mother, sitting in the kitchen doorway - glaring at me. Neither she, nor the other dogs, came to beg food, she just sat there; accusing me of kidnapping and abandoning her pup. I tried to tell her that it was for the best and that her baby would be home in the morning; but she stood up, turned her back on me, and with a swish of her tail, went back to the couch to mourn with her canine family.

Roy and Nick seem to think that it's funny. They think that I'm a fool for feeling the way I do; but they aren't the ones who spend all day with these dogs. They aren't the ones who feed them, bathe them, brush them, walk them, clean up after them, and discipline them. Truthfully, I probably spend more time talking with and caring for these dogs, than I do my husband. How pathetic is that? I gotta get a life.

High Anxiety

Ugh ! Things around here have been SO crazy. Not just the normal kind of crazy that you would expect at my asylum, but uber crazy! It would be nice if I could report how much I've accomplished since the last time I posted, but I can't.

Last weekend, as well as this whole past week, has been nothing short of chaos. Last weekend just plain sucked. My husband had my car and left me stuck at home with a bunch of lunatic teenagers with no means of escape.
I spent most of Monday just trying to get my car back, because it's simply impossible for my husband to return anything that he uses to it's correct place, or in the same condition that he found it.
Tuesday and Wednesday was filled with nothing but appointments and errands for the kids and the house.
Wednesday night, Pete and Phoenix, two of my male dogs, got into a very ugly (and scary) fight. I think that Pete just got fed up with Phoenix pushing everyone around, and he tore into him with such rage that I don't think I can trust the two of them together anymore. Phoenix ended up with four stitches, and I'm afraid it would have been much worse, if Roy and Nick hadn't been here to pry them apart. It's looking like we are going to have to find a new home for Phoenix, because this house is just too small to keep them separated all the time.
Jake and Heather were home all day Thursday and Friday because of Parent - Teacher conferences. Between keeping track of the whereabouts of two teenagers, AND two dogs that suddenly want to kill each other, I'm totally stressed out.

So no, no new projects this week. In fact, I actually had to threaten my husband to get him to help me with the garage this weekend. This is the last weekend before Halloween so it HAS to be done. A couple of weeks ago, we spent an entire day cleaning out the garage in preparation for Halloween; unfortunately, my husband has been too wrapped up in himself to do anything, now all that cleaning has to be re done before we can even start setting up the asylum lab. Maybe it's just as well, the forecast for Halloween this year is cold and wet. It seems that this year may not amount to much any way. Very depressing.

Revelations and Choices

Oh my, what a day ! It's been one of those days when it's just go, go, go, and the list of things that need to be done just never ends. Yesterday, I spent the day totally rearranging my living room. ( I don't know why I do these things - I just lay in bed at night and these crazy little ideas dance around in my head.) So today, I had a ton of cleaning, carpet shampooing, and catch - up work that needed to be done - in between doing my regular Thursday laundry routine.

In addition, as I laid in bed last night trying to sleep, I vowed ( a vow is a solemn commitment that cannot be broken, you know?) that I would somehow, find a way to get my dogs out for a walk in spite of the cold, wet, and yucky weather that has descended on Kansas for the past week and a half. It's been SO dreary, for SO long, that I keep expecting everyone to start speaking with a Brittish accent! So . . . in between loads of laundry and dishes, I grabbed the leashes, bundled myself up, and strapped the back packs onto my "hounds of Hell" and off we went. Before we had even gotten past the first potty stop, I managed to twist my ankle! You see, the walking trail behind my house has several uneven spots where the black top has shifted and buckled. When Olathe parks and recs sponsored their annual September 11th "freedom run," they carefully marked all the rough spots with bright yellow spray paint so that all the joggers would be sure to see them. So obviously, I felt like a complete idiot; unfortunately, I still had three more miles worth of dog walking to do. ( a vow is a vow, you know?) So now, after hobbling around all evening, I'm sitting here with a swollen and painful ankle watching old 1940's horror movies. *sigh* At least my dogs are content.

Anyway, enough complaining. I had planned to post some more photos of our Halloween Yard haunt set up tonight.  (which I think,  was the last time we actually saw the sun shine around here) As I was sorting through them, I came across this photo . . .

While we were all setting up the cemetery fence, Jen got a shot of Nick with their new baby girl, Brooklyn.  When I look at this picture, all I can do is feel so proud of my son.  This little girl is his world, he absolutely adores her.  Both Nick and Jen are such good parents, but I always knew that having a child would have a profound effect on Nick, and it has truly changed his life - and in Nick's case, that's a very, very GOOD thing. 

Just felt I needed to share that.  Okay, Yard Haunt photos . . . hmmmm, here we go.

This is the grave yard (partially set up, we have since added more vines on the fence, the cemetery sign, and plenty of cobwebs and creepy cloth.)  Nick is hanging the Asylum sign, and of course, Jack and Mary, our crypt keepers are back this year.  (Heather and I are thinking that after three years together, maybe next year we'll plan a zombie Wedding?)

Of course, Haunter, Elizabeth, Crazy Daisy, and B.K. Crawler are back again, but this guy is new . . .

This is Bubba, our deranged, redneck, little midget that Daisy seems intent on slashing to pieces.  All the neighborhood kids are absolutely fascinated by him. I think, because they are just about the same height.  I made him out of paper mache and I'm really surprised that he's tolerating all the rain so well.

I'm really hoping that the rain lets up this weekend so that I can get some night shots with the lights on.  I'm just a little worried that the weather might not be very welcoming for our trick or treaters this year.  Actually, I've been worried about  a lot of little issues and deadlines concerning Halloween this year; I had a lot of big plans and projects that just aren't very likely to get done.  And I may have mentioned before, (once or twice?) Roy is really struggling to find time to work on the garage part of the asylum.  Sure, I could knock myself out working night and day on props, and I have no doubt that I could put the Asylum together on my own; but this is supposed to be a family FUN thing,  something we do together, as a family.  So, I have decided that I am just NOT going to stress and nag about this. Eventually, it will all come together, and if I don't get all my plans done this year, there is always next year.  I refuse to turn something that makes me happy into another chore that stresses me out.

Right now, I think I need to go ice down my ankle again, pop some more pop corn, and watch another movie.

Sleep tight everyone.

Listen UP !

I have moved.
My new blog home is . . . HERE.
Come on by and visit anytime!

My New Blog Home

Here I am ! I know a lot of people were starting to wonder where I had disappeared to. I've been around, and every thing is fine; I've been keeping myself busy with my family, and my art work, and of course, Halloween. I think I just needed a break from blogging, I was wearing myself out trying to keep up with so many things at one time. So . . . I decided that a fresh start seemed in order. I know, I've gone back to my old blog title, but it just seems to fit so well, and it feels like home. I'm feeling a need to simplify my life, so from here on out, this will be my blog home. Of course, I'll still keep my Art site and my Halloween site updated with links to them on this blog, but all my daily posts will be done here. I'm going to be blogging about my life, all my little projects, and whatever I feel like rambling on about. (note to my kids: If you don't like what you read on my blog - too bad, this is MY blog - go back to looking up stupid crap on You Tube.)

Okay, it's late, and I need to get to bed. But first, I have to wish my friend, Mel, a happy birthday. (or at least today is your birthday here, in Kansas - I keep getting messed up on what day it is in Australia.)

Happy Birthday, Mel !!!

Love to all,
Good night

Yard Haunt set up photos - Part 1

Okay, my computer seems to be a piece of crap lately. It's just taking forever to do anything and everything. I can't wait half a day to post multiple photos, and posting one at a time is taking a long time too. So . . . . I guess I will just post these photos in instalments over the next few days. It may be just as well since I've been so busy lately. Here are a few for today.

Jack and Mary are back again this year. No, they haven't been making little monsters together. Jen dressed Baby Brooklyn in her "Tiger" outfit so that she would fit in with all of our Halloween activities for the day. ( that child doesn't care WHO holds her, as long as she's being held, she's happy.) I doubt that most people will notice, but I spent several days giving Jack and Mary some up dates and repairs for the year. I hooked Jack up with a new tie and co-ordinating boots; and Mary got a new head of hair and seems to be very pleased with her new look. Also gave them both some new eyes and some structural work. The girls and I (Jen and Heather) were talking, and we think that after three years together, maybe it's time Jack and Mary got hitched? We're giving a lot of consideration to having a zombie wedding next year - who knows. ( Heather is totally psyched about being their wedding planner.)

I'm so excited about this. I've been wanting a cemetery fence for ages, but just didn't have the time or money to make one from PVC pipe. Several months back, Roy found these fencing pieces and brought them home. Last weekend, Roy and Nick put in some time cutting and welding for me and we found that we had enough to make an arbor entrance! Yay! Today, I finished painting a "cemetery" sign to hang from it and installed some amber lighting to shine over the entrance. The kids and I added some vines of autumn leaves and spider webbing to it to creep things up.

Okay, it's taken me almost half an hour to load and post these two photos, so I think I've had enough frustration for one night.
I'm off to bed.
Good night.

The First Weekend in October . . .

Was a busy weekend here at the Foley Home. I spent all of Saturday stocking up on food for the tribe; and then, on Sunday, we spent the day setting up the yard haunt. Well, it's not completely finished, I still have a few things to add, some cobwebs, creepy cloth and whatever else I discover needs to be done. But for the most part, we hauled everything out of the basement storage area and started setting up the yard. Now, this is JUST the yard - during evenings and weekends, Roy and I will begin work on the garage - the actual "asylum" part of the haunt. Hopefully, this is the last year that we will be doing this during the month of October. I am hoping that next year ALL of the work will be finished by October first and we can start weekend walk throughs to generate donations for our local animal rescues.

It was so nice to have everyone here at home to help with set up this year. (although, I'm pretty sure they will all disappear when it comes time to take things down and pack them away) Not only did it make things go quicker and easier, but it was so much more fun. We even had Quentin, our newly "adopted" son (actually, Jake's best buddy) to help set up. Jen had her hands full with baby Brooklyn and the camera. (she took some really great shots.) I think this is the first year that Jen has been here for the yard set up. Quentin was totally amazed at how people driving by the house started to slow down and gawk as things progressed. My most favorite part is the Monday afterwards, when the neighborhood kids are walking to school in the morning and they see the transformation; then again, when they walk home from school. It's almost as if they suddenly realise that Halloween is REALLY coming this year. The look on their faces is magical.

This evening I took baby Brooklyn outside to enjoy the cool weather a bit. As I've mentioned, we have a large population of Hispanic families in our neighborhood - which is kind of cool, because they are raised to have a really great attitude about Halloween. ( I don't mean to sound prejudice, but most of the "non-Hispanic" kids, are either SO jaded about Halloween, or they have been raised to think that people "like me" are either Satan worshipers, or just plain weird) I had noticed earlier, that we had more than our usual share of kids circling our house on their bikes; and as I stood in the drive way talking to Nick, a pair of older boys finally got the nerve to pedal up the drive and ask about the new props. They went on about how scary the house looked, while their younger siblings gathered on the side walk. They finally got off their bikes and asked if they could touch them. I said sure, and they cautiously walked up and laid just one finger on Bubba's hand, then retreated to their bikes and rode away. About an hour later, they pedaled up the drive with their dog, a little chihuahua, trailing behind them. They stopped in front of Bubba, and waited to see if their dog was as brave as they had been. When the pup backed away from Bubba, they drove off laughing. I'm sure that by dinner time they were the coolest, bravest kids on the block!

Okay, I need to get up early tomorrow and get some things done around the house, so I'm going to post a few pictures from Sunday. (Thanks to Jen and her computer genius)

Uh . . . scratch that. My blogger is being REALLY slow tonight and I'm tired. I promise to post photos tomorrow night.

Sweet dreams everyone.

Glorious OCTOBER has finally arrived!

Well, it's finally October 1st !! Glorious October! And of course, you know what that means . . . Halloween is only 30 days away!! Also, the yard haunt props should be going up this weekend. Maybe, I'll have some room in my basement to actually get some of the things done that I was hoping to do this year. (better late than never) It's bad enough trying to operate with five dogs sprawled out on the concrete floor under my feet, just in case I drop something, or God forbid, move more than ten steps away! But it's kind of creepy working down there at night, with all those props staring over my shoulder.

So here's the plan, Everyone seems to have something happening on Saturday, so I have decided that we will begin construction of the graveyard at noon on Sunday. I told the kids that they can invite a few friends to help, and we'll plan a backyard bar-be-que for dinner. I'm so excited. Roy and Nick finally finished building my cemetery arbor and cutting the fence pieces. I'm not exactly sure how we are going to stabilize it all, today we had some pretty high winds and the arbor, that is currently free standing in the back yard, went crashing over -three times! I keep praying for mild weather this October, but in Kansas, this is a month that's known for some unpredictable weather. (I guess like everything else, it's just a matter of trial and error, and hope that nothing gets too badly damaged)

Okay, I've got to go, I've still go about a million things on my list that need to be done. One of which, is to find that stupid camera cord so I can get some photos posted !!!!

Good night everyone.