I interrupt this regularly schedule programming of all things Fall + Christmas for a quick Halloween costume recap...because I just can't not share, even if it's a couple of weeks late.

This girl wanted to be a Greek Goddess for Halloween this year.
So I walked into Party City a couple of weeks before Halloween and bought the dress she spied online, a goddess headband, a gold snake arm band she specifically requested and gold bangles for her wrist. All in less than 5 minutes mind you. #momwin

Halloween night came...she got all dressed up in her dress, we fixed her hair, I added a little gold shimmer to her cheeks and a splash of lipstick and then she chose not to wear ANY other goddess accessory she had requested or picked out. What?!

Yeah...so...she kind of sort of looked like a goddess. *wink*
What can I say...
The girl chose comfort over costume...she's pretty smart like that.

With some friends by her side she had a pretty great night.
Second year trick-or-treating in our new neighborhood...
in our new town...
in our new area...
with new friends...
and new experiences.

It's feeling a little more like home.

Truthfully though, with the pillowcase she was carrying to collect candy, all wrapped around her shoulders in this picture...
well...she kind of looks more like a princess.
Or like she's going to another daddy daughter dance. *wink*
Regardless...those freckles of hers are darling and she's definitely the cutest sort-of-kind-of greek goddess I ever did see.

I hope you all had an enjoyable Halloween with your kiddos as well.
xoxo,
Jess

KEEPiNG iT REAL
I am SO glad I did not pursue finding the golden wrap-up-your-entire-calf-to-your-knee sandals she originally wanted. Pretty sure she would've never even put those on.

Oh...and all of that Hershey Halloween Candy I've been sharing on my Instagram stories was a hit with the neighborhood. We got rid of almost all 200+ pounds of it.

Oh! And scroll back up to image #3...
see those black things in the planter behind Ella?
Those are dead plants. Plants that died from the ridiculous Florida heat.
So...with it being Halloween, I just left them as part of the decor.
Yes...I tried to pass off dead plants as intentional Halloween decor.
It actually kind of worked.
Although it would've been more convincing had I followed through on creating the "Dead Head" Flower Shop sign idea I had in my head...to hang or put in front of the pots. Clever, right?
Maybe next year. *wink*

ELLA STYLE | Snowman Halloween Costume - Again

We are two days post Halloween already and before I dive fully into my favorite month of the year and then my favorite season...I just had to share Ella's Halloween pictures this year.

She deserves an award for making her mom's life super easy - on an every day basis but more so for the fact that she decided to dress up as a snowman AGAIN this year for Halloween). I mean could I have gotten any luckier?

She literally wore the exact same outfit, tights and all except there were four specific details that were different from last year's snowman costume:
1. she wore black boots this year
2. she forgot to wear her white fingerless gloves
3. she wore "space buns" this year instead of long pony tails.

and last but not least in any way....SHE GREW UP TOO MUCH!
How does that even happen? You'd think I'd be used to this by now seeing as how I have two older daughters. Nope! It's still mind-blowing.

Go back and look at last year's photos RIGHT HERE and you'll see what I'm talking about. *tears*

She cracks me up with her random poses and silly faces. I do not ask her to do any of this. She just does it. *giggling*

Of course her American Girl dressed up again too.
Neither Ella nor her "Little Ella" doll seemed to grow in size at all. *laughing*
Although I can't wait for her to grow into those teeth of hers. *wink*
This is always an awkward teeth stage, isn't it!?

It was definitely different this year...trick or treating in a new neighborhood with new friends.
Even though she missed Halloween night with her best friend, I was so glad Piper, a girl from her class and from our neighborhood, invited her to walk around with their 20+ group of kids. We must've walked 5 miles and Ella came home with 5 lbs of candy...1 pound for every mile I guess? (way too much is all I know).

Anyway, tomorrow is my birthday so I wanted to squeeze this post in before I spend the day doing whatever I want...pedicure...shopping for a copper tea kettle, maybe a birthday nap? Not sure yet, I just know I plan on really taking advantage of it being a special day. Ha!!

Love you friends!! xoxo
Jess

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Who's been waiting on the Whole30 verdict?
Remember I told you J and I did a Whole30 together starting on October 1st...so we successfully just finished on the 30th. And remember I told you it was a friendly competition between the two of us...and that I vowed I was going to smash him?
Well...we weighed in on the 31st and he beat me by 1/2 a pound. DANG iT!!

But truth be told, I found a bottle a "Lose Weight" pills he'd been hiding so he's a total cheater. Ha!
He claims they were nothing but "vegetable" pills and that they were "all natural" and that "Oprah endorsed them"....are you kidding me? I know he'll read this so I'm making sure to casually mention it before I congratulate him on his big win! *wink*

So congrats Jay!! You lost 8 pounds and I lost 7.5 - which I was disappointed with since I lost 11 the first time we ever did this. BUT...I'm totally celebrating anyway and I'm still planning on sticking to my healthy eating plan at least 6 days a week...giving myself a little cheat day. But would you believe I still haven't had a lick of sugar...and it's been 3 days...and it was even Halloween people!! So proud of me! *wink*

LIFE | Ella's Snowman Costume

Halloween may be long over...but since Ella decided she wanted to be a snowman this year I feel like it's still okay to share her costume as we make our way into the holiday season! *wink*

Besides that, it came out too cute NOT to share.

When Ella first told me what she wanted to dress up as a snowman, I was like "Okay!"
Then she told me she wanted a matching costume for "Little Ella", her American Girl Doll and I was like "Oh boy!" Ha!!

I knew the doll would be more difficult to find things for so we started with her costume first and then found things for Ella.

After trying to find some ideas online, we finally decided on a super simple + sweet costume I pieced together from things I found mostly online: tulle skirts, white tights, white shoes, white leotards (with black buttons sewn on the front), matching scarves, white gloves, matching snowman hat headbands and a few snowflake embellishments.

We both love how it all came together. I've never seen Ella so excited to wear a costume.
I think it had more to do with being able to dress up her American Girl doll - which has become her newest obsession ever since her big sister Clara gave her her old doll a few months ago.

Since I don't sew, (aside from being able to re-attach buttons), when it comes to putting together Halloween costumes it either needs to be things I can just piece together or something I can do with a glue gun. Ha! I'll give you all of the specifics at the end of the post.

I think it all turned out pretty darn cute!
And who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to have your little one dress up like this next year?
Pin it so you don't forget!! *wink*


SUPPLIES NEEDED TO RECREATE 
THESE SNOWMAN COSTUMES

ELLA'S SNOWMAN COSTUME
White Leotard
Black Buttons - JoAnn
White Tulle Skirt
Rhinestone pin on skirt - found at Hobby Lobby
White Tights
Scarf - created from fabric found at JoAnn - a little got glue and then knotting the strings on the ends.
White Sparkly Shoes
Snowman Hat - came as a 2pk and fit Ella perfectly
White Fingerless Gloves - made from a 4pk of baby socks I found at Target - Ha!!
Snowflake Hair Ties - made by hot gluing snowflakes I disassembled from a Hobby Lobby ornament.
Snowflakes on skirt- found at Hobby Lobby in the Christmas crafts section - secured with hot glue

LITTLE ELLA'S SNOWMAN COSTUME (Ella's American Girl Doll)
White Leotard - this Etsy shop
Black Buttons - JoAnn
White Tulle Skirt - JoAnn - it was an toddler/infant skirt found with Halloween costumes
Rhinestone pin on skirt - found at JoAnn
White Tights
Scarf - created from fabric found at JoAnn - a little got glue and then knotting the strings on the ends.
White Sparkly Shoes
Snowman Hat - I removed the plastic headband attached and replaced with black elastic.
White Fingerless Gloves - made from a 4pk of baby socks I found at Target same ones used for Ella!
Snowflake Hair Ties - made by hot gluing snowflakes I disassembled from a Hobby Lobby ornament.
Snowflakes on skirt- found at Hobby Lobby in the Christmas crafts section - secured with hot glue

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Ella's first idea for a Halloween costume was an ice cube. (no idea where she came up with that one).
Even though I'm always up for a creative challenge, I was relieved when she decided on the snowman costume instead. Ha!! But I think it's funny both ideas were related to ice.

FEATURE | Trunk or Treat

Over the last week or two...
I've received several fun emails from readers.
The photos have been of the Halloween decor they've created...
using the Apothecary Jar Labels I designed and shared a few weeks back.

With so many of you who participate in annual Trunk or Treat festivities...
I thought for sure you'd LOVE to see photos of this "tricked out" trunk...
Be sure to pin/bookmark the photos as inspiration for your next Trunk or Treat!

Party Host:  Mariah of Giggles Galore
Celebration Type: Halloween Trunk or Treat
Party Theme: Double Double Toil and Trouble
Inspiration: Shakespeare's MacBeth
Color Palette: Brown, Black, White and Ivory
Party Style: Vintage

Double Double, Toil and Trouble Trunk or Treat

Mariah did a brilliant job of incorporating the Apothecary Jar Labels into her styling.

Everything turned out darling!

Those Trick or Treaters are absolutely adorable too, aren't they!!

MY FAVORITE DETAILS:
• The adorable mummy heads displayed in an apothecary jar
• Banner created using pages of a book.
• White branches flanking sides of display
• Cauldron bubbling with homemade Root Beer

Thank you so very much for sharing your creativity with us Mariah!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Nothing makes me happier...
or inspires me to continue to share fun, creative things with you...
than when you all take time to share things with me.
Whether it's photos of the things you've created using the FREE printables I share here...
or comments you leave to let me know you've been inspired...
They mean the world to me. THANK YOU!!

SHARE | Phantom Pumpkin & Flashback Photos

If you haven't done the annual "Operation Phantom Pumpkin" yet this year...
You've still got this weekend...

I've updated the FREE printables from last year...
with an orange, black & white color scheme...
just for you...
and my family too, of course.

Phantom Pumpkin 2012

PHANTOM PUMPKIN PRINTABLE PICTURE & INSTRUCTIONS SHEET

After over 15 years of participating in this fun tradition with my own family...

I've streamlined the printing so you get everything on one 8.5x11 sheet.

Download the FREE file here

COORDiNATiNG MiNi PEANUT BUTTER CUP LABELS

Download the FREE file here

And now...
Just for some fun...
Here are some of my favorite Halloween Costumes from over the years:

 Vintage Witch Costume

Ella Scarlet 2011

Good Witch & Mummy

Clara & Emalyn 2005

I LOVE looking back...

I can't believe the photos of Clara & Ema are from SEVEN Halloweens ago!! *sigh*

Have fun using the Phantom Pumpkin printables to TRICK your family/neighbors/friends with TREATS!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

I still can't believe Ema wanted to be a mummy for Halloween that year...

she totally cracks me up.

She looks pretty miserable - doesn't she?

She was.

She couldn't WAiT to get her costume off.

And guess what?

Lucky for me she didn't have to use the bathroom the entire evening...

We would've had to unravel her entire costume since the thought of her needing a bathroom break NEVER entered my mind as I was wrapping every inch of her up in gauze. *gasp*

#momfail

We still haven't gotten Ella her costume.

She originally wanted to be Doc McStuffins...

Now she wants to be a fairy.

Wish us luck...

she's being pretty particular in her request for a PURPLE costume!  *wink*