Passion for Dreaming

Well jiggle my wiggle, and rattle my bones.  Or at least I feel rattled and jiggled to the core.  In a good way.  Why?  My Professional Organizer Ms Passion came yesterday and emotionally (not physically) grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me up.  In the process she awakened some powerful dreams.  POWERFUL – I tell you.

The first room on her hit list.  The family room. 

I mean the Family Room/Music Room/Library…etc., etc., etc.

Here’s hoping no one ever yells fire.

Banana peels on stairs?  It’s like asking for Murphy and his silly Law to move in.

I tried to prep for Ms. Passion’s coming by letting go of a lot of the easy stuff.  Lot’s of junk, broken items, McDonald toys – blah, etc.

Reduced the whole drawer of toys to two small baskets.

Nearly 5 bags worth of trash.  Believe it or not, I thrifted nearly 10 office size boxes of books.  I was super proud of myself.  Then Ms. Passion came over.  And GUTTED THE WHOLE ROOM!

What?

Except for this monstrosity and the couches.

I’m hating on brown right now.  It’s so not me.  I’ve discovered my whole house is Blah Brown.  And the entertainment center we bought only because it matched the colors of our Blah Brown bookshelves, which we bought because the store didn’t have enough of them in the first color we wanted.  The only touch of me in the entire room that I love is…

My farm-girl scene toile curtains.

In the past I’ve purchased household furniture because it’s ‘in’ or because I think other people would like to see it.  Matching furniture to the styles of my friends, not necessarily mine.  I’m a huge people pleaser. 

In gutting the room it freed me up to dream and DREAM BIG.  My only limitation – No Money!  Oh SNORK!  I’m going to have to get creative to actually buy or refinish the furniture pieces I love.  Yet, now I finally have a vision.  Something to really wish, dream and plan for.  And Ms. Passion is going to help me make Blah Brown more attractive until I can afford the real dream.

Who would have thought that purging one’s self from unloved clutter also freed up the imagination to dream?  WOW!  It really does.

Where did the room go.  Since I’d already purged it – or so I thought.  We moved part of it into the front room and other parts into the rooms they will go in during our future organization rounds. 

I needed something to remind me of one of my favorite seasons so I pulled out some Halloween decoration.

Including potions from my Fairy Godmother Cabinet.

I rode so many different emotional waves yesterday.  Sorrow, confusion, elation, the biggest wave of all, being hope.  And Ms. Passion paid me the highest compliment possible.

She said that of all the Hoarders she’s worked with I’m the most ready and willing for the process of recovery to begin.  Yeah Me!

I asked why I didn’t hate her yet.  She promised that I would by the time we hit room number two – the Master bedroom/Craft room.  Ugh, so dreading that room.   

Can’t wait to show you the finished rooms.  It will take awhile.  Maybe months.  But, I’m so excited for the transformation to begin.  ‘Clean House’ eat your heart out.

Finding Balance

Yesterday I took a break from purging my junk.  Needed to fuel my talent for being creative – and I used up some junk in the process.   I don’t want to get burnt out with the whole de-clutter process.

I decided to finish a challenge after all, but I did something totally different than what I was planning on doing before my ‘Aha-Hoarder’ moment last week.  I decided to make an organizer to old the various odds and ends of a Nintendo DS we have.  I keep one so that when I have to drag Hope with me to an appointment I can plug her in.  Otherwise, she’d be bouncing all over the furniture and talking to everyone.  We don’t play it much, but it makes appointments fun for her.  I’ve been carrying it around in Ziploc bags in my purse forever.  But, this got rid of some of my garbage clutter and helped me organize the games a bit better.

It almost matches my purse.  Lucky me.  And when not going to appointments, I can store it on the shelf next to books.   

I posted a tutorial on how I made it HERE.  Now, I’m thinking I could do several of these types of cases for various things my boys have.  Would make great Christmas stocking stuffers on the cheap.  I only have to be sure to be realistic about what I have time to do and it’s time frame.  Otherwise this idea falls into my addicting clutter frame of mind.    That’s the only thing that stinks about being creative.

I met with ‘Young and Gorgeous’ today!  Of course she thinks I’m doing Fab and going in the right direction.  The one concern that’s overwhelmed me with the whole gutting process is the thought of running around like crazy and monitoring the family to make sure they are complying with our simple dream lifestyle. 

She Said, ‘Fawn, you have a husband right?

‘Yep.’

‘Well can’t he monitor too?’

‘Yes, I guess he could.’

‘And your kids have all agreed that they want this too – right?’

‘Dang, you are so right.’

She pointed out that I am not doing this alone.  We are all doing it together and I shouldn’t put such a overwhelming heavy burden on my shoulders.  We can all Jillian Michaels kindly monitor each other.  Then, I’m not the only Bad Guy.  Plus, having little Hope sweetly ask Prince Daddy to pick up his socks would sound way cuter from her than it would from mommy.

By the time I’m finished with this process, I will practically fly everywhere, my self-imposed burdens seem to lift a little every week. Love my counselor! 

Now, I’ve just got to control this crazy creative brain of mine.  It’s been dreaming of following the ‘Project Runway’ challenges when they are given each week.  You know watch through the show until the challenge is given – turn off the TV, run to the thrift store to buy fabric and see if I can’t create something similar if not better than the contestants?)  How crazy is that idea.  Of course I’d try and rationalize the process by saying I was trying to create a wearable look for a member of my family that fit in the definition guidelines.  But which of my girls is looking for a High Fashion /Couture Look to wear to Pre-school?  Okay, I know Hope would love to wear a princess gown to the dump if she could.  Anyway, that’s the inner ramblings I have to deal with from myself – on a daily basis.  Good thing I’m not the only one that crazy creative.  Commented about it to ‘Grosgrain’ and she loved the idea as well.  Love Grosgrain’s creativity, wish I had as much time to sew.

Now I’ve got to go find something to chuck!  Blah!!!

Step One – Enlist the Masses!

Yesterday I finally had my first meeting with a Professional Organizer.  I think she’s my new best Friend, yet she’s promised that she will be my worst enemy.  Someone that I’ll want to call the cops and put a restraining order on.  You know, the Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser Trainer) of Cleaning.  So I think that puts her in the Frenemy category right?  For privacy sake – let’s just call her Ms. Passion.  Ms. Passion wants to make me mad, don’t know if she can do that, but she wants too. 

So, Ms. Passion showed up on my porch yesterday and I was expecting her to take me to lunch and tell me about what I should expect through this whole de-hoarding process.  Or at least that’s what she told me on the phone.  Wrong!  She’s deceived me already.  Instead, she wanted a tour of my Hoarding Nest.  And she got the full,normal, unprepared-for guests, treatment.  Which is exactly what she wanted.

Of course, I kept trying to explain, rationalize, excuse my poor cleaning habits, and the general reasoning behind my huge mess, and un-made decisions.  To her credit, she stopped me, and told me she wasn’t there to judge me, she was just there to understand so that she could devise a plan for retraining my brain. 

Her first bit of homework, I did not expect.  It was to…

1. Enlist the help of the family herd.  I know the whole Hoarding/Cleanliness failure is my own and I thought I would learn the steps for treating myself and then, when my brain was okay, then I could teach it to my mini me’s kids.  Wrong!  They are to learn the process right along with me.  Here’s the hardest part – I have to wear a new hat.  So, as Ms. Passion is to me, I will have to become for my kids.  I will have to do something I’ve NEVER been good at doing –  Be Consistent.  Let’s just say that the only thing I’m consistent about, is being inconsistent. 

When Ms. Passion told me this I showed her my ugly face.  The Scrunched up expression where you try and hold back the tears but realize that you’re failing.  I failed and probably made Ms. Passion happy because I cried.  Wow, this is going to be harder than I thought. 

I’m a non-confrontational type of person and my kids know this.   I’ve trained them, well, poorly.   My big fat excuse - I have a special 14 year old that’s been diagnosed (Bi-polar, Depressed, Oppositional Defiant) messed up.  Years ago his counselor told me chore charts would never work with him.  Because, viewing the items he doesn’t accomplish will fuel his depression and spiral his manic side.  And he can’t accomplish much without help.  In a totally unreasonable way, I then took responsibility charts out of the mix for the rest of the kids.  My stupid way of trying to treat them all fairly.  They know he’s different and I know they understand the whole situation, yet still I slacked.  I’m really good at slacking.

But, if I want real change, I can’t slack any more.  And for Heaven’s Sake, I want Change!

Ms. Passion is going to help me one room at a time.  Once the room is perfect, and she’s taught me how to keep it that way.  I have to teach my kids how to keep it that way.  I have to be their Happy Drill Sergeant until these new habits are engrained in their normal behavior.

Maybe I should get one of these?

  

This might not hurt to have as well.

And have stiff consequences for the kids when they muff up. 

Here’s the rub!  I have a consequence too.  Ms. Passion Promises to stop by unannounced, when I least expect her to show up, AND if the room is in any way a mess – she walks out.  She has guaranteed me that she will only come back One Time, after humble groveling.  The second time,  I’ll have to find another person to help me.  Tough Love – I guess.  Motivation, to finally take the steps I’ve been yearning to take since forever.  I’m 100% sure I want this. 

So Step 1:  Enlist family and friends to help.  DONE! 

My sweet friend Ethel has also promised to back Ms. Passion up, chew me up and spit me out if she see’s me slipping.  Had a sit down with the whole herd last night, explained the rules, consequences, and reasons for undertaking this adventure.  I was expecting the typical whining I get when I ask for help.  However, They shocked me with their willingness to be drilled.  They want this dream home and have just been waiting for me to get with it.  My girls are especially excited about not hearing the excuse that the house is too messy to invite friends over. 

I have Hope!  This WILL happen.

Finding Someday – Today!

My mom told me that she was once helped clean out the home of a lady who had died.  In the inventory of her house was untouched treasures that the woman had never really gotten to enjoy.  Not gold or money, but treasured items of linen, tableware, etc., and other such items that the person was saving for her future dream home.  Her ‘Someday’ home.  Her ‘Someday’ never came.

I’ve found myself often in that position.  Saving items for display until after I’m convinced the children have outgrown their accidents.  How thick of a thought is that?  My kids outgrowing accidents?  ‘Snort.’  Not going to happen.

Then I woke up. 

I want my Someday House – Today. 

I may never have that specific dream home with a wrap around porch.  But, I can make my home today every bit as much of a dream to live in.  Enjoy every room, and create memories of love with my family.   

As I’m now sifting through my piles and piles of crap.  I’m trying to find and enjoy object for my ‘Someday’ house - Today.  Trying desperately to save ONLY the things I need and love.  I’m craving simplicity.

Here’s a small accomplishment.  A typical view of my dining room hutch.  It’s been cleaned off before.  Hopefully the new tools my counselor and organizer give me will help me keep it clean.

You know it took me an entire day to clear this hummer.  One whole day of nothing else getting done.  But when I finished, there was a box of thrift items, two garbage bags, overflowing recycling, and two bags of shredded paper.

Even Hope was enthusiastic about helping me with the shredding process. 

And when I was done not only were the surfaces cleared and simply decorated.  But every drawer and cupboard was as well.

Including treasured linens that I intend to use now and not wait until I have that ‘Someday’ house.  And if my kids have an accident?  I’ll deal with it.  It’s only stuff right?

 

I tried not to think too hard and follow my gut instincts.  My first thought was to toss the magazines.  When I sat down to really look at them I was flooded with the projects I wanted to keep them for, or the crafts my kids could do while cutting up their pages.  But in the end I followed my first thoughts, and they became part of my thrift pile.

There’s many more boxes of them upstairs,  I hope I can let go of them as readily.

And here’s my dining room hutch today.  Notice how I tried to crop the clutter of the rest of the room out.  It’s still not done.  But, we had dinner on the dining room table last night, if that helps.     

I didn’t want to stop with just shifting the stuff to other areas.  I wanted it all to be free and clear. 

I’ve four piles now.  This thrift pile was picked up this morning by the donation truck.  There is another in my front room that I’ve taken pictures of because my husband wants to EBay the items.

Then there is the dreaded, ‘I want this but don’t know where to store it.’  I’m saving that for the professionals to help me deal with. 

Finally there is the last pile – Pure Garbage.  Instead of showing you photos of trash bags every time I blog, I thought I’d keep a running total of them on my sidebar.  I don’t want my blog to become specific to my addiction to Hoarding.  I've six kids and a peculiar Prince of a Man, who’s my husband.  They are my real treasures.  And in treating my problems I’m freeing up more time, money, and will be a better wife and mother with hopefully less emotional strain.  But it’s hard.  Already I’m running out of the easy things to let go of. 

Today, I opened a cabinet of empty photo albums.  They’ve been there for almost 13 years.  Untouched.  I closed the cabinet.  I’m going to let go of them but it’s painful.  Instead, my husband and I have decided to start the slow process of scanning and saving the Master Bedroom closet full of huge boxes of memorabilia and photos  - Save it onto the computer.  Saving only the most precious.  What’s crazy is that I used to be a Creative Memories Consultant preaching about saving those photos.  But the creative process of decorating each and every page burnt me out and I haven’t touched a photo album for 13 years.  Can’t do it.  Need simple.  Need something that won’t overwhelm me again.  Scanning and organizing those photos, I can do.

I’m trying to live today as if it was the ‘Someday’ I’ve always dreamed about.  Enjoy the treasures now, and not wait.  And if I can’t enjoy them now, why hang onto them?  Right?  Or at least that’s what I’m trying to tell myself.

Throwing Open the Curtains

I’ll do it again, someday, hopefully soon.  My bedroom sheet curtains have been closed for years.  An effort to not inflict eye damage and tongue waggling from my neighbors across the street.  Now that I’ve come out of the hoarding closet with my blog I was briefly tempted to open them.  But I didn’t.  Too chicken still, but Soon.  I promise.

Somehow the scenes in films of someone opening the curtains on sulking kermudgins is resonating with me today.  I remember Rhett tossing back the drapes on a pouting Scarlett.    And Mary (Secret Garden) letting her sickly cousin Colin see the light of day for the first time – ever.  Anne did it too in Anne of Avonlea.  Someone letting in the light of day on someone feeling sorry for themselves, hiding from the world for various reasons.  I want to be that someone.  I want to get up in the morning and throw open those curtains and inhale that light. 

Today was frustrating as I kept getting distracted.  But here’s the great news. 

Yes, more trash is good news in my book.  As is a slowly growing thrift pile. 

But I can’t seem to keep my focus on one area.  I start something somewhere, and then move something to put it away somewhere else.  Yet then I see something that needs to be tidied in yet another place.  I’ve always done this.  Go around in circles, working my hind end off but not getting one big thing accomplished. Now, I’m making notes to ask my Young and Gorgeous Counselor how to retrain my brain to stay focused.  Sometimes A.D.D. stinks.  But now that I’m aware of it I can more easily recognize when it’s sidetracking me.

My other big concern is that I have a house load of stuff to learn and then I’ve got to teach these things to my kids.  I’ll have to be diligent and not give up.  I know some of my kids have issues too.  You’d think with a laundry hamper in the bathroom they would have no problems dropping their dirty clothes and towels in it.  Wrong.

I almost feel like putting a blinking neon sign with arrow pointing to the place to put the dirty clothes. 

A few days ago I signed on to get Fly Lady emails.  My inbox was then cluttered with email after email, testimonials, recommendations.  It was so overwhelming and I was thinking, ‘Oh yeah, I need to start that and then that, etc.’   I ended up shutting down the service after 2 days of email clutter.  Otherwise I’d be reading Fly Lady for at least 1/2 hour a day.  I need to take baby steps but I need something concrete like the two bags of trash a day.  Or following Kelly’s daily missions in the zone areas.

Needless to say, I did a lot today but the frustration level rose a notch too.  My sweet Prince told me that I was doing great and he wanted me to take a break.  So this evening I’m going to chill and do some more painting on my Never land Clock box.  And maybe I’ll watch this with my girls.

And dream of throwing open the curtains on a clean de-cluttered room.

Outing a Hoarder

I’ve been addicted to watching ‘Hoarding – Buried Alive’ on TLC.  The last few shows have been very discouraging as I haven’t seen much progress made.  It appears there are some people that can’t make the cognitive decisions necessary to overcome their circumstances.  Or maybe they haven’t hit rock bottom. A definition for clutter that I think fits is,

‘Clutter is Postponed Decisions’. 

Recently, I saw on the show the mom with 5 kids, who’s husband moved out.  It took her 4 1/2 weeks to clear 1 room.  The kids all but admitted that she just shifted stuff around.  Once the camera’s are no longer there, I’m certain the stuff will creep back in.  I’m all for hoping there’s a silver lining for these people’s problems.  When you don’t see it, the show becomes depressing to watch.

Now, here’s the fun (sarcasm laid on heavy) part.  I’m outing a hoarder.  Almost called the show on her, but I felt sorry for her family so I didn’t.  What the heck I’ll blog about her.   I know for a fact that this lady has some anxiety disorder.  She’s been recently (last April) diagnosed with A.D.D. and from watching the show I’m convinced that Hoarding is mostly a mental disorder.  I love this lady dearly and I know there are few people as creative and caring.  She has a hard time saying No to anyone and anything.  She is so amazingly talented but can’t seem to finish anything that she starts.  So many darling projects that get put on the back burner when something else equaling creative catches her eye.  She’s a sentimental hoarder as well.  Can’t seem to let go of her children’s treasures, even after they have.  This is a person that can look at a piece of trash and save it because she has a fabulous idea of how to re-purpose the item.

This lady is…

ME.

Hello, my name is Fawn.  And I’m a Hoarder.

Shocked?  I am.  It always rocks my world when my Conscience finally recognizes what I think my subconscious has known all along.  When truth bears out and that light bulb goes off.

The Unbloggable turned me into a Zombie, and when I slowly woke up from that coma, I couldn’t seem to find my feet. That’s when Young and Gorgeous diagnosed me with A.D.D.  And her saying what I had, well, it rocked my world.  Because, I knew it was true.  I felt the truth so deeply when she said it.  I finally recognized it in all my hurdles.  The frustrations with myself for so many little things that I thought I should be able to do, all rooted in A.D.D.  I started getting help and I have to say I’m thrilled with the results so far.  It feels as if I’m truly awake and living my life for the first time.

Yet, even as I’m feeling so much better, there was something gnawing in the back of my head.  Couldn’t pinpoint it either.  Somehow, every episode of ‘Hoarders resonated more deeply, until I finally recognized the truth.  I was watching me.  What?  ‘But in your blog, FawnDear, you showed all these wonderful before and after makeovers.’  Isn’t it great how you can focus on the one beautiful thing you’re creating and crop out the clutter in the background and that surrounds it.  I love that about blogs.  But they hold a clue.  Remember the before pictures,  that’s the norm, the redo’s never last more than a couple of days.  Remember my Craft Room – need any more proof?  Another nail in the coffin was looking at all the posts where I talked about my issues with Clutter (31 to be exact – 32 after this one).  My sis out-ed me on one asking if I was just moving stuff around.  The answer is mixed – yes, and no.  Yes, I really have gotten rid of too-many-to-count truckloads of stuff to the dump and thrift store.  But I never addressed the emotional reasons for collecting it in the first place.  I have to admit that I’m not nearly as bad as the people spotlighted on the show, but I’m nearly there.

I see something darling…

in a magazine like this…

made out of used dryer sheets…

Absolutely gorgeous.  So I then start dreaming of darling gauzy fairy dresses for my girls and then this happens.

Or I see contest like this…

 

and all of the sudden I’m saving more trash.

These boxes are going into recycling directly after I post this.

I have an answer for everything weird you can find hidden around my house – like the shelf full of empty soda bottles.

Why they are for next year’s Mad Tea Party, of course.

I nearly gagged re-reading my last post.  I was saving pictures and self-made pattern pieces from costumes more than 8 years old.  I promptly threw those in the trash that evening.

I’m in love with Thrift shopping – it’s therapeutic for my creative genius.  Yet it holds a firm grip on my problem.  I’m not visiting another thrift store until I’ve conquered this illness.  Now that I’ve finally recognized and owned my addiction, I’m pretty sure I CAN have a Happy Ending.  I’m hanging onto Hope for a better tomorrow once again.  By turning myself in I’m one step closer to solving the riddle of me.  Closer than any of the people on Hoarders who are turned in by loved ones.  I’m reaching out for professional help to more than one person.  My young and gorgeous counselor is helping with the A.D.D. and teaching me how to retrain my brain to be more realistic about my dreams and craft projects.  She’s helping me make lists.

And set goals.  Being more realistic helps with letting go.  If I haven’t hand tinted black and white photo’s for more than 9 years, why am I still hanging onto that box of supplies.  If I want to do something but don’t have a due date for completing it will I be willing to let it go if not done by the due date?

And next week I’m meeting with a professional organizer trained to work with people like me.  She doesn’t beat around the bush and has promised me that things would get a lot uglier (emotionally & around the home) before it gets better.  Uglier than a garage that you can’t even walk through?

Or a master bedroom that now houses my craft room’s objects.

All four walls stacked with my postponed decisions.

And no you don’t need to call the health authorities on me.  I’ve no dead cats hiding buried beneath the trash.  These are of course my two worst rooms.  The closet’s are not far behind.  If you walked into my home and forgot that the porch looked like this.

Well, being in my front room, you wouldn’t know my shameful secret.  It’s hidden out of site.  And my youngest children’s room has remained this clean for four days.  I know… shocking right.

Yes, I need help.  Desperately!  But I recognize that, and I’m now, finally, after 40 years of being the most unorganized person I know, well, I finally reaching out for Professional help.  And NO, my friends reading this can not come help.  This is something I have to do or it will just come back.  This is what the Pro. Organizer is going to go through with me.

I’ve got the best reasons ever and have hopefully lined up the right people to help me solve the riddle of me.  I HAVE to find the solution because there are six little mini-me’s that I’ve got to eventually send out in the world someday and I don’t want to send them off with my issues.

I’m not watching Hoarders anymore.  Now that it’s personal it’s too depressing. And TLC doesn’t focus enough on the steps taken or thought process’s challenged for my liking. I am however re-watching Oprah’s two part series on Hoarding.  They show you the hoarding but then go into some of the different steps you can follow to overcome it.  Until I meet with the organizer I’m following a couple of those steps.  Every day I’m taking out at least two large lawn and leaf size bags of trash and two bags of thrift stuff as well.

Here’s yesterday’s trash…

And the beginning of yet another thrift pile.

And today.

Thank heavens tomorrow is garbage day.

And the thrift pile, well I mean to add more to it tonight once the kiddo’s go to bed.  But it is growing in size.

My goal is to not stop until ‘Everything has a Place and is in it’s Place,’ even if that means temporarily letting go of some dreams.

When it’s done, I’ll have more confidence, and energy to face an incredibly bright future.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, and please don’t judge me because I have an illness.  The point is I’m treating it and sharing this because I know there’s people like me out there who know what this is like.

The Madness Begins

It’s that time of year, where mom goes crazy (in a happy way) with the sewing machine and attempts to visit different worlds through Family Theme Halloween costumes.  The best part for me is the costume research.  Watched and re-watched Lord of the Rings, Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean too many times to count.   Here’s some past moments I’ve saved. 

My Legolas costume and matching quiver, with pattern pieces lying around.   In researching themes I save lot’s of film pictures, buy similar patterns (although I like making my own better), and take countless notes on details.  Loved researching the Pirates of the Caribbean costumes as well.

In years past the kids have complained when I’ve assigned them certain parts to play. That is until they start getting compliments on how great they look.  Then they embrace the theme, and proudly tell everyone who they were. 

This year I decided to let them choose the theme.  Kindof because I didn’t want to deal with the mumble grumble about the roles assigned them.  I told them to take to heart, their seamstress and the two themes she would love to do.  Apparently they have no hearts.

The two theme’s I wanted….

Peter Pan with it’s dashing Hook?  I mean what boy wouldn’t mind looking like Jason Isaac's Hook.

And what girls doesn’t dream of being Wendy, or even Tinkerbell?

 

The other theme I really want to tackle (which would go great with our Mad Tea Party) is that of Alice in Wonderland.  Tim Burton Style, of course.

Lea’s already got Alice’s hair.  And can’t you just see T-rev and Evo-man as Dee and Dum?  I certainly can, especially with pillow’s stuffed in their costumes.

I would be the Red Queen and Prince Erik would be the Knave of Hearts.

 

Abner would be fetching and act well the part of the Mad Hatter.

And Princess would be the perfect White Queen.

I’ve even found the White Queen’s shoes.

Hope wanted to be Mollymumkin the DorMouse.  It would be the perfect theme.

So we had a family discussion and Abner added an additional theme to consider,  which I humored because I believed it too outrageous to be chosen.  Unfortunately the whole blasted family latched onto with enthusiasm.  Even Prince Erik betrayed me and sided with Abner’s theme as he thought it would be the least time consuming for me. 

And so trying to make the minions wee ones happy, even though it’s taken the whole fun out of my process of exploration.  This year our family is going as character’s from…

Get this…

UGH!!!!

Power Puff Girls (for the girls)

And Rowdy Ruff Boys (for the boys)

And they specified that they wanted to be the original characters not the Japanese ones.

I’m trying not to gag.  But heck, at least they’ll be happy, right?

Next year the Mommy Dictatorship is back in effect.  In the meantime.  I mean to whip these costumes out and IF there is time and Halloween $ left in the budget maybe I’ll secretly make some of my wish costumes on the sly.   A girl can dream, can’t she?   Shhhhhh, don’t tell Prince Erik, he’ll freak.