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NOTE: Throughout the week, I've updated this post about a gazillion times so newer (& not very entertaining) ramblings are at the bottom.
Mom and I finally put together a new Halloween scene to display in the dining room. This time we wanted to pay homage to our favorite Disney World ride, THE HAUNTED MANSION! We already had a figurine of the graveyard digger and his dog, which my brother bought Mom at Disney World last year I think. We really wanted to include the silly epitaphs from the graveyard scene in the Haunted Mansion's queue, but instead decided to just work with what we already had.
I took a lot of photos, so below I'll just post the thumbnails which you can click on to make larger. Unfortunately, in the pictures you can't tell that there's a flickering light inside the large tree and the other tree has purple lights. Even the ghosts glow off and on. Even the video I took last night didn't turn out well, so I'll try again tonight. I really want all the different lights to show up in a video at least.
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Just for fun, here are a few of the epitaphs from the grave-markers at Disney World. They're pretty funny. They even have a pet cemetery, which is silly as well:
* In memory of our patriarch - dear departed Grandpa Marc.
* Requiescat Francis Xavier. No time off for good behavior. RIP
* Rest in peace, brother Huet. We all know you didn't do it.
* R.I.P. good friend Gordon. Now you've crossed the river Jordan.
* Master Gracey laid to rest. No mourning, please, at his request. Farewell.
* At peaceful rest lies brother Claude. Planted here beneath this sod.
* Here lies good old Fred. A great big rock fell on his head.
* Here rests Wathel R. Bender. He rode to glory on a fender.
* Dear departed brother Dave, He chased a bear into a cave.
* Here lies a man named Martin. The lights went out on this old Spartan.
Via
I think that's enough Halloween for a while, so here's a little bit of Texas. Let's start with two snippets from "Texas Country Reporter."
(Isn't that a BEAUTIFUL photograph?!)
3 minute mark - The music reminds me of the movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou." Love it!
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Over the weekend I re-discovered a Disney YouTube channel I had forgotten about. I found some of the video below - not Disney related - pretty funny when the cows started stalking him for food. (Around the 2:40 or 3 minute mark) This vlogger is from Texas, and this video was taken on some farm. The videos featuring his Dad are pretty cute.
I have to include this next one, too, since we should be going out of town for the next two weekends... which means they'll be a stop at Buc-ees. Of course, I've never seen a Buc-ees as huge as the one in this video.
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And I was looking for video of Old Town Spring the other day when I found a bunch of music videos. On weekends, Old Town Spring has a lot of musical artists playing at certain cafe's. Here are a few that I found, although I haven't listened to many of them yet. Just snippets.
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The quality on the 3rd vid isn't great, but we eat lunch here sometimes. It's a restaurant called "Hyde's." They make some GREAT hamburgers!
And look at who will be in Old Town Spring October 24th. Willie Nelson! That's pretty neat, although I have noticed on tv before that he 'talks' his songs during concerts. If I ever paid $65 and upwards per ticket, I'd prefer to hear actual singing.
VIA
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WHEN IS FALL GOING TO ARRIVE?! It is still so hot and humid here. Yesterday was miserable, and today it's pretty awful as well. The triple digit temps are over, thank goodness, but it still feels very much like summer. There is nothing even remotely resembling a chill in the air.
In the very least, I wish it would rain.... perhaps even like this:
(This is near Old Town Spring, too, which is about 6 minutes from my house)
I wouldn't mind a storm like this either... minus the hail and tornado. The storm in the first vid picks up at around the 5 minute mark. And again, I love this guy's Dad!
Of course, I'd rather be dancing and singing in the rain at Disney World. It's so much more picturesque! I really miss it. I'd love to be there now, rain or shine.
1. The tale is told of Beauty and the Beast.
2. Ireland is something that always makes me think of my ancestors.
3. To ensure that you are loved, hug your dog.
4. Gerry Butler with his Scottish brogue is a fine thing.
5. It's never too late to start over.
6. When your ballpoint pen won't fulfill it's destiny, get that ink going by scribbling circles on the back of an old receipt.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing in particular, tomorrow my plans include enjoying some much-needed rain while watching the season finale of Doctor Who and Sunday, I want to jump for joy because Season 2 of ONCE UPON A TIME begins!
(Via)
Found a fun new blog hop today! Join in the fun by clicking right HERE!
1. I'm jealous of my younger self's hair. When a child my hair was so curly and pretty, but as an adult it's straight as a board.
2. I'm learning rather quickly that I'm a slave to the whims of one of our dogs. Little Abby simply cannot amuse herself in the evenings. (This is one of the reasons why I hardly ever get on the Exercise Bike 'O Doom anymore. Playtime for her seems more important).
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My niece turns Sweet Sixteen tomorrow! Where has the time gone?
Down the rabbit hole in Alice's Wonderland, I imagine. It really feels like only yesterday she was that 3-year old little girl obsessed with playing dress up and wanting us to build one of my special tents in the living room. We used to put their little kid's table inside while we ate junk food and watched Peter Pan.
Tomorrow would have also been my Grandma's birthday. We seem to share a lot of birthdays in this family. Actually, my niece shares her birthday with my Grandma (who passed away before my nephew was born) as well as her Grandma on her father's side. Even my nephew shares his birthday with my Dad, which also happens to be Texas Independence Day.
Here's a pic of my niece in her drum major uniform, as well as conducting at her first football game. She's the youngest drum major their school has ever had and they say it'll never happen again. My niece is definitely following her dream right now, and everything has fallen into place for her. She's one lucky, hardworking - and hilarious - young gal! And isn't she a beauty?
My nephew wrote a funny note on her Facebook page:
Me your bruder. Me s'posed to say happy burdday. Me be GOOD bruder. So me say happy birthday. Happy early day before burdday.
- Big bruder
She also took her drivers test today. SCARY!!!! I'm not gonna lie that I hate it when the kiddos can finally drive. It's a good thing I never had children. I'd be a basketcase, wanting to protect them all the time.
My niece's birthday was also a day in history for Austin, Tx:
(My niece and nephew live in Austin)
(Click HERE for a large pic from the realtor sites)
I have unfortunate news. To borrow from Owl in Disney's Bambi, my mother and I both are simply "twitterpated" with a house up in Lago Vista. For a lot of reasons (Short Sale, my father hates driving up there on those high cliffs, etc) it'll never happen and our hearts are broken into a million pieces over it. I didn't even see it in person, and yet my mother and I both describe it the same way; that it feels magical. Enchanted.
We both said it sounded silly, but that it evokes the same feeling as Gull Cottage in the movie "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." It sits on 2 1/2 acres and has a view of the lake. The house itself is small, and needs landscaping and to be painted a prettier color. It really isn't a big deal, but THE FEELING that the atmosphere of the whole place sends off is just so peaceful and energizing. It's being surrounded by nature and a beautiful view that's so soothing to the spirit... which is something I crave desperately. It's nothing at all like the neighborhoods we've lived in all our lives. Here, we have a really nice house but it doesn't have that positive vibe which we receive with the other house. It even has a little fireplace in the kitchen!
I can't believe how much in love I am with it when I didn't even get to see it in person. I really need to just get over it and move on.
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(Click on Thumbnails)
Here's the view from the balcony. This pic is from the realtor sites.
There are A LOT of deer up there. Mom saw one guy taking the trash out, and the deer just followed him. (I would imagine gardening is a problem). Mom even saw a roadrunner!
Made another bag recently. With this one, history was made because I actually did some of my own sewing. By hand mind you, since to me operating a sewing machine is tantamount to rocket science. Me + Sewing Machine never ends well. All I hand-stitched though was the flowers and lace up at the top.
Two things I learned with this one is as follows:
1). If you don't want the glue/glossiness from the transfer showing up on the bag always re-iron each section before immediately - yet carefully - peeling it up.
2). Since the tape on the velcro does not fulfill it's destiny and actually stick to the bag, sewing it on BEFORE the lace is a must.
- Season 1 of Once Upon A Time is on Netflix Instant Watch! The new season starts September 30th. I can't wait!!!!!!
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- I've been making a lot of necklaces to sell to some of my sister's Teacher friends. I'll probably post photos of those before I mail them off.
- I finally know what kind of toys entertain Abby! They have to be INTERACTIVE. The other night we got out this little Energizer Bunny wind-up toy, and Abby was wild over it.
So now she has a remote control truck to chase around the house. Since it's green, we've christened it with the name "The Leprechaun 2012." 
She seems pretty happy with it!
Linking to CAMERA CRITTERS
- I'm ready for cooler weather! The good news is the 100+ temps seems to finally be over. I'm really craving for fall to arrive - which it never does in this part of Texas - so this year I plan on trying to trick myself into feeling that it's fall by trying that Pumpkin Spice coffee everyone talks about this time of year. I haven't found it in any stores yet, although I saw that Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts is selling it.
The trouble there is I don't like Dunkin Donuts and if I ever get something from Starbucks it's gonna be a Mocha Frappuccino. I can't help myself.
- Here's video of Endeavor flying over Walt Disney World!!!!
And look at all the Halloween decorations. This makes me so sad! I'm homesick for Disney like never before. This time of year it always hits hard because it's our favorite time to visit. Mickey's-Not-So-Scary-Halloween-Party is so much fun, especially since they all fall around Mom's birthday.
- I have to do it. I have to post a video of Hallowishes. Words cannot describe how amazing this fireworks display is in person.
- Dinosaurs is finally on Netflix! Some of the episodes are in the wrong order, and the descriptions are sometimes incorrect but I'm just glad it's finally on Instant Watch.
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- Loud noises are bothering me even more than usual lately. I've always been sensitive to loud noises, but lately even going to a store is a nightmare. Too many people, crying kids and commotion. At the craft store the other day the loudest fire alarm in the history of mankind kept going off. The lure of jewelry supplies on sale are the only reason I didn't completely lose my marbles and start throwing stuff.
- It's a new Tilt Shift video of Disney World!
- I might get an assignment at a Junior High tomorrow. Pray for me, as the place is teeming with teenagers and I've never been to this school before. I wish I could make a living just making and selling crafts of all kinds. I'm willing to learn anything and everything if I could just work from home on a decent salary.
