An hour of Crafting at the USO

The USO on base is quite active.  They are open most days of the week.  It's a really nice place with snacks and tv and an area to relax.  I signed up the other evening for an hour of crafting.  We made a Twinkle Pumpkin.  They provided the items to make the craft and delicious hot apple cider.  

Twinkle Pumpkin

I love crafting.  There were a lot of ladies there.  Most of them came with a gal pal.  I felt a bit out of place since I don't have any gal pals here.  I quickly completed my craft and came on home.  I was friendly and others were friendly toward me however it just felt off.  

These last couple of years have pushed me to be more reclusive.  I guess we all have with the lockdowns.  I'm friendly with people.  I have acquaintances but I've not had a close friendship in several years.  

Trunk or Treat 2022

 

I have always wanted to participate in a trunk or treat, and this year we had the opportunity to join in the fun.  We participated in the Autumn Fun with the command.  

I'm a sucker for a theme.  I decided to go with the "Witch's Tea Party".   I set the table and it was glorious.  Our costumes were fabulous.  I gave each child that came through a tea cup with two pieces of candy and a little squeaky toy.  We got a few votes but did not win however we had a very good time.  I loved it.  I hope to be able to do many more in the future especially if we happen to live out in the country.  

I used many items I already had as well as purchased some items specifically for this theme.  I had the silver tray I used in the middle.  It was given to me by my husband's grandma, she got it as a wedding gift.  It needs a good polishing so it looked great on the table.  I ordered the tea kettle from Amazon. 

I had the tablecloth but ordered the spiderweb table runner.  It came with bats and several other spooky linens.  I am obsessed with the tea plates and cups.  I found them at a thrift store. I am always looking for different kinds.  I put glittered water in the cups to look like tea.  I used edible glitter. I also bought crystal teaspoon sets because I'm extra.  I picked up silver rectangle serving trays from Daiso.  

It's hard to see in the picture but I also had a small apothecary and cauldron in the trunk. 

I had more things I wanted to put out.  A sign for broom parking, and an invitation to the tea party but it was very windy.  That's why my hat is pulled down on my head.    

Items I used:

*(Disclaimer.  I receive a small commission when you purchase through my link with no additional cost to you). 

    Costume Items: 

    Renaissance Dress

    Witch Hat

    I'm with the Witch t-shirt 

   

   Treats: 
   Squishy Octopus

   Squeaky Piggy
   Rubber Duckies

   Clear plastic cups

   Tablecloth
   Table runner

   Bat lights

   Backdrop cloth

   Teapot

   Spoons

   Edible Glitter

   
   

A Rash, A Pumkin and Autumn Fest

Last week was a doozy.  Wednesday morning Gavin woke up and had a few dots on his chest.  I checked his temperature and it was normal.  He was running around like normal and said he felt fine, so I sent him to school.  I gave him Cody's cell phone number, just in-case since Cody was going with me to a doctor's appointment.  First Cody had an appointment for something and as soon as he was done with that he got the call from the nurse to come get Gavin.  I went in and picked him up and the few dots he had on his chest had spread all over him and was on his face.

We went straight to the hospital since I already had an appointment and Cody was with me he could see if they could fit Gavin in sometime that day.  I just had to do a urine test (UTI ugh).  They were able to get Gavin in right away.  It appears he had a reaction to the amoxicillin that he was taking for the strep he had the week before.  They are theorizing that he had mono on top of the strep because the rash was characteristic of the ones that happen with mono and amox.  He looked awful.  He stayed home from school the rest of Wednesday and on Thursday.  By Thursday afternoon the rash was beginning to fade.  Poor guy.  The red around his mouth is a juice stain.

By Friday he was feeling better and didn't look like the plague was eating him alive so he went to school for the Storybook Parade.  Each child dressed up as a storybook character.  Gavin first wanted to be Scooby-doo, but I managed to give away all the books and we couldn't find one at the base library.  Actually I didn't try to hard to find one.  We had a pumpkin costume and several books to choose from. He chose "The Magic Pumpkin"  Here he is that morning before school along with Cody and Norah.

He was happy.  Of course on Saturday I found a couple of Scooby-doo books in a box we hadn't unpacked yet.  

When I was in 3rd grade we had the same thing and I dressed up as Princess Sapphire from some book I had read.  I'm the one in the blue dress.  

Friday night was the first Middle School dance and Cody and I convinced Ethan he should go.  He said he had a good time.  I didn't take a picture of him, but he wore his blonde wig and a pirate hat!  He was adorable and so many people didn't recognize him!  

Friday and Saturday the base held "Autumn Fest".  Ethan's Boy Scout troop had a booth where they put up a rope bridge and charged .50 to cross it.  The Sicilian kids loved it as well as Americans.  Ethan worked there for three hours each day.  The troop camped out there on Saturday night, but Ethan just didn't feel like it so he came home with us.  

Autumn Fest had rides, food booths and games.  It was fun.  I got cranky there....not sure what that was about.  I calmed down once we ate.  I suppose it was dropping blood sugar or may be I was just grumpy. Probably the latter.  

It's blurry, but Gavin and Ethan riding the swings.

Norah on the kiddie swings.

Gavin and Norah riding the train.

All in all, we had a great time.  It was a good end to a week full of ups and downs.