$10.00 coupon code

pretty little pumpkins

is offering $10.00 off on any order that includes an ah goo baby plush pad!!!

just use coupon code "ahgoo" during checkout

to celebrate ah goo baby plush pads being featured on NBC's Today Show!!!

check out the buzz here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24774588#24774588

and stop by pretty little pumpkins to pick up your very own plush pad soon...

a composting we shall go...

The weather on the east coast has gone from dismal to BEAUTIFUL in a matter of twenty four hours so the kids and I are off to our next outdoor, going green project...a COMPOST PILE!!!

Now although you are thinking, "Wow, what a GLAMOROUS task!" it really is a dirty job...HA!

When I was growing up we always had a compost pile in our yard and thought it quite strange when friends threw things into their regular trash like coffee grounds and banana peels. What were they thinking? Now that we have our own yard and some time to do things that involve our own kids I thought this would be a perfect way to teach them about recycling some of our own kitchen waste, being kind to our planet by re-using the materials we have put into the pile to feed our newly planted fruits, veggies, herbs (thank for the tips Suzi!) and flowers instead of processed poisons and maybe even throw in a little lesson to teach them (and my darling husband) about reducing waste.

My father still tends to his pile and I must say, his flowers are beautiful and they NEVER use chemicals in their beds, or yard for that matter. So i am taking some of the recipe from his wise ways as well as some research I have done online...the miracle that is the internet!!!

Take note mamas, I DO NOT have all the time in the world to work on this so I am paring it down to fit into our everyday lifestyle, as to not have it become a chore that gets forgotten because of the hassel.

The first step is to talk location: The best is a level, well-drained, area, if you a re in a warm area you will want to put it in a shady spot so the pile will not dry out too quickly. You will also want to keep it on dirt, not a patio or asphalt as to promote natural help from earthworms...they LOVE this stuff! Unless you are using a premade composter, a great option but I cannot see spending money on something I can do for free. Most important is to make the location accessible, will you really use it if you have to trek across the town to get to it?

After you have the perfect place picked, next you have to build a little "shelter" for it. From what I have read and what dear old dad tells me the ideal is a 3 sided box of sorts to make it easy to turn if you wish but also to take out the material when you want to use it. We are going with wood, we have a fireplace so we have tons of logs crying out for a home, and a bonus is that the logs will eventually become compost themselves...always thinking!

Time to start our pile!!! The two basic ingredients that make up compost are green garden debris (grass clippings or old plants and kitchen waste) and brown garden debris (dry leaves). Green ingredients are high in nitrogen, adding too many greens can make the pile smell bad and brown materials are high in carbon. Compost piles with a balance of one part green to two part brown materials break down fastest. The easiest way to create this balance is to add one layer of green material to the pile then top it with two layers of brown material, then mix them together. (I learned to add some finished compost or garden soil to help jump start the microbial activity in the pile.)

Now that we have the "mix" it is important to check the moisture level, with the right moisture level should feel like a damp, wrung-out sponge. Too much moisture can cause temperatures to fall within the pile (and make it smell). Too little moisture slows down the decomposition rate and keeps the pile from heating up. Check the moisture level once a week and adjust it if necessary by adding water to increase moisture or more browns to help dry the pile out.

The last step is to turn the pile once a week to move new additions from the outside of the pile in, this also keeps the pile from compacting, reducing airflow and slowing down decomposition.

Thats' it girls!!! You should have ready to use compost in about two months.

Remember though, NEVER add animal waste, meats, oils, dairy, diseased plants, weeds that have gone to seed, or plants treated with pesticides or herbicides to your compost.

memorial day sale!!!

get your red, white and blue on at pretty little pumpkins!!!

from now thru tues may 27, 2008 save 10% off EVERY purchase of $100.00 or more...including sale and clearance items!!!

just use code "may25" at the checkout

stop by and check out the hot new things and the fab sales!!!


prettylittlepumpkins.com

forwards

we all get TONS of forwards everyday and if you don't like them, by all means delete them or skip over.

though sometimes God sends these chain letters to us for a reason.

my life of late has been UNREAL and the emotions my children and myself are experiencing have been like a roller coaster...i don't forward most of the things i receive, but what i do, and what i have posted to this blog have helped me and my children in ways some of you may understand, many will not.

if you have an open mind keep reading this blog if not then please, by all means close the window...but know no matter how meaningless the words maybe to you...

one stupid forward maybe all it takes to change someones day, week or even life.

have a FABULOUS weekend!!! and please use this day as what it is meant for, a memorial of some FABULOUS men and women.

reason, season or lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you
have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this
person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon
in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.


It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

thank God

I AM THANKFUL:

FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA
BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME,
NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY (?)
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. !

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..

FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION ..

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

MyHotComments

pennsbury senior prom!!!

for those of you in the know, pennsbury high school hosted it's FABULOUS, extravaganza, just ask artist JOHN MAYER who actually performed there a few years ago, of a senior prom last night!!!

one of the ONLY schools left in the entire country to host this gala still AT the high school, it is the highlight of ALL lower bucks county.

i graduated in 1994 and a good friend of mine decided a limo would NOT do for his date, himself and two friends so they rented a helicopter and landed on the football field and the rest is now world known history.

below is an article written in the trentonian newspaper regarding the fanfare that has become a small town prom...

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Posted on Sun, May 18, 2008 Zoom + | Zoom -
A 'PROM'inent night at Pennsbury High
By Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman
FALLS TWP., Pa. — Sporting a multi-colored springtime dress, Amber Mazzocchi flipped burgers on a grill set up on a truck-towed float that chugged along at snail’s pace.

Joined by 15 others, Mazzocchi’s entourage hooted and waved to the thousands who lined the parking lots and grass fields of Pennsbury High yesterday in awe of the school’s annual spectacle — senior prom.

Perhaps it’s this flair and red-carpet treatment that prompted Reader’s Digest in 2004 to honor Pennsbury as host of America’s No. 1 prom.

“There’s no other prom like this in the nation,” a tuxedo-wearing Mike Ostro said while Mazzocchi was grilling the beef patties. “It’s the experience. You have to go all out.”

Advertisement
And going “all out” for Pennsbury’s senior prom is a longtime school district tradition that always excites the community. School officials say the prom gets bigger every year, but the truth is that the gala hasn’t changed much in the five years since I attended the prom as a student.

The 2003 senior prom had a Hollywood theme, which is comparable to yesterday’s theme of “Big Scenes from the TV Screen.”

The inside of the school’s east campus was transformed into a virtual studio with artwork ranging from an “American Idol” stage set to the painted figures of the six Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

The decorative designs were the fruit of several months of labor from student and parent volunteers who worked tirelessly since January to put on the big dance. More than 1,200 prom attendees hit the dance floor yesterday in the school’s gym with popular rock and hip-hop music blazing from the speakers.

But as exquisite as the inside always is, the highlight of Pennsbury’s senior prom is always the ways in which students arrive to the red carpet.



Students strolled through in fire trucks, trolleys, Hummers, stretch Lincoln Navigators, unmarked police vehicles — and one couple exited from a Hearse.

Then you had Stephen Sek, who escorted his date, Sarah Eppolito, in a paramedic stretcher. The idea spawned from the fact that Sek is a “big fan” of the TV show Scrubs and that Eppolito’s dad works at Temple University Hospital.

The theme song to “SpongeBob SquarePants” blasted from the truck-hauled “homemade pineapple” that pumped out bubbles through a pipe. The pineapple vehicle carried a group of 10 prom-goers.

“It took 2½ months to make,” said Melanie Perlstein, who was decked out in a zebra-colored dress.

The guys and girls created the apparatus because “it’s what we wanted the whole year,” said Joe Parrell. “This is the completion of our awesome year.”

Shawn Johnson and Jenna Harris revved their engines as the couple rode alongside each other in their ATVs. “I’m having a lot of fun already,” Johnson said while his engine boomed with his ATV halted in the slowing-moving queue to the red carpet. “And this is just the parade.”

It’s nice to return to my alma mater to see familiar faces at the prom that, in addition to being recognized by Reader’s Digest, was profiled in the 2002 book “Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School.”

“I think each year brings its own uniqueness,” Pennsbury Principal David Bowman said amid the cacophony of color and noise and excitement. “This is my fifth prom, and this is the best I seen. All of America really needs to learn about this prom and this community.”

Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman is a Trentonian reporter. Reach him at sabdur-rahman@trentonian.com.


PS...the HEARSE...MY COUSIN!!!!!

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Concentration ::


2. Relocated ::


3. Clot ::


4. Joints ::


5. Satellite ::


6. Money back ::


7. Kittens ::


8. Shady ::


9. Drain ::


10. Stroke ::

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends

Change all the answers so they apply to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:30a

2. Diamonds or pearls? pearls


3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? NO IDEA


4. What is your favorite TV show? ghost whisperer


5. What do you usually have for breakfast? special k and coffee


6. What is your middle name? ann...a product of the 70's

7. What food do you dislike? not much


8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? no time


9. What time is it right now? 11:40p



10. Favorite sandwich? turkey ruebens


11. What characteristic do you dislike? liars


12. Favorite item of clothing? jeans



13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you Go? any place warm and sunny

Where's #14?

15. Where would you retire to? anyplace warm and sunny



16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? the big 30

Where's #17?

18. Furthest place you are sending this? the internet is endless


19. When is your birthday? april 21


20. Morning person or a night person? NIGHT

Where's #21 & 22?


23. Pets? 2 kitty cats and soon a puppy


24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with your friends? NO i am NOT pregnant again!!!


25. What did you want to be when you were little? a vet

26. How are you today? EXHAUSTED


27. What is your favorite flower? daisies

28. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? i like any friday the 13th's


29. What are you listening to right now? family guy


30. What was the last thing you ate? reese's peanut butter cup sundae



31. Do you wish on stars? always



32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? In my house, if I were a crayon, I’d be naked and broken under a piece of furniture


33. How is the weather right now? Cold and rainy


34. Last person you spoke to on the phone? my husband

35. Favorite soft drink? fresca

36. Favorite restaurant? john henry's

37. Hair color? dark brown


38. what was your favorite toy as a child? my bike



39. Summer or winter? Summer


41. Chocolate or Vanilla? vanilla



42. Coffee or tea? depends on the time of day



43. Do you want your friends to email you back? Well that is just a dumb question…



44. When was the last time you cried? wed


45. What is under your bed? GIANT dust bunnies

46. What did you do last night? laundry

47. What are you afraid of? robbers


48. Salty or sweet? Both if it’s PMS time, otherwise I try to avoid them


49. How many keys on your key ring? 2 – car and house


50. How many years at your current job? almost 10


51. Favorite day of the week? Friday


52. Do you make friends easily? yup...very chatty


53. How many people will you send this to? check my blog



54. How many will respond? ?



55. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? again very chatty ;)

HOT shopping totes!!!!

i am ALL about making it easy to be earth friendly and i love, love, love the idea of re-usable shopping totes for going to the market or even to target. with that in mind know that i have spent well over $50.00 on the darn things because i keep leaving them in my car and i always buy more at the checkout!!!

well i recently found an answer to my "memory" prayers!!! i have a friend melanie, of bags by melanie who creates BEAUTIFUL shopping totes. check these babies out...you will NEVER forget these?

not only do they have a lot more style than those basic (but still GREAT) bags...check out the features:



there are two handles 30" long, so they are long enough that you can toss them over your shoulder...those of you with small children REALLY grasp the importance of this when you are fumbling with a toddler, purse and keys it is not the easiest thing to have a bag of groceries in the crook of your arm



the size is UNREAL!!! they are VERY close to the size of an actual brown paper bag. in all the different types of totes i have tried i have never found one this large. the bag measures 16" long by 11" across and are 6" wide with a flat bottom, check out just a sampling of what we popped into this baby...

but the BEST feature of this bag is although she has many to choose from you can have her custom make one just for you!!! how AWESOME is that?!?!? i am the ONLY mama in yardley with a rocking black with pink skulls tote!!!



check out melanies shop on etsy at bags by melanie

and don't forget to stop by pretty little pumpkins for new items and sales all the time!!!

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon
way, you will command the attention of the world."


--George Washington Carver

I say ... and you think ... ?

Free association is described as a "psychonanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind without monitoring its content." Over time, this technique is supposed to help bring forth repressed thoughts and feelings that the person can then work through to gain a better sense of self.

That's an admirable goal, but for the purposes of this excercise, we're just hoping to have a little fun with the technique. Each week I'll post ten words to which you can respond to with the first thing that comes to mind.

1. Track ::


2. Snake ::


3. Assignment ::


4. Blockbuster ::


5. Bombastic ::


6. Adventure ::


7. First time ::


8. Aged ::


9. Grip ::


10. Shortcut ::

Unconscious Mutterings

quote

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.

-Abraham Lincoln

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.

-Spanish Proverb

they're here!!!!

the new misha lulu is here!!!

come check it all out at pretty little pumpkins

happy mama's day!

It's almost here! The LOVELIEST day of the year. No I am not talking about Christmas...I am talking about the the one day every year when daddy gets up with the pumpkins, throws together a special breakfast and everyone stays nice and quiet so mama can sleep in...until 8 or so!!!

What do you all do for the blessed occasion?

My family all gathers together for brunch made by all the boys at my parents home. FABULOUS!!! The boys cook, serve and clean up as well as chase kiddies while us girls sit around chatting...oh the joy!

As for the gifts we stay away from cut flowers, candy and even jewelry...not that those are not three of my favorite things, especially the jewelry, but i prefer to give things for a beautiful spring holiday that will grow and flourish as well as provide memories each year. Two years ago my mother in-law had a beautiful weeping cherry tree planted in my front yard for me...YES, I was getting one for that specific spot anyway ;)

So if you a lucky enought to have sunny weather this mother's day (we are not on the east coast) try these little tips for after your hike/ picnic that Suzi suggested:

Check into giving potted plants, a great alternative to taking the lives of innocent little flowers being cut down in their prime!!! A few weeks back I wrote an article on bringing plants into your home and workplace so I have re-listed some great ones here again:

Gerber daisy

Bamboo palm

Spider plant

Areca palm

Reed palm

Dwarf date palm

Boston fern

Janet Craig dracaena

English ivy

Australian sword fern

Peace Lily

Rubber plant

Weeping fig

I actually went to the florist yesterday and picked up nine, yes you read correctly we have mamas, grand-mamas, god-mamas & special aunts; in my opinion whether you gave birth or not, if you take care of a child in any capacity you deserve a mother's day gift, nine little peace lillies. I must say the lillies and the adorable pots I picked out for each one came to about $15.00 a piece. I was shocked that what I consider to be such a thoughtful, generous gift was so inexpensive.

Now my own little pumpkins are giving me a day outside, my FAVORITE. When the weather gets nice again, the kids and I are going back out to plant more "kid-friendly" plants. Baby #1 even made me some "coupons" good to be used for digging, weeding, raking leaves and such (he's 9 so of course he HAD to tell me early;) ) We have used up all of our planting area for this year so I went out and bought recycled, re-usable pots to make little container gardens for our patio. The girls love the LOUD flowers like marigolds and daisies so that's what we will get...LOT'S of color!

Whatever you give, receive or do for mothers day, just knowing a child makes you the luckiest, most blessed person "in the galaxy!" I thank my babies everyday for choosing me to be their mama, they always laugh, but really there wouldn't be a mother's day without those precious little devils.

Have a FABULOUS mama's day and week and hug every baby, whether 1 second or 100 years old extra tight!!!

some of the things in my purse...

what do you keep in your purse...are you surprised to see what's actually living in there?

check out this beautiful hand crafted bag designed by pamela robinson of unique handbags using a variety of different fabrics, there are also custom designs girls.

here is the beautiful custom designed bag that's waiting to be shipped to the winner!



check out the link for ORGANIZED MOMS...you can earn up to TEN entries !

*a winner will be chosen by random drawing sunday may 11th 2008 and notified by email

DON'T FORGET TO PRETTY LITTLE PUMPKINS WHEN YOU POST!!!