Bowling, Sweet Stuff & Texas!

I haven't been bowling in FOREVERS! A couple nights ago my family went. And I sucked. I used to be pretty good. It was fun anyway! We all came up with nicknames...mine was "Cupcake"! The bowling pics were taken by my friend Tia.

Yesterday the Caramel Apple Fairy knocked on my door & brought me this sweet treat. Five minutes after this picture was taken, the girls & I devoured our goodie to bits. Caramel & white chocolate. Who could resist?

I guess I'm really writing to say 'goodbye'! Tomorrow my blog will be co-hosting Kara's Virtual Baby Shower & the next day I'll be on my way to Texas. Early in the morning my best friend Tia(a.k.a. Caramel Apple Fairy) is picking me up. Four of us will be traveling all day long to Dallas & we don't get in until 6pm. Ugh. But I've already got my carry-on bag packed with lots of fun stuff to do!

Hey, why are things 'bigger in Texas' anyways? I think I'm going to make it my mission to find out. I'll let you know what I discover.

It seems when kids & hubbies are not present that massive giggling & silliness ensue. And I'll have 4 days of it! Bring it on.

I'm looking forward to the MOPS convention (Mothers Of PreSchoolers). I really have no idea what to expect. I'm just going by what I've heard & read. I'll be hangin' out with thousands of other moms from all over the US, listening to great speakers, awesome worship, & going to workshops & sessions about parenting, being a mom, etc & I'm even signed up for a session (which I'm most excited about!) for the Creative Activity leaders. I'll get to meet with other crafty MOPS peeps!

There's also an opportunity for me to display some samples of my handmade items--along with hundreds of others-- to help other MOPS groups get ideas. I've gathered together some small things that will fit in my suitcase. AND, I'm planning on taking LOTSA photos of other crafty ideas I see too! Hopefully I'll have some cool project ideas to bring back to my group-- & share with you too!

Here's some dorky fun little biz-type cards I made up to place next to my samples in case anyone has questions about them, etc.

Oh! And I hope to meet up with some other MOPS chiks/bloggers who frequent my blog & will be there too! Won't that be neato?! How will we see each other amidst the large crowd? I was thinking of giving a signal. Or wearing something random. But we never worked out the kinks, so hopefully we'll bump into each other somehow...

Anyway, I'll leave all my little WhiMSy lovers with a treat while I'm gone, so you don't miss me too much: I've got a tutorial scheduled to post while I'm gone. Wheeeeee!

Please come for a visit to Kara's Baby Shower tomorrow. There will be prizes, & links to other blogs with giveaways as well!

Have a super duper day!

Peace & Cupcakes,

Nikki

MOPS

The theme for MOPS (Mothers Of PreSchoolers) this year is "Adventures in Mothering". The theme logo is a carnival with a giant roller coaster--- its wide turns, long loops, high climbs and deep plummets paralleling the sometimes turbulent, sometimes exhilarating ride of mothering. Our first meeting was yesterday & I got a few pictures to show. I purchased flowers & stuck them in small popcorn buckets for a few accents of carnival-chic decor. They're sitting on top of some laminated ticket placemats I made a few years ago.

We always choose a few names for prizes at every meeting, & this year--in county fair style--the names were written on the bottom of wee rubber duckies floating in a duck pond. The duck pulled from the pond is declared the winner!Here are the moms enjoying a round of "Speed Friendship". (It's like speed dating but without the butterflies & sweaty palms.) It's a great way to get to know other moms you might not otherwise get a chance to chat with! I know 60 second conversations aren't VERY meaningful, but still....it's better than the toddler talk I get all day.
And this month I taught the moms how to make the Shrinky Dink I.D. tags. I think they really enjoyed it. But then again, I wouldn't know because me & my saucy pits were shrinkin' dinks in front of a smokin' hot oven!

Our new Hospitality Crew went all out on the table decorations! It's fun because each table has a different theme. Here are the "Carasouel Cuties"....

...the "Dunk Tank Divas"....

...the "Cotton Candy Queens"...

& the "Popcorn Princesses".

The other moms posed with their children while taking pictures for the upcoming MOPS phone directory. But me? I took it to a whole....'nother.....level....

And I CAN'T believe I haven't mentioned this before now, but I'm going to the MOPS convention in Texas next month!! 3 other ladies from my group will be going also & we'll be gone for 4 days, beginning October 2nd. I can't wait to soak up some inspiration, laugh till my cheek muscles hurt, hear great speakers, get some awesome ideas, possibly meet some other zany moms & take LOADS of pictures!! I hate flying, so I'm already doing breathing exercises to prepare for my flight.

I'm totally practicing my Texan accent & I'm planning on teasing my hair big to celebrate my upcoming adventure! YEEEEEHAAAAAWWWW!

**Thanks Tia for letting me "borrow" some of your photos.