Authentic Saloon Girl Costume

After getting an invitation to a murder mystery party, then finding out I was to be a saloon girl, I was stumped at what to do for my outfit.  I'm not good at dressing up and this was very out of my comfort zone.  After talking to my amazing friend, Michelle, she said that she would help me.  Last week she arrived with her 4 little ones and a basket of clothes and make up.  We spent 8 hours (minus  feeding all 6 children) putting together an outfit and doing hair and makeup. It was super fun to get all girly and just hang out with a great friend while the kids played.

Hair up in a bun, gentle curls around the face and 

a bit of make up help make the whole package.

The outfit was fun to come up with.  We tried lots of fun looks and settled on this one.  We started with an off the shoulder top, covered by a beautiful corset.  It was fun to wear, but I'm super glad that we don't have to wear these every day.  

Then we worked on the rest of the outfit.  The base skirt was white with a blue patchwork skirt overtop.  To get a bit of a fuller skirt and some color, we added a blue silk tie around skirt and a rose pink sash.  The more layers that were added gave it depth and beauty.  A final silk scarf tied around the waist finished the main look we were going for.  As accessories, I added a simple choker, shawl and a fun little dagger.  

Cowboy boots, black nylons and a garter

 completed the look of a simple saloon girl.

I loved the look of the back. 

I have a knife and I know how to use it.

On the day of the party, we added a small revolver, feathers in my hair and a lot more makeup.  

The final product!

10 Things I Love About My Husband

Chris and I have been married for 13 years.  It is our anniversary today.  I love my dear husband so much.  He has been by my side through some great times and some tough times.  I love him so much!

10 Things I Love About My Husband

1.  He is the father of my two beautiful little girls. He is an
amazing dad and teaches them so much.

2.  He protects me. When I have touched some thing I'm allergic to, he
reminds me to wash. If some one is making my life difficult, he finds
ways to keep some distance from them for awhile.  He makes sure I have
 my phone so I can call for help.

3. He loves me and no other. I know that he will never love another
woman like he loves me.  I am his and he is mine. . . forever.

4.  He cooks dinner for me on the days that I work.  Even on days that he
 won't be there for dinner and I have worked, he makes sure I have something
 to heat up.

5.  He doesn't make me watch scary movies that he wants to because he
knows I'll  get nightmares.

6. He takes me out for ice cream any time I want.  That is a good man!

7.  He laughs at the crazy things I do and doesn't make me feel
stupid, just loved.

8.  He goes out of his way to get me special things that He knows I
will love: flowers, a necklace, my camera.

9.  We have fun together.  He is my best friend and we just enjoy
doing things with each other

10. He listens to me.  Even when he has no idea what I am talking about
or what I am discussing makes him want to run away (think hospital stuff-blood
and guts), he listens.  

 

Brittany, Catie, Michelle and Courtney were my lovely flower girls.

My Dad, my Mom, and my sister, Megan.

Chris' nephew Casey was our ring bearer.

Chris' Mom and Dad

My cousin, Jonathan, stood behind me in the reception line and decorated my veil with leaves.  He was so helpful!  

We had an entire 5 gallon bucket of birdseed dumped on us.  Some one threw a whole cup into my open mouth and I almost choked and died.  Almost.  Good thing I made it!!

Catie made this sweet card for us.  I love the PS. at the top, "That's you smooching".

Chris is such a great daddy.  He loves his kids and they love him.

Getting the Kids Involved

My girls are four and six years old.  They are big enough to be a great help to me with the house work. The problem is that one of my little ones doesn't much like helping.  Hannah, my youngest, loves to help out in any way imaginable.  She changes over the laundry and folds the towels, scrubs the toilets and the sinks, sets the table, unloads the dishwasher, makes her bed, picks up her toys and helps me all the time.  She has such a servants heart and this comes naturally to her.

However, not so for Bekah.   She does all those things, but it is not easy for her.  She would much rather be playing or coloring.  Who wouldn't?  However, I am her momma and I will train her to run a house hold and take care of her family.  That is my job as a mommy.

I didn't like all of the housework as a girl.  One time I remember thinking that when I was a mom, I would never make my kids work like slaves in the house.  I would just let them play and have fun each and every day, since that is what kids are supposed to do.  My mom didn't believe in that.  She taught my sister and I to cook and clean and manage our money.  We learned very quickly to be independent and take care of our selves.  I hated it at the time, but am so grateful today.  Running a house hold isn't that big of a deal since I had already been trained.

So advance 20 years: Now I am the mom and I am training my little ones on how to cook and clean it is a whole new world.  We recently gave the girls their own chores to do each day.  Bekah thought about it for a bit and then told me, "I don't think that this is a good idea.  I just don't think so.  I don't want to have to set the table and empty the dishwasher. "  She was not pleased that I would ask her to do such things.  We talked about it for a bit and I explained why I was doing it.  She didn't really get it until last night though.

Bekah was picking on Hannah like most kids do.  So I decided to pull Bekah into the kitchen to help me and Hannah went out back to play.  Dinner took twice as long to cook with her helping, but it was so fun.  I read off the ingredients and Bekah found them by herself.  It's great now that she is learning to read.  We prepped the chicken and the fried rice.  She had such fun measuring out all the ingredients and cooking with very little help from me.

 Hannah came in and started to help wash the dishes.  I began setting the table since  Bekah was cooking the rice. Bekah began talking about how she couldn't set the table since it was so much work  cooking.  I had a great conversation discussing how when one is cooking and working so hard, it is difficult to set the table and do other things.  She finally got why I am asking them to help out around the kitchen.  She is starting to understand that when everyone helps out around the house, life is better.  When we all do our part, then no one is burdened with the entire job.

And look at the joy on her face as she helps out.  

Serving others blesses you and blesses others.