Doll House Make-over

Christmas is coming and what to get for the girl who has way more than a 3 year old should? What to do when $$$ is in short supply? Reduce, reuse, & recycle, my friends.

This dollhouse belonged to the Sosa girls many moons ago. I dragged it from my grandma's garage with hopes of making it hip, cute, and the perfect little home for Polly Pocket. Can paint do the trick? This is the antique style furniture that I arranged a million times as a child. It was dusty & broken, but I'm gonna spruce it up!

Pink, yellow, lavender, lime, and white spray paint did the trick!!!

Turquoise paint inside & out...

pink trim... my favorite color combo...

Now... the real work begins. I have to paper the walls & embellish the heck out of it. Actually, the real dilemma is where do I hide all of this from Sierra?? But - I am so excited to share something that I spent hours and hours enjoying as kid.

Chim-Chim Cherie

We LOVE Mary Poppins. The movie is a total family fave... The kids have even been Mary & Burt for Halloween, so when we got the opportunity to go see the theatre version we jumper at it! From start to finish it was an incredible experience... the kids got all dolled up, the Ahmanson Theatre at night is beautiful, it was all decorated for Christmas, and then... the show. WOW, WOW, WOW! There are songs that are different from the movie & the story line is altered a little, but we enjoyed ourselves soooo much. The actors voices were unreal. I knew it was really something special when Eli had to fight so hard not to fall asleep during the chimney dancing scene in Act II. It took place around 10:30 pm- my kids go to sleep at 7:30- he was literally shaking himself to stay awake and not miss it. So great! Mary even flies for real... It was SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXBIALIDOSIOUS! The kids danced to the singing of street performers before the show... they got applause from the crowd and bowed. Should I be afraid?

The water fountains at night were so beautiful... I was wishing for a better camera. Do you hear me Santa???

SIERRA MY SWEET. I LOVE THAT SHE LIKES TO GET FANCY LIKE NANCY- (moms of little girls know what I mean) for all big events.

Jedi Training Academy

A five year old boy's dreams come true...

Are you kidding me with this Jedi Academy at Disneyland? It is the coolest thing! In Fantasyland there is a daily show where kids from the audience can be chosen to go through "Jedi Training" with Master Windu (for Star Wars nerds he's a BIG deal). The kids are given capes, light sabers, and war-fare class. Mid-way through the training the infamous Darth Vader music starts playing and out comes Darth Vader ready to battle each child on stage. Eli was chosen for the show & his expressions throughout the show were so sincere. It was real to him & you could tell he was truly saving the galaxy from the "Dark Side". We will never forget it. Master Windu (In the movie he cuts the head off Jango Fett... remember Jango Fett... the name Eli gave as his own during his first week in Kindergarten)

Eli, saving us all from Vadar...

Deep, deep in thought...

Check this out! I was the ultimate beamin' Mama.

Picking & Treating

Okay, so in true Tafoya style I am totally behind on posting Halloween pics & I have still have 4 uncarved pumpkins on my porch... BUT, I have to say it was the MOST fun Halloweeen ever! Rich has never been home to trick or treat with the fam, and this year HE WAS!! It was so great. As always, we have gone head first into Eli's latest obsession- STAR WARS. So we were all characters from the movie... even little Sierra who has been 100% brain-washed into thinking that Star Wars is as great as Polly Pockets- Crazy! Any-hew... Here's our Halloween from start to finish. Pumpkin picking & trick or treating.

The petting zoo at the pumpkin patch certainly stole Sierra's heart. Baby goats- too cute! Eli, Christian, Landon, & Sierra doing their best silly faces.

Ah-ha! I've found the perfect pun-kin.

Along for the ride...

A little interested & a little terrified of the GIANT bugs being shown at the bug-cart.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT! Princess Leah (Me) & Queen Amidalla (Sierra)

This was the best! My NOTORIOUS LADY'S Man found a girlfriend during the night. This is a girl we have never met before ... EVER and he's already working his magic. The family stayed with us for the next hour or so, and the two kids remained hand holders... NICE to meet you, Emily.

Black table cloth- $9

Eli's light saber- $10

Darth Vader mask from Walmart- $10

Elijah thinking his DAD is the coolest!!!- PRICELESS

The Family

PRE-trick or treating fun...

Is it wrong that I LOVE this picture of my kids so much... especially since my son is attempting to shoot us? It's kinda wrong, but they are my favorite(: