Halloween 2016

Wonder Woman!

Lil' Miss decided that she wanted to dress up as Wonder Woman, this year! Not quite sure how she settled on this costume as she's never really seen the cartoons/comics. No worries, though, this was an easy costume for me to sew up because I had the perfect PDF sewing pattern to use- Made for Mermaids Everyday Princess, Jasmine (as Wonder Woman)!

We'll be trick-or-treating around our neighborhood, this evening. Katy's best bud and his family will be joining us in the festivities. Should be a nice night weather-wise, too! Now, the trick is, can we get the kiddos to bed at a reasonable hour because Halloween is on a SCHOOL NIGHT...?!! :-P

Edited to Add Pictures:

Our SUPER WONDERful little family!

It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's SUPER DAD and WONDER KATY!

Happy Halloween 2015!

Super Sparkle!

Lil' Miss dressed up as Barbie Super Sparkle for Halloween, this year! Basically, she was a female superhero in a sparkly pink costume (what's not to love?!). Ha!

Just like last year, Katy's best buddy, Connor and his family came over to trick-or-treat. First, we ate a rushed dinner (those kids wanted CANDY!) and then roamed the neighborhood. Katy and Connor had a blast running up ahead trick-or-treating. They came back with a haul of candy and stayed up way past their bedtimes! (Note, Halloween night happened to fall on Daylight Savings, this year. Lil' Miss didn't get the memo- she woke up extra early the next morning...... so much for an extra hour of sleep!).

Wordless Wednesday- Big Splash!

Happy Halloween 2014- Just Call Us Olaf, Anna and Elsa

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

Photo by the talented Drew Photography.

Lil' Miss wanted to be Elsa for Halloween this year (along with a million, zillion other little girls!!). So, when we were invited to a friend's annual costume Halloween party, Hubby and I decided to go all in, too!

Ted was a good sport to dress up like Olaf, the snowman from Frozen. He designed his Olaf hat and I sewed the rest of his costume. I, on the other hand, got to be the only other female in the movie, Elsa's younger sister, Anna. I sewed my apron and cape. 

Lots of dress-up fun!

Happy Halloween 2014- Word Girl Takes on the Downtown Concord Candy Crawl!

"Word Up!"

Candy Crawl with Friends.

"Katy is my Sunshine, my only Sunshine...!"

Because Halloween fell on a Friday, this year, that meant that the annual Downtown Concord Candy Crawl was on the same day as trick-or-treating (translation- Sugar Coma!!). After preschool, Lil' Miss enjoyed doing the Candy Crawl with friends. She racked up the treats, bounced off some energy in the bounce houses and even had her picture taken by the Independent Tribune!

Katy definitely enjoyed Halloween, this year!!

Sentence of the Day- "Stop the Bats!"

This past weekend, we got our in touch with our "Dixie side" and attended the Dixie Classic Fair with our friends, the Keys family. The weather was drizzly and a little too cool (for my liking!), but the girls had lots of fun riding the rides (and not having to wait in lines!).

At one point during the day, we consulted our fair schedule and decided to attend the acrobat show. As we were walking over to where the show was supposed to be, Katy asked us where we were going. Our friend, Justin, answered, "We're going to see the acrobats."

Horrified, Katy turned around and vehemently exclaimed, "I don't want to see BATS!!" I hate bats!!"

Mistakenly, Katy had thought Justin had said, BATS show, not ACRObats show. I don't blame you, Katy- I'm not much one for bats, either.... ;-)

Slumber Party

Daddy Make-over

Watching the movie, Frozen

(Not pictured- the singing, whirling karaoke that ensued as soon as "Let It Go" came on. 

Those girls Knew.Every.Single.Word!!) 

Our friends' daughter, Cecilia slept over, this past Friday. Katy was SOOOOooo excited to have a "slumber party!" She had very definite ideas of what a slumber party entails.

According to Katy, their itinerary for the night included the following;

-Order Pizza (The one the "Yellow Sauce." Papa John's, in case you couldn't figure that one out- took us awhile, too!).

-Paint nails.

-Do make overs (Somehow, neither girl got a make over. Instead, Ted somehow got roped into getting "dressed up." Ha!)

-Stay up late doing shadow puppets with the flashlight.

-Watch Frozen.

-Eat Pancakes in the morning.

 They didn't quite get to do everything listed, but they sure stayed up late giggling, laughing and having fun...! ;-)

First Time at the Bowling Alley

Our family friends' little girl (well, not so little anymore- she's SEVEN- and I remember visiting her in the hospital on the day that she was born!!), recently had her birthday party at the bowling alley.

This was Lil' Miss' first experience lacing up the fancy clown shoes and striking some pins down. At first, she was a little hesitant and wanted Ted to help her every single turn.

However, by the end, she was bowling like a pro and having a blast!

Look at that awesome score!! She's a better bowler than I will ever be! She even managed to get a couple of strikes between the two games that she played!

As a side note, bowling alleys have come a long way from the dark, dingy, smokey caves I remember for years of ol'. The bowling alley that Cecilia's birthday party was held at had brightly lit lanes, touch-screen scoreboards and these really cool ramps that helped little ones (and big ones, too!), get the ball down the lane! Fun!!

(Happy Birthday, Cecilia!! So glad we could help you celebrate your special day! :-0)

Easter Egg Hunt!

 "My friends, Jackson and Macy had their annual Easter Egg Hunt, today!"

 "We searched for plastic eggs! The pink ones are my favorite!"

"I got to show off my pretty Party Dress by the Cottage Mama, that Mommy sewed for me. 

Tres chic!"

"Best part? I got to hang out with my friends (like Connor ;) and have fun!

Hoppy Easter!"

#DisneySide @Home Celebration- Princesses Playdate

***Disclosure: "I received free products in order to host the #Disney Side @Home Celebration. The opinions expressed here are my own."***

We hosted our #Disney Side @Home Celebration, today. Our #DisneySide is definitely all about PRINCESSES, so it was a Princesses (and Princes) Playdate with friends!

Princess Decorations

Drew Photography

Princess Decorations

Drew Photography

Princess cupcakes

Drew Photography

Playgroup Royalty

Drew Photography

My own little Princess.

Drew Photography

**Photography compliments of the talented Drew Photography. Thanks for coming to our party and sharing your talent, Stephanie!!**

***Disclosure: "I received free products in order to host the #Disney Side @Home Celebration. The opinions expressed here are my own."***

Teach Us Jesus: Mountains & Valley

Teach Us Jesus: Mountains & Valley

Written and Illustrated by Kevin Lepp

Today, I have a very special opportunity to share a new book with you, the readers of All Things Katy! It is titled, Teach Us Jesus: Mountains & Valley, Written and Illustrated by Kevin Lepp. Hubby and I went to college with Kevin and I love promoting the talented work of a fellow Ringling College of Art and Design alum!

Playfully illustrated and Biblically based, Teach Us Jesus: Mountains & Valley is about Judah and his little sister, Daphne. Together, they must experience valleys, and learn the importance of listening to Jesus in order to get to the mountaintop.

Retailing for $13.00 + shipping, Teach Us Jesus: Mountains & Valley can be purchased at:

Teach Us Jesus Children's Books

Amazon- Harcopy

Amazon- EBook

**As a special promotion for the readers of All Things Katy!, you may purchase this book for $10.00 + shipping ($4.00). Order instructions: Email purchases@teachusjesusbooks.com. For the subject line put "Heather's Blog". In the email put: Name, Phone number and Number of books. You will be called later that day, or the next day, to do the transaction over the phone via credit card. Please DO NOT put your credit card information in the email.**

Moms' Night Out

Moms' Night Out: Official Trailer

I am fortunate enough to be apart of a great group of women (and their children) who get together weekly for playgroup. The kids play, the moms talk. It's so comforting and cathartic to be able to share life and build friendships amongst similarly-minded women.


Every couple months, or so, this same group of women go out for a Mom's Night Out. The husbands all stay home with the kids and the moms get to go out! We have done it all- dinner, karaoke, dancing! It' so fun!
So, when I saw this trailer for the upcoming movie, "Moms' Night Out," I literally LAUGHED OUT LOUD and thought of my mom friends! Too, too, funny... sometimes, reality if funnier than fiction! 

Don't forget that National Mom’s Nite Out is on May 8th, 2014. Check out their website for more information.



*I was not financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*

Rocking around the Christmas Tree- Tree Pickin' with the Keys Family 2013

"...Rocking around the Christmas Tree..."

"...Let the Christmas Spirit ring..."

"...Later we'll have some pumpkin pie..."

"...And we'll do some caroling..."

"...Have a happy holiday
Everyone's dancing merrily
In a new old fashioned way..."

It's the first full weekend in December and that only means one thing in the Jones household... Christmas Tree time! We met up with our friends, the Keys family, at our usual Christmas tree farm, Shady Rest. The weather was chilly, but not snowy, this year. We took our time finding the "perfect tree." Lil' Miss had her own opinions on what she was looking for in a tree! Bigger! Taller! Fatter!

After we found THE tree, drank some hot chocolate and the girls enjoyed a lollipop, we went to Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery for lunch. Katy and Cecilia had lots of fun together! Lunch was delicious and the company merry.

Love our annual trek to the mountains to get Christmas tree!

Carolina Renaissance Festival 2013

Welcome to the Renaissance Festival!

First Jousting Tournament with Sir Max

Second Jousting Tournament

Today, we joined our friends, the Domms for a day at the Renaissance Festival. Ted and I have been in the past, but that was well BK (Before Katy). It was a beautiful, balmy 73 degrees, today, to take in the festival.

When we first got there, Katy was enthralled with people watching (and boy, were there lots of "characters" to watch and observe!). After meeting up, we made our way through the various shops and vendors to the Jousting tournament. We found a nice sunny spot to sit and Katy LOVED watching the horses! She got the hang of who won each mini tournament before I ever did!

After lunch, we let the kids play a bit in the kids area and then we grabbed a bite to eat. While we didn't partake in the traditional mega-turkey leg, we did enjoy the improved offering of teriyaki chicken (don't remember that being there, last time!).

We took in the two o'clock glass blowing demonstration. It was neat to see the glass being formed into a drinking glass. Even Katy was straining to watch the demonstration. 

After the glass blowing demo, we headed back to the jousting field because Lil' Miss enjoyed watching it so much the first time. This time, though, we didn't get a seat and had to stand and watch. It wasn't so much a problem for Katy, though, since she had the best seat in the house upon her Daddy's shoulders.

After the second joust, we called it a day. Thanks for inviting us, Lauren and Joe! We had fun!

They're Not Babies, Anymore...

Savannah and Katy- practically babies-

August 28, 2011

Savannah and Katy are all grown up!

October 19, 2013

Quick Trip to Wilmington

 "This weekend, Mommy, Daddy and I took a quick trip to Wilmington, NC, to help our friends, the Woolards. 

They planted Venture Church there a little while ago and needed some help with set-up/break-down. They meet at a YMCA. (Ahhh- the joys of being a mobile church!)"

"On the long, four hour car ride to Wilimington, I caught up on my beauty sleep..."

"...drew a picture of Daddy..."

(How cute is this little drawing?! Pay special note to the spiky hair, mustache and beard)

"Once we got there and checked into our hotel, we took a little walk for some lunch and to stretch our legs. Well, Daddy stretched his legs and I 'rode on high.'"

"Best part of the whole weekend was getting to see my friend, Savannah! YAYAY!!"

One Life Chili Cook-off- Chili Cook-Off #3

Katy and her bud, Chloe

Katy, Kylie and Wake... Triple Threat

Let the Chili testing commence!

For our third and final chili cook-off of the weekend (yes, three chili cook-offs in the same weekend!), we joined our church family for their Chili Cook-Off at Harrisburg Park. The kids ran around and had fun. The adults got to stand around and chat. There was lots of food to go around. All in all, a good afternoon spent with our fellow One Lifers!

Chili Cook-off #2

Crafting with Margot and Jackson.

Bouncing around!

Sparks-a-flying!

Last night, we went to our second chili cook-off of the weekend. This time, we joined our friends at the Drew residence for a nice evening spent amongst friends. The weather was perfect- not too hot, not too cold. The kids had fun crafting, bouncing, running around and roasting marshmallows.

The only scare of the evening was when Lil' Miss fell off the treehouse ladder. Luckily, she wasn't hurt, but boy, did that give us a fright! Minutes later, after the initial shock and embarrassment, Katy was up and running with the other kids as if nothing had happened.

In other noteworthy news, we won the chili cook-off! Yay! It was a fun evening- thanks for hosting, Stephanie and Darren!

White Sausage Chili

2 lb. Bulk Sausage
3 cans Great Northern Beans
2 Cartons of Chicken Broth
1 can Corn
2 Green Peppers, diced (I actually used one green and one orange b/c that's what I had on hand)
3 Onions, diced
1 small can of Diced Green Chilis
3 cloves of Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 Tbl. Cornstarch

Fry up the sausage and place in the bottom of the crock pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients and allow to cook on low for 8 hours. An hour before serving, thicken with cornstarch mixed with 1 cup of hot liquid. Pour the roux back into the crock pot and cook for an hour more.

Top with:
Green Onions
Hot Peppers
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream

Enjoy!

Train Birthday

Conductor Katy

"Choo-choo!"

This past weekend, Katy's best buddy, Connor, celebrated his birthday with a train theme.. Even though it was 90 degrees (no joke!), the kids had fun running around the playground setting, riding the train and of course, eating cake! 

Happy Birthday, Connor!

Chuck E. Cheese's

Basketball Game

Happy 4th Birthday, Ava!

And so it happened.... Katy got invited to her first birthday party for her friend, Ava, at Chuck E. Cheese's. It only took three and a half years- opposed to Ted's surprise 30th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's (BK- Before Katy). :-)

Katy's never been to Chuck E. Cheese's before. Leading up to the party, she kept referring to it as, "Chuck-a-Cheese." She'd correct us every time we tried to tell her it was really, "Chuck E. Cheese's."

While I'm personally not the hugest fan of Chuck E. Cheese's (Germs! Screaming kids! Bad Pizza!), I have to admit that the kids all had a GREAT time and had LOTS OF FUN!! Katy had a blast using all the tokens and playing games. She racked up quite a few tickets, too- 77, to be exact!

Of course, there was also cake and ice cream and what kid doesn't like that?!?! Happy Birthday, Ava!