Happy Halloween and Samhain Blessings To All

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween and Samhain Blessings!

Steffie had a great time Trick-or-Treating. We were all exhausted by the time we were done.... walking the hills in my Mom's neighborhood gets harder for me to do each year.... I'm really out of shape. And unfortunately only about a quarter of the houses there participate now... it's really sad.... my older kids used to get their huge bags filled and so heavy they could hardly carry them.... Steffie didn't even come close. But she had a lot of fun and looked adorable.... and the rain held off so we didn't get wet. We met up with my sister and her family and friends at my Mom's house... we've always trick-or-treated there.... but I'm thinking we may need to scope out a new neighborhood for Halloweens to come... we'll see.

Here are pics of her in her Jeannie costume... I layered some other clothes under it to keep her warm.

Ready to go to Nana's

Jonathon, Steffie and Gracie

Steffie and Gracie

Hope everyone had a great evening!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Halloween Cupcakes....Mmmmm

We did our last Halloween project for this year.... cupcakes! We didn't do as many projects as I had hoped we would but I think Steffie had fun on the ones that we did. Tomorrow is the big day... she's really excited about trick-or-treating. I'll be sure to take pics. Let's hope it's not raining!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Pumpkin Carving Time!

We finally carved our pumpkin today. I didn't want to do it too early because I didn't want it to rot before Halloween.... but it's soooo hard to wait. Here are our pics....

Daddy and Steffie... cleaning out the goo....

Steffie showing off the lid....

All done...

All lit up...

Steffie likes her new friend...

Happy and proud...

The kitten kissing Mr Jack... you have to click on this one for a bigger pic to see it better

Baby sitting on Mr Jack's head....

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Wordless Wednesday - Stevie Nicks Looking Enchanting and Witchy For Halloween

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

My friend PJ over on PJ's Prose is starting her own home business! How exciting is that?! She sent out some free samples last week and let me tell you that her products are amazing. She makes lotion, lip balms, facial scrub, body sprays, bath salts, and lotion bars out of all natural ingredients and in a variety of fragrances or even unscented if you are sensitive to smells.

She sent me lotion which leaves your hands feeling silky smooth.... and lip balm which I absolutely love. Just one use made my dry cracked lips smooth and soft. And she sent me her amazing facial scrub which left my face feeling so smooth silky I had to get my hubby to feel it.

Her prices are great and right now she's offering free shipping too... so hop on over and check out her list of products and fragrances and place an order while the shipping is free... the special offer ends November 5th. These would make great Christmas gifts... stocking stuffers.... and a wonderful treat for yourself.... or for the special woman in your life.

You'll be sooo glad that you gave these products a try! And you'll be helping PJ get her new business off to a great start.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks

This song has become one of Stevie's signature songs.... this is the song that she sings at the end of each concert... just before the encores. I was hoping to find the 1981 version that started the stage walk tradition.... she walks across the stage and touches her fans and accepts gifts.... the tradition continues to this day when does a solo tour. This version is from 2008 Soundstage and she doesn't do that here... probably because it was being taped for a DVD..... but this version rocks!

And in case you are wondering... at the end when she sings "I know what it sounds like when doves cry..." she is very close friends with Prince.




Lyrics | Stevie Nicks lyrics - Edge Of Seventeen (Full Length Live Version) lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!



A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Best Blog and Lovely Blog Awards - Thank You Grampy!!

I received this award recently from a very dear blog friend..... Grampy from Grampy and You . Most of you have probably visited his blog.... but if you haven't you should. He is one of the nicest people in the blogoshere. Thank you so much Grampy for the award... and for just being you :)

Now here are the people I am passing it on to.

Kat at Candles, Crafts and Whatnot
Wendy at Athena Academy
From Vicki at Frugal Moms Know Best

Dorothy at Womensselfesteem.com's Blog

Maria at Conversations With Moms

Chatty at Chatty Crone

Sherri at Luv a Bargain!

Melissa at Melissas Homeschool Blog

And you know what.... I could just go down my blog roll and list every single one for this award... because I love them all and they deserve it.... so I'll just stop listing and say I'm giving this award to everyone on my blog roll :)

Love You All!! Thanks for having such awesome blogs!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

A Much Better Day...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! My day was much better today. I was determined to stay patient with Steffie and we both had a much nicer day. And we got the car fixed! Our very nice neighbor fixed it and will wait until payday for us to pay him for it... and it was only $110. Still a good sized amount but at least not the $400 we were worried about.

And I won a prize!!! I won the new Wow Wow Wubbzy DVD Wubbzy Goes Boo! from Stacie over on Super Mommy To The Rescue :). I guess she really *is* Super Mommy To The rescue... lol. Steffie is going to love this DVD! Thanks Stacie!!!

And thank you to all of my wonderful friends for your sweet comments :)

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Friday Frustrations

Well I haven't done Friday Frustrations in a while because honestly I've been trying to have a more positive outlook on things and not think about the frustrating and bad things. You know the old/new 'positive attracts positive... negative attracts negative'... and it's been going pretty well.... up to now. So here I am....

This week has been so horribly frustrating. We made it through the recent Mercury Retrograde with very lil issues... but it seems like they all hid in a closet and just waited until this week to jump out and say "BOO!"

My sons vehicle was taken away last week.... a long and complicated story that I won't go into.... a family matter on his father's side (my ex). So we've tried to just go with the flo... driving him back and forth to work. He also lost his cell phone service... another long and complicated issue having to with his now ex girlfriend. So I share mine with him for now until he can get his turned back on. We were coping with the issues.

Well on Tuesday my husband's car broke down. Now I'm very thankful that it broke down one street over so it was easy to push on home and we didn't have to get it towed! But that puts us down to one vehicle for three people to use. Since hubby and son both work at the same place they've been able to ride together some... but they don't always work the same hours.... and next week will be a huge issue if we don't get that car running. At this point we don't know what's wrong or how much it will cost to fix it.... we should know tomorrow. Our neighbor across the street is a mechanic and is looking at it. Hubby thinks it might be a $400 repair... which if that's the case it won't be getting fixed. We just bought this POS a few months ago for $700 and then spent another $200 to fix some issues. We're not spending another $400 to fix the POS! So cross your fingers and toes and arms and legs..... light candles and send some cheap car repair energy this way please! We really need this vehicle.

But that's not all... today was horrible. Steffie was the worst behaved she has ever been in her life. And I was not in the best mood either.... so every lil thng she did just pushed me a lil closer to losing it.

And on top of that my e-mail had a brain fart.... at least that's what I call it... and ruined my day completely. I use gmail along with Incredimail.... and occasionally it does this. I have at least 100 subfolders inside of main folders for my business and yahoo groups etc.... and all of the subfolders just come out of the main folders and all of my message rules that tell them where to go get messed up. So it took me the whole day to get it all put back. It's very frustrating.... I don't know why it does it.... but today was just not a great day for it.

So if you e-mailed me and I haven't e-mailed back that's why.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a much better day... and way more relaxed.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

A Few Fun Freebies

FREE hot cocoa and cookie at Barnes and Noble this Saturday!

If you are going to be out and about on Saturday stop into Barnes and Noble and enjoy a FREE kid's size hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookie at any Barnes & Noble cafe Saturday, October 24, 2009 only! Just print this coupon to redeem.

FREE Halloween toy & discount from Sears!

On Halloween, kids in costume will receive a FREE Mattel toy, while supplies last, at participating Sears toy shops. Call ahead to see if your local Sears is participating.

You can also print this coupon for $5 off a $20 toy purchase at Sears. Valid through November, 1 2009.

Home Made Simple: $35 in FREE coupons!

Reqest a FREE coupon book from Home Made Simple with $35 in coupons. There is a limited supply of coupon books available and usually include high value coupons on many P & G household products. Limit one per household, while supplies last. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. These coupon books are great!


Get your FREE box of chocolate covered fruit from Edible Arrangements!

Get your FREE box of chocolate covered fruit from Edible Arrangements!

Sign up by Facebook here! You will get a coupon by email in 1-2 days. You have until November 21st to use it!

Win a Friendly's Factory Tour and Free Ice Cream for a Year

Kids can win a Friendly's Factory Tour and FREE ice cream for a year!

Only residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia (DC) who are between the ages of 6-14 at the time of entry are eligible to enter.

We don't have a Friendly's in our area but my kids loved to go there when we lived in MA.

To enter:

• Visit the game here!
• Select “Begin Mission” and follow the on-screen instructions to register and play the games. You will even make your own avatar!
• Play the game. It's fun!
• You will automatically receive one (1) entry for each point you receive via game play up to a maximum of 60,000 points
• You will need Sprinkle Vision glasses which are available, free of charge, at participating Friendly’s locations (FYI, I found this out the hard way! Just couldn't understand why I couldn't make out the writing on the site! Thought I had eye issues all of a sudden)

• Click here to see the details in PDF format!

Hurry,ends December 31, 2009.

Have some fun and enjoy some freebies!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

A Call To The Creative....

Have you seen these new large plastic containers that coffee is coming in these days... sure you have... especially if you drink gallons of coffee like I do.



Well I have amassed a nice collection of these wonderful containers. Thing is I have no idea what to do with them. They have to be good for something! I can't bring myself to throw them away.... we don't have recycling here in Hickville.... and they seem like such nice containers. They even have a nice handle on them. I can't find a way to get the logos off of them... they're painted on or something.

So I'm asking all of you creative ones out there..... what can I do with these great containers??? Give me some craft ideas!!! Surely they are good for something! We used one as a drum for Steffie when was a baby... but she's long outgrown her lil drum. I even Googled it and came up with zilch as far as craft projects. So tell me something! Anything! I have a ton of them sitting here and I need a reason to not throw them out!

Save our Mother Earth from this plastic going to the dump!!!

Save my house before I have enough to wallpaper a whole room with these things!!!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Stevie Nicks.... Looking Witchy and Enchanting

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - Gyspy by Fleetwood Mac

Gypsy has been a very special song to me since the first time that I heard it.... it has always made me think of my aunt... her name was Valerie and she was just a year older than me. We grew up together like sisters. We spent many special times together dancing, singing, just playing and being lil girls. Halloween was always one of our favorite times and on one of our last ones together she dressed up like a gypsy. She was such a special and magickal lil girl. At the the age of 12 it was discovered that she had a brain tumor... about 6 months later she was gone from us. She has been gone now longer than she ever lived in this life... but I love her and miss her still. My heart aches for my best childhood friend.... I cry for the times we never got to spend together.... the lost memories we should have shared. Though she never heard this song... or of Stevie Nicks or Fleetwood Mac... I consider this her song.... she was my gypsy.... my best friend.... my sister.....

"She was just a wish... she was just.. a.. wish... and her memory is all that is left for you now... you see your gypsy..."

Tomorrow would have been her 46th birthday... my own birthday is later this month... so October was our month... and today I want to dedicate this song to her....

Years after hearing Gypsy for the first time I learned that it was written about Stevie's best friend Robin who had leukemia. Robin too is gone from this lifetime... but I know that Stevie's heart aches for her best friend.... her gypsy.... as well.

To Robin and Valerie... and "the gypsies that remain"... your memories dance in my heart....

Lyrics | Fleetwood Mac lyrics - Gypsy lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!


A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Over The Top Award.... Thanks Vicki!!!

Vicki from Frugal Mom Knows Best passed the OVER THE TOP BLOG AWARD to me. I recently found her blog and I love it!.... and she's really fun and sweet :) ...... So I am touched that she thought enough of me to pass this great award to me. Thank you so much Vicki!!!

So here is what you gotta do:

- thank the blogger who gave it to you.
- pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers
-and answer the following questions with only one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? there
2.Your hair? crappy
3. Your mother? home
4. Your father? gone
5. Your favorite food? pizza
6. Your dream last night? forgotten
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? happiness
9. What room are you in? den
10. Your hobby? missed
11. Your fear? poverty
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something you aren't? rich
15. Muffins? please!
16. Wish list item? house
17. Where did you grow up? Georgia
18. Last thing you did? drove
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Your TV? works
21. Your pets? precious
22. Your friends? loved
23. Your life? okay
24. Your mood? tired
25. Missing someone? Always
26. Vehicle? van
27. Something you're not wearing? shoes
28. Your favorite store? thrift
29. Your favorite color? pink
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? forgot
32. Your best friend? Cyn
33. One place that I go over and over? store
34. One person who emails me regularly? Steffie
35. Favorite place to eat? Outback

and I am passing this to the following 6 bloggers

1. Stacie at Super Mommy To The Rescue
2. Kat at Candles, Crafts and Whatnot
3. Wendy at Athena Academy
4. Chatty at Chatty Crone
5. Patsy at Patsy's Word's of Wisdom
6. Becki at Harmony In Motion

Thanks again Vicki... this was fun... but more difficult than it sounds.... especially for a chatterbox like myself.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Lookout Mountain Pagan Pride Day

We spent the day at a this special event at Cloudland Canyon State Park in Rising Fawn Georgia bringing Pagans in GA, TN and AL together. We all had a great day visiting with friends and spiritual family... and meeting new friends.... getting tarot readings... attending workshops.... and browsing all of the great vendor tables.

Steffie was on her very best behavior and enjoyed playing with the other children.... going on a nature walk where she filled my pocket with leaves, berries and sprouting acorns that we plan to plant in our yard. Her favorite activity though was the drumming workshop... she sat there just like all of the adults with my lil drum between her legs and followed right along listening intently as the instructor showed everyone how to make a heartbeat on the drum. She was so happy and so proud.... and I was beaming as I watched her.

There were several workshops throughout the day which included:

Sacred Geometry
Mediumship
Plant and Tree Identification
The Magick & Medicine of Plants & Trees
Ritual Magick
Accessing the Akashic records
Introduction to Drumming- Finding your Rhythm-Sacred Sound

And a wonderful community ritual followed by a community drum circle to wrap up the event.

This was the first Pagan Pride Day for the tri-state area and the turnout was nice. A fun time was had by all and we're looking forward to doing it again next year.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Kindness and Generosity Are In The Air....

I'm not really sure what I did to deserve it..... but I feel like I've been showered in kindness and generosity.... and I am so very grateful and appreciative.

First a very kind bloggy friend loaned me the money to pay for my web site and domain name. I was completely surprised by the offer... and I will definitely be paying her back as soon as I possibly can. I won't say who my generous friend is because I don't want her to be bombarded with requests for loans and hand outs... I know she can't afford that. But Thank You So Much My Dear friend!!!

And then Grampy was so sweet and kind to post about my web site on both of his blogs! I appreciate his kindness and generosity as well. He is such a wonderful friend... but I'm sure everyone who knows him already knows what a special person he is. His wonderful review should help me earn some income so I can pay my friend back for the loan. Thank You... Thank You... Thank You Grampy!

And then also today kindness from a complete stranger. I went to pick up my son from work with just a tiny bit of gas in my van. I had given Adrian my debit card this morning to put gas in his car.... so the plan was to pick up my son... get my card from Adrian... and put gas in my van. We got as far as we could get towards home when my gas light came on so we pulled into the gas station and I put my card in the pump.... it couldn't read my card. So I took Steffie in to use the potty and we walked by a very gorgeous man... I smiled and said excuse me as we walked by and we proceeded to the potty. After she was done we went to the cashier to pay for the gas with my card.... but she said it still could not read my card... it had been demagnetized! OMG.... what was I going to do??? I had no cash... just a lil change! So I walked out the door stating that I would go try to scrape up some cash or we would be stuck there. I put Steffie in her seat and started rambling through my purse for the lil bit of change I had... which was barely over $1... and that gorgeous man walked over and asked me if I had found some cash. I told him no and he handed me $5.... he said someone had once helped him out and he was paying it back by helping me. I was so surprised and so grateful... I don't know how we would have gotten home without that $5. I felt so helpless and afraid... but one kind stranger saved our day with just $5! So thank you soooo much to that stranger who will probably never see this post... because of him we got home safely. Some day it will be my turn to pay that $5 back to someone else who needs help :) .... isn't it amazing how much $5 can mean to someone in need???

Then I came back to my computer to visit some more blogs... and I ran across an amazing story about a waitress.... it was her birthday.... and something just amazing happened in the restaurant where she was working.... I'll let you read the whole story here on Reflections on a middle-aged fat woman . The story brought tears to my eyes.... I've been a waitress... they work hard... and sometimes people are not very kind... but this story was just so sweet and so amazing. Go read it... you'll think so too. And while you are on her blog... scroll down and read a few more posts.... she has her own special and generous way of helping out others :).

I won't be around tomorrow... we have plans that will keep me away the whole day.... but everyone have a great weekend! I hope when you are in need some kind and generous person is there to help.... and I hope we can all pay the kindness and generosity forward to someone else who needs it as well. Just a lil bit can go such a long way!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

It's A Boy!

I took my sweet lil daughter-in-law to have an ultrasound today and it's confirmed that she is having a boy! He is due on March 16. So lil Austie will have a new baby brother and lil Steffie will have a new nephew. How sweet is that?!

Of course that means that I will have a third grandchild.... how can that be???lol... I'm a granny...

It also means that now we can start baby shopping :)

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~