Halloween Prep

Truth: I am a sucker for tradition.  And Halloween prep deserves tradition.  After we tucked Emma into bed tonight, Steve, Sara, and I had fun together getting ready for Halloween.

We turned on a Halloween play list with hits such as "Monster Mash", "Thriller", "Purple People Eater", "Ghostbusters", and "Time Warp", and then carved pumpkins ...

 

 

Ariel and Scary Face ...

We roasted and enjoyed some pumpkin seeds ...

 

And then we watched (for the millionth time but it never gets old) "The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".  Tomorrow is the *big night*, but tonight made my heart happy.  Here's to family traditions.

'Round Here

This was Emma Friday evening at Pediatric After Hours.  Could she look more pitiful?

 And here she was earlier tonight ... feeling much better after a weekend of ear drops and lots of rest.  She has a new found fascination with straws.  This box was purchased new yesterday, and she found her way into it before anyone else.

 Sara recently learned the word "obsessed".  She says that she is obsessed with art, Daddy is obsessed with running, Mommy is obsessed with Diet Coke ... and I guess we could say Emma is obsessed with straws (although I think the other day it was "Emma is obsessed with being naughty").  Whichever.  I'm all about using vocab in context.

Sara went to a birthday party on Saturday, and we had our first bounce house casualty.  I heard the crying before I saw the blood ... and there was lots of it.  Sara's mouth hit a friend's head, and when her teeth connected with her lip, the blood was a-flowin'.  Immediately after I scooped her up and sat her in my lap with a towel pressed against her lip, I checked for teeth.  All in tact, thank goodness.  After getting over the initial shock and pain (and making a quick yet difficult determination that no stitch was necessary), Sara was ready to get back in the bounce house.  Although I was hesitant, it felt like one of those moments when she could either conquer a fear or I could say, "no, no, no" and scar her for life.  So bounced she did.  Somehow she was the only girl at the party, and I was impressed by how sweet the four and five year old boys were to her.  They kept stopping by to ask if she was okay, if her lip was feeling better, and even brought her a popsicle.  In between Power Ranger sword fights, of course.  Anyway, she's been a real trooper.  Here are a couple of pics of her wound on the mend ...

 

 And I have to share that I was so thrilled to see this in Sara's take-home folder this afternoon.  She thinks she is the most amazing artist on the planet, and I'm not about to tell her otherwise.  I'm so proud of her drawing, and especially of the time she took on all of her letters here (it says, "My favorite ride is airplane").  Watching her learn is still so awesome.

The girls got their flu shots this afternoon and handled them like champs.  Steve and I are trying take-out from a Greek place around the corner tonight.  We've been wanting to try it for a while, so I hope it's good.  Other than that, we're looking forward to Halloween, of course, followed by a weekend with no plans (I know, it's only Monday).  That's about all that is happening right now 'round here.

long weekend/long week

I love long weekends.  Who doesn't?  But somehow, short weeks always end up feeling the longest, don't you think?  We spent part of our Friday evening at Pediatric After Hours with Emma, who has an ear infection in her right ear.  It's her first one since getting her tubes in June; luckily the tubes are still intact, and the infection only requires drops, no antibiotics.  Still, it's enough of one to have caused a fever for the past 24+ hours.  Thankfully she was able to rest at Papa and Mama's house today while Steve and I were at work.  I hope she feels better quickly.  Sara and I have a busy day tomorrow, but Emma will be able to rest for most of the weekend if she needs to do so.

Anyway, our long weekend in MN was so great.  It was nice to have an extra day on either side of the weekend so I didn't feel like we were leaving almost as soon as we got there.  Of course, we would have gladly stayed longer.  Here are a few pictures from our weekend ...

Ready to dress shop!  Our trip was successful: we found Melissa's dress (no pics of that, of course), bridesmaid dresses, and Sara's flower girl dress.  We also found a number of items Melissa has been needing for center pieces, and even managed to grab a nice, long lunch complete with well-garnished Bloody Marys.

 While we dress shopped, Grandpa Todd bravely stayed home with Emma (Mary came to help, which got Grandpa out of diaper duty).  Emma spent approximately 90% of her weekend sitting on this box, which was delivered while we were there.  She even kept a few toys stationed on the box.  By the time we left, it was pretty dented and had remnants of veggie straws all over it.

We had a fun time at the corn maze, and especially in the corn pit.  Who knew that jumping into a pile of corn could be so much fun?  It was good for the soul and the thighs/butt.  Two birds, one stone.  We took the sudden ice pellets dropping on us as a cue to leave, but had a great time while we were there.

 Sara has really upped her game on the drums.  She seems to most enjoy the cymbals and the cowbell.  Just after this, she had the microphone in hand, serenading us.

 While Sara has become a little more seasoned, it was Emma's first time at the piano.  Although she's not known for sitting still, she probably would have stayed there banging away on the keys for quite some time if only we hadn't all gone upstairs for a snack.

There are plenty more pictures, of course, but you get the gist ... and it's past my bedtime.  More later.

what's up?

Not a whole lot, actually, but enough, I suppose ...

Last week I had my first trip to 5th grade camp, and it was so much fun.  As a secondary teacher and administrator, I always knew that the 5th graders went to camp, but didn't really understand the importance of it.  My time at camp last week certainly changed my opinion on that, though.  It was so awesome to see many kids partaking in camp activities for the first time in their lives.  Some had never spent the night away from home, many had never fished or canoed.  (I was told by more than one student that they were fishing for the first time ... moments before they had a fish on their line.  It was very exciting!)  I guess I had taken these childhood activities for granted.  I loved watching the kids explore and interact, and was reminded of all of the valuable learning that we simply can't replicate in a classroom.  The only bummer about camp was that when it was time to leave, my car wouldn't start.  I got a jump, and then drove straight to the shop for a new battery.  Ugggh.

Emma's black eye from a couple of weeks ago has disappeared.  The bruise made its way down her cheek before fading, and has been replaced by other bruises and scratches.  This afternoon we noticed a big goose-egg on her forehead ... not 100% sure where it came from, but getting it didn't seem to bother her nearly as much as sitting still to ice it did.  The last couple of mornings she has enjoyed doing sidewalk chalk with Sara while we did some yard work.  As you can imagine, she's really good at sitting right in the spot where Sara just colored, and using the chalk as lipstick. 

Today Sara finally decided on a Halloween costume: Ariel.  In the last few weeks she has wanted to be all of the following: a butterfly, a rock star, Izzy (from "Jake & The Neverland Pirates"), a princess, a doctor, and Bat Girl.  I think those are all of her ideas, but I could be missing one or two.  Anyway, the final decision has been made and the costume has been purchased, so now there is no mind-changing.  I have to say that I've been very impressed with all of the Halloween spirit in our neighborhood this year.  Many homes are decorated, and we were "Boo'd".  In our last neighborhood, many houses on our street kept their lights off on Halloween, so it's fun to have festive neighbors.  Sara loves looking at the decorations when we walk or drive around the neighborhood.  The bar has been set high for Christmas lights.

I have been keeping up with "Parenthood" on Thursday nights.  I'm not as into the show as I have been in past seasons, but since it's the only show I've committed to watching, I plan to continue.  I do like having that hour of TV time.  Other than that, we've been watching football.  I don't have a whole lot to say other than I'm ready for basketball season.  The Cyclones have reached my heartbreak quota already this season.  

On Thursday evening the girls are I are heading to MN for a long weekend.  Other than general visiting, our big plan is to go wedding dress shopping with Auntie.  To say we're excited would be a huge understatement.

Now for a little Sunday evening R&R.  Have a good week!

Book Talk

 I first saw a review for The Light Between Oceans the summer before last, and have wanted to read it since.  I was excited when it was recently selected for book club.  The story takes place on a remote island off the coast of Australia where a young WWI vet and his wife have agreed to live and maintain the lighthouse.  When, one day, a boat drifts ashore carrying a dead man and a live newborn, the couple is torn between making a decision with their heads or with their hearts.  This was one of those stories that felt to me - from the start - like it just wouldn't end well.  Without giving away the ending, I can certainly say that this book was heart wrenching to read.  I would recommend it with a glass bottle of wine.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette was next on my list and did not disappoint.  Written in a series of letters, e-mails, blog posts, etc., this book was quick and easy to read, not to mention intriguing.  Bernadette, a would-be famous architect, wife, and mother, pulls a vanishing act that lends a little mystery to this story.  While it probably ended when it should have, I could have happily kept reading this story for much longer. 

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Wordless Wednesday: family pic sneak peak edition

photo by eleventhirtysix images

[happy children courtesy of yours truly]