Before the Storm

For Jake's seventh birthday (back in July) our neighbor, Tom, promised Jake a ride on his Harley. Well he didn't press it, out of respect for my maternal (this is a freakin' bad idea) feelings BUT, Jake has a great memory for these things and when Tom pulled out the motorcycle, Jake reminded all of us of said promise. And I gritted my teeth and let it happen. Jake LOVED it.

Not Again!

(Neighbor, Tom, already has the snow blower out...hope he makes it to our side of the street)

The second time within a week we're getting over 16 inches. The news is saying this is the first time in Colorado recorded history that this has happened. Not that Colorado recorded history is really that long in the whole history of the world, but still notable. Today will be a cookie making, digging out and sledding kind of day. We have to do something to make it up to Jake who was supposed to go snowmobiling for the first time with dad today.

Poor Baby

Hannah got 'fixed' on Wednesday. Poor baby. She's doing pretty well and is providing us lots of entertainment trying to get around the house with the big cone on her head. Jake's a bit upset because he wanted Hannah to have babies.

Happy Boxing Day

Christmas eve went well, I do believe fun was had by most. I didn't take any pictures except of Isaac falling into an exhausted slumber under the plant. The most popular gift during our annual 'dirty santa' game (and by that I mean the one stolen the most) was a bag of Seattle's Best Creme Brulee coffee and some lottery tickets (thanks Martha). We ended up with it, so we are 4 dollars richer and had a great cup of coffee in the early Christmas morning opening up the gifts Santa left us. For some more pictures of Christmas Eve check out Martha's Blog . She seems to be the neighborhood's resident photographer.

Jake was super anxious to get us downstairs to see what was brought. Zac got distracted by the cocoa krispies and had to have a couple bowls before he could really get into the spirit of opening his presents. Both were happy that they received what they asked for. After a nice breakfast with Jason's family, we pretty much stayed in our jammies all day, played scrabble and watched movies. Wonderful laid back kind of Christmas and after having quite a few lovely people over the night before it was very welcome!
The boys getting ready to watch Spy Kids 3-D....the coveted gift from Zac's list.

The Turkey's in the Oven

update...got the turkey in the oven and almost everything prepared to cook or completely cooked...wooo hooo, of course I'm not showered, the kids haven't bathed and the house is a wreck, but the food's done...woo hoo. No more posting though because I have to shut down Jason's computer, at least I won't be distracted anymore by emails, surfing, other people's blogs, anything to procrastinate. I really want a cleaning lady, Oh that reminds me better check the lotto numbers maybe I have a really nice Christmas present this year?

It's 4 am, no sleep because Jason's sick and coughing and Zac kept having nightmares....so the pies and pumpkin bread are getting nixed. I'll pick up some Marie Calenders on my way home from Church. I'm hoping all will be so stuffed by then that they won't care too much it's not all completely home-made. Actually, really no one will care. Going back into the kitchen and then a whirlwind of cleaning! If I don't get back to the blog before tomorrow....MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I should be cooking.....

I told Jason I wanted the George Forman Grill where you can change the 'face' and it can be a waffle maker, press, grill etc...so he looks it up on Geek.com (and I'm only half kidding it's some website w/ geek in the name) and yells to me in the kitchen "hey, honey do you want the one that you can plug into the computer and you can get online from ANYWHERE and set it up to cook whatever you want'

'um NO'
'really, because I think that's pretty cool'
'of course you do'

Anyhow, he took the kiddos to the movies and I'm busy cooking away getting ready for tomorrow's shindig. Here's the menu, I'm so excited, half the fun of these get togethers is the menu planning....ok, yes, I love cooking and the planning of the cooking and the eating of what's been cooked, I just love food.
Ham
Turkey
Stuffing
two different kids of chutney
gravy
escalloped potatoes
sweet potatoes with pecan topping
fresh green beans with feta and a vinaigrette
German style cucumbers
spinach and strawberry salad
creamed onions
corn bread/sourdough bread/pumpkin bread and biscuits

dessert
assortment of cookies
lemon bars
mini pecan pies
pumpkin pie

appetizers
grilled sausage w/ sweet and sour dipping sauce
brie, baked in pastry w/ apricot filling served w/ pears and crackers
shrimp platter

then we do a dirty Santa gift exchange
and fun is had by all....can't wait and hope I get it all done!
yikes.

ok, back to the kitchen for me.

The Big Dig

And yes, coming in and out, in and out with three boys (including hubby in the count) can create a mess of coats, gloves and wet clothes....lucky me.

Big Dig...And I don't mean in Boston....Our neighbors are great though and helped us with their snow blower and some guy down the street with a plow helped make a path in the road to get to the outer portions of the subdivision.

Is it Santa? No, just Jake, playing AGAIN in the snow.

We had time to make snow caves. And yes, my hubby is a kid at heart.
Oh, and I was able to bake like 6 dozen cookies then I took in a couple episodes of the first season of House..my first Netflix rental. Still in my jammies too (did raise some eyebrows when I went out in them to take pictures---oh well)

'nother blizzard update

Jake and Hannah enjoying the snow, although a bit hard to get around, and get back up when the dog knocks you down.
Hannah REALLY enjoyed herself out there.
Ok, I just thought it was cute with the snow caught on his eyelashes.
Zac, did NOT want snow caught in his eyelashes so he's wearing swimming goggles, and yes it looks night time, but it's only 5 pm in this picture. almost 5pm 6:30 am this morning

We're only supposed to get another 5 inches or so. The storm is slowing down and moving into Kansas/Nebraska. I forgot which channel I heard this on last night, but it looks like this storm is only going to rank 5th or so in Colorado blizzard history. Number one was sometime at the beginning of the 1900's.

update

9am

1:30pm

Yeah, my list, ain't happening today, as a matter of fact I have my jammies on and I'm eating my turkey hummus sandwich and drinking my hot tomato soup. The kids are watching cartoons and drinking hot cocoa. I had such grand plans too. I made it to Colleen's and dropped the kiddos off, slowly made my way to the dentist's office, thankfully within a couple of miles of here. I would like to say right now I DON'T CARE IF IT'S AN SUV, IT WILL STILL SLIDE ON ICE! SLOW THE HECK DOWN! Got my crown, relatively painless. The office does overlook a busy intersection, with a couple of hills feeding into it and every so often you could hear the hygienist yell, although only those of us in the office could hear her, "You can do it honey, ooooh, no...ok, U-turn okay" and then she would break out in song, 'slip slidin' away'. Very entertaining. I got out of the parking lot ok, made it to the Safeway parking lot and got stuck before I even parked, so changed my mind. Went and picked up the kids because I figured if I waited much longer I wouldn't be able to get them. Then got stuck at the corner at Colleen's house.....in the middle of the intersection, spent half an hour rocking back and forth trying to get it to go, but no luck. Pull the kids out of the car go to Colleen's front door, call Jason, who is home. Colleen tries not to laugh too hard. Another car gets stuck in intersection, so we push my car and ended up on the curb, but I figured it was parked 'enough' and her car parked too....I suspect that Colleen is going to have a lot of cars parked in front of her house, that's a BAD corner. The boys, Jason and I walk home. And now I'm emailing to say....I'm not doing another damn thing today! Well except take more pictures outside my front door and post them.

Blizzard Prep

7am

6am

Woke up at four this morning and no promised snow, made my coffee and started on another batch of cookies (baking not eating), and turned on the news. They say it's biggest blizzard coming this way since the March 2003 (I was in Kansas at that time)....hmmmm, but at 5 still no snow, and I'm dubious. Well, at 5:30 it started snowing, and it's coming DOWN--fast.

I'm amending my to do list today, to get my shopping done today since I'll most likely be 'holed' up tomorrow.

Yesterday...accomplished, NOT MUCH

most of laundry - done

three batches of cookies - done

meeting with friends -done and a lot of fun

upstairs bathrooms -done

Oh, I actually got my first Netflix package and watched the first episode of House, while sorting laundry--but no bon bon eating

still need to go to Target and steam clean the carpets and finish the upstairs

so Today:

getting a crown (and I wish I was talking the jeweled kind)

making up menu for Christmas Eve and shopping list

shop

another batch of cookies

finish the upstairs

nixing the steam cleaning of carpet thing, I'll save that for after the storm.

Ok, I have a list, that's a start

Yesterday we spent the day waiting in line. Waiting for the valet, because there was no other parking (15 minutes); waiting at the Cheesecake Factory, because Santa was on break, (30 minutes); waiting for Santa (1 hour, 30 minutes); waiting in the Starbucks line (20 minutes); and I wonder why I didn't get anything done except the 30 dollar 5x7 of my boys with Santa, boys with cheesy smiles.....I did get to spend some time with my mom though. Although, she was pretty exhausted after an afternoon with her very active grandsons and was happy to be dropped off.

So my list:
Today, friends over for coffee, I already went shopping at 4:30 this morning for snacks for the kids and the ingredients for a new sweet bread loaf I'm trying out on them.
After they leave,
Laundry
Clean the upstairs, including the boys bathroom...ugggg
Strip beds and change sheets
Bake gingerbread cookies
make a return to Target and buy my step dad the right present (after a consultation with mom) and he reads the blog so I can't actually say what it is.
Steam clean the carpet, which I should have done last night but was too pooped.
Make dinner (sourdough chicken casserole...new recipe)
Blog at end of day to see if any of these things actually got accomplished...

I should be able to fit some TV watching and bon bon eating in there somewhere.....

My Weird Husband

The kids are asleep, Jason and I are watching Law and Order, Hannah is laying on the other half of the couch.
Jason says, "It smells like corn chips" so he picks up Hannah's foot and smells it. "Hannah's feet smell like corn chips, here smell" and he pulls her foot toward my nose. She looks over her shoulder at us with a "humans are so weird" look.
I say, "I'm not going to smell it, I believe you"
smell it
no
smell it
no, that's gross
come on come on, smell it
are you kidding me, now you sound like a freak

He realizes he sounds like a freak and proceeds to tickle me
I tell him "I'm going to blog this"
Silence

Teacher Presents

The Room Moms

Me, Aimee and KendraThe finished project, I'm so proud

It says:

"Hands down you're the best, 1st grade class 06-07"
Not the best picture, some of the other kids took better pictures, but then it's my blog isn't it, so it's my kid that's on it.

I am so happy with the way Jake's teacher, Mr. Kampling's Christmas present turned out. It was quite the challenge to try and figure out what to get a guy teacher and still be sentimental and something the kids would enjoy doing. So the other room moms and I (there are three of us, Aimee, the boss and her honchos, me and Kendra) thought up --- ok stole off the Internet --- the idea of putting the kids hand prints on a camping chair. Mr. Kampling likes camping so that even made it that more cool of an idea. We worked on it in the library today, only one child was absent so it was a good turn out. The kids'll give it to him on the day of their holiday party.

Ok, I'm a geek. I admit it

That's it I'm sending a letter!

The challenge: Write 5 open letters. People, places, objects, animals. It doesn't matter. Write 5 succinct letters and express what you can't express in person. Strangers? People you'll never see again? People you're afraid to be completely honest with? Corporations? Celebrities? Your sister's cats? Write to 'em.

Dear Tooth Fairy,
I am too young to be using your services AGAIN. Please let the root canal tomorrow be successful and the painkillers plentiful.
Sincerely,
Tracey
FYI your services were last used in my early twenties with the removal of my wisdom teeth. And by the way thanks for the percocet at that time, so much better then a quarter.

Dearest Jose
You are a great brother, stay safe out there in the mid-east doing the things you're not allowed to tell us you're doing.
Your older and wiser sister

To the Citibank Customer Service Rep in India:
I don't care if your name is Buffy, you can't speak English and I DID NOT read the letter incorrectly.
Sincerely,
Former US Customer Service Rep who never told the customer she was an idiot.

Dear Stork,
So sorry you won't be making any more visits here, but thanks for the short people in the house, I'm really enjoying them.
T

Dearest Darling Jason
You were right...just not telling you about what or when
love you
your devoted wife

Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

And so the mighty warrior stands proud above his prey.

NO

NOT IT EITHER
PERFECT

Yay, my tool bar finally came back up and I can upload pictures again. This was the first year we didn't freeze trying to get our tree. Normally we look out the window, traipse out once or twice then the boys and I wait, huddled, in the car until Jason cuts the tree down. This year we were more hands on as a family.

Love my neighborhood mommies!

I just got a call from Ms. Martha, and by the conciliatory tone of her voice, I knew she had just read my blog. Wonderful mommy that she is, she offered to take Abi (the little girl I sometimes care for) to school so that I wouldn't have to take Zac out into the cold. And I said 'YES' ---for those who know me well, that was not easily done, I have a bit of a I can-do-it-all mentality that makes it very difficult to accept help. So yay, I live in a great neighborhood, with wonderful people who are very helpful and yay, one of my many life 'issues' just became easier to deal with! Oh and a thank you to Colleen for watching the kiddos today after school so I can get things done!

Sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches....

Yesterday, have no idea how to impart what a bad day it was...but I'll try. The night before, Zac woke up screaming. I figured it was a nightmare, but as I was holding him, he threw up. Changed both of us, changed his sheets, gave him medicine and did that a couple more times that night. I woke up yesterday, TIRED (oh, TMJ thing still hurting, but calmed down to just some spasms and general ache, lucky me). Made an appointment with the pediatrician, then went upstairs to collect laundry. Hannah got up onto the counter and tore into two -12 oz bags of chocolate chips. So I call the Vet, he told me to take her into the clinic. But I have sick child who had appointment in half an hour. Threw Zac who was pajamas and spiderman slippers into the car, got Hannah into the car and drove to the clinic. In the parking lot, I took a spill, ok, face plant, and brought Zac down with me. Both of us were kneeling on the ground, Zac was crying, I wanted to cry and Hannah thought we were playing and started jumping all over us. Got her into the clinic, told the story, they took her back to get her stomach pumped, Zac and I got back into the car to go to the pediatricians office. In the waiting room I sat next to a new baby and its mother. Baby just upchucked all over itself and new mother, she's got stuff hanging off her hands, all over the baby and all over her lap. And she promptly burst into tears (I had post partum just looking at her) so I got up to get her a bunch of Kleenex and helped her wipe down until the nurse came out to help her. Zac got in, he has some icky upper respiratory thing that's going around and needs an inhaler for the next week or so (a quick thanks here that it's not strep). Go back to Vet clinic and the Vet tells me she was amazed how many chocolate chips were in the dog's stomach. They wanted to keep her there the rest of the day, give her some charcoal and some IV fluids. So Zac and I go to the store so I can pick up his Rx. We're at the pharmacy and I'm asking about cough medicine, she tells me where it is and Zac starts retching, pharmicist throws me a bag, I catch it and we catch Zac in time (woo hoo) guy behind Zac makes nasty comment...OH WELL. Other pharmacy tech, gets me the medicine I want from the aisle and pats me on the back, I tell the story about Hannah and I get the ooohs and aaahs about what a bad day I'm having and I feel so much better. Zac got a sucker and he's feeling better. We go home. I go to roast the pecans for some fudge I'm making (oh yeah, giving a party in two days) and forgot to turn off the oven and burned them. Then went to pick up Jake, there was a typo and karate started yesterday and so was there 45 minutes early. Bring him home, picked up Hannah, who is thankfully OK. Made dinner. Jason came home and I said, 'homework still needs to be done, Here's Zac's medicine, I'm going shopping' Finished shopping for the food, got everything on my list. Then I came home and realized I didn't buy the replacements for the chocolate chips that Hannah ate....ARGGGGGG. OH WELL. So I took my Vicoden and went to sleep (well for about an hour then Zac woke up crying and throwing up so again no sleep) But darn it, I'm looking forward to this party and I'm still cleaning and cooking because I plan on having a good time with my gal pals exchanging ornaments and eating!
But you know, I didn't cry, didn't even eat the WHOLE bag of oreos, just a few. I pretty much just laughed at the end of the day. Sometimes laughter IS the best medicine.

Open mouth insert foot

Thanksgiving was at my sister and brother in laws', they do a fantastic job and opening their home to their family and friends. One of Shaina's friends is a post operative transsexual. Nice lady, makes a mean hummus....but here's where I was a social buffoon.....I was relaying, what I thought, a cute Jake story. When he was younger he didn't quite get that men and women are different, and called the female 'private' area, "where your penis should be" well I screwed up the story and looking straight at Shaina's friend, I said "where your penis USED to be" . Color me fiery freakin' red....I quickly looked away, mumbled the correct phrase and realized (after a moment of silence from our side of the table) even that wasn't as funny for this particular audience as I thought it would be and promptly started another conversation with other people at the table.....I should not be allowed to speak! I could blame it on the vicoden...(oh yeah, bad case of TMJ, according to ER doc, I have an appointment next week with the dentist, I'm not ruling out some weird tumor at my temple, but I tend toward extreme flights of medical fancy at times), but it should have worn off by then....oh well.

We brought our camera but did not take any pictures. I did, however, take pictures of Hannah getting her Thanksgiving bath. Poor girl is not particularly fond of bathing.


Oh look, I cut and colored my hair...quick Papi, go get Mom, she won't believe it.

And this is why people should listen to me!

You are The High Priestess
Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?

Take the Test to Find Out.

What I gather from above, I'm a moody know it all! haha, I like it.

This week's blog challenge

Rite of passage 1.Anthropology. a ceremony performed to facilitate or mark a person's change of status upon any of several highly important occasions, as at the onset of puberty or upon entry into marriage or into a clan.2.any important act or event that serves to mark a passage from one stage of life to another. Write about a rite of passage. It can be your own experience or someone else's. It can be an event that you're anticipating, or one you're anticipating for your child. It can be a long forgotten memory, a touching ancedote, or a funny story.There are so many many rites of passage in this life - your first kiss, learning to ride without training wheels, noticing your first gray hair, standing up to your Mom as an adult, cooking for the new inlaws for the first time.... Think about it, and have fun writing!

Rites of passages fill me with dread. In all my anthropology courses, I read about someone getting maimed in some form or another during these 'rites'. And even more scary, it's about CHANGE, going from one part of your life to the next, even when you were fine and dandy in your life to begin with. I wasn't too keen on starting any of the new phases of my life. My dad even moved to New York when I was a freshman in college because he knew I wouldn't move out (whose Dad moves out because his kid won't?). I did get my degree, but I didn't really want to finish, I just happened to have enough English classes that they booted me out with a degree. Marriage was very important to me but it was a stabilizing force in my life; an anchor, less a passage into a new life and more a desperate need to be brought to earth. Frankly, I can say that having children was about the only 'rite' that didn't fill me with dread, the thought of raising them, although terrifying was exciting, an adventure, a life worth living. The pregnancy was wonderful, even though I was sick every day for the full nine months; knowing these fantastic beings were being nourished by me and growing into the perfect little baby boys that they became was overwhelmingly wonderful. And, OH MY GOSH, when I first looked into their eyes and I KNEW (don't try and convince me otherwise) that they knew I was their mother and they were 'saying' in their first glance at me, "thank you mom, it's so good to meet you" and the pain, and everything else was gone by staring into those lovely eyes and my glance to them said 'you are loved with my whole being' and they knew that (again you can't convince me otherwise). It's been a wild ride, but the rite of passage into motherhood is one of great wonder and joy and I'm very happy to have gone through that.

__________________

Ponderings

Why can't I just order a hamburger? Why do I have to order a cheeseburger without cheese...sheesh

Domestic Help

I emailed friend to find out this weeks Blog Challenge. She emailed back that there wasn't one this week, so I email back offering to do one. Now this was an EMPTY offer because I assumed she had one in her very clever mind to offer me and Colleen, but NOOO she says, absolutely! Yikes. That's what you get for offering, someone may take you up oni it. So here it is: As I sat here thinking, "I have no time to do this or anything else" because I have to clean, get some invitations out for a party I'm giving later and yes, start my holiday baking, I wondered if, given the chance, and could only choose one type of domestic help, would it be a housecleaner, cook, errand boy, what would I pick? What would you pick and why? (errand boy could be pretty buff and a masseuse, but that may be another blog topic)

I'm torn, only ONE, what was I thinking I need a TEAM. As you can see by my study/guest room a personal organizer would be at hand. The sad thing is I'm actually good at organizing, I just don't do it, or can't for myself. The Container store is my favorite place in which to drool. I just get STUCK trying to figure out the PERFECT system (notice the various filing boxes in the corner...thrown there because I decided baskets and horizontal boxes where more my thing).

But then there's the whole house thing of getting things done...also able to be seen here is the unfinished wall. My plan is to put some bead board paneling up, but have yet to do it (two and half years later). So my other choice would be handyman.

Housekeeper would be a fantastic thing, but right now in my life I just need to get to a place where a cleaning person (gosh how PC of me) wouldn't run screaming from my house. Really, how do I get organized if the rooms in my house aren't even finished enough TO ORGANIZE, so I guess I'd have to go with handyman....perferably of the dark haired sultry eyed awesome rear variety (oh that would be my hubby, but he's working all the time).

My cute kid

Zac and I were walking to the school today; it's one of those brisk autumn mornings. When we hit a sunny spot he said, "I'm warming up." Then when we hit a shady spot he said, "I'm colding up now." hahaha

Ok I was tickled and wanted to share.
(unrelated pictures, but he's so cute)
I'm a sickening mother, I know!

Before and After

Yay, our house if finally painted and our gutters up. I probably shouldn't dwell on the 'what's next' and be content for a few moments on what is finished! It was an intense year of getting the front of the house in order. We ripped out the front yard, put in a walkway, planted a bunch of bulbs, put in new grass and VOILA.

Because she's just so cute!

Lone Liberal

One thing about living in the suburbs is that there aren't many liberals around, and as a side note, when did 'bleeding heart' become a bad word? And how is caring about the poor and forgotten, 'not Christian' So I feel like this very small minority of a suburbanite Christian liberal (scl) there are a few of us over here, we meet occasionally speak quietly of issues, it's nice to find a like mind or two out here in the sea of republican always right people....who have NO PROBLEM telling me I'm wrong...hubby, although one of THEM, has yet to tell me I'm wrong, well in so many words. However, when asked he does say, 'yes I'm a republican and my wife is just wrong'. We have other mixed marriage friends and it does work out. Another funny mixed marriage note; on our trip to Spain, Gina said something that perked my ears, she referred to both her and my brother being Democrats...My Brother???? so I asked her if he was (and you'd have to hear both he and my step-father talk to understand why I was so surprised) and she said, 'yeah, he's a democrat, he just doesn't know it' hahahha, score one for Gina, hope she can get him to come out of the political closet too. Almost 15 years in our marriage and still hasn't happened (love him dearly none the less).
So today hubby and I are going to go to the polls and cancel each other out. But we're both still voting!

Well I guess it's nursing school then.....

A few days ago I have this great talk with a friend, Shannon, who is a teacher and I settle it in my mind that teaching is the way to go, it can happen in less time, the classes would be less hard and I'd walk away with a masters, yeah you have to deal with parents and have very little respect from those around you but it would have worked well with the family and I WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY SCIENCE....Then, that night I get my letter from Araphaoe that my number came up and I can start nursing school. I call dear friend, Shannon, again (whose head had to be spinning, but I do that to her often, even with, should I paint this room green or blue?) and she helps me figure it out and it's settled AGAIN. I'm going to nursing school. I mean if that's not a sign from the divine....me going back and forth back and forth, what do I want to be when I grow up, what fits with the family blah blah blah, I'm sure even in all of HIS compassion and wisdom he was fed up with me too and I got the letter to finally shut me up and go on with it....Yet I still talked to more girl pals...shared my angst of, 'am I smart enough, will people still like me if I'm not as there for them, will Jason handle the pressure of picking up the slack in the house' and the consensus was 'shut up and go already'...Ok, friends were so much more gracious but really that was the end result.
But really it would have been cool to say I had a Masters, but now I'm getting an Associates, which feels a little backwards but it is in a totally different field, way out of my element...so I need to get over that bit of snobbishness

Griswold Halloween

Wow, some people really like Halloween...Here's a house in our neighborhood that was decorated to the hilt. They even had a pirate walking the deck and the lady of the house was serving hot cocoa while she was wearing a serving wench costume...some people just have too much time on their hands and I say this will total envy!

I know it's not 'cool' to live in the suburbs. I did the cool downtown thing in college and we even may move to some trendy loft when we're empty nesters, but this stage in our life the suburbs is sometimes so Normal Rockwell I feel like I'm in this 50's sitcom dream come true! Yeah yeah there are issues, but easily ignored by one such as me (denial just ain't a river in Egypt). Mostly, it's just a place where the kids can learn and play and I have some lovely laid back friends (ok, minus an alpha-mom or two)...Yes hippy gay professor dad probably rolling in his grave that eldest daughter isn't some intellectual somewhere, but really I'm happy and love my life in suburbia...Where else are you going to get Griswold halloweens?




Very strange; I had a post today about this already today and when I went back on my blog it was gone...it may appear again later so this may be a double posting, I have no idea...but now I have pictures since Martha emailed me some...yay Martha.

ooooh scary

Just photos, what can I say, Halloween, lots of candy (and can I say there is a benefit to a kid with a peanut allergy...I get all the Reeces peanut butter cups!---score) (zac's party at school, they sang songs about pumpkins)