A Trick O' Treat costume dilemma?

How about a one-eyed toilet paper mummy?

Or an evil Disney-something witch who likes to portray her fake goodness by holding a really cute dinky puppy? (The kids are not fooled--they have seen the movies. They know better than to follow a strange witch bearing enticing fruit, or cute animals. )

Neither of those suit you? Then how about a cute black, sparkly-eared kitty?

(With a half smeared nose.)

It comes with a basket of kitties, complete with their own costumes.

(Yes, they are mummy kitties--she thought of this all by herself.)

Or, you could go as a dark phantom with a ghostly floating third red eye.

(I have no idea how it got there.)

p.s. If you go as the black phantom, this means that:

1. You have convinced your mom of this costume--the closest thing to creepy she would allow.

2. You would not have to wear it all day, even to the Halloween party. Thus you would not have your mom following you around with her camera. She would be left to take a quick picture at night with her awful flash. 

Boo. 

Boo-Hoo.

oops.

When I said there would be a BIG reveal yesterday...I had it in my brain that it would be Halloween the next day (today). Oops. I goofed. Such is the state of my brain these last two days. Soooooo, BIG reveal is tomorrow. Really. And here is another "peek".

It has been one of those days that I have been on my feet for 10 going on 11 hours straight. I am, as you would say, "too pooped to scoop."

Sneak Peek

I was given strict orders to only post one picture. (Yes Ma'am!) 

She did not want to give away too much because her teacher told her that she did not want to know what her students were going to be for Halloween--she wanted to be surprised. So, we are hoping and praying that if Teacher looks at Mommy's blog tonight, she will be stumped, perplexed, baffled over this sneak peek. And she hopes that all her mommy's blog readers will be stumped as well. A lady cannot give away too much.

So tomorrow--the BIG reveal!

I know the anticipation is killin' you. Hope you can sleep tonight. (wink)

Mr. Cute Cap, how cute are you?!

I met a friend of mine, and her entire extended family, at the pumpkin patch today to take their annual "family picture at the pumpkin patch". This was serious business. They've been doing it forever. Some of the kids have grown and now new babies have arrived. It keeps growing and growing. 

So meet Mr. Cute Cap. A member of the Pumpkin Patch Shoot-Out Clan. This post is all about him, cause there were just too many that I couldn't pass up. 

Makes me want to go buy a cap and vest for my Zach and head out for a fun photo shoot. Sadly, I think I've missed that chance. He's ten. Need I say more?

Wind issues

Today was a very gusty windy day. The kind that keeps you indoors because it makes you mad with irritation just stepping outside.

I have serious issues with wind. Like "I need therapy" type of issues. 

Maybe it has something to do with:

1. living in a windy college bike town for 4 years. Riding my bike home, into the wind, every day from class. It was a sheer work out. Weary from the battle, I was so ticked-off by the time I got home I had to pick the bugs out of my teeth before I could eat dinner. 
2. the "incident" I had while on a high school choir trip. It is still hard to talk about, but let's just say it had to do with finding a spider in my mouth while trying to pull my wind blown hair, that had been plastered to my lip glossed lips, out of my mouth. 
3. that 1970's Disney Haunted House record--the one with the creep windy storm track...and the ghostly moans and foot steps.
4. watching The Wizard of Oz one too many times. Dorothy's scramble to find shelter during the tornado fills me with anxiety. Can she move any slower?

And those are just my top four...

 

Taking a moment

I need a little moment here to stop and take a deep breath.

November is lurking ahead with a calendar full of "stuff". 

Do not know how I will get it all done.

But I do know, that if I do not stop and take each day as it comes,

then I will surely miss the journey that November could be.

"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own..."

Amen.

Don't. Move. A. Muscle.

Not. Even. An. Eyeball.

Proof that it is physically impossible for a boy to remain still.

Yep, that is my son in the black shirt leading the pack.

 

By the way...what is up with my children and their weird need to lick their neighbor?

A timely escape

When your friends call and ask if you can play, you say "yes". Because you would rather play than deal with the 5 alarm mess that has been growing in your house.

When your friends call and ask if you can play, you say "yes". Because you would rather play than finish painting your computer room--which is why your house looks like a bomb went off in it because everything in that room is now somewhere else in your house.

When your friends call and ask if you can play, you say "yes." Because you would rather play than try and find your computer (that is hiding under a red sheet in the middle of the computer room trying not to get paint on it) and update your blog, even though you have used your camera as you have promised you would.

Yes, when your friends call and ask if you can play, you say "yes, yes, and triple yes."

Because you would rather go to the beach and explore the tide pools...

...and be the first to make your mark in the clean slate of sand...

...and display your killer artistry talent for all to see... 

(if you knew this girl, you'd know she is one amazing artist!)

...and kick off your shoes to feel the sand in between your toes...

...and make sea bush brooms and beg to take them home...

...and pose for your mom for TWO seconds, so she could catch the most beautiful picture of the day.

Now seriously, my friend, could you blame me for saying "yes"? 

p.s. Seriously, he gave me two seconds. Doesn't it look like we were on some amazing family photo shoot? I'm tellin' you--sometimes the best pictures are the ones you spontaneously grab. And with him, they have to be spontaneous. He doesn't give me much else.

First Lesson

We met Miss Jenn today for Bean's very first horseback riding lesson. Here they are heading out to the outdoor riding ring.  Jack the dog is running ahead. (He was just happy to have people around to kick his lopsided green ball to him.) 

 

Meet Rocky. He's getting his brush down. Both of them loved this part.

Two silly cowgirls out ridin' together.

Attempting a little giddy'up.

Must keep your elbows straight!

Caught this one of her friend Sophie. Doesn't she look like a little J Crew model?

The Bean loved every minute. And I loved it too. Something about being outside, the smell of earth and animals. I am a country girl at heart.

Moss Beach

I totally dig collages (as you might have already noticed). I love that I can capture all the moments in one space and create a story of sorts. 

So above is our afternoon at Moss Beach. Our time was spent chasing birds, and playing on our special little grass covered dune. (My hubby has got the dune jumping skills.) We also found three purple starfish washed up from the shore. Hello! I have spent my entire life at the beach and I have never found a starfish before. It was a magical moment for Michaela.

The weather was beautiful, the beach empty except for a few stray bird watchers, oh and a guy who stripped down and went for a swim. (Thank God for our excellent kid-distracting skills.)

Zach declared it his favorite beach ever and Michaela wrote her traditional sand note to the mermaids so she could receive their return letter the next morning. 

Couldn't have asked for a better afternoon with the fam.