Halloween Hodge Podge

We get into the spirit of Halloween a little more and a little less each year. More because Harper is certainly more aware of what's going on and so we carve pumpkins and make decorations. And less because I didn't even try to think of a costume for myself or Marc or Margo this year. And I didn't even argue when Harper said she was going to be a princess.

We made a few thumbprint skeletons for fun one day. It's fun when I get worked up because I think Harper's skeleton smiles are too big or she should have erased a letter instead of scribbling over it. I do crafts with my kids so that one day I will be less uptight about things that don't matter.

We were sitting down to eat something quick for dinner before we went trick-or-treating and I was mildly disappointed with myself for not making Jell-O with plastic spiders stuck inside or bread sticks in the shape of old witches' fingers. At the very last minute I made this Halloween dinner that was probably every bit of a hit as that Jell-O or those bread sticks would have been. And I didn't spend an extra dime or an extra hour on it. And now I will make this every year.

Our princess

Our Little Red Riding Hood without her Granny and the Wolf.

Audrey Harper

Our friends had three kangaroo costumes and only two kids big enough to wear them so Harper gladly hopped around in one of them at the church party.

Margo loved modeling the kangaroo suit as well.

Happy Halloween from Minnesota

Playing with Fimo

Our little friend, Teagen, was having a monster themed birthday party and that's why we tried our hand at sculpture the other day.

monsters

Sisters

Island Park has the best slides of any park I have been to. These are slides for the entire family. It's a bit of work to get Margo up to the top, or at least I can't let Margo do it all by herself yet (which is why I don't like to go to this park if I want to talk to other people). Margo, Harper and I recently made a trip over to this park. Even more fun than going down the slide was meeting these two at the bottom every time. I snapped this picture right after I came out.

All four of these babies are the best babies.

To Margo

Oh but she loves the swings.

And the horses. Even the seahorses.

Apples for Joy

Another reason the F/M area is pretty great: there is a free apple orchard! Too bad for this year, the only apples that were left were in the very tip-tops of the trees, or they were crab apples. But they were delicious crab apples. I think this is the fourth year in a row that I have said I would go apple picking and then didn't. Next year!

Joy Schoolers and two tag-along siblings.

And then the girls found an injured monarch butterfly.

Birthday Cake

We didn't actually sit down and slice my birthday cake until a couple days later. It still tasted good.

Camera 1

Camera 2

To Margo

If Margo were my first child there would be a million pages like this one. Let me try harder to show her that she is every bit as wonderful as her big sister. And every bit as cute. And every bit as nice. And every bit as the best.

Margo is our child that climbs on everything. There have not been as many accidents as there should have been. Once a woman at this park came over to tell me that she had found Margo dangling from a high railing. Margo wasn't crying or scared. Just dangling.

Visiting with Grandma and Grandpa

Grandpa gave Harper and Margo his undivided attention.

Harper gave her barrette to Grandma.

Grandma gave her love of pistachios to Harper and Margo.

Harper, Margo, Grandma, and Grandpa gave me their nicest smiles before we said goodbye.

Food Is Fun: 2

That is marshmallow cream under sprinkles and on top of peanut butter with those colorful fruity marshmallows in the dish. That is bad for you.

The Perfect Picnic Park

Since my mom and dad live a short 6-hour drive away they came down to celebrate my life for the weekend. The last time we were together for my birthday was in the year 2000 and I was a junior in college. We welcomed them and the pie and cake and homemade bread they brought with them. Thanks Mom!

I asked for a picnic at Gooseberry Park. This is my new favorite park. The fields! The weird slide tucked in the bushes! The vintage playground equipment!

Cheese.

Stuffing my face with some of that good bread filled with good things.

Like mother like daughter.

After Harper finishes her dinner or her milk or other energy-producing food products she whispers to me "don't tell Dad." She is stronger than he is and is obviously intent on keeping it that way. And she doesn't want him to know that she is getting even stronger.

Classic Grandma/Mom face.

Classic Grandpa/Dad face. Classic Margo taking a few bites of something before she drops it and moves on to something else.

I also asked for a pinata at my party. I saw Harper and her friends whacking one and thought I, too, would like to swing a bat as hard as I can until candy flies all over the place. My dad took the first swing and tore the pinata right off the broom handle. It's no wonder. Look at his perfect form. He is a natural at every sport he tries.

Margo gives this old leaning tree a good whack.

After the pinata was restrung we moved to this patch of concrete to better see all the little pieces of candy corn Marc stuffed inside when they fell out. The kids at the park moved there too and watched hopefully. Even the little boy that was following my mom around while calling her "idiot, idiot, idiot" under his breath put his differences aside and waited to see if there would be any candy for him.

It is hard to tell that I used to play softball. My form is not as good as my father's. My facial expression is also not as good as my father's. But it's pretty close.

Hand-picked candy corn.

Taking it easy.

That was a very nice birthday party.