Lil' punkins

It's pumpkin carvin' time. . .drag out the newspapers and find all the carving stuff from last year in the junk drawer. The kids love to get out the sharpie markers and draw on their designs then Matt and I end up doing the grunt work and carving them after the kids can't do it anymore. We had a pretty good set this year. Whitney gave her pumpkin a little kiss. . .that was the closest she got. . .when we were pulling out all the guts, she was making some pretty great faces, and kept shaking like does when we ask if it's cold outside!! Maybe next year!

Molly was like a mad scientist pulling out the guts. "Oohh, here come all the brains. . ." as she squishes it in between all her fingers!!

Molly insisted on star eyes and a nose for her pumpkin. She got a little excited with the sharpie marker this year. She drew a couple of faces, a ghost, a bat, and even wrote Happy Halloween. Oh and don't forget the hair and moustache for the jack-o-lantern.Here's Madison doing her best Barkers beauties pose. She did the one with the word "Spooky" around the pumpkin. She's had some pretty creative pumpkins over the years. Matt did the "stem nose" one in the middle. I did a quick carve of the lil' babe one.

Happy Halloween!!!! BOOooo!

I heart October

October has screamed past me this year. This is my favorite time of year. When you feel that first chill of winter in the air. Sweatshirts and socks in the house. That first hum of furnace air. I love, love LOVE our red maple in front of our house. It turns fire red every October. It's the prettiest tree on the block (if I do say so myself). I have pictures upon pictures of this tree every year. I can't get enough of it.

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
- Robert Frost, October

The Birds and the Bees. . .Molly's version

Molly (as she is petting our cat Smokey): "Mom, how do cats and dogs have babies if they're not married?"

Me (a logical question, at least she realizes the "order" of life): "Well, they just find other cats or dogs to have their babies with."

Molly (looking strangely at Smokey): "But, how does she like, kiss the other kitty?"

Me (Not going there): "Um, I'm not sure. . .(leaving the room). . .I guess they figure it out."

Come and buy some crap. . .

Ok, can we agree that Garage Sales are a little pitiful? You gather up all the junk that you have stocked in your house for who knows how long and pile it all together (trying to make it look nice) in your front yard and put prices on it and try to sell it to some poor soul? The thing is that people actually buy stuff! Lots of stuff! All kinds of stuff that you think. . .oh, I should just throw this out, NO ONE would ever buy this! So, you sit out in your yard looking all excited saying,

"Hey, come and buy up some of this crap. . .It's really GREAT crap. . .I mean stuff."

I had my first official garage/yard sale a couple of weeks ago with Matt's sister and some others bringing over their "stuff". We had A LOT of stuff, it's amazing what piles up while you're being pregnant, having babies, raising kids, working, sleeping, it never quits growing!! We actually got rid of quite a bit and we all made some serious cash too! The nice thing was that it forced Matt and I to go through boxes that we haven't touched since we bought the house almost 8 years ago!! Wow, there were some winners out there. I had wedding gifts that I hadn't used, and oh, my, the clothes. Check out this "matronly" Laura Ashley number from the early 90's. . .And didn't we all have a least one of these dresses/jumpers from Express in the early 90's? I had at least 2. My house is now free. . . .until I fill it up again!!