Happy Halloween

It wouldn't be Halloween without Trick or Treating with our friends from school.




Or going on a hayride to Trick or Treat with our friends.


Our scary & sweet Trick or Treaters.


For the past couple years we've gone to a friend's house to celebrate Halloween. This year we brought chili, fruit salsa (with cinnamon pita chips), and spooky cookie cups (chocolate chip cookies in muffin cups with whipped cream on top to make the ghosts). We also had brats & hot dogs on the grill as well as veggies/dip, fruit w/ chocolate dip, cake, cookies & brownies. Sugar overload anyone?

The kids had a blast & we managed to get then to sit down to eat before heading out to T or T. Why on Saturday you ask? Because Sunday is a school night, silly! Now, work with me on this one. When Halloween is on Monday-Thurs. it's celebrated on those nights. Aren't they school nights as well? If you said "yes", you'd be right. Some crazy logic down here in Dixie!

Totally random things that make me happy

**lunch with Hunter. Even going to our local pizzaria for a slice & soda.

**Speaking of soda--Diet coke, diet ginger ale, diet cranberry ginger ale. Real ginger ale (in moderation). And Sonic---I love that you will put vanilla syrup into my diet coke.

**my bed.

**vacuuming.

**fall weather (when we actually have it)

**spending time w/ Sunshine in her classroom

**decorating for the holidays. Any holiday.

**Discovering rosebuds are still popping out on our QE rosebush.

**The happy noises Smitty makes when he lies down.

**Our neighbors & their dogs (Leo, Bijou & Georgia. Leo (shih tzu) & Bijou (poodle) are my faves).

**Playing bubbles with Sunshine.

**Listening to Sunshine read.

**Sushi

**bloody marys with olives

**A long soak in our tub. With the jets on. And a bath bomb.

**When friends send random text messages that make me giggle.

**Pedicures, manicures, facials, massages. Any spa service really.

**Shopping

**Knitting

**Helping Sunshine with her homework & watching her "get it".

**Sitting on the beach, feeling the sun on my skin & the way the sand feels on my feet.

**Seeing the "Welcome to Vermont" sign after a long drive home.

**Sunshine's crazy laugh

**Hunter's crazy laugh when he reads/watches something that's really funny.

**Talking to my mom every day.

**Trashy tv

**Historical fiction. (Good historical fiction, not trashy bodice rippers. )

**The History Channel.

Callaway with Sunshine

Sunshine & I took advantage of Daddy having a cold & not feeling well yesterday to head up to Callaway Gardens. We've toyed with the idea of getting an annual membership but since all military (active AND retired!) get in free, we've not had to pay.


Like Fancy Nancy, we always look for the azure butterflies. This was the only one we saw.



Sunshine desperately wanted a butterfly to land on her hand & would walk around with her hand out in hopes of one doing so.

Then she'd stand there. And stand. And stand.





They're getting ready for Fantasy in Lights! The Nutcrackers & Toy Soldiers greeted us as we drove into the park. Last year we went with several other families & had so much fun riding in the "Jolly Trolley" together. Everyone met up here, we had drinks/munchies/dinner & then went up to Callaway. This year, we're planning on going on the 26th as the weeks before Christmas tend to be hectic with various parties, shopping, school activities. Fantasy in Lights is one of my favorite new traditions that we've started for our family. The other is going to see The Polar Express at the Imax theater on post at the Infantry Museum on Christmas Eve Day. It's complete with a conductor who punches out each child's name on their ticket.

Revenge of Dish Rag Tag

is over & I am proud to say that my team, Cable4inFront, finished in the top 5!


I made some stitch markers for Jessica in AL.

As well as the blue regulation cloth.














We're having a nice weekend despite my two semi-sick lovebugs. Sunshine got sick at a friend's birthday party yesterday. I think it was too much activity & too much junk food as she only got sick the one time & had a normal appetite when she got home. The downside was she didn't get to have her sleepover at her friends' house. Which meant Hunter & I didn't get a date night. It actually worked out as Hunter isn't feeling well either (pretty standard cold/virus thing). I'm thinking Sunshine & I may head up to Callway Gardens to the Butterfly Center so he can get some sleep.

I don't know what I'm going to do tonight with no Mad Men! One of my neighbors has the first 3 seasons on DVD so I might have to start watching from the beginning again (I did the same thing last year).

What ever happened to

common courtesy? Did it go the way of the dodo bird? Was there a bill in Congress to outlaw it? Did I miss a memo?

When did it become illegal to *gasp* let another car go ahead of you? Hold a door for someone? Especially a woman pushing a baby stroller, an elderly person. Anyone, really. The number of people who don't return phone calls/emails is mind boggling.

When did we decide that it's okay to never accept the blame for something. It's always someone else's fault. Last night I watched the reunion show for the Real Housewives of DC (hey, I balance my trash tv with more educational fare as well!). The White House crashing couple STILL blames everyone else under the sun for the fact that they knowingly went to the party without an official invitation. Accept responsibility for yourself.

And parents---disciplining your children doesn't mean abusing them. Trust me. Generations of parents before you disciplined their children. You may claim to be "involved" with your child & being "gentle" but honestly, that 3 min. time out is going to do more than you saying "no, no, no" over and over again.

How did two weeks fly by?

Earlier this month I went to Sunshine's class for a little going away party---the para pro was being sent to one of the Kindergarten classes as their para pro was retiring. The other room mom & I volunteered to come in to help out. I started going in every afternoon to help the kids with their AR tests (Accelerated Reader), made copies for the teachers (23 of everything for Mrs. K & Mrs. M., 16 for Mrs. S (she's the inclusion teacher), and 24 for Mrs. P.) & kept an eye on the class if the teacher needed to get something done.

Last week was a little less hectic as there was less to do, but I still spent time with my beloved Ricoh copier & went in to help the kids decorate their pumpkin tie dye t shirts. Word on the street (or at least in the classroom) is that they may have a new para pro. Let's hope so!

Yesterday we went to Best Nursery in Fortson, GA to their pumpkin patch. Sunshine went there 3 years ago when she was in preschool for a field trip. We had so much fun & the weather was perfect. We had a hay ride, picked out some pumpkins & ran into Sunshine's friends who were there with their dad.

The mailman finally brought my DishRag Tag box (while we were out for the afternoon, of course!) so I worked on it last night. Cute pattern. I got one cloth finished last night after Sunshine went to bed. Sandra in TX sent me some nice goodies---gummy bears, a beautiful (really beautiful!) shawl pin, a TX key chain & 2 dish cloths. I've got my goodies picked out, but will wait until DRT is done to share what they are. Last year I forgot to take a pic of the cloth I made so I'll make sure to get one this year.

The weather has been beautiful lately---40's in the mornings & low 80's in the afternoon. And lots of sunshine. I'm so happy we're finally out of shorts! The leaves are starting to change & it's so nice being outside. We may have to take a trip to the park today before the Patriots game starts.

Thank you, Mother Nature

It was 49 when we woke up this morning. 49 glorious degrees. Sunshine went off to school wearing a fleece jacket. If I weren't under the weather with upper respiratory ickiness (thank you, allergies), I'd have Smitty on the walking path around the lake. Maybe tomorrow.

Shhhh, plans are in the works for a surprise trip. I'd tell you, but then it wouldn't a surprise. Sunshine will find out on Christmas morning.

Shhhhh!