The Littlest Toad

How can I resist a boy that looks at me like this...

Okay, so he looks at his Pops the same way (this is easier to admit than saying those are my furry arms)...

We're pretty happy to have little Tadpole around!

Running with the Pack

I met some friends out in the woods before day break Saturday morning. Just about the ONLY way that I will get up in the dark, windy, wet, cold morning to go running is for the social benefit. My friend J, who runs through the woods regularly, suggested sticking to the sticks rather than the main road to protect us from the wind. We chatted and huffed and puffed our way through the woods as it gradually got lighter and lighter. I was looking further down the path when this BEAST darted across the path. It was the size of a deer but was dark and had a long white plumey tail and a dog head. My first question is, are coyotes THAT big? My second question is, why after totally freaking out, did I continue to follow my friend TOWARD the BEAST? She claims it was a deer, but I got a better look and (in my eye docotor's words) I have "better than perfect vision". Was it because I was afraid of being lost in the woods? Or because I have no brain of my own? The truth is that I subscribe to the family mantra, "It is better to die than to look bad."

This truth was taught to me in my formative years mainly by my dear Uncle D. Without actually ever being told so, everyone knew that you just don't lose face in front of Uncle D. For this reason I found myself with my toes curled into vertical red sandstone climbing up to Indian ruins, or biting my lip as I crossed the gates into the ungroomed back-country at Alta, or trying not to close my eyes and cry while motorcycling through rivers and up steep hills, or strapping on a waterski, kneebooard, or bump-r-ride knowing that Uncle D had a homing device for the most wavey portion of the lake. Why is it better to die than to look bad? I'm not sure. But I have had a lot of fun almost dying over the years, and I think it actually built a little confidence in me over the years.

However, now that I have 3 children who depend on me, I informed J. this morning that I will not be running through the woods before daybreak again.

Punk Rock Girl!

Anyone Else Struggling With the Time Change?

6:00 p.m. Monday

6:00 p.m. Tuesday


6:00 p.m. ... a little too late for nap time, a little too early to go down for the WHOLE night.

The Spirit of Halloween

Even after the Halloween decorations have been packed away, the costumes have been Oxy-cleaned, and the candy has been consumed, the memory of a great holiday lives on. Superkid emerged from his bedroom Sunday not as the cutest Sunbeam, but as, "Ghost-Dog" in his, "Ghost-Dog mask".

We spared his Sunbeam teacher from the "Ghost-Dog" by making him leave the "mask" in the car at church, but she still had to contend with the, "cutest Sunbeam" (which is my designation, not hers).

Happy Birthday Boo!

No Noreaster can keep us away from Boo's AMAZING FARM DAY BIRTHDAY PARTY! The kids had such a good time, you would have guessed it was actually their OWN birthday. Look at the thrill on Abizella's face when it was birthday cake time.

Superkid burned it up racing through the hay pile.

The kids had the BEST lunch EVER of Cheetos, Doritos, birthday cake and ice cream.

Boo barely got to open her own gifts with Abizella and Superkid there to hand her gifts, help remove bows, and just out and out rip open her gifts when Boo wasn't ripping fast enough.

WE LOVE YOU BOO! Thanks for inviting us to your party!

The BEST Pile of Leaves EVER!

This is the BEST pile of leaves EVER because we didn't have to rake it up! Our friend Holly called us up and said her gardner made a pile of leaves in her yard that needed some kids to jump in it. I added my pile of kids to her pile of leaves and we had a great big pile of kids and leaves. ...and we had a lot of fun too. Holly also is a knitting wiz and made Abizella this cute little sweater to keep her warm on chilly NE days. Thanks fora great day Holly!