Stuff

Halloween is just around the corner...I have a love/hate relationship with Halloween. I love the idea of dressing up and playing and having fun. I love the actual day when the whole thing is a party, and the kids have so much fun trick-or-treating. I am really excited for this year because we won't have to make the kids wear a coat over their costume to go out. I always remember my own disappointment as a child of having to wear a coat on Halloween. We always tried to fit it under what I was wearing, but it still is not the same! Aliza hated putting on a coat last year. Anyway, I digress. Hate...the stress of getting it all together. The fact that candy is out for 6 weeks before Halloween, so you buy it thinking you are so on top of things, then 2 days before Halloween, you realize that you accidentally ate most of it and you have to run out and buy from what is left. I remember when Tyler was 2, we had just had Parker and we were up at my mom's house. I was so stressed about what he was going to be for Halloween. Anyway, my mom, ever the calm in the storm (or what I thought was a storm) helped me pull together a cowboy costume, with what we had and Tyler thought he was so cool. And he did look so cute. I guess I am afraid of scarring my kids for life if I do it wrong! Anyway, the Costume Express catalog came the other day, and it already looks like this:

It has been well-loved. Aliza wants to be Hannah Montana, Parker wants to be the Crocodile Hunter, and Tyler wants to be Napoleon Dynamite. I hope that all works out for them!

At school, instead of dressing up in traditional costumes, they have a "Sock Hop." Everyone dresses up in poodle skirts and jeans and they have a party in the gym during their PE time. I am going to try to find an easy poodle skirt pattern and make a cute little skirt for Aliza, and maybe one for me. You're never too old to be young! Parker wants to be Elvis, we'll see what we can find to accommodate that. I think Liza would also be a cute Pink Lady! We'll see! Tyler said he'll be a greaser....Go Greased Lightning!

Parker has joined the Speed Stacks club at the school and goes to their meeting, or practice or whatever, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning at 7:20. The kids wanted to ride bikes to school today (we finally got them locks!) and since Parker had to leave before everyone else, Maris followed him to school and waited for him to go inside. I just didn't want him going all by himself that early on his bike! The school has an actual Team that takes a bus to Colorado for the Speed Stack world championship. Hmmm. It seems like everything is a competition these days!

So here is Liza and Ty going off to school on their bikes for the first time ever. By the way, it is spirit week this week and today is Crazy Sock Day (Sock it to the Bulls!). Tyler doesn't usually wear socks like that! Liza had on striped socks that you can't see because they are under her high-tops. Parker wore knee-high black socks and one red soccer sock over one of them.

With the cooler weather I have been so excited to turn up the air and open the windows! I love a cool breeze going through the house!On a final note, the house next door is coming right along. I guess the people moving in are like 80+. Maybe they will have some great-grandchildren my kids can play with! (was that rude?) I'm sure they will be quiet, low-maintenance neighbors! :) It will be so nice to have a house there. Now if they 3 lots across the street would sell and get built on quickly, everything would be good!