Ghostbustin a Move

Spirit Week

These costumes aren't quite as original as Daniel's. Last week was spirit week, and this was crazy clothes day. John's nerd outfit was a big hit.  Joe is supposed to be a leprechaun for St. Patrick's. Claire is not dressed up; she is wearing a tank top because it was nearly 90 degrees. But it looks like we'll get cooler weather for trick or treating.

Find a Book?

Do any of you know of a search engine or chat room or such that would help me find a book I either read or dreamed in junior high? I think the title was something like Dreamweaver or The Dream Weaver. Something about dreams and looms. No clue on the author. Anyway, each time I poke around on Amazon to see if I can find it, I get a little more obsessed with the fact that I can't.

Have I already asked about this?

This is what our children look like now

This is Luke.
He's three, but his birthday is coming up soon... and he knows it. As he said the other day (riding in a booster in Gramps's car for the first time): "I'm not actually four... but I feel like it."
This one is Charles. He is stubby, currently, but probably in a growth spurt, or else teething, or else has swine flu. Either way, something makes him crabby at night.

And here he is after diving off of a bed at my parents' house. Is he our family's John C? Perhaps, although he hasn't required any stitches. Yet.

Here the boys are playing 'witch' on the back driveway. We're still Catholic, don't worry.


And here is Chas helping John put together an adirondack chair from a kit I found on clearance at a craft store.

It's all assembled now, and very nice to sit in -- holding a mug of Taster's Choice closely and two-handedly -- on the crisp fall days we've been having lately. The rain today soaked my cheery yellow cushion, though, which makes me a little sad because I'm probably going to forget and sit on it tomorrow, and that will be less cheery. I asked Luke if I was being crabby the other day after I snapped at him at Tom Thumb, and he admitted I was, "a little bit." Then at dinner he asked me if I thought I was "done being crabby for the day." Luckily, I was. I'm not sure why I thought of that story. Probably because it's bedtime and the boys are being naughty, and I'm a little bit crabby right now. Anyway, that's what you've all been missing.

Belated Happy Birthdays

A belated happy birthday to stylish Elizabeth and Michelle! Thought of you even though we didn't call...

And here's another stylish photo of John and Kate to remind them we need to see some pics of Luke and Charles.

We also need to see some photos of Paul. I'm not sure what he looks like.

Camping Trip

Here are some photos from our weekend trip to Tallulah Gorge in Georgia with the Maloneys. It was a beautiful weekend with a hint of fall color, although we had to pack out in the rain, and our tent still isn't dry because it's been raining here all week.

The dam


 
Eating campfire food at the hideout
 

 
 
 
 
 

The kids enjoying the rim trail

Don't jump!

The Suspension Bridge - it does sway if you throw a bunch of preteens on it.

The main tourist attraction in town: Goats on the Roof gift shop and ice cream.

Annie feeding the goats

 
 
 
 

The ice cream train

John's find

While the big kids hiked the gorge floor with the dads, the moms and littles hiked the south rim trail. John did not have to get any more stitches.

The big kids were hiking here. Highlight: Sliding Rock, where they got to slide down a somewhat flat faced fall into a freezing pool. No one heard banjos.

Livin' the life

The kids all wanted me to be sure to post on the blog the story of our day. After church today (with timely readings and homily on marriage and family), we rented a pontoon boat at the Air Force base. Our plans were almost sabotaged by rain and by the fact that the only pontoon available was the "nice" one, which you can't fish on.  But we decided to risk the rain and the dockhands said we could use the shrimp net as long as we didn't get the boat dirty. So off we set, for a glorious few hours boating around the bay. It's not the most beautiful boating place, but the kids had fun picking out the mansion they wanted for their own, and each got a turn to steer the boat. Highlights were catching 7 keeper mullets in the net (and a few small ones) - 4 in one cast by Dan - and almost hitting a dolphin. It crested right in front of the pontoon, close enough to see his eye and blowhole.  We docked the boat and unloaded just as a downpour dumped gallons, washing away all the scaly evidence of our furtive fishing.

We capped off the day with a delicious fish and rice dinner, followed by Moo Bars, and watching everyone's favorite show, Extreme Home Makeover.

Wish I had more photos, but we didn't take the camera out of fear of rain.