Fading Embers

Halloween Fun!

Today after school, Grandma Tina came over and we made jack-o-lanterns before going trick-or-treating.  We had four pumpkins that Aidan has been asking to carve for about 4 weeks now.  I kept telling him that we have to wait until closer to Halloween.  It dawned on me today that we can't get much closer to Halloween, so we'd better get cracking on the pumpkins.  Aidan's favorite part was designing the faces while Gabrielle seemed to prefer smooshing her hands into the slimy guts in the bowl after we'd cleaned the pumpkins.

At 6 p.m., we began entertaining pint-sized goblins, fairies, lions, and action heroes.  I am pleased to report that I did not see any costumes like the highly sexualized ones we've been discussing in my Gender Studies classes.  Aidan truly loved answering the door like the perfect little host.  He'd distribute candy and pay compliments about costumes like a mature adult.  At 7 p.m., we headed out to do our own trick-or-treating.  Gabrielle, who is now approximately 26 lbs, insisted on me carrying her because "she saw Ween!" and was scared of a couple of the ghost/goblin costumes.  And at first, she didn't really get the concept of getting a treat for ringing someone's doorbell.  A few times, she actually gave candy to the people who answered instead of vice versa.

 

Busy Beyond Words

Photos will have to suffice right now . . .

Tonight, Aidan decided that, in the spirit of Halloween, he'd be "Captain Underpants".

 

 

Gabrielle, on the other hand, has opted for a more traditional costume.  She had fun at the Dance Class Halloween Party!

Just when I thought I was cool . . .

Last week, I was the first teacher in recent history to be asked to wear a student's football jersey to school.  This week, two English teachers, who I thought were my friends, were asked to wear jerseys (one was a male teacher who wore the jersey I wore last week, which I will admit was pretty funny) -- and I wasn't.

What a loser.  :(

It's so hard being cool; you can fall so quickly from the pedestal of coolness in the short span of a week.  Sheesh.

Happy Birthday, Michael!

Michael is 29 today!  Hard to believe, but I suspect we are getting old after all.  Happy Birthday, Mike (aka Daddy)!

Classic Dave Barry

"The greatest threat to your baby is educational toys, which you are required by federal law to buy several dozen of.  Educational toys are advertised in baby magazine, which arrive by the thousands in the mail when you have a baby.  In a typical ad, a baby is looking thoughtfully (for a baby) at two pieces of plastic.  According to the ad, the pieces of plastic are helping the baby "acquire skills of problem-solving."  In fact, the only problem the baby is solving is the problem of how to get both pieces in its mouth."

 

Snuggly Gabrielle, almost 2 years ago!  

Fall Fun

The kids are enjoying the fall weather (as Aidan says, "Mom!  It's FALL because the leaves FALL!") in our back yard:

 

 

and at the pumpkin patch!

 

In Paradisum

In paradisum

 

Modern art and crucifixes really don't mix --

what could be less modern

than the sacrifice of a deity?

 

In our world

(in our image created)

we are the deities.

Each labor

bears an apotheosis --

and we sure as hell

don't sacrifice ourselves these days,

especially not for the salvation of the world.

 

Besides, what --exactly--

would we be saving?

A planet full of divinities

with no one to worship them

but themselves?

 

There's a church on every corner

(at every crossroad, you could say)

with

empty pews

and empty collection plates

and modern art crucifixes.

 

For the few who cross themselves

and hope for a blessing,

the hammered bronze Christ reminds them

of something they saw at a flea market --

or was it at that estate sale on the east end?

 

And the Savior wonders, in paradisum

with his chorus angelorum,

where his sheep have gone.

 

Unspoken Gratitude

Ever wonder if anyone notices things that you do?  Well, as any mother of toddlers will tell you, a lot of what we do goes unnoticed by our little ones.  And, as any parent will tell you, that isn't why we do what we do.  But every once in a while, it is nice to get some recognition from our pint-sized offspring.

For example, today, Aidan and Gabrielle and I were on our way home from church.  I was driving and had the rear view mirror angled so that I could see them in the back seat as we had one of our usual talks about anything and everything.  I saw Gabrielle bothering with her nose, so I asked if she needed a tissue.  She said yes, and as I gave her one, Aidan said, "Wow!  Super Mommy-- Transform!"

He occasionally gets on these Transformer kicks, and it was funny to hear him equate my multitasking with "superness".  Not that getting a tissue is like leaping a giant building in a single bound or anything . . . ah well, it's all relative, right?

Michael's Famous!

Ok, well maybe I'm overstating a bit.  BUT...he was in the photo which complimented The Daily Item's article about the Susquehanna Valley Chorale Concerts this weekend.  :)  **Editor's Note: Notice the pencil behind his ear!  Lourdes Choir members wouldn't recognize Mike without it!**

  The Susquehanna Valley Chorale will open its ’08-’09 season, “Music of the Masters Past and Present,” on Saturday and Sunday at Zion Lutheran Church, Fifth and Market streets, Sunbury.

Following a pre-concert talk by Gary Boerckel of Lycoming College at 2:15 p.m., the Chorale, orchestra and guest soloists under the direction of William Payn will perform John Rutter’s “Requiem” and Charles Gounod’s “Messe Solennelle” (“St. Cecilia”) at 3 p.m.

 

 

Yum-O Chinese Food

The best part of eating Chinese food is, of course, the chopsticks . . .