October 9, 2008 - An unusual holiday

Those of you who know us well are aware that we like Halloween. I mean really like Halloween. I like any holiday that I get to spend celebrating with my family. I love Christmas, adore Thanksgiving, rejoice on Easter and celebrate with the best of them on Independence Day. Halloween, however, has a special place in my heart.

I was 6 years old the first time I went trick or treating. It was wonderful. I was out at night (well past my usual curfew), I got to go door to door and collect candy and treats. I was Tinkerbell. I had the little green dress and wings and one of those awful plastic masks and a bright orange pumpkin to carry my loot home in. I remember walking up to one house that I had visited before and the guy at the door (not scary looking) reached out with a huge stash of candy in a (gloved) gory looking hand. He made one of those monster/villain laughs as he dropped it in my pumpkin. YAAA HA HAAAA! I said thank you and ran for the street where my dad was waiting and SMACK INTO A PARKED CAR! I have been hooked ever since. I was 6 years old and decided that good things aren't always easy to recognise, that my Dad was always there to dust me off and that the things that go thump in the night aren't always something to fear (trust me - a lot of people who witnessed my flight, laughed themselves silly once they realised I wasn't hurt).

Moon Pies are a great motivator for a 6 year old but you would think that I would have outgrown this love for Halloween. Not so! Every year we throw a Halloween party for all the children we know. We have lots of kids and adults that come to the party. Anyone can dress in costume who wants to - but its not mandatory. There is lots of food and games - even a pinata. The children run about with glow bracelets and drink Dragon's Blood Punch (a putrid looking mixture or grape juice, orange juice and Sprite that tastes pretty good) All food HAS to have a disgusting name to be Halloween party worthy. Most of all, I like that it is not at all solemn - it is a night when everyone is a kid and acts like a kid and no one thinks twice about it.
These are our Halloween Party invitations for this year. I made them from a photo we took of our house a few years back.

October 7, 2008 - Our walkway

Randy and I spent a large amount of effort and time repairing our front walk. It was in pretty rough shape and we decided that it was better to do it ourselves and use the money for Masha than have someone else do it. We still believe that this was a good use of our time but if you had asked us mid-way through we might have given you another answer!

We decided that pavers were a better look for our house and I have to say that I am thrilled with the results (and no, we have no plans to do this with our driveway - 22ft was long enough)

This is the almost finished project. I forgot to take a picture of the finished version before we started decorating for Halloween (more on that next post)but what do you think? Does it look better than a concrete sidewalk with our house?

September 2, 2008 - Guess who's 6?!

Our beautiful Valeria is 6 years old today! She got to celebrate with new classmates, friends and a family that loves her. Instead of being a day to fear and dread, her birthday found her standing in front of her first birthday cake, grinning from ear to ear while everyone sang "Happy Birthday". And yes, in the end she ended up with 3 birthday cakes, just like her sister Caelia.
You are probably reading this well after her birthday. I am terribly sorry but my girls love the camera and anytime mama is forgetful and leaves it within reach, they try their own pictures. I am certain they are wonderful photos - except that Caelia insists on pointing the camera at her own face (afterall - that is the part she sees most frequently) and all I get is a lovely pink blur. After they are finished with their photo session, they hide the camera and I spend days hunting it down. I found it!