Let's go get some candy!

The Hartmans were here for their annual Halloween-ish visit... This time, actually on Halloween! We went to the pumpkin farm, and me hearties climbed aboard the pirate ship...

Then it was time to go home and carve, carve, carve. Steve had a bucket of seeds going. And buckets of pumpkin guts.

Finally, time to get spooky and go out and wrangle some candy. It was the first nice weather in quite a while, so lots of people were out in their driveways, either around firepits or grilling... Generally a really great Halloween this year. And a great visit by the Hartmans!

For more photos, click here.

Fall parties

That annual tradition... Now Allen is getting in on it: Fall party!

Would you believe I caught him smiling for the other moms and their cameras?!?! This cannot stand! So, I managed to get one of my own... (Juliette doesn't look so happy about it, though.)

Yummy cupcakes, and I brought the time-tested craft project: Pumpkin Shape Faces. I did this for Emilyn's preschool years back... Helps them learn their ovals, squares and triangles... and helps them understand which shapes make which kind of expressions... "What would you use to make a sad face? A scary face?"

Later, at Emilyn's school, there was ice cream... And the kids got a bag of assorted candy, marshmallows, straws and toothpicks and were challenged to make the tallest, stable structure.

Emilyn's team didn't quite win... but they did an excellent job working together.

For all the pictures from both parties, click here.

A perfectly successful trip to the dentist

Oh... so many of us were dreading this day. Emilyn had some discoloration on a molar, and she was sure it was a cavity. And Allen's first trip to the dentist? Who knew what to expect?!!

Well, we didn't expect a perfectly behaved Allen... or a perfect report on Emilyn's teeth! No cavities! Wow! These tykes and their choppers made me a proud (and relieved) Mommy, I can tell you. Way to go, guys! And way to go Kearston and Dr. Dunagan! Dr. Dunagan is the world's most perfect kid's dentist. Everyone should go there. I want to go there!

Catch 'em before they fall

The rain, rain, rain was starting to knock the leaves off the trees. So Allen and I rushed out to take some pictures before they were all gone.

This, though, has to be my favorite shot of the season, captured by Jeanne with her new camera:

For more images of autumn on Asilomar, click here.

Emilyn is 11!

Our girl is just sooooo big! And, after a successful haul at Trick or Trunk, she took her cash booty to Wal-Mart and bought herself a Nintendo DSi, in boo-been. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Then, we were off to that mecca of kiddie joy, Incredible Pizza Co. Fun, games, food... and it's where Emilyn can build her own root beer floats! And where Mommy gets to stuff her pockets with tickets.

Emilyn won a free bumper car ride by spinning the birthday wheel. I hope Grandma was impressed!

So many choices! So much plastic crap!

Later on, it was time for some delicious peanut butter ice cream pie from Oberweis. Mmmmm. And doesn't she look so beautiful by candlelight! Happy birthday, kiddo! We love you!

Trick or Trunk 2009

Well, there were about three sunny days in October here... And luckily enough, the rain date of Sorrento Springs Trick or Trunk was one of them!

Here's me and my "bullet shooter," posing next to our super-scary trunk. We even won a prize for our decorations!! I was busting with pride. (One part of the prize was two super-long tubes of sugar, kind of like giant Pixie Stix... I regifted those to the trick-or-treater who sported my favorite costume of this Halloween -- a round, wrapped peppermint candy!)

Here's what we had to offer... Chocolate is the ONLY Halloween candy, in my humble opinion! We were pretty popular, I have to say... Had some "repeat" customers, if you know what I mean... And speaking of candy:

Somehow, for Emilyn and Sarah, our back seat became the place to sneak some of their haul! Nothing like candy for breakfast... Yum! And this year, Grandma got to go along for the parade! (No costume, though. Hmmm.)

For more pictures of Trick or Trunk, click here.

Emilyn's birthday snack

Fifth grade... Getting so big! But at least that great elementary school tradition survives (even in this peanut-wary age, and take note of the plastic gloves!) -- sharing a birthday snack with your class!

For the last several years, Emilyn's choice has been Krispy Kreme, and usually the fall-themed varieties. Mmmmmm. Daddy is, of course, a great fan of the pumpkin spice version. This year, we also had ones with pumpkin faces, spider webs, sprinkles... YUM! We are loyal fans of Krispy Kreme. Hope they can stay afloat!

A visit to Allen's school

Allen is doing great at preschool... He's a big hit with the ladies, especially. His good friends are Kayla and Reese, and their moms say they talk about Allen all the time. This just in: Kayla's mom is pregnant with little brother no. 2, and Kayla said: "Can we name the baby Allen?" Yessss!

One thing Allen has learned very quickly is writing. He spends a lot of time in the Writing Center, and he's writing words and drawing pictures like crazy -- which he really never did before he started school. We couldn't be more proud!

Since Grandma was visiting, she and Daddy and I spent an hour volunteering in Allen's classroom... Many fall-ish activities were ongoing... Corn in the sensory table... Hammering golf tees into a pumpkin... And a little play about a witch, desperate for pumpkin pie, trying to get a pumpkin off the vine. To see all the photos, plus a video of Allen as the witch, click here.

Steve vs. van: A breakthrough!

Steve actually got on his (unbroken) bike today and rode about a mile around the block! Hooray! His report: "I am so out of shape."

9 s'mores a-burning...

Emilyn was doing a skit with her Girl Scout troop for Campfire Night... a takeoff on "The 12 Days of Christmas" -- "The 12 Days of Camping." Her part: "9 s'mores a-burning." She needed some flaming marshmallows for the totally-indoor event. Mommy makes it happen! (Well, "flames" by Mommy. "Char" by Emilyn.) I'm told they were a hit!

Zzzzoooooommm!

This is what Allen looks like, frozen by the camera in mid-zip. He was tearing all over the playground! (I even did a little running myself. Big mistake.)

Allen's having fun with Paint, again

And now that he's a reader and a writer (and once I taught him how to make an exclamation point)... He can't be stopped!

Steve vs. van: Shoulder update

Well, so much has been going on with Steve's shoulder... not the least of which was my first -- yet totally successful! -- attempt at mowing the lawn! I know I'm going to have to do that again very soon... It's rained like a foot this month.

Steve completed four weeks of physical therapy, and he made his return visit to the orthopedic surgeon on Monday. Not much more than a drive-by there. Dr. Kaar and a new friend, an Indian guy with a Kentucky accent as thick as Maker's Mark, looked at Steve's new X-rays, had him do a couple of movements, and that was it. Bottom line: Things are looking good. Four more weeks of PT. After that, another visit to Dr. Kaar, when we can expect Steve will be cleared to resume full activity.

How can you tell you're getting better? PT starts kicking your butt! That's what Steve is finding now... I guess the risk of re-injury is gone, so his therapists are really working him now. This is the first time he's complained about pain after PT, and he has to go back tomorrow! Well, he knows it's for all the right reasons.

Kirkwood train show

Lots of fun trains to see at the Kirkwood community center this weekend... Including a really amazing N-gauge layout with a drive-in theater showing a real movie!

Also, there was a neat layout on the floor, featuring a 1 inch to 1 foot Big Boy. For all the videos we took, click here.