Scary BOO-tiful !

Sometimes the perfect costume just makes your Halloween! This year, I think we got two of them!

Emilyn spent most of her night trick-or-treating with friends, and brought home an unbelievable haul. Allen and I just made the rounds of our block -- and his great costume really brought out his personality, because he was slaying our neighbors with his joke-telling:

"What's a vampire's favorite fruit? NECK-tarines! Why did the ghosts go to a bar? Because they wanted some BOOOOOS!"

(Joke-telling for treats is a St. Louis thing.)

For more spooky photos, including shots of a truly frightening amount of candy, click here.

Best picture from the Fall Party

Allen's Fall Party at preschool was kind of a fracas... There are lots of little kids in his class, first-time preschoolers, and the usual, well-oiled party plan just fell apart.

So, my annual "pumpkin shape faces" craft project kinda went over like a lead balloon... I did manage to get this great picture of Allen eating a cupcake. (Notable in particular because he seems to have gotten over his aversion to icing!)

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Holy cow. It's hard to believe, but Steve gave all these models -- and more -- to CRM Hobby Store to sell for him. He filled up the trunk and the back seat of the Taurus.

Kinda like a midlife crisis in reverse, I guess... He just realized that he had a lot more models than he had the time or inclination to build. Wow!

Emilyn's big spa birthday

Well, my big girl is getting bigger, and all she wanted for turning 12 was a "spa day" for her and some of her friends. She's doing so great in middle school, of course she deserves some pampering! Thanks to Go!Spa (and MasterCard) for making it happen!

Emilyn and the girls got each got a manicure and a facial. Look how relaxed that birthday girl looks!

I even "manned up," as it were, and got my very first massage -- something I was always too scared to do. It didn't hurt as much as I expected... until the next day! Yikes!

Then it was time to head home for cupcakes... Mint chocolate, pumpkin, peanut butter cup... Then the shiny and polished girls proceeded to play basketball and lie around on the driveway. What the heck did I take them to the spa for?? Heeheehee.



To see all the pictures from Emilyn's big day, plus assorted other weirdness, click here.

Our annual visit with the Hartmans

But I was so sick, I could scarcely enjoy it!

And Allen was pretty uncooperative when it came time to take the annual picture under the bush... But look at these three beautiful smiles!

Allen did have lots of fun playing with Cecilia. And there was much jamming on Rock Band 2.

Because I was so sick, I missed the traditional trip to the pumpkin farm. But Pete, bless his heart, took plenty of pictures. You can see them all here.