Our version of spooky...

I was away at a conference last week, so I was especially glad to come home to a quiet weekend that we quickly filled with all manner of Halloween fun.

The kids and I decorated last weekend, but we started our costume planning this weekend! The kiddos decided we should go as the Pantheon, or at least part of it. Evan of course chose Ares; Brad chose Hephaestus, which clearly means I must be Aphrodite. The only wild card was Issa, who has chosen to be Hades. We looked for costumes on line, and we found them, but they were ridiculous. So...we started plotting. After a trip to one of those awful Halloween stores where I walked out slightly traumatized, we ended up at Walmart where we found the basic pieces and the rest of the materials we need! Evan is the only one who is ordering something, but since he's still in the kids sizes it was reasonable. Issa has already started crafting for me, and I can't wait to share the finished products.

When I can wait for is this gem:

We don't really do spooky at our house, but we do have this stupid rat. Every day, someone hides the rat, and whoever finds it is responsible for hiding it next. Evan currently has the best hide: under the fitted sheet on my side of the bed. We're lucky I didn't wake the whole neighborhood. This is my favorite tradition to hate, but I think I would actually miss it if this little guy went away.

Weekend Happies

This weekend was so very much what we needed. The rest of the family spent Saturday at the dojo, which gave me a chance to catch up on the roughly six million things that needed doing around the house, but they came home in time for the kids and I to go to the farm.

The farm in the fall is my happy place.  The leaves are turning, the temperature is perfect, and animals are big enough to not escape. My back is still angry from moving 250 pumpkins for our pumpkin patch, but these moments right here make it all worth it:

 Issa loves visiting the farm rabbits:

 And even Evan asked me to take a picture:

 There is just something so lovely about snuggling a super soft rabbit in the crisp fall air after doing a ton of work. It soothes the soul.

To make matters even better, we kicked off the Carolina Ballet season Sunday:

I love these Sunday afternoons with two of my favorite people watching incredible dance. It was a lovely respite before this crazy week!

Happy Hallway

This week is crazy. In addition to my usual Tuesday/Thursday night teaching, I took students to the theatre last night, which meant I got home at 11:30 pm. It's the middle of Read-a-Thon, we have rescheduled Hog Day, and I'm co-chairing a three day conference next week. Thank goodness for a supportive husband and a crockpot.

In the midst of the crazy, my hallway is making me very happy. I started redoing the photo well during the hurricane, and I love it:

I reframed the kids' first years so they actually match, and then I ordered the Mixtiles to fill in the middle. They are fabulous and so easy to hang! Issa helped, and we even broke out the measuring tape and level instead of my usual hammer and pray method. I have some big plans for the other side of the hallway, and we will eventually be painting, but in the meantime, these photos make me so happy everytime I walk down the hall.

So Fun but So Tired

We finished celebrating Issa's birthday this weekend. She invited these two over:

 They spent the afternoon wandering the neighborhood taking very cool pictures of each other! Maybe she will let me post them eventually.

After the photo editing session, we girls headed to the mall. We started by having dinner at Maggiano's:

 Apparently the best part was when they made me laugh so hard I almost spit water across the table just at the waiter was walking up. We did laugh, but we also talked about the future and some tough stuff. I just love these girls.

From there, we went to Lolli and Pops before taking yet more pictures around the mall. They were most proud of their firebirds by the Firebirds sign.

We made it back home just in time for more cake:

 Please notice her friends' faces:

It took her about six times to get all of the candles. It was hysterical.

They ate more than I could have imagined, laughed more than I could imagined, and finally fell asleep at two. I might recover in time for Issa to turn 13.

A Very Happy Birthday

Right before all the crazy, our sweet girl turned 12. I don't know how that's even possible.

Every year, I do something in their doorframe for when they wake up. Since Issa is in love with fairy lights, I decided to make a light-up 12 for her! My idea was strong but muscles were not. Daddy came in for the save and helped form the numbers from hangers:

 She was quite tickled!

I supposed to travel to DC on her birthday for a conference, so we had promised we could do cake and presents in the morning. My travel was cancelled for the storm, but Issa would hear nothing of postponing cake and presents!

Daddy and I have her a subscription to Headbands of Hope:

 This organization is close to Issa's heart. She loves the idea of children in hospitals receiving headbands and scarves. She has donated headbands in the past, and she is thrilled to see the pictures arrive every month of kiddos smiling in their new gear--and she like wearing her own.

Evan stole the show, though:

 He adopted one of the Outer Banks dolphins in her name:

 Issa will be getting monthly update about Rainbow, and she loves knowing that the dolphin research will continue.

Evan lit the candles:

 And we all ate chocolate cake for breakfast:

 This kid:

 I don't have the words for how much I love the girl who made me a mother.

Further evidence that Issa has the coolest friends:

 Yep. The got her pegacorn footie pajamas. She wore them for her birthday dinner and second lighting of her candles. I really worry she will never come out of her shell:

 The pose everyone hits while being sung to:

This weekend we will celebrate with some friends, and then we will put a pin in a very fabulous twelvth birthday.

Hurricane Florence

We have had a lot of excitement in the past week, but I wanted to begin by thanking everyone for all of the texts and calls during Hurricane Florence. We were incredibly blessed! We saw some good wind and rain but nothing like what was predicted and certainly nothing like what our friends to the east are coping with right now. 

We only had one hurricane related glitch:

That would be a jenga pile of gallons bags of water all frozen together in our deep freeze. Oops. I was so worried about losing power, I filled the deep freeze with the bags to take up space to help keep things cold. In the unlikely event that something happened to our water, we could thaw them and have fresh water. One problem: I just stacked them in there, seal side up, when I filled them. as they settled, they kind of melted into each other. When I went to take them out last night to get the dinner ingredients, they were very stuck together. When Brad tried to lft them out, the deep freezer came off the ground. Oops. So...he took a hammer and chisel to the top layer. I was able to cook, and we will literally chisel away at the situation over the next few days. Live and learn.

We are so lucky, though. Our nerves are a little worn from waiting for the worst, but we are so grateful that the worst never came.

We Are Ready

Well...it appears Hurricane Florence is on her way, and we are pretty much ready. We will move the patio furniture in tonight, but aside from that we are stocked, flashlights have been checked, and candles are in place.

Hog Day has been postponed from this weekend, and I am not going to DC for a conference as planned. We are hunkering down.

We've been in NC long enough that I have healthy relationships with hurricanes. I've been stalking my favorite weather sites, and we are pretty sure we are going to see something. I would be lying if I said I wasn't anxious, but I also know we are prepared as we can be and there is nothing indicating that we will need to evacuate.

So...we wait. It's a little surreal to be waiting on September 11. For the first time, Issa came home with an assignment about 9/11: she had to interview me about my memories of that day. What I remember most is the waiting. Sitting with Tay on our couch, unable to turn of the news. Waiting for the helicopters to land on the football field after security knocked on our door to tell us Wright Patt was evacuating them there. Waiting to see what would happen.

This is a very different kind of waiting for us, but I know it's not for those evacuating the coast. Please say an extra prayer for them and a little prayer to help us all turn off the news for a little while.

Further Evidence...

...that Buddy is his dog:

I got up, and I returned to find this cozy cuteness this morning.

The Birthday Celebrations Begin

This weekend officially kick-off the birthday celebrations for Issa! 

Aunt Shannon flew in to town Thursday night, and she and I enjoyed a sister day (even if we were working on our respective laptops) while everyone else was at school Friday. The kids enjoyed a slumber party with Nana and Aunt Shannon Friday, and then Saturday started the celebrating.

We all went to watch Evan at the dojo, and then we went to Maggiano's for a birthday lunch. Issa was all to thrilled to blow the candle out in her tiramisu. As soon as we finished, she and Aunt Shannon began the great birthday shopping trip. They covered the whole mall, and Issa thought she was pretty big stuff with all of her purchases--especially the shirt that Aunt Shannon bought one of, too! We all met them again for dinner, saw the fashion show, and then collapsed into bed. Of course, I took pictures of none of this.

I did take some pictures Sunday! We all went to church and brunch together before we tried our hand at homemade gummy bears:

They are not terrible. The second batch was much better! We reduced the juice, which gave them a stronger flavor. We all cooked dinner together, and then I got to hang out that night for some grown-up girl time before Shannon flew home yesterday.

Issa and Nana made their shopping trip yesterday, and Issa was over the moon that she got to keep her treasures. She was a smidge afraid she would have to wait until her actual birthday, but Nana is too nice for that.

Now we are all back to school and work after a perfectly perfect weekend.

New Routines

The start of school is really my New Year. There is something about the new academic year that feels more like a time to reflect and reset more than an arbitrary date on a calendar. In addition to the new daily routines and organization systems we set as a family this fall, I'm really trying to take a bit more time to take care of myself. I often found myself collapsing by the end of the week, and with the kids doing more housework, I'm finding it easier to keep up with the daily "stuff": laundry, dishes, paperwork, etc. So...I have set a new nightly ritual for myself, and it ends here:

Once the kids are tucked, the laundry put away, and the dishes done, I find my way to my yoga mat for a 20 minute bedtime practice and meditation. I wash my face, brush my teeth, and tuck myself in bed with my cozy corner. I make good tea in my good tea pot. Sip it from a good tea cup and saucer. Diffuse lavender. Read by my salt lamp and candle light. And I go to sleep by 10:30. It's lovely.

I wake up when the alarm goes off actually ready to get out of bed, and I'm learning to love that little bit of respite at the end of the day. Now to just continue to preserve this little space...

So Far, So Good

We are settling into a lovely little back-to-school routine. Dance has started, we have a dojo plan, and so far the kids love their teachers!

Evan is pretty sure Ms. Kinley is the best thing since sliced bread. The clincher: she eats lunch with them...and while she was sitting with he and his friends she had them teach her all about Mario. Combine that with the fact that they should be able to finish their homework at school if they use their time wisely and he would walk through fire for her.

Issa loves, loves, loves her teachers. It's another solid team that works as a team and appreciates middle schoolers in all their weirdness. She doesn't love going up and down the stairs all day, but I think she will survive.

May the whole year be this blissful.

And They Are Off!

The new school year has officially begun:

 Our fourth grader:

 He decided he did not want to be walked in this year. His little hermit self carried his very full backpack, a beach bag with the extra supplies, and his lunch box from the kiss and go lane. I didn't cry, but it did feel very odd. He is really excited about his teacher--he was not excited about pictures.

Our seventh grader:

She was very excited to capture this outfit on film. She looks 20, and she is so ready for seventh grade. She didn't even look back over her shoulder on the way into the building.

We had great open houses with both kids, and I really do think this is going to be an awesome year!

A Wild Week

We are almost back above water around our place. In the midst of Company Camp for Issa and Opening Week for me last week, Brad went down with what we now know was a lovely combo of a migraine, a neck muscle strain, and a tension headache. We saw two hospitals and an urgent care in 36 hours. Not fun. Yesterday, we saw our family doc, got good meds, and we are back in business--mostly. We are very sure we will be back in business this weekend.

What I'm awed by, though, are our people. When Brad went down Tuesday, our neighbor stepped right in with Evan. In fact, Evan basically moved in with them last week, even spending the night one night. Other neighbors took Issa to and from camp. My colleagues covered for me. Brad's dad and Nancy were already planning to visit, but they stepped in and took Evan to the dojo and entertained both kids all weekend so I could focus on Brad without feeling torn. I cried on people's shoulders and got more texts to check on us than I can count. Mom, who was traveling, and my sister picked up every single time I called. They talked me off ledges and made me laugh. Both offered to hop on planes, and I know they would have in a heart beat.

While last week was so scary in so many ways, it was also a lovely reminder of our village and how incredibly grateful I am for them. Now may we never do that again...

A Glimpse Into the Future

 The boys were away at Mountain Quest this weekend, and Issa and I had truly the best girls' weekend ever!

Friday, we went back to school clothes shopping because Issa grew two inches and truly had nothing to wear. I'm sworn to secrecy on the results, but we were very successful, hit great sales, and she actually loved some of the things I spotted. It was a first. She has officially also moved to the Juniors section, which is pretty much fun. Saturday, we did some cleaning and got our nails done. Most of the weekend, we cooked and binge watched Gilmore Girls.

But this kid:

 This funny, gracious kid:

Well...I really loved hanging out with her this weekend. We laughed so hard. At times, it was more like I was hanging out with a girl friend.

I've heard that if you survive those early years, you get to this point with your daughter. And this weekend, well, I saw a glimpse of what I pray will be our future. I know I still have miles of parenting to get to the next phase, but these weekends make it so worth it. I'm so incredibly grateful to be raising a person I want to hang out with. Here's to many more years of these weekends!

Getting It Together

The theme of this year's stay-cation is getting our house together. We've been doing a deep clean and tackling some projects, and this is the one I'm most excited about:

Our new family command station! For years, we've had a calendar and pockets on the back of our front door, but the calendar spaces were small, and the pockets became junk collectors. This summer, we had a little white board on the refrigerator that had the kids activities and chores for each day, and the kids asked if we could keep up with that system. The only missing piece from the small board was a space for whole family things and Brad and I's carpool shifts and out-of-the-ordinary events.

The new board has space for all of that plus envelopes for the tickets, coupons, and gift cards that got lost in the bigger pockets. Each family member also has a clipboard for mail or forms that need signing. No more piles on tables! No more "where did that form go?" or "do you need anything signed?"

I love August. It's all about setting up systems that will carry us through the new school year, and I can't wait to see how this one works!

Friends that are Family

The kids are at Nana Camp, so Brad and I decided to make a quick trip to DC to see the newest member of our extended family:

 Meet sweet Mara Claire:

Tim and Amy are such amazing parents, and Mara is an absolutely precious baby. We were there for her one month birthday, and she is still just a tiny little nugget. We spent 24 hours snuggling her and catching up with Tim and Amy, and it was just lovely...and I'm missing her like crazy already.

Our Favorite Villain

Issa had another fabulous two week's at the studio's production camp! As soon as they announced that this year they would be bringing The Little Mermaid to the stage, Issa started dreaming of being Ursula. She really did not want to be Ariel because she "is so needy and threw everything away for a boy." (Proud parent moment there.) Her dream came true, and Issa played a very creepy Ursula:

 There was a little one sitting behind us, and she was actually scared of Issa until her uncle assured her he knew Issa and she was actually very nice:

 We were so proud! He face really told the story:

 And she just looked like she was having fun:

 Her technique was also amazing! She has grown so much this summer:

 She was just fun to watch:

 Even if she was a little too good at being evil:

 She had fun playing a princess, too:

 And creating her first stage battle:

We were also so proud of how hard she worked. Both teachers complimented how hard she worked not only on her choreography but also all the costumes and sets. And the little ones loved her!

I just love watching her grow, and we can't wait to see her the next time she takes the stage!