28 November 2022

Bobo has really taken an interest over the past few months in perler beads - the plastic beads that you melt with an iron to stick together.  He both follows patterns and freestyles, and sometimes he sells the things he makes to kids at school.

10 November 2022

Rosebud is home from school today because of a fever and cough.  We let a bunch of flies in the house last night with going in and out during a cookout (first of the season), and she is running around downstairs with a fly swatter.  I'm upstairs at my desk and I keep hearing WHAP! "Did I get it?"  She is so pleased with herself when she does manage to smack one.  So far she's killed two.

5 November 2022

 Halloween! Our favorite holiday! This year Mr. Brown orchestrated family costumes for the first time ever. We did Alice in Wonderland. Rosebud was Alice, and I was Big Alice (already drank the potion), Rose Pink was the Queen of Hearts, Nut Brown was the White Knight, Bobo was a card soldier, and Mr. Brown was the Hatter! It was a lot of work but it was also really, really fun. Our friend Dani helped out by lending us her Queen of Hearts costume and helping with the White Knight helmet. Mr. Brown made his hat and the White Knight helmet. I made Bobo's cards. It was work down to the last minute and we were really tired afterwards. But we learned a lot and are already planning for next year!

We wore the costumes to the school fall festival (which was a bust this year because they held it inside because of the weather) and to the church Halloween party (which the kids enjoyed but not so much Mr. Brown and I - we put a lot of work into it as members of the Activities Committee).

I was so worn out after all of it that I didn't want to go trick-or-treating, which is my favorite part of Halloween! I had decided to go but to do it in a car and have the kids hop in and out. This distressed Rose Pink so much that she actually started to cry, so I gave in and we walked like we usually do. It was a perfect night for it, and we had a wonderful time! Our neighbors were generous and there were lots of people out and about enjoying the evening and the surge of generosity that is Halloween night. After 30 minutes, I texted Mr. Brown and told him, "You were right." We had so much fun!

Pumpkin carving really only happened for Nut Brown and Rose Pink. Rosebud took hers to school, and Bobo declined to carve his. Rose Pink saw a giant pumpkin for sale for only $20 that she had to have, so she bought it. She also picked one out for Nut Brown that was almost as big as hers.

Final result:

Final FINAL result: