Halloween 2010

Bobert in real life... after being imagined for all of these years!

Pumpkin carving!

The masterpiece!

Philip spent a lot of time trying to decide if he was going to be anything for Halloween.  Caitlin didn't.  I ended up thinking of costumes for both of them.  Philip wanted to be something bloodly/gorey/violent, but I said no to it all and suggested being a Nintendo DSi.  I even managed to get the box spray painted black before I found out he thought my idea was a pain to wear.  Philip didn't end up being anything.  He sprayed some black hairspray in his hair left over from last year and seemed happy enough.  Caitlin has an imaginary creation that she has been drawing and talking about since about 7th grade.  His name is Bobert.  She has incorporated him into pictures and stories all over her classrooms at school.  I got to make a Bobert costume, which, thankfully, was really easy and required no pattern at all.  Even better is the fabric ended up only being $2 for it.  How lucky were we?  She seemed thrilled with the idea of it all.  And all of her friends loved it as well.

I bought 3 pumpkins to carve as well.  How is it that you are only seeing one finished product?  Caitlin was motivated.  Philip thinks pumpkin guts are gross.  Rik didn't think he could carved anything worthwhile in two hours.  I think the plus side of this is that we have lots of Thanksgiving/fall decorations and that I am only baking one pumpkin tonight instead of three. 

Trip to the White Mountains...

Fall break came and we were wishing we had some fall colors to go and see.  We packed up the truck and went camping near Big Lake.  Lots of good food, campfires, and fall colors.  It was also a LOT colder than in town.  Like 30s in the mornings, but I suppose that's why we brought the hot chocolate and cider.  I even took our Christmas photo.  Hopefully one of them will work!  The kids were funny in the fact that they wanted to sit by the campfire and read.  It didn't help that the day before we left I took Caitlin so she could buy the new Rick Riodian book.  She read it every second she could.  And then Philip conned her out of it so that HE could read it.  The funny thing was that I brought a couple of books to read and tried really hard to every night.  I think I read a total of five pages while we were there, and I'm afraid that includes the title page!  That's what happens when you're the mom I guess!  I need to figure out how to take a reading vacation!  (Though, truly, no complaints about our trip - it was really needed and a nice getaway!)

Did I never show first day of school photos?



My eighth grader and sophmore!

 I need to for posterity...  after all - we are well into second quarter of school and I'd hate for you all to miss out on seeing the kids as they were on August 5th, 2010!  And, if you were wondering, they are both doing great this year.  Caitlin had straight A's in her mostly Honors courses and Philip had 2 B's and the rest A's.  I couldn't be happier!