Halloween, Schmalloween

Maybe the reason why I've taken so long to blog about Halloween is because of my general apathy towards the holiday.  Now before you get all up in arms over my lack of holiday spirit and overall sense of fun, just simmer yourselves down.  I love me enough Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday to make up tenfold for my Halloween deficiencies.

Coming up with four costumes every year is enough to send anyone running and screaming.

The one good thing about this year?  It was the last time I have to worry about four costumes.  My costume responsibilities will decrease by half next year, as Emma and Leah have now gone the way of all good teenagers (emphasis on the word good) who no longer trick-or-treat.  In fact, they really should have been relegated to handing out candy THIS year, but they made a good case for themselves...last year, their would-be final T-or-T, Halloween fell on a Sunday and no one went out.  So this was the last hurrah.

Hurrah!

There is a significant lack of pictures, despite there being plenty of festivities.  Church Trunk-or-Treat (out of town), major rager at the intermediate school (bookended by a sleep over), class parties (no longer a room mom), and of course the haul at the end of the night (I think I just wanted kids to get in bed).  But for posterity's sake, here are a token few...

chicken taco soup and cornbread for dinner--better than any snack-size candy!

my crew--a couple I-Luminate girls, a bodyguard, and a Hogwarts student

the whole darn lot of cuteness

this is what the parents have to look forward to next year...the teens taking the littles around by themselves!

the very start of what would prove to be a lengthy night.  and yes, jake was the ringleader of it all.

Ok, so Halloween isn't so bad, but it's got nothin' on a day like today.  I got out of bed at 9:30, I watched the parade, I smell that turkey in the oven, I'm about to pore over the Black Friday ads, and in a couple hours the entire family will descend upon my house ready to eat and relax and be together.  It is a bright, sunshine-y day and I love it.  Now THAT'S what I call a holiday.

Dearly beloved...

We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of one whole month since my return from a lovely get-away to Minneapolis with Glenn.  As now I am in the depths of teacher conferences, doctors appointments, secretly getting the house and other affairs ready for my parents to come for Christmas, kids home for the entire Thanksgiving week, and making meals, let us reflect back on the beauty that was five whole days of TIME. 

TIME to attend the temple.

TIME to see a movie and have the theater all to ourselves.

TIME to experience the out-of-control craziness that is Mall of America.

TIME to take a picture by the Michael Kors sign.  But not to go in.  Not with those prices.

TIME to be as amazed as I imagine Porter would be in the Lego store.

TIME to head up to the banks of the Mississippi River and walk pretty much all the way to St. Paul.

TIME to admire the color and uniqueness of the Farmer's Market.

TIME to enjoy the downtown atmosphere.

TIME to ride a bus down to a Scandinavian store and deli.  Because why not?

TIME to enjoy the freshest guacamole (like we watched her make it right there at our table) at a fancy Mexican restaurant that we were maybe a little under-dressed for.

TIME to walk a couple miles to see this sculpture.  Which apparently is a big deal.

TIME to take a picture of myself as a crossed a (rickety-looking) bridge that spanned a very busy freeway.

TIME to sit at a wanna-be Parisian crepe shop and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate that I was convinced had a little java in there.  But no caffeine buzz, no foul.

TIME to find a bahn mi food truck and decide to get one for lunch.  (It wasn't Nom Nom, but it was probably pretty close.)

TIME to eat the bahn mi in the two-story Target.  It was a little chilly outside.

TIME to get the yummiest turtle candies from Candy Land.

TIME to get a cupcake (or two) and bring them back to the hotel room and eat all by myself before taking a nap.

TIME to pose in front of the Mary Tyler Moore statue on the way to the airport.

And now, as this idyllic moment in time goes the way of all the earth, we give our sincerest thanks. Yes, this trip will always be remembered most fondly for its gift of TIME. It did for me what few others, if any ever have. It gave me a chance to be independent, feel cosmopolitan, and exercise my agency in ways heretofore unknown. And then get to hang out with my husband when he was done working. We will never forget.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

It's 11/11! Make a wish!

I had a roommate in college who would say that every time the clock showed 11:11, so in honor of today's very special date, I thought I'd make a few wishes...

I wish that every night was pizza and movie night.

I wish that the pizza would make itself.

I wish that we could have a fall like we've had this year every year.  And that it would last for a good six months.  Four even!  Three?  How about just six solid weeks of the gorgeous fall colors and 60-degree weather like we had on Tuesday?

I wish that I would never have to get out from under a warm, cozy blanket after a warm, cozy nap.

I wish that I could to get my act together and get those blog posts written about my fab trip to Minneapolis with Glenn and Halloween.

I wish that the road construction guys would take away the huge pylons from in front of my driveway so that I don't have to park my car across the street anymore.

I wish that my parents would get here for the holidays.

I wish that my house would always be as peaceful as it is right now...kids playing happily and quietly with cousins, more cousins on the way, a piano lesson in the background.

May all your 11/11/11 wishes come true!

And with that, we went out to breakfast and did a little shopping.

Dear Mr. Principal, Mrs. Assistant Principal, Mr. Home Room Teacher and Mrs. Home Room Teacher,

Good morning--

Because of our family's values system, we do not watch R-rated movies--adults included.  Emma and Leah made the choice to not participate in the viewing of the unedited version of "Last of the Mohicans" or any other subsequent R-rated movie at school.  It is my understanding that the alternative activity for them is to spend the morning in the school library.  This doesn't sound too fun, and as a parent I would like to reinforce and reward my children's tough and courageous decision rather then have them feel as though they are being punished.  I am going to allow them to stay home from school Friday morning to relax and have some fun while their friends and classmates are relaxing and having fun watching the movie.

I understand that there are lots of fun activities planned for later that day.  I will have Emma and Leah back to school at 11:00am.

I do not wish to cause any trouble or make too big of an issue, nor do I wish for any undue attention to come to the girls over this situation.  I appreciate your sensitivity and support.

Interestingly enough, that movie is being shown in its edited form on network TV this week.  We are recording it and will be watching it this weekend with the girls, so they will be able to participate in any classroom discussion.

Thank you again for your understanding.

Sincerely,
Amy Franklin