All Aglow

In anticipation for the big day, Rowan admires his pumpkin lantern made at school. I love this simple craft idea- an old glass jar covered in colored tissue paper with a candle inside. It's so easy for kids to do and can use any colors you choose to make it seasonally appropriate. At Ava's Halloween party last year, kids of all ages seemed to enjoy making them.

Last night we did our "pre" trick-or-treating at Wegman's grocery store. Every year the store has a night before Halloween for kids to come in costume and parade around the store while loading up on treats. As if they need more sugar... Rowan claims that all the candy will "hold him off" until the real day. Oh my, where did he get this expression from? Is he such a sugar junkie that he needs regular dosing? I hope not. Regardless, this event has become a tradition because it includes meeting up with the lovely Auntie Lea. I am so thankful that one of my sisters is local!

Speaking of sweets...I volunteered to bring things in for Ava's school Halloween party. So downstairs carrot cupcakes are waiting for their adornment and a pile of popcorn monster hands are ready to be munched. I'd better run. Halloween pics to come later...

Frosty Morning

Goodbye nasturtiums, zinnias and basil...hello frost! We had our first fall frost and the garden is dying back. With a new babe in the house my garden was neglected most of the season, but I sure did enjoy grabbing my own herbs and veggies for dinner and flowers for the table. Kale and mums are still holding strong and I will soon plant my garlic and bulbs for next year. Crisp fall mornings with a wood stove glowing...how lovely! Add a cup of hot black tea and I am perfectly content.

My little prince

My sewing machine is back! And after a very late night of sewing on Saturday, Rowan's costume is (90%) ready. Just finished enough for a Halloween party at our friend Liz's house. Maybe I'm a bit selfish, but partly why I make things for my kids is for the joy it brings me. Rowan's reaction when he first saw his costume was unforgettable. He took one look and fell over. When I asked him why he fell over, he said "because I like it so much." Oh my, melt my heart! Good thing I am not a perfectionist, fretting over unfinished or crooked seams. He loves it as it is and that's all that matters.

Blog novice

I am trying to get the hang of this whole blogging thing. I can be a bit slow about getting into computer stuff, but once I get involved, there's no stopping me! So my first post was a bit odd (um, upside-down picture among other things). Soon I'll figure it all out. In the meantime, a few pictures to share of my lovely Lilla. In the last week, she has gotten her first two teeth! It might explain her heavy drooling over the last few months. Of course she is just four months old, so I really wasn't expecting teeth so soon. But wow, they're as cute as can be.




Enjoying a warm (75+degrees) fall day.

Weekend in Maryland

We had many fun days and stayed up far later than we should over the weekend for Ryan and Virginia's wedding festivities. The wedding took place at an amazing old (late 1700s?) Episcopal church in downtown Frederick MD and the party afterwards was a lavish affair deep in the Catoctin Mountains at an ecological retreat center. The kids were fabulous even while operating on less sleep and way more junk food than consumed on any ordinary day. The unlimited supply of hot chocolate in the hotel lobby surely made for some happy kids. It is a very good thing that our normal bedtime is not terribly early and the kids are not programed to be up at five AM. We attempted to get a family photo, since all five of us would be going and would be presumably dressed up(!), but the best shots were random candids and those taken by our inquiring photographers, Ava and Rowan.