October Means Candy

Ah, October. Quite possibly my favourite month of the year. The weather is crisp and perfect for family walks, and the kids and I love the crunching of leaves beneath our feet. Of course, October also means Hallowe'en, a.k.a CANDY! Oh yeah, and costumes. I have a cute little lamb costume ready for Ty, and Keegan made it easy on me this year, saying he wants to be Batman. We have a mask, and he has Batman pyjamas, complete with a cape, so he's done too. Phoenix, on the other hand, issued a costuming challenge. He wants to be Soundwave, from the Transformers. For those of you that are unaware, Transformers are "Robots In Disguise". They change from robot to various modes: vehicle, animal, insect etc. Soundwave transforms into a ghetto blaster.

I rose to the challenge by heading off to Fabricland, and picking up some assorted fabrics and thread and attachment items. Got quite carried away while I was there, and picked up a length of polar fleece and made pillow cases for Keegs and Bun, with their monograms. I must mention at this point that I don't sew. Or rather, I don't own a sewing machine. So, I sew by hand. Halfway through the Soundwave project, my carpel tunnel syndrome kicked in, so I went to plan B. The glue gun. Yes, the crafter's best friend. Well, when all was said and done, I came up with a nifty costume. Phoenix loved it, and that's the important part.

My mom always made our costumes. We would have costume contests at school. My brother Mike and I invariably won for our grade. A memorable year was when he went as Darth Vader and I was Princess Leia, complete with the cinnamon-bun hairdo on the sides of my head. I must see if I can dig up a picture of that, because it was pretty awesome! Mom, you were so cool. I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the kind of mom you were to us.

Today is Sunday, and Mark has taken the eldest boys off to church for Sunday school. I (darn-it-all-anyway!) have to stay here with Ty, while he naps. This afternoon, we're off to the in-laws for turkey. Tomorrow we're having two of my brothers over for dinner for Thanksgiving. Then it's back to the daily grind of work and school.

Phoenix is doing really well at school this year. He reading is coming along nicely, although getting him to read is like bamboo shoots under the fingernails. What a complainer! When he resigns himself to the inevitable, he does a great job. I miss the Mr. Muggs readers we had as children. My brother gave Bun some Dick and Jane primers for his birthday or Christmas last year, and now he's able to make his way through there, although he thinks the stories are lame!

Keegan is loving school this year too, and hopefully we will get the call soon to put him in 5 mornings a week instead of just three.

Ty....is still a bugger! Climbing, destroying, wreaking havoc! All with a sweet smile, and self-applause. His saving grace is that he is so damned cute!

Anyway, I guess I'd better go finish decorating the bay window with Hallowe'en decorations. BOO! From me to you.

PS. If anyone has not discovered the following blog, you must visit. It is freaking hilarious! This guy, Joe Mathelete, explains Marmaduke cartoons. Too funny:

http://marmadukeexplained.blogspot.com/