Happy Halloween!

From the Chambers.

Introducing: Talin our resident Crime Fighting Ninja

Caution, he knows how to use those swords.

Defending the virtuous and slaughtering the bad guys, all with his little dagger.

Master Ninja Talin!

Introducing: Collin as Aang the air bending Avatar

(pre-show)

I sometimes ask Tom, "what's it like to have your own Mini-Me?"

Aang saving the world as the reluctant hero.

Costume and tattooing provided by yours truly.

He has those Avatar moves down.

Introducing: Caleb as the creepy little garden gnome.

If you're lucky he'll come to your home and adorn your lawn.

So cute you can look beyond the devilish personality.

So adorable that his mother tried to eat his little gnomeness.

Happy Halloween!

Miscellaneous w/pictures

Tom's pride and joy.

For weeks he obsessed over smokers.

Then he obsessed over making smokers.

Then one week, he just up and made one.

I was doubtful, but...

it turned out beautiful. And it makes some tasty meat as well.

Now he's working on a second smoker.

Anyone want to buy it?

And on a note of "WHAT was I thinking?"
Seriously.
This is what 42 pounds of pears looks like. I've never canned a day in my life. I like pears, but I'm not crazy over them. It just seemed like a good idea when I ordered them last month. Now that they're here, I'm freaking out. I don't even know where to begin. I'm hoping they don't ripen too quickly, I have to get myself together before that.

*

**

And then there is Mr. Caleb.

I realize I never gave an update on his heart condition. When we had his echo last month the results were great. He still has a pretty moderate leak in the mitral valve, but it has improved enough not to be freaky scary. We even get to wait nine months before the next cardiologist check-up. Woo Hoo!

And advert your eyes if you don't like nasty. Because this is, well, nasty.

Caleb had a spill on the scooter the day before we went out of town last week. Ouch. Good thing he doesn't eat anyway.

We Ran Away

Nothing ever turns out the way you plan it to.

We ran South. Should have run North if you ask me.

Bisbee, Arizona. Sounded promising.

The bed & breakfast online looked perfect.

The highlights were this: being with Tom. being without children. the best dinner in the world from here.

The low lights? nothing to do. we had two nights at our B&B. but by Friday evening, we knew we were in trouble. little hippie shops selling used junk and trinkets didn't appeal to us. mining tours were a complete turn off to my no-thank-you-to-paying-$13-for-you-to-drive-me-into-a-claustrophobic-mountain.

And we really knew we were in trouble when we asked one of the locals what there was to do in Bisbee. She rolled her eyes and said not much.

Plus the locals hanging out in front of our B&B smoking all evening, was a little bit of a turn off.

By 5:30 am Saturday morning we were both wide awake. So much for sleeping in. After breakfast we walked around the little town and decided to wait until 10:00 when everything opened, such as the copper queen hotel museum.

By 9:00 am we found ourselves in a coffee shop sipping hot cocoa and playing a game of chess. Yes we were relaxed, yes we were happy. But we realized we couldn't do Bisbee. We could not stay another minute. So after wasting Tom at chess we came to the conclusion together and opted out of our second night. To hell with the copper queen museum! We drove as quickly as possible out of the little mining town to complete freedom, wearing silly grins on our faces the entire way. We felt guilty. We felt free. It was awesome.

So we decided to take the one opportunity we had to go Christmas shopping and eat out and see a movie. And we drove back up to Tucson. We had plans to get a hotel that evening in Tucson since we were committed to being away two nights, but plans changed.

There we were in Wal-Mart picking out movie theatre treats when Tom saw them. Cyndee and our children. The strings that can't be cut just yet yanked on my heart and I knew I couldn't ignore them, that I couldn't stay away another night. It ruined everything, but I was okay with that. We snuck up surprising them, since we were suppose to be in Bisbee. My older children were thoroughly disappointed to see us, Caleb was thrilled. We only said hi for a minute and then escaped again.

Overall it was a great weekend. Not what we planned, but still fabulous. And we were very grateful for Cyndee who watched the boys so that we could get away for our 10 year anniversary. Thanks Again!

Fierce Competition

Talin was undefeated.
They surpassed expectations on how a first national chess tournament goes for a boy.
I couldn't be prouder.

We couldn't watch them when they played in the tournament, but they spent all extra hours practicing with each other. I love this picture. It captures everything that Collin is.

Figuring it out

I want long luscious hair, that swings around and causes envy, but I can't help myself.

Still learning how to fix it as fabulously as Tasha did yesterday when she cut it.

Give me a few more days and I'll feel a little more confident.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the cut, just learning to love me in it.

Twilight Zone

Some weird things happened at my house yesterday.

1. I had a maid come to my house disguised as an eight year old neighborhood boy. He literally cleaned up the entire house, except for my bedroom which was off limits. And Tom put a stop to the garage cleaning when he got home. Nothing could have made me more uneasy than the cleaning oddness. Did he then go home and tell his mother that I occupy a cluttered home with sewing machine in the corner and scrap paper on the floor and an overflowing computer desk?

2. Collin almost beat me in a chess game.

3. Talin & Collin almost beat Tom in a chess game.

It was really like the twilight zone.
I'm scared to play chess against my six and eight year old.