October has come and gone.....

... and I can't wait for next year because Halloween will be on a Saturday - which means the school party will be on a day that is different than trick or treating. Wow. What a treat Halloween was this year (and I mean that in the nice sense and in that holy crap am I tired sense).

The kids loved October, loved it, loved it, loved it. What's not to love? Pumpkins, sugar and general mayhem.

Amiya and Kev painting (because I am not a Mom up to carving just yet) pumpkins on the lanai. Please note that Kev's pumpkin had been pre-painted with a general jack o'lantern type of face.

The finished products in our front yard. Please note that Kev's jack o'lantern face has been completely obliterated by his paint job.

We took one afternoon last weekend to spend at Hunsader Farms with some friends. We had a great time listening to the Sweeney Brother Band (what's not to love about a band with a guy named Nubs?), walking around, playing games and eating fair food.

Our favorite jack o'lantern showing off both missing front teeth!

The first thing we did and the only thing Kev needed - he loved this!

Year #2 for Amiya on the bungee cords - that's her partially hidden by the arms of the thing way up in the sky. This year she was much more able to get some bounce going and she thought it was great!

The kids' pediatrician's office had a Halloween party this year and so we went all costumed up. They had a fun time and Vinay especially loved the efforts Dr. Jacob went to to turn his office into the Batcave.

At school the kids celebrated Book-A-Ween, where they had to dress up as a character from a book. Amiya chose Lauren The Puppy Fairy from the Rainbow Fairies series. I was thrilled with this choice because Lauren wears pink sweats, a pink tank top and tennis shoes! All things we had on hand already! Whoohoo!

At our neighbor's house for our first trick or treating of the night. Kev was shy for about 1 house and then he was, like last year, an old pro. He'd yell "Trick or Treat" well before the door was even open and then his little thank you, before bolting down the driveway to tell Daddy that he got more "cannies." Amiya didn't even try to play it cool, she was too excited, too.

Blurry, but the only full-length shot I've got of him! Ahhh! Stop MOVING!

The morning after Halloween, when long hair was no longer needed to be Gabriella, Amiya and I strolled over to another neighbor's house for a haircut. About 10 inches off and the cutest bob ever! The hair will go to Locks of Love tomorrow!

After the haircut, we drove over to St. Pete to cheer on this year's 3 Day walkers. Honestly, I'm happy it's not me this year - man that was a lot of walking! I'm happy to support the walkers in other ways and save the blisters!

Cheering Kev style. We're not sure why, but he yelled, "Go Michaels" the entire time. Not "Go Walkers!" but "Go Michaels!" Hmmm.

And because October wouldn't be complete with some massive sugar-induced tantrums, here is Kev in his favorite place to cry it out. The good news is that unlike Amiya, Kev's tantrums are gentle and short in duration.

Whew.

You Should Be Allowed to Vote

You got 15/15 questions correct. Generally speaking, you're very well informed. If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for. You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up.

Should You Be Allowed to Vote?

I feel such relief! Go to the link above (right there, in maroon) and take the quiz. I wonder how many one has to miss to be axed from the rolls?

Barack the Vote!

So, my friend Deborah and I took the wee folk to the local Obama campaign office today to let them see what it is.

What Amiya sees in the papers, the magazines and on TV is slick and orchestrated - massive crowds at speeches, nice suits, etc. I wanted her to see the ground level work that has to be done - and she did. The office was energized chaos, not neat and orderly, but flowing nonetheless. She saw the phone bank room, the computer room, the data room, etc. I'm not sure that she got all out of it that I had intended, but I know that she at least sees that it is every day people working together for this, not only suits and soundbytes.

What was interesting to me was that when we got back in the car I was perseverating a bit on the fact that there were all different shades of people working together. She finally said to me, "Why do you keep talking about it?" Silly me. I love that she's growing up in a culture that doesn't think it's such a big deal for all sorts of folks to be working together. As much as I have been down on Florida lately, it does have diversity going for it and the benefits to our family were abundantly clear this evening.

We have tried to keep the political discussion fair and balanced (that makes me sound like Wolf Blitzer). It may turn out that Amiya or Kev will vote differently. It is certainly the case that many of our friends down here will vote McCain and we do not want to judge that choice or have our daughter judge that choice when she's too young to make that call on her own. So, instead we talk about health care, taxes, and the war in Iraq. We don't demonize McCain's ideas and we don't idealize Obama's, but Amiya has decided that she is more in favor of Obama winning. She'll go to the polls with us and be a part of the process just as she has done for every election since she's been two. I hope she will always be active and interested in the process.

Amiya, Kev, Barack, Freddy (holding Dogga), Benjamin

We gave a small donation and Amiya got to pick out some buttons and I got to pick a yard sign. That's right Dad, there's a button coming in the mail for you - her doing, I swear!

Fall in Florida

It was about 89 F here in the shade today. I'll leave it to you to find an adjective to describe my feelings re: fall in Florida.

Anyway, since it decidedly isn't fall in Florida now (or ever), we're forcing the issue and bringing it ourselves.

Amiya and I made fall cookies for her teachers and for Mr. Bernie who won the acorn contest. They're on their way!

Our favorite Jack O' Lantern - she lost her top right front tooth last Thursday while eating a Haagen-Daaz bar (the child has good taste). It's adorable, absolutely adorable. Yet, very sad - stop growing so quickly! She's also cutting at least two molars, so her mouth is in a lot of pain. At least she says it is. It doesn't slow down the sounds coming out of it, so it's hard to be sure.

The best I could get at the pumpkin patch today. Kev and I went in the morning and I took Amiya and Kev in the afternoon to buy pumpkins. Kev was having no part of it, Amiya was trying so hard. She's such a trooper and he's such a stinker!

We got to see my Aunt Mia in Orlando last week. She was in town for a girl's week, so we drove over for ice cream and a quick visit! It was absolutely great to see you, Aunt Mia! Especially amusing was Kev (and even Amiya) calling her Grandma throughout the visit. Although their actual Grandma is very fabulous and they love her to pieces, Aunt Mia wouldn't be a bad choice if they had to pick one! Those two sisters are something wonderful!

Debate #2

Could they both just answer the question and quit the pissing match?

I want Joe Biden to be President. He deflected Palin's detritus without being snippy. This is crap tonight.

Three Day Cheering Station

Amiya and I spent last Saturday morning (wo)manning a cheering station for some of the walkers who are training for Tampa's 3 Day in a few weeks. They had their big 18/15 mile weekend this week. We took some snacks and met some others who brought snacks as well. While not cheering, Amiya hung out on the playground above with some of her friends. They had a very good time (if we look past the various tears at various moments) and they were super cute when cheering on the walkers.

Pajama Party

It was a pajama party day at Amiya's school on Friday. I'm not sure why - I think it must have been the letter P in the spotlight last week. Anyway, Amiya insisted upon wearing her tattiest monkey nightgown and somewhere picked up a fake flower from last year's luau to stick atop her head. She thought she was making a fashion statement. Me too. I thought Carmen Miranda. Anyone else?

Fuffles

Kev is fuffle obsessed. Obsessed I say. He loves the puzzle. Animals, numbers, letters, Elmo, Diego - doesn't matter. He's up to 40 piece jigsaw puzzles by himself and he'll do up to 100 pieces if someone is sitting with him. It's a bit nuts for a 2.5 year old, sometimes I think it's abnormal. But then he eats a freshly-harvested booger and it all averages out.

Here you can see his newest puzzle. It's an 8 foot long alphabet "fuffle" and he looooves it. Every two or three letters he'll stop and say, "Ok. Let's sing it!" He expects us all to drop everything and sing. Adorable!

Up Norf

So the kids and I took a trip to Northern Wisconsin a few weeks ago and we had a great time. I miss Wisconsin. A lot. I miss the Midwest. It's a different attitude and a different perspective. So, while Tampa is good for our family and my kids see lots of kids who look like them day in and day out, I guess deep down I'll never feel Florida is home. Our house is home, but I'd love it more if it were somewhere else. I didn't think I'd feel homesick 4+ years after moving, but I do.

It was incredibly refreshing to not have to be all over the kids when they were outside. No fire ants, snakes, gators, etc. Ahhh. They played in the woods, picked a million acorns, kicked up leaves, waded in lakes, etc. They got to be kids like I was when I was growing up. (See above paragraph.)

Anyway, we had a great, great, great trip. I was pretty much the fifth wheel - Amiya had Grandma and Kev had Grandpa and I was good for diaper changes and doling out goldfish.

Blogger is kind of being difficult, so here are a whole lotta photos in no particular order:

The duo, upon arriving. Amiya crouches, Kev thinks he needs to crouch too.

Grandpa at the tea party Amiya and Grandma hosted while Kev napped. Please note his pinky.

I love this picture of Amiya. She's holding a bucket with 855 acorns - we counted. Mr. Bernie won the estimation contest and we're sending him cookies as his prize!

Kev, Amiya and Grandpa picking bright fall leaves on our last afternoon. We took them home and dipped them in parafin to preserve them. I think Grandpa liked this better than the kids!

Grandma and Amiya at the campfire on our last night. "You go girl!" "No, you go girl!" was all we heard from these two the whole time!

Kev and Grandpa watching the Brewers game. I love that Grandpa is going to be in charge of Kev's baseball and football education!

Doesn't he look innocent? We picnicked on the shores of Lake Superior one day and the kids made full use of the playground right near the lake.

"'frowin wocks" was Kev's favorite activity of the entire trip. He'd still be there if we would have left him. He charged himself with the task of cleaning up the beach and he was taking it very seriously.

Can you blame me for missing it? Just look at those colors!

Amiya noshing on campfire cuisine - she's a potpie connisseur now.

Kev, less in love with potpies, and Grandpa sharing a seat.

I love this picture.

Devastation. Absolute devastation when Amiya tried to climb up his slide.

Grandma taught Amiya how to walk on a fence. Thanks Grandma.

Swinging at Lake Superior.

Amiya with the rabbits at a wildlife park we stopped at.

Amiya petting a deer at the park.

Kev with the same deer. He loved this park.

Doesn't she look fifteen?

He just looks two. If only he'd gotten the earpiece on the ear.


If you blow this one up you'll see how gorgeous she is here. Not that I'm biased.

Kev and Grandpa exploring a river bed.

Super Grandma and Grandpa and the kids. Amiya especially loved spending time with them.

Seriously.

I miss it so much.

And in a completely inappropriate yet very funny way to end our trip: Kev was peeling birch bark from this log at the campfire on the last night when all of a sudden he stopped, hunched over just a bit and got very still. And we all knew exactly what he was doing. That ended the campfire and in we went for the night. Leave it to Kev to end things in a very definite way.

Come on, admit it's clever....