Hot Lava

"I be careful Mom. It's hot lava."

Apparently, my carpet is lava, it is red after all. At least once a day she lines up my books, picks a pair of my shoes and walks on her newly formed book bridge over the lava. Later she tried crossing it in my heels. I think she does better in heels than I do.

Elevator Nightmares

Does anyone else suffer from recurring dreams? My obsession is apparently with elevators. I think it is how my subconscious says, "Pay attention!! I'm trying to tell you something!" So the elevator symbol comes up again and again in my dreams and it always seems to mirror my life. If I feel stuck in my life-I'm stuck in an elevator. If I feel out of control--then the elevator no longer stays on its designated course--it will go sideways or around and around in a circle or even swing completely out of the building.

Last night I was yet again in an elevator. This time the elevator suddenly started going really fast in the downward direction. Then it would slow down again and repeat the process. Eventually though I got off of the elevator and a man was trying to fix it. He said it was acting erratically because its battery was running low. Odd, I know.

Take home message: I need more sleep and a serious battery recharge because life can be pretty crazy around here. Anyone know a good elevator repairman?

Take home message number 2: Never Never again will I ride the Tower of Terror elevator ride. Last time I rode it, there was a medical emergency. Doors started opening and shutting, the lights all went out, and we just hung there. . . waiting. . . . . .

Halloween

These pictures are all from our Trunk or Treat Halloween party at church (or right before). The kids really had a great time at the party. Lilly and Reagan were both cowgirls this year. Or as Reagan more aptly puts it, "I not a cowgirl, I a horsey girl." She's riding a horse not a cow--How could she be a cowgirl? I made the costumes and horses several years ago for Lilly and Rachael. It's great when they are willing to recycle.

Rachael finally decided that she would be a pirate this year. It worked out great. I made her the skirt and she already had a great looking "pirate" blouse. A few accessories and she was all set.

Geoffrey decided at the last minute that he was going to be Uncle Sam. We already had the hat so all I had to do is find one of dad's old suits and glue some batting onto his face for a beard. We had to get this great picture with Uncle Sam in the middle of Palin and McCain. We told Geoff he should go around the party saying, "I want YOU to vote!" Reagan must have really liked that phrase because she has been repeating it for days.

Lilly and Reagan both got their faces painted at the party.

On Halloween, I took Reagan and Lilly around the neighborhood trick or treating. Lilly got to have two of her friends go with us. Reagan just had a blast galloping on her horse from house to house. The big kids went trick or treating with their friends. They all had a fun time.

Sore all over

I took my first class at the YMCA on Monday. We lifted weights for the first half of the class. Being a novice (and an idiot) I grabbed weights that were slightly too heavy for me. Oh, I could lift them all right--at least at first. But after twenty times of lifting them up and down and around I was feeling it. Or course, I was too vain to walk over, get some smaller weights and admit I was a weakling-so I stuck it out. For the second half of the class, the instructor taught us kickboxing. Mom, this is kickboxing for exercise--not to kick butt. The only one's butt kicked was mine. I am SOOO sore. But I'm a glutton for punishment so I think I'll try it again next week.

Freedom

This is a picture of my new purse. Why, you might ask, is a new purse worthy of a blog post? No, it is clearly not a designer purse. But, even better, I had to buy a purse because I am throwing away my diaper bag. After almost fourteen years, I no longer need to carry a diaper bag. Reagan is day trained (pull-up at night) and I couldn't be happier. Definitely cause to celebrate!

Pumpkin Chunkin'

This year we took our annual Fall trip to Western New Hampshire. We went with the Stevens family (Mike's sister, Bonnie and family). First, we HAD to get some ice cream at Kimball Farms. A lady from the local newspaper took some pictures of us eating our ice cream. We'll see if we are cute enough to make their paper. Then we went on to Greenfield for the main event. A Trebuchet! And not just any trebuchet. The World record holder trebuchet called the Yankee Siege.

The majestic Trebuchet!

They had a faux castle set up on the hill. You have to have a castle to siege! Apparently though they have only ever hit the castle four times.

Here's the new Lord and Lady of Yankee Castle and the kids, for once, where they ought to be. In the dungeon.

Here is the Trebuchet in action. Unfortunately, the pumpkin was just too speedy to see on our video. But let me assure you, it really flew~1600 feet.

The rest of our trip included some amazingly beautiful scenery--mountains, streams, lakes, forests, fall colors, quaint New England towns and covered bridges. It was an awesome day and I feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful area.

Pumpkin Pickin'

On Friday, Reagan and I went on a Hayride with many of our friends from church. Reagan had a great time climbing the hay tower and cruising down the tall slide while we waited for the hayride to start. Here she is with her favorite pair of sunglasses. She ALWAYS wears them upside down. Unfortunately, she later lost them somewhere in the hay.We got to start the trip off with an apple. Reagan ate right down to the core. I think she swallowed a few seeds. Then we got to see different kinds of squash and produce, including several different kinds of corn. She really liked the different colors of the Indian Corn.

Reagan picked out a nice pumpkin but then realized, "It's too heeeavvvy mom!" Being the nice mom that I am, I helped her carry it back.