Halloween 2010

Yes, we did celebrate Halloween this year, with all of the usual, candy-filled festivities...and I'm getting off of my lazy rear to finally post some pictures of the joy that was Halloween 2010.

This is the third year straight that Sofia has made her own costume. I love it. Unlike the time she was Skitty, She didn't even need (or want) my help this year.


Unhappy with her first Gahoolish headress (though I suspect it was just a comfort issue)...


...She ended up with a simpler owlish look. My one disappointment - she chickened out of wearing the feather fake lashes we bought. They were AWESOME!


I planned and planned to sew Cozy's gnome costume right up until Halloween eve - when it became obvious that I didn't have time. Who knew they'd have one at Target anyhow?!


Cutest gnome ever - if I do say so myself! And, once I gave her a piece of candy, she forgot all about trying to take off her hat. :)


Boo went as "Iron Man Boy", but sometimes he tells me, "I'm just Tony Stark!" (Jeesh, Mom!) It was so fun watching him literally run from door to door with his little robot friend!

At one point, Boo put on his mask. His friend saw that as the cue to begin a robot vs. iron man battle.

Robot: Iron Man! Let's fight! (pow!)
Boo (in a hurt voice): You're a mean robot!

I need to help Boo work on his trash-talking. Big time.


Jon was a ninja. Pretty typical, but he embraced the role.


Annika was the first ever red-haired Cleopatra. She kept striking regal poses whenever she saw the camera veer her way.


...and Anthony asked, "Wanna buy a watch?" at every door he went to.


I was dressed up as me. Good times.

Thanks!

Honestly - I wasn't fishing for bows when I posted about these lovely headscarf, bow thingies on facebook (normally I do fish for things on facebook...just intangible, frontierville things)....but I love them! Thanks for being so talented and sweet, Jessica!

There's no turning back...

My Odiekins is officially a teenager. It's gone so fast...just makes me think how little time I have left to boss him around before he takes off on his own. :(

To "celebrate", we went to Patty's Egg Nest for brunch. Yum - swedish pancakes! The birthday boy opted for fried prawns - bleh. For breakfast? Whatever makes them happy, right?

Then, on our way home, we went Troll hunting. Anthony bagged a big one (also the only one I know of in Seattle).


...and he completed the age-old manhood ritual of retrieving a troll bogie.


You got me, it's actually a large cement troll sculpture under the Fremont bridge, and to find it I had to drive around using my "I think it's somewhere on the left up here" navigating skillz. (Drives Tony crazy - good thing he was out of town. :)


The kids had fun climbing around, getting really dirty and blocking everyone else's photo ops. Good fun. Eventually we left so that a couple of nice Germans on motorcycles and a group of Japanese exchange students could take their pictures with the troll.


Ok, everyone, look scared - like you're about to be eaten.


Happy birthday, Odie!

Demanding Cuteness

I've done some dangerous driving in my day. A mostly self-taught driver. I do remember my Dad teaching me to merge, as I drove down the on-ramp, by yelling (in an increasingly panicked tone), "Merge! Merge!", as I yelled, "Merge? What does that mean!?" right back at him.

I got my license after just three tries and went on drive by the seat of my pants...forgetting to look both ways and check my blind spots. (I think I survived by being young and lucky).

Years of experience have improved my driving, but I have to admit to doing some dangerous things while driving. Talking on my cell phone. Playing gameboy at stoplights. Sewing bindings on quilts...at stop lights. So grateful I have kids to tell me when it's turned green.

My most recent foray into dangerous driving - holding Cozy's little hand. Especially when she's tired, all she wants is for me to hold her hand. None of the kids' hands will do. It works fine when Tony's at the wheel but is somewhat scary when I am...but so endearing and sweet...I can't resist.


Tony is a bit jealous, so, once she's content with my hand, he holds her other one.

Psst....here's the Buzzz

My Dad is more famous than your Dad.


...in Snohomish, at least. The Everett Herald posted this cool video , starring him.
I think we're celebrities by association now. (His entourage?) We were just in his store, checking out that very observation hive!
...and doesn't he make you want to try something new?

So Loved, So Missed

This has been a rough month. I haven't really felt like blogging about it. I've been crying enough without seeking additional opportunities. Really, I've been avoiding any activities that let me sit down and process my thoughts. ...and if I let myself forget about it, I feel like she's still there and I'll see her the next time I visit.

For those of you who aren't "in the loop", my little sister Becky left this mortal life on October 8th. She was recovering from her brain surgery (of all things) - doing great in rehab. She was doing better than anyone thought possible (neurosurgeons included). Then, the day before she was supposed to go home to her kids, she got a serious headache. None of the medications could make a dint in it. When they finally got her an MRI, they found that her brain tumor was back with a vengeance. Bigger than before her operation.

We all hurried to the hospital to say goodbye. My sisters and brother, my parents, some good family friends, and Becky's husband and older kids. It was the saddest, most tender moment of my life - not just because I was losing my sister. I was watching my parents lose their second child to cancer. My little nieces trying to process the loss of their mother. My awesome brother-in-law saying goodbye to his beloved wife. It was heartbreaking in so many directions.

Becky was an amazing woman. She was such a fun sister. She always wanted the family to get together (and that's love! - it's a big family, with many more hooligans than just mine!) Becky remembered the kind things you did for her and seemed to forget your thoughtless mistakes we all make.

She was the funnest, most cheerful cancer patient ever. (I would've been the whiniest, crabbiest ever. I'm like that with no good excuse all the time.) The only time I saw her cry about it (which - given - I wasn't always around) was when she tried to tell me that someone donated their frequent flier miles so a relative could come up and visit/help out. Then...and any time she saw a loving shout-out supporting her on facebook. She was so touched by all of the support and love people gave her family.


This post is super-inadequate, just like I knew it would be. ...but I'm out of tissues...and I need quit wallowing and go to bed.

conference, quilting, and cartoons

Wasn't this conference session wonderful! ( I think it usually is.)Even James and Cozette were captivated...


...but not by the wonderful talks. They watched Winnie the Pooh, so that the rest of us could listen to the words of the prophets. (See my bald head in the bottom of this picture!)


My favorite talks were the ones that reminded me of the Little Britches books. I loved President Monson's story about the family with the farm, celebrating Thanksgiving on one of their leanest years.

...and who wouldn't want to hear a talk in which someone exclaims, "You stupid cow!" (...to a cow, of course, otherwise it wouldn't be funny.)

I also found a project to keep my hands busy while listening.


It's a pre-printed cheater quilt, but hand-quilting it makes up for that, right?


Church in jammies - that's what I'm talkin' about!