Happy Halloween!

We had such a fun Halloween! After we abandoned a big bowl of candy on our front porch, we set off for trick-or-treating!
At the last minute, I gave up on James' pirate costume and put him in the dragon outfit Jon wore last year. He didn't care. He was way too excited about total strangers giving him candy.
Jon was an awesome Harry Potter. We even dyed his hair dark brown to complete the effect. Sofia was a little jealous that everyone recognized his character and commented on his cute costume.
Annika wore Sofia's old kangaroo costume, complete with built-in candy pouch. I love recycled costumes!
Sofia and I sweated over her "Skitty" costume, and she was so shocked that nobody knew what she was. Butterfly? Maybe next year she'll choose a less obscure Pokemon?
Anthony was a clone warrior, but he got tired of carrying his helmet halfway through trick-or-treating.
I love Halloween. The preparations are hectically fun, but my favorite thing is having everyone walking around the neighborhood, talking to each other, and being generous with each others' children. And this year...I was thankful not to be moving on Halloween!

Soccer Mom Suckers

Don't bother asking what being team mom involves, because they will just gloss it over until someone volunteers. Then, once you're committed, you'll gradually discover more and more things that it involves. Snacks, candy sales, trophies, coach gifts...
Parents will ask if you're planning something, as if offering to help...but they really aren't. What they're really asking for is for you to do a better job. Too bad. This team is stuck with a total novice (i.e. me, the only person who offered to do the job). Wish me luck as I sort through all of the end-of-season festivities!

Going Nuts in Hawaii

Thanks to the numerous sacrifices of friends, family (who drove me to the airport and watched my children), and total strangers (who subbed for me in nursery and brought snacks to the soccer game), I was able to fly to Hawaii and visit my husband! It was like the longest date ever - in a good way. (I think I got the bad "longest dates ever" out of the way before getting married!)

Even with occasional torrential downpours, Tony and I managed to go snorkeling, do some amateur birdwatching (yes, we know we're big nerds and we don't care), eat bizarrely yummy ice cream (haupia and ube - it's the 16% butterfat that makes them good!), and just generaly enjoy being together again.

And I have to figure out how the heck to do the layouts I want to on this blog - it's driving me crazy.

The pre-Halloween festivities

I should really be posting pictures of Sofia and I frantically sewing costumes of little-known pokemon, but these ones are much cuter and include everyone.
Yes, we will actually carve a pumpkin, but these ones will actually make it to H-day without rotting (the sad fate of the last masterpiece we carved!)

My Secret Blog

I finally got around to starting my blog, and I can't tell anyone! Well, I can't tell anyone that I'm making Christmas presents for, because there's no way I'm waiting until January to show off any of the cute presents we've been whipping up at the Hooligan household.
Especially because I desperately need help with the purse I'm making from Bend-the-Rules Sewing. I thought I knew what color I wanted the handles...I don't. Pink..Blue..Green? Any thoughts?