Life in Pajamas

11.11.09

 

A giant, virtual, thank-you-and-we-love-you hug for our favorite veterans -- Grandpa and Papa. Thank you for risking your lives to protect ours.

We love you!!!

9.8.09

 

I missed bench friday this week -- so I'm doing an amended bench photo today. This morning, after we all got up, we unpacked the last of the book boxes and put them up on the shelves in the library. I have been waiting for this moment for years. We've moved so often, that we tended not to unpack all our books. It just seemed easier to leave them packed.

So, I've missed them. I've searched for books and couldn't find them because they'd be buried. But now! I have books at my fingertips. It's wonderful.

And the girls -- wow. What a collection they have. Lots of new selections for the daily reading logs!

9.6.09

 

Sunset comes so early now -- the girls had just about gotten off the bus, and we decided to drive down to see if the swans were still in the pond at the end of the street. They were -- but too far away for my lens. But I love the way the light just glows in this photo.

9.5.09

Mom's surgery... photo coming soon!

10.31.09

 

Happy Halloween! Though it was a bit of a gloomy, rainy day, we still had lots of candy-filled fun! The girls had drawn faces on the pumpkins to be carved, and I think they came out smashingly....

Todd had to work in the morning, so my mom and dad came up to join us doing a bit of daytime trick or treating at Marist. One of the dorms on campus does this trick or treat, and they also had games and crafts for the kids. It was adorable -- and the girls loved it. I think Ainsley, in particular, enjoyed it, as it was early enough that she didn't get to tired. She has a bit of a runny nose, so she got tired pretty quickly today...

Once home, we carved pumpkins (Sarah enjoyed the gloppy part especially...), then we watched the Gators win (!) and went out for a quick, rainy trick or treat around the neighborhood. Ainsley's teacher lives down the street, and the girls decided we should start there -- which was perfect. Mrs. Burk had special little treat bags for each of them, and let them come in for a tour and to pet her dogs and cat. The girls loved it.

Then a few more houses, before they both decided that trick or treating in the rain wasn't so fun... and back we went and they became the designated "Candy-hander-outers" which worked just fine for me!

Waiting for Dolly and Papa...

The Kitty and the Butterfly.

Marist....

ooooo- scary!!

10.30.09

 

happy bench (erm... pumpkins count, right?) friday! More picks tomorrow -- internet is slow slow slow because of all the wind here....

--------------------

Ok, I'm back. More from pumpkin picking! For some reason, this year Todd and I completely spaced about picking pumpkins. It also has been raining just about every weekend, but still. It's very out of character for us.

So, today, after the girls got out of school (it was a half day), we three went over to our favorite pumpkin patch and picked a few. It was actually really cool -- we were just about the only people there, so we had our run of the place! And Sarah and Ainsley didn't seem a bit upset that we had waited so long -- there were lots of good choices still left!

  

 

 

 

10.29.09

 

It was observation day at ballet class. It's a funny thing, watching 10 first graders learning to dance, and  memorizing steps. Some are very natural -- focused. Others . . . well, others have a bit more trouble. The overall effect is one of pink legs and black skirts zipping from one place to another with no real pattern. But boy do they look like they are having fun!

Sarah, with her little tiny self, is quite good. She is very focused, almost hyper aware of the mirror, and is really good at pointing her toes (see above!) She's quite graceful -- and stronger than she looks!

Ainsley takes a more "modern dance" approach. Many facial expressions, lots of jumping and leaping.

That's her on the end closest to me in the picture below. You can't see Sarah because she is hidden behind the taller girls! :)

10.25.09

 

Fall colors everywhere.

So, this week mom starts her treatments. The prognosis, we believe, is good. She will begin with 14 days of radiation. Then she will have her thyroid removed. Then, the radioactive iodine. Then -- we hope -- remission!

Keep praying, my readers. It is working!

10.24.09

 

It's actually really gross here today -- rainy and yucky outside. I spent the morning at a conference, presenting a paper. I wish I were in Tennessee -- where one of my favorite former students is getting married today. She will make a beautiful bride, and I'm sorry I can't be there to celebrate with her in person!

10.23.09

 

Happy bench friday!