Boogity! Boogity!

It's that time of year again. The time of year when I put on about 5 pounds thanks to all of the kids' candy that's around the house and my sneaking a piece or 5 because they'll never notice that it's gone.

Ok, well other than that, it's really the time of year to say, "Trick-or-treat!" "Thank you!" and "Mom, can I have a piece of candy?" (which at some point, thanks in part to persistence, I give in and say yes because sometimes that's easier.)

It was a great evening to go trick-or-treating around here. Nice weather, no wind and kids in good moods all make for an easier night for moms and dads. It does get easier, too, as the kids get older. J & I were remembering a Halloween 2 years ago when I thought I wasn't going to make it. C was running down the street, trying to keep up with the other kids (who were older-he was only 3) and was in complete hysterics about the whole thing!

This year was a bit different.

Calm kids, using manners, smiling faces, happy about candy they got...it was a very fun night for all of us!

And, we shared it with some good friends, which made it all the better!

The last one of the year

It's always bittersweet to go to the cabin that last time before we "close" it. One last sleepover. One last fire. One last ski (for my dad!). One last boat ride. One last fire. There are always those last things we do. This weekend was no different.

We are so very lucky to have a place like the cabin to go to most weekends during the summer. We spend A LOT of time there as a family. The funny thing about it is that J and I didn't really understand or know how much we loved it until we had the kids. I mean we can say we did, but really, I don't know that we did. There is no other place we would rather be on a gorgeous summer weekend. Sure, we miss things along the way-gatherings, concerts, sporting events-but I'm sure we were enjoying a sunset, taking one last tube run, roasting marshmallows or swatting bugs (ok, that last one isn't so fun, but...).

As it was again this weekend, enjoying one last boat ride. Driving the boat one last time. Catching bugs (or seagulls?!) one last time. Eating snacks one last time. Showing smiles one last time. Feeling the breeze one last time. Being at the cabin one last time!

oooOOOOoooo

Are you afraid of...

GHOSTS?!?!

I'm not. But only because they're mine. We got crafty at the cabin this weekend. It was a little rainy and a bit brisk so Mamma decided to get crafty. "Mamma, can you cut some holes out for me?" "Sure, what are you going to be?" "A ghost." That turned into a bunch of white paper that was about to be taped together. Instead, out came the paper bags.

I love that it is the simple things that can bring so much joy to kids. A & C were so very excited to get those paper bags on. Then the "oooOOOooo's" came out. (Imagine that going from quiet to loud and quiet again.) They were giddy to surprise Papa and Daddy with their scary masks. They each waited for the other to finish.

And then,

the ghosts were loose! Beware!

16 years ago

What was your first kiss like? No, not your first kiss when you were in fourth grade (I remember that one too). I mean your first kiss with your forever one. Like J. It was 16 years ago today that we had our first kiss. It was one of those that I remember because I think we both wished it would have happened earlier. Both of us had gone to the Homecoming dance with someone else that year; J because he thought I would have said no, and me because I didn't have a date and went with a friend. Funny how we both thought similar things about each other.

How many of you are still with the same person you kissed 16 years ago? And those of you married for 16 years or more don't count. Sorry! I guess the question would be how many of you are with the same person you kissed when you were 16? It's a rarity. It's one of those things that people find out when we meet someone new: "So, how did you guys meet? College? Work?" "No, high school." "Oh, you went to high school together?" "Yeah, we've actually been together since high school." "Really?! That's a long time!" 

Yup. It's a long time. 

I think about it every year on October 19th. I'm glad we kissed. I'm even more happy about the fact that J picked me. When you think about how many other people he could have picked...

Here's to you, J, 16 years later. I love you.

Welcome Home!

I heard this and saw this many times this weekend. It was nice to "be home!"

All of us Cobbers (yes, as in corn cobs) went back for a busy homecoming weekend. It was my 10th reunion with my fellow classmates, so us girls decided to go back. I loved the drive as we came upon campus-seeing the balloons and streamers adorning lampposts everywhere,

signs around with "Let's Go Cobbers!" new buildings and old buildings-everything is familiar. We hadn't been back for Homecoming in about 6 or 7 years and it was just as I remembered.

There was a breakfast gathering, a visit to the bookstore, a walk around campus-where I checked to see if my old education professors were still there...and all of them are-a parade, a football game, and finally, a reunion gathering.

As we were on campus I really remembered how much I loved college. Walking the path I used to take my freshman and sophomore year; going through the Echo Spot where you stand in the middle and the sound really does echo back to you; walking under The Bell Tower with J-because the "legend" goes that whoever you walk under it with is who you would marry; going through the library and remembering walking with girlfriends to see what boys were studying where; going to the new student center wishing I went there now because it's pretty amazing; driving past our house we lived in our junior and senior year and wondering what happened with the family that used to live on the main floor...These are just a few things that came back this weekend.

I also thought a lot about our kids. I pictured them in college some day. I thought about A & C going from class to class, eating meals (which are a lot better than what we had to eat!) and doing the things we did. It will be so much different for them from even what I saw this weekend. I also thought about how to pay for it all. Geez! College is expensive, for those of you who haven't noticed. Crazy! My hope is we can support them in whatever way they choose.

College. It's a great place to be. As a student. As a parent (thanks mom and dad!). As alumni. It was great to be "home" this weekend!

Follow me to college!

Follow me to college!

Yes, I think we will! Love that this is the back of the kids' school shirts this year. They'll wear them every Friday, where I will remember one of my goals for them: to be a supportive an encouraging parent in order to set them up for success in school so they can go to college. It's a huge goal, but one I'm we're ready to undertake.

Leaves and a Friend

Playing in the leaves never gets old. Especially when you're 5 years old. any age. Today was a play-in-the-leaves sort of day. You would never know it by the 80 degree temperature. Yes, 80 degrees on October 8th. That hardly ever happens here. Especially for 6 consecutive days. Either way, it was a good day to rake 1. because the yard was completely covered and 2. because it was a really nice day!

Playing in the leaves is twice as much fun when you have a best friend to do it with. That's just what happened yesterday. See this friend is the son of some long time friends, and C had been asking and asking when Connor could come over. Well, yesterday was it and they had a blast! Leaves, coloring, playing at the park-we did it all and wore them out! I know they all slept well last night. Thanks for playing on this beautiful (warm) fall day!

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