We Witched You a Happy Halloween, Now Get Over It

Bring on November.

We're Ready

Hey you trick-or-treaters... I am happy to announce, we are ready for you.

BEFORE




AFTER

Resistant to Change

After two days of being trapped indoors and playing LEGOs non-stop, I thought my boys would welcome a chance to play outdoors. It is sunny, not too cold, and there are mountains of snow for sculpting and fun. I thought they would like to make a snow man. Noooooo. They played "snow LEGO". Because, you know, that's exactly what I would want to do after logging upwards of 12 hours of LEGO time.

Onion-y

Raw weather is all about the layers. More specifically it takes three times as long to assemble and put on the stratum of clothing required to endure the snowy cold than you – or your children – will spend playing in it.

But it’s a must.

So are playful pictures of said children in said layers.




PS – Speaking of layers, we need gloves. Our kids grew out of the ones from last year. Go figure!



PHOTO NOTE: Picture of tricycle shows how much snow fell in just a few hours. Look at tires to see the difference.

Do Me a Favor?

If you smoke... would you consider quitting? We all know that it’s one of the biggest killers in the world and causes disease and cancer. From what I understand, that's a bummer.

But here's my beef.

It grosses me out to find my 3-year-old anywhere close to an ashtray. In fact, I found him nearly kissing-distance close to a cigarette butt huffing and puffing at it. When I asked him what he was doing, he said, "Trying to blow out this stinky candle."

Just quit.

Wide Open Spaces

I am generally inspired by my children. The things I write about, talk about and do are usually centered around my children -- for better or worse. That's why I haven't been writing as much. If I were to recap what I've heard them say over the past few days it would look something like this.

Screaming. Followed by screaming. And then Mason screamed to Cooper. And Cooper then screamed. There was some kicking, interrupted by screaming. Screaming ceased for a couple hours during sleep, but was abruptly taken up again at day break. Screaming.

I decided it was because they were cooped up in the house. So, I took them for a walk around the neighborhood. I was counting on the wide open spaces, fresh air, and lack of crowds to help me endure it. What I didn't account for was the volume. About midway through the walk Cooper decided he would not walk any farther. So, he laid down in the middle of the golf course (golf courses are generally pretty big) and started screaming.



It was screams like, "No mommy no. Stop mommy!" Said in rapid succession and an awful lot like a child who is being burned by a cigarette. Horrible. So loud, in fact, that people started coming out on their porches and looking at us. I was mortified and just walked away.


Then I realized people were just going to call the police. So, I made the walk of shame back to his howling self. Mason was also so sick of the screaming that he permitted Cooper to sit on his lap, in the stroller, for the rest of the ride home. Let it be said, tantrums work.

Trust

Dear Teachers,
Just a quick note to remind you of the power you wield -- unknowingly or otherwise. My son is only 4. He's only been in school a total of 3 months. Already I see that you have great sway over him. Don't forget that.

He's my precious, darling student. He's so excited to enter your classroom, your world, and learn what you know. Understand that often what he experiences in your classroom, stays in your classroom. No matter how much I entice and lure, he just doesn't want to break the bond you have together. He rarely tells me what he does during the hours he is in your care. When he does, it's only whiffs and vapors that I can't interpret.

I do know this: he has confided, "I trust everything they say." I entreat you to conceive the instant panic this gives a parent. He trusts you, and so I cannot. I must always be on his guard.

With the credence he gives you, take the opportunity to guide him. Enjoy his unabashedly bright brown eyes that beg you to fill him up with facts and figures. Show him the maps of the planet and inspire him to go to the ends of the universe in the pursuit of wisdom. Open his mind. Open his heart. Never, never give him cause to close them through the abuse of this guardianship.

I'll be watching you.