oldies but goodies

good thing

The darkroom/creepfest did get a nice coat of primer. Good thing it is not so creepy anymore :/

The plan is about half done, there will be some moulding, shelving, some actual color on the walls, and a window! So the look we are going for is more cool basement hideout than torture chamber. Sadly, I don't think Aden has any plans to stop lurking in his Halloween mask.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

no thank you

Our Thanksgiving was anything but. A lot of whining about what presents we want for Christmas. Yep, the Holiday "gimmies" are already here. Probably the tradition we are most constant with. Even though we don't have cable or subscribe to any magazines or catalogs…"stuff" has flooded our home and our hearts. I can't really fault the boys because I am guilty, too. Good thing Advent is always the sure cure for such. Thinking on that tiny babe, without possession or status, that is the remedy for what ails. 

 Turkey Bowl and cider sipping champs 2012

We did however procure a precious invite to the Tday dinner with our friends Justin and Emily. These two. Where to start? They gave us a car! 

Dinner was so great, the best I can remember of any Thanksgiving. But maybe the enjoyment is enhanced when you don't have to cook a darn thing? Except for chocolate chip cookies. I did bake those after a mini cheesecake FAIL. Yep, I am that lady who brings cookies to Thanksgiving.

the middle

I am at a weird place with blogging. We have no internet right now. I thought that would help because I could carve out special time to write at the library or a coffee shop. Yea, the people that frequent those places are more than a little distracting for me. 

Also, I feel the blog gets ripped off. I rarely blog about the highs of life, because I am too busy enjoying those moments. I also do not blog most of my struggles. The stuff that I so benefit from reading on other's blogs, I have a hard time sharing. Sometimes this is not wanting to whine online but mostly I fear the vulnerability that brings.

So I blog the middle. Which I think most of life is, the middle. Hopefully there are more highs than lows but mostly there is a lot of middle. No resolution, just putting this out there. 

dirty little secret

Yep, our house has a dirty little secret. It has a photography darkroom/torture chamber in the basement. Here is a picture of Matt beginning to dismantle it. Grandma Ellen is in town this weekend so she and Matt are painting away. When my parents were in town, Matt and Ken took apart the plumbing. Because that's how we do when friends come to town. Welcome, now get to work.

Just thought I would post a before pic to get you excited for the big reveal when it is done. Aden actually took one look when we bought the place and claimed it for his room. Be careful what you wish for, dear son of mine.

Growing older has been on my mind a lot lately. I always feel so vain and silly about it but it doesn't stop. 

A week ago I read this from natthefatrat.com; 

nothing about fall can last, not the colors nor the crispness, because in reality, fall is dying. fall is the death of nature. and it is beautiful. isn't that interesting? death is beautiful. do we recognize its beauty because it happens so fast and we can see it before our eyes? in real life, death is frightening because it sneaks up on us. we're young and we're young and then gradually and suddenly, we're not. but could it still be beautiful just the same? 

And then I felt hopeful and not so silly.

Pumpkin Party

Our family is still struggling to feel connected to our new community here in Seattle. It just takes so long! I thought sharing the time painting/carving our pumpkins would be better shared with two families we've gotten to know since moving here. We had a fun and messy time of it and I had an excuse to make that big crockpot of chili I was craving.

4 stages of a meltdown

And some new Collin-isms; after his half day of kindergarten, Collin takes a nap. He frequently wakes up and asks, "where are the Fellas?" (his brothers)

Cheerios are "churros," which always makes me want to run to CostCo and get a warm churro.

Funny story, the other day at school Collin found a small wood cross on the playground. He really wanted to keep it. When I asked why he said, "so you can paint Jesus on it. Dead." I told him we could go buy a wood cross or make one. at which point he said, "I just want bubblegum." (??????)

costume parade

 Collin as Pikachu

 Aden as a Dementor from Harry Potter

 Mama as a witch

 Collin as Batman

 Collin as Leonardo

 Dad's costume as a Replacement Ref (Seattle loves 'em!)

 Kaleb as Will from The Ranger's Apprentice

 Parker as Heath Ledger's Joker

 Aden as Jason

 Collin as a skeleton

Thank you, thank you very much.
(whew! I am exhausted. I am going to take a nap.)