Go and read this.

May your heart be light.

What gift of compassion will you give to yourself, those you live with, and the world at large this year?

Think about it and leave a comment.

I am still thinking- there is so much need for more compassion, more love, more charity, an endless pit of need. But every little drop to fill it is a gift of value- if given in love and hope the effects echo for eternity.

I have my usual post vacation blogging block- but must go now to keep wrapping and wrapping and wrapping. Hopefully I will get everything in the mail this weekend. I was planning on passing everything left this weekend on our trip to Aptos. Unfortunately that was canceled due to Alma's grandma's funeral. So I am trying to get last minute mailing done. I hate the post office in December.

And here are random pictures from one of our recent hikes- because Becky says that posts need pictures.

Have I mentioned that I love where I live? Heaven.

These kids aren't bad either.

We Carved Pumpkins Too!

Sorry for the pic quality. My poor camera is in the repair shop. sigh. The teddy bear pumpkin was Coen's. And yes I had to edit that picture because Beckett was nude- he is going through a nude phase. sigh.

The Ant Man Costume

So Coen has wanted to be Ant Man for halloween- no other costume could be discussed. If he couldn't be Ant Man he didn't want to dress up. Now for those of you who don't know Ant Man is one of the Avengers. He is such a popular Avenger he isn't even in the movie coming our next summer. But in the cartoons he is the older wiser leader Dr Pimm. Coen says he wanted to be ant man because he is a scientist and Coen wants so be a scientist. How do you argue with that reason! Now Ant Man has many powers he can be tiny and fly around on a flying ant, and he can speak to ants and they swarm at his command (to do useful things like go under doors and unlock them- but why would you need that with the Hulk who can just knock the door over). Ant Man can also become Giant Man and be super giant- I think this is really a hologram or mind power thing- Coen hasn't really explained it well and I don't care to watch the cartoon.

This is want he looks like as Ant Man:

And this is Giant Man:

Now here is the problem- you can buy any other Avenger costume. But when your kid is the only

one in America who wants to be Ant Man you can't just order a costume from Target. I love to

craft- but I don't do halloween costumes. I don't want to waste my time and creative energy o

something I am not excited to work on. But I broke my rule this year- because Coen wanted it s

desperately. I bought a Flash costume and used some duct tape to modify it. I kind of combined

Giant Man and Ant Man because Alma said I couldn't cover Coen's football helmet in silver duct

tape. He loved it. His joy made it all worth while for me. Here is the end product:

My favorite part was the underwear on top!

More of Fall Festivities

We made cousin packages and gifts for friends here in town. These were included with thousands of spiders and skeletons from the dollar store. Because kids love candy and plastic seasonal crap in an envelope with their name on it.

More Fall Festivities

This year Halloween weekend was a little crazy. Friday night we had a Fall Family Fun Night. This was just perfect for me. Lots of silly little games. You know- fishing for a prize, making a pumpkin face, bean bag tosses. This was my view the whole night:

I ran the lollipop game. You picked a lollipop and if you get one with a dot you get a prize and if you don't you get the lollipop. The little gamblers loved this game. It was great to visit with the other moms and enjoy the laid back atmosphere. I know that there was a lot of work put into it- but it was so simple and lovely. I grew up in a rural area so we didn't really trick or treat- we went to the school carnival. And this kind of reminded me of those childhood memories. A few side notes- Alma refused to go so I took my niece Jessica so she could take the boys to the booths while I manned my booth. Also there was a narrow window between getting home from work and having to get to the carnival- so I wouldn't let the boys dress up. But they wouldn't settle for that so Coen put on his supper C cape and Beckett wore his superman pajamas.

That Sat was the church party- also nice. Sunday We celebrated Alma's , Joseph and Grandma Conley's birthdays. It was grandma's 90th! And she gave me my favorite moment of the weekend. She was talking to my in-laws about getting older and as she was walking away she turned around and said "But I can still dance!" And then she shook her booty and did a hysterical little turn and kick. Best Moment Ever. Between Alma's and my family our house was very full. I let Alma pick the menu and he always picks on ease, or at least what he thinks is easy. Sometimes it would just be easier to let me make something on my own with out his help- because I have a handful of big crowd menus. But shh don't tell Alma he thinks he is making it easier for me. Then on Monday I got the boys dressed in their costumes and off to school- but more of that later because I think I even have some pictures.