These Are The Days...

One 200 year old oak + one leaf blower + 3 exuberant kids = a day to remember.

October, In Reader's Digest Form

*blowing off the layer of dust that has accumulated on my blog*

*cough* *cough*

So, where did I leave off?

Oh, my ankle. It healed up well. Thanks for asking. After two days I was good as new.

Halloween was fantastic. Craftiness ran rampant.





(More pics on Flickr. Ya hafta be a contact to see the kids in costume otherwise you'll have to settle for anonymous random photos.)

I hosted a toddler costume party on Tuesday (8 toddlers and their Moms. I KNOW!), took Gretel to storytime/haunted house event at our local library on Wed and went trick-or-treating with the Pumpkin War neighbors. Cinderella ditched us in favor of going out with her friends. *sigh* We've lost her. ;)

The kids made out like bandits. BUT... I had to throw away ALL of the candy yesterday after eating a suspicious tasting Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! (Tasted like COUGH MEDICINE. WTF?!?!?!?)


And since we pool all the candy into one bucket, there was no way to know where it came from, if it was malicious or not. Raising kids today is scary. And that pisses me off. I had to promise Hansel that we would replace the candy with something safer. He was so sad. And *that* pissed me off more.

Hansel's had three headaches this month. Stayed home from school twice. We're contemplating taking him to a neurologist to rule out anything major and to confirm our suspicions that he's developing migraines.

Prince Charming and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary last weekend. Dinner and a movie. No kids. YAY!

Maleficent is up to her antics again (still) and is violating the terms of her visitation every chance she gets. Cinderella's law guardian, the appointed mediator for when such problems occur, has been MIA and very lax in her duties leaving PrinceCharming between a rock and a hard place. Court seems inevitable, but no progress has been made in that department. Where does that leave us? Helpless. Paralyzed. Forced to accept things on Maleficent's terms, waiting at the door for when she decides to come and get Cinderella (she is late every time) and never knowing when she will bring her home (again, late every time). I'm trying not to let it dominate my days, but it's so hard.

And remember when I posted about this? Yeah, well I'm beginning to think it may be more.

Getting Hurt On The Job

Who knew putting out Halloween decorations could be hazardous to one's health?
While showing the kids our newly decorated yard Sunday night, I rolled my ankle and took a spill while holding Gretel.
She walked away (in her pjs) unharmed.
I, on the other hand...


Left ankle.


Right leg.
Because the yard is covered in shade so no grass grows.
There is nothing but dirt, rocks and some weeds.

But the yard looks awesome!

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Hi, it's Maleficent, can I speak with Cinderella?

"Awww... I'm sorry but she's in giving her brother a bath. Shall I have her call you back at home, on the cell or somewhere *else*?"

Somewhere else? Like where?

"Oh, I dunno - HELL!! - perhaps?!?"

***
(The preceding conversation is not real but rather a vibrant glorious fantastical figment of my imagination.)

Yep, we're back where we started.
He's taking her back to court.

A is for...

Apple picking!


One half a bushel's worth...




I call this her "Little House on the Prairie" picture.