Thanksgiving in Amherst

And as always, there are many, many more photos on my flickr page! (Oh, and you should go there anyway, because my computer was acting up when I wanted to post other Thanksgiving shots from Jim & Myra's etc...so they are all over on flickr instead of here.) Thanks for the wonderful time, Sylvia & Dan!

Cranky Computer

OK, my computer is not letting me upload photos today...so just go to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48439883@N00/

to see pictures of what's been going on in the last week or so.

Pirates

New Pup

We had sent in applications to several New England humane shelters trying to adopt a puppy, maybe by Christmas or spring, because their puppy waiting lists are really long. The applications rival the ones for adopting children. I was shocked. Not that ANYBODY should be able to just pick-up a puppy, but seriously, do they really need my tax info and all that? AND the adoption fee was $400. These aren't purebred dogs, these are who-knows-what that somebody found in a Walmart parking lot. We were going to try to do it anyway, but we were getting such a run-around! Nobody would ever tell me the status of any dog that we applied for, nor would anyone even tell me that they had recieved our application. One snobby lady basically told me we wouldn't be getting a dog from them, ever. Yesterday, we happened to see a litter of farm puppies for sale ($150) in the classified, so we took a ride to "just look." (Yeah, right.) We already had all these rules about what kind of dog we wanted, etc. We we looked at the two remaining puppies (both male, which was on our "no list") sitting there in the pouring rain in a tiny kennel, way out back of a tumble-down barn, (which the guy said was built poorly because he didn't build it...he was in jail when it was built, so his bastard step-son did it.) there was no way we weren't taking one. The woman said that her mother was going to take the very last pup left, so I didn't feel as bad leaving it. They were half Australian Shepard, half "Chug". Strange combo, but very sweet and all this little boy has wanted to do is cuddle since we brought him home. He doesn't make a peep, slept blissfully in his crate last night, and stole The Baby's toast this morning, so he fits in perfectly already. The Kid has named him Captain Burdock and just loves him. It's a little soon to replace Dublin, but this tiny guy needed us, and seeing how happy the boys are to have a dog again, I think it will be just fine.

Friday Yet?

It's been one of those weeks. The Kid decided to cut his own hair yesterday, I guess every kid does this at least once. (I know I did it, not only to myself, but to my baby sister as well.) Ever since Halloween, when he wore his knight hood for six days straight, he seems to have lost interest in his hard hat...the habit is broken!!!! But as he has worn it every day for a year, I almost don't recognize him without it. And I'll bet he wouldn't have thought of cutting his hair if he was still obsessed with his hard hat, because he NEVER took it off. Very weird to think that I'm missing him wearing it. The Baby's new favorite thing is playing Ring-Around-The-Rosy. He says: "Mama, Dadda, Up, Down, Uh-Oh, Bye-Bye, etc" Not a big talker so far, but that's OK. The Kid and I easily make up for The Baby and Justin's quietness. Yikes, I take that back...he just screamed bloody murder when I tried to feed him carrots. He recently considers veggies to be absolutly evil. Well, the weekend will come, I suppose, and with it, a whole new set of obligations. It's always a mixture of relief and dread to find Friday night upon me, because I can't say no to anything. Let's see...a school play, Justin is working on a wheelchair ramp all Saturday in Chelsea, a holiday craft fair/fundraiser, a birthday party, no wait, make that two birthday parties, a pie that needs to be baked, house that needs to be cleaned, shopping to do, etc, etc... Geez, maybe I wish it was Monday?

Whew

Wow, I was holding my breath for months! I don't remember caring about elections really, when I was little, but it was awesome to see all the kids hugging, screaming, laughing, crying and dancing when I dropped mine off at school on Wednesday morning. And even more awesome to realize that all these small people have a much brighter future now. Thank God.



Oh, I wanted to add some funny-kid-sayings, while I was thinking of them. The day back to school after Halloween, he came home saying "Gus had take-out GRAMP-PIRATE teeth!" It took me a minute to figure out what gramp-pirate teeth were. And today, we were rhyming words. Just stuff like Pop, Top, Bop, Stop. So, he asks "What rhymes with Taxi Cab?" I was like, "Hmmmm, I don't know". We played for a bit longer, then made lunch. He was kind of muttering to himself over his sandwich, and then he shouts, "MOM! Taxi-cab, MAXI-PAD!!!!"

Frosty Morning

Halloween Party

The party at Jim, Myra and Raven's was very cool. I had a hard time walking/dancing in my farthingale...but after seeing Jim's centaur costume, I felt like I shouldn't complain! Justin couldn't think of anything, so he pinned training pants and baby socks all over his clothes, frizzed up his hair, and went as Static Cling. Mom just borrowed my regular clothes for her disco outfit. We took the baby with us...thought he might be frightened, but he loved it. I wish I had taken more photos because there were so many great costumes. Plus the decorations were pretty awesome. Nice job you guys!

This is Raven's 2nd costume change. ....Everyone was a little freaked out at how gorgeous he looked.

Darn, I wish I had gotten his boots in this picture! Raven's 1st costume. Had amazing pointy, curled-up toe boots.

Myra and Jim. Holy costume insanity!

Jim changed into a sheriff after his back legs started to become painful for dancing...

Dad and Jo

Vampire couple of cuteness