It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Even if you only know me a little, you know that I love October.

I miss the brilliant foliage show that the trees back in New England throw every autumn, but I like fall here in California, too.

And Halloween is the craziest holiday which makes it the best. We spent some of this weekend making the front yard a bit more spooktacular.



Someone placed the bat on this skull like a hair piece. It's the new, all natural Rabies Toupee...now for bone heads!



It's Memere's last weekend here in Tujunga. For the past to Octobers, my mother has flown 3,000 miles to help me juggle it all. This year she came out to save my sanity whilst hubby was in India. I can't even begin to thank her enough. I'm going to miss her so much.

She's the grandmother anyone would want. She's always in the mood to play or color or do puzzles or cook or read a book. That's what a grandma should be; someone who treasure you non-stop. And she fosters Coop's creative side. We all put together this twisted scarecrow for the front yard using Daddy's old clothes and a burlap mask and some paint.



We noticed that our frightening monster scarecrow lost a lot of his evil swagger when we put a hat on him. Now he looked more,"festive." More like Truman Capote.



Put a smaller, more cutesy scarecrow next to him and now he's a ventriloquist!

"Hey folks, it's great to be here. I wasn't sure if I was going to perform tonight but then I thought, 'What the hay?' Get it? What the hay! HAY-ohhhhh."


Three weeks ago, Cooper wanted to dress up as The Joke for Halloween. Two weeks ago, he changed his mind and wanted to be Darth Vader. Last week he switched it up again and said he wanted to be a pirate. This morning, he says he has made his final decision...he'll be Batman.

Remember when the hardest decision you had to make was what you were going to be for Halloween?

Ruby's Dance!

I don't need to buy another light bulb again, because this lil' lady lights up a room!



Ruby's been a little under the weather with a yucky cold. Never in my whole life did I imagine that I'd have so much snot to deal with. I thought maybe she might be mutating into one of the X-Men and her power was massive booger production.



But it looks like she's on the mend and Cooper has been such a big help. He looks out for his little sister all the time.



He makes her laugh. They play. They get silly and THEY DANCE!



You think you can dance? Not like my toddler. Take it away Ruby Girl!





Ruby's Birthday!

Ruby is a year old. Yup...ain't that a kick in the head.



The theme for the party was WONDER WOMAN! We encouraged everyone to wear super hero apparel. Ruby was outfitted in a Wonder Woman onesie.



She ate cake for the first time. That's the prize for surviving 12 months...you get to ingest cake!



She was more cautious about it than Cooper was. She took a little taste on the tip of her finger. Then she chomped on some crumbs. After about ten minutes, she started digging her hand in and going for it.

It just goes to show you, girls = careful. Boys = dive right in.

Ruby is now walking everywhere. You can't stop her. She's a powerhouse forged in steel! My baby gal is heard as nails. Ruby Zu don't take no mess.

Happy Birthday, Ruby. You are my wonder woman.

Now THAT's Sadness...

Hey Mom...



Yeah, I'm crying! Why you ask...well, let's see...

Cooper's major milestones appear to be typed out for all the blogosphere to read and relish.

What about me, Ma? I turned one year old back in May. Where's my post?

I also have gas from the garden vegetable puree.

Love,

Ruby


Dear Ruby,

Life is full of waiting for others to hurray up and do! I'll try my best not to make you wait, but I'll tell you right now, it's gonna happen. I'm a super busy lady with way too much on my plate. It runs in the family. I'm sure you'll be a super busy lady with no time one day, too. With a purse. And a phone.

I'll get a birthday post up soon with video. Will that dry those tears?

No? Well, that must be some strong gas. Fart it out, sister. Better out than in.

Please forgive your procrastinating parental figure.

I love you,

-Mom

Winter for the Westerners



The second we stepped off the plane in Boston, both kiddies looked different. They were excited, but shocked at the temperature. Yes, children, this is the east coast and things here are a wee bit more freezing.



Cooper got to experience snow for the very first time. He wasn't sure about the sled contraption. He watched Grampy do it and then simply said, "No thanks."



He did LOVE building a snowman. It was all he could talk about and as luck would have it, Mother Nature kept some snow on the ground for us in New Hampshire so snowman building could commence.



The snow was very dry...not the best for construction. But they managed. Cooper named him Frosty, naturally.



We spent three days in New Hampshire and four on Cape Cod.



Ruby had some stomach issues (hey, we all get "travel tummy" from time to time) but she was a bundle of joy.



Both grandfathers got to meet Miss Ruby Zuzu for the very first time. She was immediately smitten with both of them.



Coop convinced Memere that he had to build a snowman at her place, too.



But this snow was also hard to manage, so they built a mini snowman on a picnic table.



And Mr. Potato Head's parts added the perfect finishing touches. VOILA!



We even took Cooper to a clown show at a local theater. At first, he tried to play all "too cool for school." I guess that's what happens when you put your kid in a punk skull beanie hat.



By the end he was laughing and clapping. He enjoyed the juggling and pie-throwing.



It was a lovely vacation. It was hard to leave. Part of our hearts remain back in New England.

But our cold butts were happy to return to the land of sun and fun :)

Going to Bed with a Good Book

I don't eat enough vegetables. I don't exercise enough. And worst of all...I don't blog enough.

It's 12:19am. Believe me when I say that it is the first free moment I've had in 11 and a half weeks. True story.

I should sleep. But before I pass out, I'll leave you with a promise to post more and this photo of Cooper:



Jakob found him asleep like this and called me in.

The open book...the little flashlight...the delightfully sleepy expression...the glowing purple hippo with goofy eyes. Perfect moment of childlike whimsy.

I'll post again. You'll hear all about our trip and Ruby and Cooper and Jakob and a little bit about how I'm doing.

But first things first. Snores galore. Good night.