November & Finally Fall

I know I already used the phrase "finally fall", but then we had some stinkin' hot days, weeks? Now it's finally getting to Fall, as in lessening and even turning off the A/C and sometimes even needing socks in the morning. In numbers, that means highs in the low 70s. Amazing.

Since the whole new-vehicles thing, we celebrated Halloween and All Saints and are gearing up for Thanksgiving. (Not to mention that 3 days after Thanksgiving is already Advent, but we'll get there when we get there.)

Filling the same onesie P & A wore at 9mos

Our Halloween was fun, of course, as it is with young children. It's a little bit like Mardi Gras in the sense of enjoying the process more than the end-product; the actual trick-or-treating is fun - it's dusk, everyone's out and about, all dressed up - but nobody needs that much stuff, candy in this instance. Especially not under-4-year-olds. But, alas, we have it, they love it, and so I resort to just rationing it out. They're allowed one piece a day of their choosing and at the time of their choosing (which generally means first thing in the morning), and then there's no more asking for it. I was planning on unloading a bunch of it next week to Ginny & Peter, ha, but Dylan just said I should use some of it for the Advent calendar treats instead of buying more for those; sorry, y'all! Anyway, Paul was a purple dragon, Ada was a purple spider-butterfly, and Jack was the same tiger Paul and Ada were for their first Halloweens.

Oh yeah, I cut my hair! It'd been since 4mos postpartum with Ada in '14.

Back to Hallowtide. We celebrated All Saints Day the day after Halloween, of course, but with too much sugar and a late night, Mass was all but unbearable, unfortunately, and somehow, I feel like we've been reeling ever since. Makes complete sense on one hand: give kids daily sugar doses who normally have next to none, add Daylight Savings Time (oh, dear Lord, why, why), throw in a bout of pinworms (I don't want to talk about it. Ever.) and expect spotless behavior? But on the other hand, come on, be flexible, right? Sigh. So we made cookies. Shaking my head. I know. I know. But they were SOUL CAKES.

Moving on. Some seriously nice weather, an ever-more-capable baby, and an election later, we're starting to smooth out again.

Algiers Point Beach

Homeschooling has been going very well! This week was letter "Ff", and with our little saint focus on St. Francis of Assisi, we attended Mass at the church of the same name here in town and followed it up with a visit to the Audubon Zoo; I think St. Francis would've approved. And all 4 of us had a turn on the carousel!

Then there's this happy guy + his first swing-session: