Halloween '14

Bea's class consists this year of three Elsas, a Rainbow Dash, an octopus, a unicorn, ninja Minecraft guy, and skeleton.  And, oh yeah, a cat teacher.

We ate a quick dinner and then made final preparations before heading out for some trick-or-treating:

We met Brandon and Ethan for our annual downtown trick-or-treat and a great time was had by all! This sweet girl got two Reese's peanut butter cups only and gave one each to me and Anthony.  If that's not love, I don't know what is!

Go ABWYZ!

In case you thought half-dead hydrangea blossoms were useless....

Pom-pom remnants...

Settling in to late fall

The seasons are definitely changing and we're enjoy the last of the fall colors and trying to embrace the increasing darkness that comes each day.  I remember taking a photo of Anthony giving Bea a bottle and asking myself "how many more bottles is she going to have?"  I had that same feeling as she was snuggled up in his lap listening to a library book the other night:

Yesterday Lucy came over with her Dad and the girls had fun playing and painting:

After soccer we had our annual pumpkin carving, this time without the Fulcos, but we are grateful that they've encouraged this tradition for us!

The six year old decided her jack-o-lantern had lots of loose and missing teeth, as well as some face painting:

pre-lit

in the dark:

and, with one game left of the season, soccer photos came in the mail this week. I can't say she's loved it, but she's stuck it through and we're proud of her for that.

and speaking of the end of a very long season, and the closing of not just a chapter but a book, we finally sold my dad's house a couple weeks ago.  I spent 35 years at this property and have millions of wonderful memories from there.  I hope Beatrice feels as positive about what a "home" is as I was lucky enough to experience.

Harvest Party, take 2

It's awesome to have a parent of Bea's classmate just happen to be a professional photographer, and further awesome that they are also in the same dance class, enabling me to leave the camera at home for big events! These just came through from last weekend:

Anthony, who wasn't there for the event, state "Why did you let her look like that?"  Like I have a choice in it....

I swear she starts off with the headband all pretty atop her head, but eventually, this always happens.  Every single time.

 I don't know if it's more Karate Kid, Martina Navratilova, or Ilie Nastase (wikipedia it for those who aren't up on  '70's and 80's tennis legends)

Unfortunately, her friend Samm was sick and couldn't attend, and Lily was out of town, but here are four of the six girls in Bea's class, plus one extra friend of the hostess. Two of the three boys attended as well, so it was a nice time for most of the class to be together.

Girls' Weekend

Friday night, before our Daddy's-out-of-town pizza, we opened up the game of Scrabble, Jr. which Beatrice can finally (almost) play. Oh the ecstasy I feel at the possibility of having a fellow word-nerd/geek in the house!

Saturday Bea went with her friend Samm as a guest at her gymnastics class, and had a blast (minus a minor trampoline injury).  After that we grocery shopped and stayed home and warm under the covers watching movies, reading, and hanging out.  Sunday was a beautiful fall day!  We headed to Java Jive late morning to see foliage in Woodstock and get a hot drink and some playtime at Bea's favorite cafe:

They have a play kitchen there and it is amazing that Bea still loves this thing.  She's at least a foot taller than the first time she played here:

The wallpaper in the bathroom matched our reds, so we decided to do a quick selfie:

Then it was off to Roseland Park, and Bea was kicking herself for not having her birthday party there last May, and insisted this coming year we would go back.  This picture somehow makes me sad, since all I see is a little girl walking away and leaving behind a much taller shadow and bigger self:

The reflections on the water were "spectacular," as is Bea's new favorite adjective:

Somewhere out there exists a photo of my Pepere on this very porch in the adult rocking chair:

The next photos were taken by my little photographer:

We came home to let Sula out before heading to a classmate's Harvest party.  The hydrangeas are almost done for the season:

I assume I'll get more photos of this event from Lindsay who was snapping away, but for now here's the crew bobbing for donuts.  Can you spot Rainbow Dash/Martina Navratilova?

When the party was over, we headed to Sturbridge, MA where we met Daddy on his way home from Vermont.  The scarecrow exhibit was out and Bea almost made it through the whole lot before getting scared, but by the end, she was petrified once again.  There were plenty of FROZEN references to keep her smiling though:

What a wonderful time together!  A couple quotes from the weekend that I want to remember:

a)"Mama, you are QUEEN of SPECTACULAR!!!!!"

b) (upon seeing me exiting the shower) "Your hair looks like you are a monster who was living in an evil lair for a hundred years!!!!"

c) (at prayers last night, when asked what she was thankful for) "the whole world, because without the whole world we wouldn't have each other right here right now."