Friday, October 29, 2010

Jack O'Lanterns

Jack -O'Lantern

The jack -o'lantern chuckled
Then winked his funny eye,

"I would rather be a pumpkin-face
Than be inside a pie!"

Jolly wolly pumpkin face
You're happy tell us why.

I'd rather be a pumpkin face
And not a pumpkin pie!


I'd rather be a pumpkin face
And not a pumpkin pie!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

My Monster- by Rowan


A cretcher climbed out of my video game. I'm going to name it Vampire Spike. I'm going to keep him in my dog house. It will eat bear. Vampire Spike likes to play video games. Vampire Spike scares people by growling. Vampire Spike and I like to eat junk food together. I warn people to never give Vampire Spike vegetables. Vampire Spike builds cool lego ships. Vampire Spike and I are going to always be best buddies.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

42 at 42

1- I am old. Really old. When I was younger and dreamed about my life I never thought this far ahead.
2- I had a REALLY great childhood.
3- I married well, in all of the ways that really matter.
4- Chuck Taylor's have been my favorite shoe since high school. I have worn them ever since, and currently have 4 pairs.
5- I hate mushrooms, eggplant and brussel sprouts.
6- I'm afraid of driving over bridges.
7- I love Perry Mason. Have since grade school.
8- I get sad every Spring when Easter dresses appear in the stores.
9- I never learned how to whistle.
10- Or blow a bubble gum bubble.
11- I'm afraid of flying, and haven't flown since before 9/11.
12- My all time favorite book is "Eight Cousins" by Lousia May Alcott. When I was younger I used to dream that I was Rose.
13- I was engaged to someone else before I met Paul.
14- I got a BA in English just so I'd have an excuse to read a lot of books.
15- I learned to drive when I was 12. My Grandpa gave me the keys to an old truck on their farm and told me not to hit any animals or fences.
16- I like mowing the lawn.
17- I have lots of trouble sleeping.
18- When I was younger I really wanted to be a lawyer. (Too much LA Law)
19- I think Annie Lenox is amazing.
20- I love swimming laps. When I was in high school I swam every morning before school.
21- I don't know how to drive a stick shift. (Which is just one of many reasons that Paul would never pick me to be his partner on the Amazing Race.)
22- I'm a SERIOUS tooth grinder. I grind my way right through the night guards I get from the dentist.
23- I love to knit and sew.
24- I'm a recovering CNN addict.
25- I get BAD migraines.
26- I'm determined to one day make a "perfect" loaf of bread.
27- I prefer weather under 80 degrees.
28- I don't like going more than a few days without talking to my parents.
29- The best concert I ever saw was Oingo Boingo. The The and The WHO tie for second.
30- When I was teaching I once had 2 of my students make the front page of The Oregonian for crimes they had committed.
31- Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. No pressure, no gifts, just food and family.
32- I quit reading the paper and watching the news over a year ago, and find I'm much happier for having done so. I guess ignorance really IS bliss.
33- When I was a teenager I wanted to be Molly Ringwald.
34- I never really enjoyed being pregnant. Probably because I was sick all 9 months, every time.
35- I love the smell of bacon.
36- I'm a terrible singer. Painfully terrible.
37- Moe is my favorite stooge.
38- If I could live anywhere in the world I'd pick Portland.
39- I love looking up words in the dictionary.
40- I went to graduate school on a full scholarship.
41- I love my kids like crazy!
42- I'm a homebody. I'd rather stay home than go out any day.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Latest Craze


There's a new craze in our town- SILLY BANDZ!
As usual I'm the last to know about it. In fact Rowan's school had placed on ban on wearing these to school before I even knew they existed. In case you haven't seen them, they're basically cheap little plastic bracelets shaped like all kinds of different things, like animals,dinosaurs, etc. The kids like to trade them with their friends and compare who has the most, or the most different shapes.What I find funny about this fad is it's range of appeal. I have seen preschoolers on up to high school students sporting these.

Grayson initially said they were stupid, but now he wears about 20 of them everyday. I will be interested to see how long these remain popular. I'm tempted to buy some for Christmas presents, but I have a feeling they will have moved on to something new by then.

I wish I could remember the cool fads and crazes of my childhood, but somehow wide leg jeans and the rubik's cube are the only ones that come to mind.

Monday, October 4, 2010

2010 Halloweentown Tour


This afternoon we took a little stroll through old town to enjoy the Halloween decorations.

Some of the businesses took the easy way out and used the same scarecrow they had the year before, but there were some fun new ones.





I'm not sure which is scarier, Paul with the bloody headless woman or the creepy clown. I really hate clowns!



This may be one of the scariest pictures in the bunch.


Rowan really liked the creepy surfer dude.

We are now officially in the mood for Halloween!