Half

I love Fridays. It is the day of the week that I don't feel any pressure to get much done. My productivity level during Monday through Thursday is nothing to get excited about, but there is a sense of obligation. I can proudly say I cleaned my upstairs bathroom from head to toe for two weeks in a row now (it is true that more often cleanings help keep things from getting to dingy). Anyways, to my point. Today is a half day where everything seems half finished and because it is Friday, I like it this way.

Thanksgiving banner - half finished:


My new knitting project, toddler mittens - half finished:


How nice Fridays are. Last night, my son tried to take off his own clothes to use the big potty. I took this as interest and bought him a potty seat. He went pee-pee three times in a row and then I told him we needed to take a break because I was afraid he was going to give himself a hernia. Then he shook his head when I put his diaper back on. I asked him if he wanted big boy underwear and his eyes said yes. Hmm, I guess this might be our new adventure.

I really want to make these:
They are from the website: http://madebyrae.blogspot.com/
The pattern is from this website: http://hyenacart.com/FishsticksDesigns/index.php?c=11&p=27850
But do I really have the time???

Another Reason To Use Cloth Diapers

Weekend Hike

This last weekend we took a hike near where Andrew bikes (Thornewood Open Space Preserve). Teenie and Lulu were so surprised that we actually included them in something outside of the house. Poor neglected doggies.

Here we are starting out:


Blake loved all the nature and kept trying to walk down the sleep sides of the trail:


A bridge:


Nature's teeter-totter:


There is a small lake at the end of one of the trails. We sat and ate snacks before heading back. The hike was about 2 miles round trip. Blake walked the whole way:


Blake insisted on walking Teenie the whole way back. Teenie had slowed down enough to not pull Blake. Here is a video of his first ever dog walk. Thank goodness for this or Andrew would have had to carry him back!:

Fall Garden

I am back to report that my "early fall" garden did not produce any pumpkins. What a surprise! My mom said gently, "Maybe you weren't meant to grow pumpkins." As much as I should heed my mother's advice, it has now become some inner competition with myself to produce a pumpkin someday!

Here is my second chance at growing something in my mini garden. I planted Erin's hollyhocks in each corner to encourage Holly to grow big and strong. My brussel sprouts have been the same size for a couple of months now. Two carrots have survived and might just make it to adulthood. On the right side of the garden I planted spinach and the back row consists of swiss chard. Good luck plants:


Of course I had to buy some orange flowers to give my backyard that fall touch:


Toddlers love wearing their parent's gardening shoes:

Voted

Meet Victor Frost. This morning I was reading over my election booklet trying to figure out who would be the best five candidates for city council. I ran across Victor Frost's qualifications:

"Homeless advocate, Panhandler: USN Electronics, Humboldt State University, Electronics, Art, Constitutional Law, and Film Making, Lockheed Martin, Engineer, Sony Technology Center, Engineer, Mainstream Coordinator, on Sight Inspector...Organic Gardener."

So when I tried to locate his political website I came across an article from Palo Alto online. It read:

"Victor Frost, a local panhandler who is running for City Council, was arrested Tuesday afternoon for allegedly shouting racial epithets at a homeless amputee.

Frost, who regularly solicits donations across the street from Whole Foods Market, received an arrest citation after a female passerby witnessed him yelling at and berating a homeless person, according to police spokesman Sgt. Dan Ryan.

The woman called police, who arrived at the scene and interviewed Frost, the witness and the victim. Ryan said Frost accepted the misdemeanor charge and is scheduled for an appearance at Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto on Nov. 10.

Ryan said Frost was arrested for disturbing the peace after the police found him to be using "words likely to produce an immediate violent reaction." Frost potentially faces six months in jail, Ryan said.

Ryan said Frost left his usual seat across Homer Avenue from Whole Foods for an hour or two, at which time the other person took over the spot. Frost returned and allegedly lashed out at the man, an African-American amputee in a wheelchair who also is a panhandler.

"He was berating the fellow in a wheelchair, who was an amputee, and calling him all the horrible words in the English language," Ryan said. "I think there was a competition for what Mr. Frost considered to be his own personal space on the sidewalk."

Frost is also facing six counts of violating Palo Alto's sit-lie ordinance. Attorneys are scheduled to discuss those charges on Nov. 30."

Interesting!

Rah Rah Rah

Where have I been? I knew David, Andrew's father, had gone to Stanford, but I thought it was for a few classes. Turns out, David was sent to Stanford to get his Master's Degree in Computer Science (correct me if I am wrong David) Electrical Engineering when he was working for Bell Labs. All fees paid to boot. I asked if he was proud that he and his son got their Master's degrees paid for in full by their employer and his reply was somewhere along the lines of "definitely." So now Blake wears red proudly. David gave us a personal tour of the campus and it was great to hear his college stories. Friends and family should email me some college pictures so we can showcase your alma maters!

Halloween Past

It's November. That means Halloween has come and gone. This year was wonderful and Blake had a great time. I couldn't have asked for a better Halloween. Ellen and David came up for the weekend and boy did we pack in the activities.

Andrew and David went for a 9 mile bike ride up Old La Honda in Portola Valley. Ellen, Blake, and I went shopping in downtown Menlo Park so we could hit our favorite, Penzey's Spices. We all took naps and then headed out to California Street in Palo Alto for some business trick-or-treating. It was fun to see him interact with the other kids.

I had so much fun making Blake's costume. Here Blake transforms from a little boy into a little mummy:


Leaving treats for the neighbors before we set out:


Blake had no idea what he was in for:


What were all these crazy kids doing dressed up in costumes too?:


Once he found out candy was involved he got really into it:


Then came the best surprise! Raisins! He threw his other candy down and had to stop and eat the raisins. Right now these are my magic, mommy weapon. If I need him to be calm and focused I can always win when I whip out the little, red box.


Blake met a friend named Richard:


Then came another friend dressed as a wolf in sheep's clothing. It was so funny to watch them walk up to each other and touch one another's costumes:


After eating a great Thai dinner we headed home to get ready for trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. He had plenty of energy left and loved walking door-to-door. We had some issues with taking "just one" and he even perfected a move of knocking a couple out of the bowl and putting the extras in his bucket. Hmmm, sounds like he is taking after me in his love of candy. We quickly redirected his inner devil and he was back to being polite at the next house. He was so tired by the end of the night that he actually started to walk like a real mummy.

Just the beginning:


Ding dong:


Grandma and Grandpa got to go too:


Once back at the house, he had a few pieces of candy and got a second (er, third) wind and turned into a crazy sugar kid:


Mmmm, candy:


He didn't make one peep once we finally put him down for the night. He was so full of Thai food, candy, and cheerios by the end of the night I thought he would pop. What a blast.