Pumpkin Guts (304/365)

“Men are like pumpkins. It seems like all the good ones are either taken or they've had everything scraped out of their heads with a spoon.”

Unknown

TIME:  12:28 PM
PLACE:  The kitchen
SUBJECT:  Pumpkin carving

I completely forgot about carving a pumpkin this year until StellaDella brought it up yesterday.  Bad mom.  So I swung by the farmer’s market this morning and chose my five dollar and ninety-nine cent gourd.  I also picked up two small butternut squashes that we carved as well.  SD was in charge of eviscerating the pumpkin guts and also was the designing artist behind the facial features.  I did the all the actual surgical work.  It was an excellent team effort and we ended up with a lovely carved Jack-O-Lantern that we placed on our front porch to greet the trick-or-treaters this evening.

Beastie, Ghoulie & Ghostie (303/365)

“From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!”

Scottish Saying

TIME:  6:28 PM
PLACE:  Church parking lot
SUBJECT:  StellaDella (Swamp Monster), MonkeyBoy (Evil Clown) & Devin (Scream)

Our church hosts a “Trunk or Treat” each year the Saturday before Halloween for all children from any parish.  The kids are invited to wear their costumes to the 5:00pm Mass; after Mass, everyone meets on the parking lot for free hotdogs, chips and drinks; a signal is given and the children go from car to car collecting treats; another signal is given about an hour later to end the event.  The kids made out like bandits.  DramaQueen opted out this year and went to a bonfire and sleepover at a friend’s house instead.

First Frost (302/365)

“Day after day, throughout the winter,
We hardened ourselves to live by bluest reason
In a world of wind and frost....”
 
Wallace Stevens (1879-1955), U.S. poet. "Meditation Celestial & Terrestrial."

TIME:  8:11 AM
PLACE:  The Jeep
SUBJECT:  Frost on car windshield

We woke up to our first frost of the season this morning.  Brrrr.  That means that winter is just around the corner.  The ice was thick upon the windshield when we entered the car to drive to school and work.  When I returned home in the early afternoon, I noticed that the house was chilly.  The thermostat said it was 62 degrees – the furnace wasn’t working…again. *sigh*  Lucky for me, I know this guy who will fix it for just the cost of the parts ($42 this time) ~ the labor is free ~ he takes it out in trade later.  Thank you HandsomeHusband.

Hoop (301/365)

“To win, you've got to put the ball in the macramé.”

Terry McGuire..Dick McGuire's (American professional basketball player and coach, 1926–2010) wife, explaining the strategy of basketball.

TIME:  4:42 PM
PLACE:  Back yard
SUBJECT:  Basketball hoop

Grade school basketball season is in full swing now.  MonkeyBoy had a game this evening at 5:00pm – Our team lost by about 18 points but…MB actually made some baskets this game and he did not foul out – hooray!  That’s progress.

Another Year Older–Another Hole In The Head (300/365)

“Mother Nature is providential.  She gives us twelve years to develop a love for our children before turning them into teenagers.”

William Galvin (American, Massachusetts' Secretary of State b 1950)

TIME:  9:04 PM
PLACE:  The Mall
SUBJECT:  DramaQueen & her cartilage piercing

I am officially the parent of a teenager.  *shakes head*  I’m currently in denial.  She wanted her cartilage pierced (among the many other things she had on her wish list) and due to HH’s schedule, it looked like she might have to wait until the day AFTER her birthday to have it done.  It would have been the end of the world if she would have had to wait.  Oh, the agony!  Luckily for her, HH made it home in time for us to drive to the mall before it closed.  She was nervous, but excited to have it done.  My baby is thirteen years old and beautiful.

Purple Cabbage (299/365)

“The question of common sense is ''what is it good for?'' A question which would abolish the rose and be answered triumphantly by the cabbage.”

James Russell Lowell (American Poet, Critic, Essayist, Editor and Diplomat, 1819-1891)

TIME:  5:14 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Ornamental cabbage

The sounds of tornado sirens and the freaking out of DramaQueen over said sirens woke us up at 4am this morning.  Groggily, we all trooped downstairs to the living room and watched the storm alerts to see if we needed to head to the basement.  Luckily, all we experienced were some strong winds and the warnings expired at 5:15am.  4 out of 5 of us (HH being the 1) went back to bed for another hour.  The DramaQueen has also been home from school the past two days due to a very sore throat, upset stomach, headache and slight fever.  She thinks she will be ok to go back to school tomorrow – she has to, it’s her birthday and she can’t miss that.

Scary Skeleton (298/365)

“It's fascinating to think that all around us there's an invisible world we can't even see. I'm speaking, of course, of the World of the Invisible Scary Skeletons.”

Jack Handy (American Writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1991-2003. Famous for his Deep Thoughts comedy sketches.)

TIME:  4:07 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Halloween decoration

When I got out the Halloween decorations out a few weeks ago, SD insisted on helping.  Her “helping” consisted of placing every single Halloween decoration we own in random places.  She hung this skeleton outside on the tree – I didn’t notice it was there until last week.  I must admit, that girl does have some excellent decorating vision.