Happy Halloween!

Just popping in to share our costumes for this year.  Owen is this guy, and Scott and I are a little puzzle for you to figure out (but we do technically coordinate with Owen).

Back with the details tomorrow!

Weekend Parties

Sarah's Shower

 We had a lot of fun and Baby Betsy was properly celebrated!  I've never seen so many ridiculously cute tiny pink baby outfits.  That last pic is the wonderful crew who helped put it all together.  Thanks ladies!  Credit to Kimeran for the cute lovies made from leftover nursery fabric.  And props to Sarah for supplying Betsy!

Pumpkin Carving at the Hartin's

We've been carving pumpkins at the Hartin's semi-regularly for the past decade.  Scott did all the hard work while Owen ate 'Kiss Your Granny' chocolate cake (and it really was that good).  I can't show you the finished pumpkin because it didn't get finished.  We really need to ditch the complicated Star Wars templates and go old school next year.

And a Glimpse of the Party to Come!

Birthday Invitations

... and then you find the invite rolled up inside.

Owen wanted a ninja party, but the thought of a dozen PreK-ers trapped inside my house karate chopping and nunchucking each other terrified me.  So I pitched the balloon idea and he liked it.  (He's going to be a ninja for Halloween, just so you don't think I'm a complete fuddy.)

I found a wholesale site and purchased 1500 balloons.  Don't show you're face around here next week unless you want to be put to work using a balloon pump!

Here's what Owen looks like today, with a 102+ fever and tummy ache.  I coordinated his barf bucket with his t-shirt.  Rest and get well sweet boy, good times are around the corner!  

(The Official) Before & After: Exterior

Hedge is trimmed and new light is up!  Other than putting down a little pine straw, I'm calling 'er done.

I'll try to be back tomorrow with Owen's party invites, but I'm in a full party planning death spiral right now.  Why is it that having perfectly painted bathroom trim becomes earth-shatteringly important when I know company is coming?  I know deep down that what matters is honoring those I love and making my guests feel welcome, but evidently I'm not a balanced, secure enough person to get past the superficial junk.  So I'm off to rearrange the labels on my card catalog...  (wink and smile!).

Autumn Adventures

Hayride

This was our 10th (!) year to celebrate fall out at the Fabris' house.  Chili, hayrides, glow bracelets, campfire, s'mores... so perfect.  I was determined to get a picture of us around the fire this year; I even brought a tripod like a good camera nerd.

But I only got the fire.  Guess I'll try for fire and people at the 11th annual hayride.

Ruffner Mountain Field Trip

Warning!!!  Snake pictures coming...

 Strangely, Owen seemed most put off by the turtle.

I say my corn snake trumps his red leaf.  What do you think?

Owen and Ben are pretty inseparable these days.  Get used to seeing this cute blondie around here.

Am I raising a little boy...

or a squirrel?

More t-ball

I'm stinking it up when it comes to blogging lately.  So I'm going to break this dry spell and promise a post for tomorrow too.  Two in one week?  Try to repress the shock.

Lately our lives have consisted of house projects for me, late workdays for Scott and t-ball for Owen. And I figure, of the three, that last one is the one you guys most want to see photo documented.  (But I'll grab my Canon and go embarrass Scott at work if you guys demand it.)

This game, it was Owen's turn to play 1st base.

You know how athletes wear eye black?  Well that little girl had on eye pink (!), and she was good too.  I didn't even care that she was on the other team, I cheered for her every time she batted.  

And Owen was pretty enamored too; he couldn't quit looking at her.  Sorry for the random cell phone arm in the second photo.  That's the dad who coached first base for the other team.  

He kept getting in my shots, and worse, he would get right up on 1st base in Owen's way when Owen was trying to catch the ball.

  

Ooh wait... I have an idea!

  Just what I was dying to do to the guy for most of the game.  It's like a vanishing deductible.

But enough of my rant.  Let's get back to Owen

 ... who's still staring.

 (l) Scott was 'Dugout Dad' for the day. (r) Owen rotated to pitcher after two innings at first.  

I love the get-up they put on the pitcher, but wearing all that equipment must have made Owen feel like a cat with tape on it's paw.  He just froze.

Every infielder but Owen ran for the first hit of the inning.

And he didn't budge for the second hit either.  Maybe the third time would be a charm?

Nope.  

But he did switch-hit for the first time!  Coach Andy says this is the time to learn since left doesn't feel any more awkward than right at this point.

And for being willing to try something new, Owen earned the game ball!

Look at him searching out Scott in the crowd.  

The End.

House progress

By the time the painters finished at the end of the week last week, the rains came in, so yesterday was the first time I had I chance to go out and get pictures.  The before is on the left and progress on the right.  Now I'm waiting on a new pendant for over the front door to ship.  I'll have to Frankenstein it a little, but hopefully it turns out looking like this indoor fixture.  And we'll have to call in the cavalry to spiff up the old boxwoods and the rest of the yard before I'm willing to call the makeover done.  

We're hosting three different parties here at the end of this month- a shower for Sarah and sweet baby Betsy, a neighborhood Halloween party, and Owen's birthday party.  Tick tock!