Catching up: Autumn

There are few things that bring as much contentment and peace to my soul than to find myself listening to music from "A Winter's Solstice" on a cold, cloudy October Sunday. I don't know where all these people come from that bemoan the colder seasons and prefer the hot, sticky, sweaty summer months with its blistering sun and swarms of bugs and blah blah blah. Fall is the blissful gateway to the greatest time of year. Football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas... the next few months are what make the rest of the year bearable.

Here's what kept us busy during October:

Melanie and I spent some good time with Jared + Suzanne and Terence + his date building Halloween graham cracker houses. We had a good idea going, but ultimately, what you see here is a steal from Jared and Suzanne's idea.

We carved pumpkins with Dane and Tanner. I think they turned out mostly well. I thought about donating my "Throwdown" pumpkin (sporting the logo of the MMA/Alternative gym I train at) to the gym itself, but wondered how it would look if I came by and said "Hey, check this out all you big fighting jiu-jitsu mma goons! I carved y'all a punkin!" I just didn't think it was a good idea.

I re-did my costume from last year (hunting accident). Last year, when I was working for those... special folks at Mutliling, this outfit won me fitty bucks! So I thought I'd try it again among the folks at Stampin' Up. I don't even think I made the top 25. Being the artsy place it is, there were employees who were decked out in such grandeur as to suggest that they had been working on their costumes for the entire year. I'll have to come up with a new strategy.

Soren, naturally, was Woody for Halloween. He got to hang out in Colorado with Melanie's family since dad was out being manly and hunting Elk in the mountains (pics forthcoming). I don't think he quite understood what Halloween meant, but as he was able to dress up as his favorite Pixar hero, I think he'll have a good impression for years to come.

Lorelei got to be Tinkerbell. Oh how I wish Disney would change their mascot from the buxom blonde to this cute n chubby--and somewhat apathetic looking--fairy. She's too cute to need to smile.

Soren was privileged enough to finish out the month by helping Gramma and Papa with the Elk butchering. He seemed to have a natural talent for pushing clumps of meat through the meat grinder. I think there's a future for him in this.

Soren nearly drowned himself in my new Bengals hoodie. He gets really excited about all my Bengals stuff, and can identify the colors and symbols of our favorite Cincinnati franchise. I wonder though if I am condemning the poor boy to a life of misery and ulcers. Maybe his generation will see a team without Mike Brown at the helm. The man's gotta kick the bucket someday...