Welcome Pumpkin

I prefer Autumn over Fall or any other season of the year.  Spring is a close second, but the crisp weather, the colors, and the food of Autumn beat new flowers or even warm rain.  

It's still hot here in Southern California and there are no leaves to rake into creative castles like I did when I was young, but we still carve pumpkin moonshine. 

At preschool today, Travis told his teacher how to carve a pumpkin. 

You take a spoon and you scoop out the seeds and put them on a plate. Oh,  ya, and you cut the top off. Then you grab some and then put it, and grab some and put it. Then you cut eyes, a mouth, and nose. Then you put in it a candle. And then you take pictures. 

He forgot to tell her about using the staple gun to put the pumpkin back together after it split.

And I was relieved he didn't tell how Matt carved slits in his pumpkin moonshine's face for dramatic blood effect. 

He also didn't tell her how I pretended to get injured by the staple gun, which sent Makayla into a frenzied fit where she begged me to let her skip school the next day. Wha?

She won skipping school and not because I wasn't a clever mother, but because she really was sick. All over my wall. Wha?

And even though Autumn usually does yield increased sickness, I still prefer it. 

Indeed, I am welcoming old scarves, pumpkin bread, and abundance. 

Ordering Dessert, Please

I see progress. It's invisible to the average mother, but not to me. And in moments when Travis is noticed behaving, I smile briefly. If you only knew, you'd pat me on the back for this...or even give me a hug. Because heaven knows I deserve it.

I feel pressure, though. This is Travis' last year before I send him off to be cared for by others. I'm still waiting on my petition from heaven for more time. 

During recess at preschool, I was either patting myself on the back or taking pictures with my phone. These girls are the same girls who used to leave school wondering why the cutest boy in class ignored them. 

Matthew's kindness and willingness to play whatever girls want guarantees him lots of attention, but Travis has a completely different approach, which initially just confused the girls.   

Here they sit resting and quenching their thirst before they are chased by the monster, again. And when the monster fell, all the girls affectionately drew him chalk pictures on the concrete. 

I would have patted myself on the back if he hadn't ignored them, again.  Songs from Beauty and the Beast started playing in my head. Sigh...

My petition for a night alone was well deserved and answered just in time to save my children from further atrophy at home.

The kids packed themselves for a grandma sleep over this past weekend. If Matthew gets his socks wet 3 times, he's still very prepared. (This just makes me laugh out loud.)

Imagine my delight at the independence of it all.

After dinner, we came back to a very quiet house. 

And then it happened. In the quiet house, while meditating in the bath, a sudden, intuitive perception that got me talking more than Tom expected. 

My life is how I eat my dinner. Broccoli first. Get the ugly out of the way early, so I can enjoy the rest. 

I'm eating crab right now. And it's good, but I don't usually order dessert. And so...

I decided to order dessert. Not at the restaurant...in life. 

Crispy apple crumb. Coconut chocolate cheesecake. Frozen Yogurt. 

Heaven knows.

The Electrodes of Fall

I'm out of batteries, and enthusiasm, and confidence; all things really necessary for a well-functioning mom.

The camera is holding evidence of our recent soccer games. Evidence that Tom and I are coaching Matt's BU8 team and that Matthew and Makayla have the same colored jerseys this season. Blue and Grey.

If a person only has a limited amount of enthusiasm, I'm certain I've used it all being a coach. I picked up some irritation, which surprisingly doesn't replace enthusiasm at all. 

Get up and play soccer. You are on a team. Be a team player!!!

I've found being a mom and coach at the same time is more of a sport than soccer.

And if you only knew the difficulty shifting from coach back to mom on the sidelines of Makayla's games. The discipline. 

I wouldn't change it for anything at all, ever. It's so perfect and FUN. 

And lucky for you, my phone did capture the donut eating contest at Alora's birthday party last weekend, or you'd have to create your own imagery for this ENTIRE post. 

I don't have evidence of the birthday girl, age ONE, participating in this event. Regardless, it was fun to watch.

At one point, Matt's cheeks were so full of donut and his eyes looked fearful he might lose it all, but he still finished. And wonders what the prize was for it.

It's October all ready, and I'm looking forward to carving pumpkin moonshine, fall weather, and Thanksgiving (my 2nd favorite holiday). And if everyone respected my opinion and independence, I'd personally wear a sign that reads...I loathe Halloween. 

That alone would renew my confidence while fall renews enthusiasm. As if I were some sort of rechargeable battery...if only...