Barkley is thankful for a new bed

3 months ago, we brought Barkley home from the shelter and bought him this nice, cushiony, plush new bed.

Within a month, Barkley had completely chewed open, removed the stuffing, dragged the bed around the yard, and brought it back inside, to look like this:

Obviously, this bed was no longer to his liking for sleeping (still a favorite for dragging around the yard), so he moved his slumber location to a more desirable location:

But ultimately, Barkley needed his own bed again. So, I took a trip to the pet store, picked out the most unchewable bed I could find, and I think I found a winner.

We are thankful for Barkley, Barkley is thankful for a new bed (and a home!) and the pet store industry is thankful for our existence.

Chile Dog

Our garden hasn't been tended to since last Spring, but Barkley somehow found a pepper in it and took it upon himself to enjoy the fruits vegetables fruits (family discussion and google search resulted in fruit) of our labor laziness.

I don't want to be around tomorrow. It was a spicy Fresno Chile.

Compassion Christmas Cards

As suggested by this lady and this lady, our family decided to join Compassion's Christmas Card Drive and decorate holiday cards so they can be delivered to unsponsored children around the world. I went to Michaels and found packs of Christmas cards in their sale bin for a $1, and they also had huge packs of holiday stickers for a buck. My kids were super excited to decorate with stickers and draw holiday pictures, so we were all set to make as many cards as our hands would allow.

We had a blast and can't wait to mail them to Compassion so they can be processed for the holidays. We're gonna try and do another batch or 2 before November 30th. We're on a mission!

Creation

Avalon and I went to pick up Loudoun from school this afternoon, 15 minutes before closing. The kids asked if they could play on the jungle gym for a few minutes, and it was so nice and warm outside and we had nowhere to rush off to, so I agreed. I caught Loudoun's backpack as he tossed it in the air and rushed off to climb up the slide backwards. Avalon was right behind him, although she had to use the stairs to get to the same place he was headed.

I plopped down on the spongy floormats surrounding the structure, and crossed my legs. The wind was blowing, somewhere about halfway in between calm and Santa Anas. Nobody was around, since the school was almost closed. And once the weight of the day started to float up and away from my shoulders, I looked up, and breathed in all the beauty. The leaves rustling, the branches swaying, the kids giggling, the chain rattling on the gate, the light blue sky with wispy clouds scattered directly above me. At that moment, I took nothing for granted. How awesome and grand this world is that we live in. All the beauty, the gifts presented to us, the intricate details surrounding us everyday.

It made me wonder, how many people are sitting somewhere, just like me, thinking the same exact thoughts?

But really, how many people aren't wondering these same things?

How many people aren't mystified by how amazing and glorious this created world is? The vastness of the sky, the richness of colors, the strength of the animals on the planet, the miracle of reproduction, how our brains work! And how beautiful our kids are, and can you believe God gave each one of them to us for a reason?

Revelation 4:11
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

I need to remind myself to slow down more often, look around, breathe it in, and say thank you.

Breakfast in Bed

It started the night before, when he said, Mama, don't get up tomorrow morning until I tell you it's ok, ok?

So, my breakfast in bed wasn't a total surprise.

Halloween morning, it began with 2 kisses on the cheek. The first kiss to wake me up, the second kiss to reinforce the first kiss I might have missed since I was asleep.

He was up at least an hour before me to prepare my card, complete with his version of the pumpkin I carved the night before for his sister, and filled with the excitement of passing out candy, which I would see later that night. When he handed it to me, he was beaming with pride.

He then dashed around to Daddy's side of the bed, whispered several questions to the breakfast expert, and dashed out of the bedroom altogether. I waited.

I probably fell back asleep for several minutes.

When he returned, he was proudly holding his breakfast-in-bed masterpiece....

...a peanut butter, banana and chocolate icing sandwich on green olive sourdough

The kid got all of my favorites correct: 1) peanut butter and banana sandwich (adding chocolate icing can only make it better, right?) and 2) awesome farmer's market sourdough bread, perfect for homemade garlic bread on spaghetti night.

And he put them together.

Looking back, there were a lot of great moments to our Halloween celebration, but this special morning treat was by far the BEST and will go down in the memory books.

Halloween 2010

It started out with dancing to MJ's Thriller, blasting from our turntables in our open garage, you know, to get everyone pumped to hit the pavement to trick or treat. Because, obviously, kids are hard to convince to dress up and beg for candy.

Once pumped and ready to go, we ventured out with friends, Little Mermaid, Yoda, a scary skeleton and a stealth, pumpkin dog (for 97 cents, thankyouverymuch).

Anna: Loudoun's pose is for you.

Who taught her to pose? Hand on hip and tilted head? Daddy is very afraid.

This picture shows Loudoun's character, EXACTLY.

Poor Barkley, wanted to "go on a walk" not dilly-dally for dayz, waiting for lagging toddlers.

We went up one street and back down the next, and the little ones were about done and ready for dinner. And our scary skeleton was DYING to go home and pass out candy.

Waiting for trick-or-treaters.
The other side of the door had a chair with a bowl of candy on it, rows of grouped candy to give out to the next 7 kids who would come (he would've put more had they fit), a stack of personalized notes he created earlier in the day to pass out to his favorite costumes and Loudoun's dinner, because he wasn't about to eat in another room and possibly miss the doorbell.

Of course he knew Mom was taking him out later all by himself, so there was no rush. I mean, it wasn't even dark yet!

By 8:45 Loudoun's bucket was full, all the kids were tired, and their bellies were full of candy. Oh, who am I kidding, all of our bellies were full of candy. Except B's, he was just exhausted.

Until next year, y'all.