Halloween 2022

The kids have been so looking forward to Halloween this year. No Covid restrictions and no Sabbath day restrictions. Three years have gone by since they last trick or treated and they are eager to make up for lost time. They are also eager to assert their independence - they have asked to trick or treat with friends without parental involvement. Knowing they would stay in our neighborhood chock full with other kids and parents, I wasn't too worried. One mom was, so she offered and the kids begrudgingly agreed to let her tag along. They printed off a map and marked out their path. They were ready to go.

Then, at church a few weeks before Halloween, a multi-ward trunk or treat was announced and the kids asked if they could go. I have a pretty firm policy that they choose one or the other. Both means more candy for me to buy and more candy for them than they need. Dude though, ever the wheeler and dealer, asked if they could earn the privilege of doing both and I had a hard time saying no. "Fine," I said, "if you are able to deep clean your room between now and Halloween you can do both." "Deal," they said. We struck hands on the bargain and they proceeded to slowly but surely make concerted efforts in their rooms.

And here we are on Halloween. Dude is a gladiator and Luca is a Minecraft creeper. They are equipped with the Halloween bags, I made all those years ago (they said they wanted to go "classic" this year when I asked what they would be using), and an umbrella.

Our pumpkins (Dude, Luca, mine, and Matthew's is a silhouette of a cat below)

They ended up trick or treating through our neighborhood over to our church building by themselves where they trunk or treated and met up with friends.

A few hours later they made their way home blissfully happy and heavily laden with candy. They claimed multiple times to me and to their parent chaperone that this was their favorite Halloween ever. I have no doubt my babies. No go to bed so you won't be tired, grumpy kids for the next four days of school.

Lake Tahoe College Roommate Trip

 

Do you remember how I mentioned in my last post about my roommate trip that whenever I get together with this group of women, I seem to revert back to my 20 year-old neurotic self? Do you remember how I confessed my insecurities to them as I realized that I don't have to prove myself to them for them to love me just as they have nothing to prove to me? Before I went down to beautiful Lake Tahoe to spend the weekend with them, I prayed hard that I wouldn't let myself get pulled back into those old crazy thoughts. My prayers were answered and instead of not feeling enough and looking for evidence to back it up, I lived in the assurance that just as they are enough for me, I am enough for them. I didn't try so hard and just relaxed into the love we all felt for each other.

This isn't everyone, but this is the picture I like the best of just my roommates who mean so much to me. I am so grateful for their goodness, their realness, and their love, Now going on 25 years. Holy smokes.

Ward Harvest Party

 

Luca's version of our ward harvest party.

The ward harvest party, for me, was super fun. I am pretty sure Dude really liked it too. I ate some super hot spicy tomato soup. It was super good. Mom chatted with some of the other moms while us kids ran around playing. Apparently the Goughs won the chili cookoff the 2nd time in a row. This ward event overall was pretty neat. Toward the end Dude and I got our faces painted. I asked for a goatee and Dude asked for angry eyebrows. Mom says she probably would not have asked for either of what we got, but still seemed happy. I do not think any of the other kids particularly wanted to go home but alas, they had to. I think everybody had a great time. 

- Luca the awesome😊😊😻😻🍭 

Chess Club for Dude

The school year has started and with it comes a bunch of flyers for various extra-curricular activities. Choir, Orchestra, Band. The band flyer, in particular, had a lot of convincing arguments for why you should sign up your child. Increased IQ, successful people join band, West Salem has a rigorous and very successful band program. Matthew and I weren't dead set on him joining but we at least wanted him to consider it and make an informed decision.

To make us happy, Dude agreed to attend an evening event to try out different instruments. He told us not to get our hopes up but that he would at least go and keep an open mind. He had a lot of friends at the event, which I took as a hopeful sign, but there was zero enthusiasm as he tried various instruments, the french horn, the clarinet, the trombone, and the trumpet, and very little talent. I honestly didn't think he'd say yes, but knew that if he did it would go one of two ways. 1. He does it and hates everything about it because it's hard. 2. He does it and grows in amazing ways because it's hard. A few days after the event, I checked in to see what decision he had made. Nothing. I told him that not making a decision is still making a decision and asked if he was stalling because he was afraid of disappointing Matthew and me by saying no. That seemed to be the heart of the matter.

We reassured him that he didn't need to choose band but did emphasize that he pick something. Spending every afternoon playing x-box with friends isn't the path we really want for him. He actually did ask to do a weekly science club with his dad since Luca and I have a weekly cooking club. We happily obliged that desire and it seems to be going well but we still wanted more for him.

The very next week after the band event a new flyer was sent home - this one advertising a chess club to be held after school for an hour two days a week. Oh. My. Goodness. What a perfect opportunity for my son. He eagerly signed up the very next day and has been LOVING it ever since. Thank you Kalapuya Elementary school for presenting this amazing opportunity to so many happy kids.

Matthew Gets a New Quilt

 

Months and months ago, I was scrolling through FaceBook and found this material on the post of my local quilting shop. I showed Matthew and we both agreed he "needed" a quilt made from this fabric. A quilt big enough to completely encase him should he decide to take a nap in the middle of the day. It is taller than he is tall and wider than his arm span. He is in love and I am happy with how it turned out, even if the material isn't really my style. I now lovingly refer to it as his nerd quilt.