I never got around to writing or posting pictures this Halloween. I'm no longer a big fan of this time of year. The holiday's stretching, seemingly taunting me, from now until New Year's. Each week bringing a new anniversary, a reminder.
It's alarming how fast Halloween came and went. I had Cody pull down the decorations at the beginning of October, determined to celebrate this holiday in Kimmy fashion...I had the bambini carefully unpack the assorted ghosts, ghouls and goblins that Kim had put together over the years and place them about the house where they liked...And, I resisted the urge to reposition any of them!
We typically did not put out the outdoor decorations until the day of Halloween and the bags of pumpkins, etc lay waiting in the garage...only, they never made it out. We did not make it to the pumpkin patch for the first time ever - the kids were so gracious about it. "It's really ok Dad." Autumn told me...
Halloween day, I finally ran down to Walmart...WALMART!?!?! (you know I'm broken...running low!!) and picked out a pumpkin for each kid....and candy for Cody to hand out. For the last few years, he has stayed home, transformed the front of our house into a haunted house and scared trick-or-treaters. This year, he told me that he was going to see a movie with his buddies...the thrill had worn off.
We were invited to haunt in Lupe and Manny's neighborhood with Monsi...I LOVE Monsi's zombie costume!!! This girl and Tonio are best buds, she has the greatest personality!! Autumn dusted off, literally, Kim's Cruella DeVil costume and ROCKED it!! Complete with makeup she did herself. Tonio pieced together an old Cody costume (which Lupe had to make last minute emergency alterations on because his bones kept falling off!!). I had taken these guys out costume hunting to several places...they looked carefully, and after much consideration, told me they were going to put together costumes from the box of old costumes in our garage. I overheard them talking about price..."I'm not having Dad spend $30 on a costume I'll only wear one night and that I'm not even that crazy about." Tonio told Autumn. Autumn not only agreed, but told Tonio she thought the same thing but wasn't going to say anything in case he saw a costume he really wanted!!!
Leaving Lupe and Manny's garage to score some candy. As little trick or treater's approached, gleefully shouting "Trick or Treat!!" I tried to school them, telling them to just scream "Treat!!" cuz did they really want a trick? Seriously, no one is in it for the tricks, just the treats! The kids had so much fun with Monsi - it made their Halloween!
Autumn felt honored to wear Kim's favorite costume...she looked so good!
The kids had a blast walking the streets with Monsi near our old neighborhood and collected a ton of candy!!
The weekend after Halloween, we finally found a minute to breathe...and carve the pumpkins!!
Bella helped out!! I never did quite catch up in time for the holiday...it amazes me how quickly the time goes...I know what to 'fall by the wayside' means. But, the kids had fun and reassure me that it was a good Halloween!
Autumn has done an amazing job on the soccer field!! Her and Lexy, may very well be the smallest two on the field, but both play with such heart and determination (Lexy scored the team's first goal on Autumn's assist!!). Autumn is #4 in this shot and Lexy has a foot on the ball. They have been so fun to watch.
And here's Tonio, in the ring, in his second sparring match. He's such a hard worker!!
I had a neat shot of Cody driving us around Sunday, but our computer is last legging it (another 'by the wayside' example), so I'll have to try to put that one up a different night....
WAIT!!! Got it!! Between the dilapidated laptop and the dying PC, I managed to cross morgify this photo to Kim's blog!!
The nice thing about having Cody learn to drive, is, that he wants to go everywhere with us...so he can drive!! It's nice to have his company and he is doing a fantastic job on the road!
These kids keep me going...
But, if anyone knows a good/cheap landscaper, to help me catch back up and/or carpenter...and computer wizard...I'm starting to get buried. A bit.
Today, after my 10 hour shift, I went to get a crown put on. At our new dentist. Our dentist of 20 years, Dr. Jack, has retired. His wife, Jane, had helped us find our first home and referred us to her husband when I needed a crown back in 1994. They were like family to us.
As I sat in the chair, waiting for our busy new dentist, I lay looking out the large window at a rambling rose bush. Many sparrows darted in and out of the beautiful bush...I got a sense of what Kim tried to describe to me one day, while on the 5th floor of St. Joseph's...after a long night, made more tolerable by the kind visit of RN Kim (Andrea's sister), who works overnight there.
Kim told me to look out the window. At the trees. And the birds. And to notice the breeze, slightly bending the branches...
"I love to watch the birds. And to see the mountains." She said to me. "But, I wish I could hear the birds. And feel the breeze. And smell the trees..."
I sat there, straining to hear the birds at play. And the wind. I could not. Sitting there, I could feel what Kim did - the frustration, desperation...and it reminded me of sitting next to her in the hospital, looking out the window as she enjoyed doing, imagining her straining her ears to be able to hear the slightest bird chirp, or wind through the trees...
My crown was a challenging one. As I dug deep to ward off the pain and have patience, I asked Kim for help...soon, I noticed that the billowy white clouds, had formed into what appeared to be a large, white dove...and just at that moment, the dentist was successful in removing my temp crown and fitting my new.
I thanked her.
When I left his office, I breathed deep the air...and stopped to watch the sparrows and hear them sing, with the majestic Catalina's rising in the background....
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