It's on the calendar so I had to do it!

Last night I was getting the November whiteboard calendar written out when I had to laugh; I noticed that on October 31st I had written "Halloween" and "Nancy eat Reeses".  Ha ha!  Now that's what I call being organized!  I can't believe I made it - bought Reeses weeks ago and didn't open them until tonight.  Well, when it's Halloween you just got to let yourself go a little crazy, right?

Hope you all had a great night too!

foggy hike in October revised (because I brought my camera this time)

Yesterday and today I took a hike on the Devil's Slide trail.  I've done this before, but decided I can officially call this a hike because I went farther, up and down the hills, than before.

It was a couple of very foggy hikes which added to the spooky October-Halloween atmosphere, and my imagination ran away with me.  For some reason one area looked like it could be in Jurassic Park and I imagined a dinosaur coming up over the hill.

 In another area I was completely alone and it was silent.  Then I heard faint talking which gradually became louder.  I eventually could see faint shadows heading towards me that got bolder and bolder.  Soon the group of about 16 people became very clear.  These effects of the fog made it a fun, interesting experience.

I was also intrigued by the gold in them there hills and let myself imagine that we had found our fortune.

So in conclusion, here is a picture of a crow - just to complete the Halloween effect.  They were all around the area.  They are some big birds!

Stranger Things

One day my co-worker asked me if my son watches__________ (I can't remember what she said).  I answered that I don't know but he had just started watching "Stranger Things".  All my co-workers turned around and started excitedly telling me how great that show is - suspenseful, creepy, intense and that the setting of the '80s is fun, that Winona Rider is great as the mom, and that the second season was premiering on Friday.

As soon as we got home from school on Friday Luke started the second season.  I eventually decided to join him - a spooky show on a Friday night sounds fun.  I fell asleep about a half an hour in, but I say that still counts as doing a marathon with my son since I was in the room!  I did enjoy hearing his shocked reactions to the show now and then.  Eventually I moved to my bed; I have no idea how long he stayed up since Netflix originals put a whole seasons worth out at once.  But I was happy seeing Luke do something fun and impractical on a foggy Halloweenish Friday night.  He works hard at school and Seminary (6 am religion class every week day) and I have to give him props for that.

I also have to hand it to Netflix - they are really putting out a lot of their own shows.  I can't say I love or have gotten in to them all, but at what -$12 a month, getting rid of cable and taking on Netflix was a great decision.

As far as Stranger Things - the half hour I stayed awake for it did prove that it is suspenseful, creepy and intense - a mix of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King.  Not sure it's my kind of show - but I did enjoy a trailer which I'm putting here now (especially because of Thriller - good old Vincent Price!):

for our far-away children and grandchildren:

I hope you are happy; I hope you LOVE where you live; I hope you are enjoying your adventures and challenges.  But in those rare moments of homesickness, don't think for one minute you are forgotten.  Everytime we do something fun we think of you and of the next time we will be together.  So keep loving life and we'll see you soon!

I took this photo tonight and the only words I can think of that accurately

describe it's meaning are the the following:  (starting at 1 minute in)

Happy Birthday Addy!

Happy to have been a part of her low key birthday this year.  Lester's parents came over and brought a delicious dinner of lumpia and noodles.  Julia and Addy made a gorgeous cake.  Addy was beaming as she opened her gifts and she enjoyed phone calls from Audrey and Hannah and Avonlea and their parents.  Whether it is a birthday-party year or a low key birthday year she is growing up happy and ready to take on the world!

Happy Birthday Addy - you are so loved and a blessing to us all!

Junior Chef in the making!

Scooby Doo

When it comes to Halloween movies this year it's been all about "Scooby Doo" at our house.  Luke got quite the collection during his childhood and Addy & Isla are choosing to watch those above all others.  Since they stayed home to watch a movie with Grandpa today while Julia went to the store, I know Reggie and Luke enjoyed that they chose Scooby Doo.  I think the funniest/best thing of all is that old Scooby has been around since I was a kid.  Not only are the originals still popular but they've been making new ones every decade since.

Pumpkin Patch

I love that this was out on farmland.  Even though they had the usual pay-for activities like a maze, pony rides, etc. there was plenty of area to just walk around among the corn and pumpkins.  I love that.

Avonlea slept through it all so that she will be
wide awake in a couple of weeks for her first Halloween!

 My favorite part was the bales of hay all around.  They had one little area where it felt like the piles of hay were on a trampoline.  We had fun jumping in it and throwing hay on top of each other.  Boy does that stuff get all over the place quickly.  My purse happened to be on me and open, and I'm still picking hay out of it.  But it was fun and worth it.

running out of leaves

Years ago my siblings and I gave my parents a Christmas present of a decorative blanket.  It is embroidered with a big, beautiful tree with big leaves, and the words "Chandler Family Tree".  We  originally had each of their descendants names on the tree - one name for each leaf.  Luckily there were extra leaves to hold the names of each new addition to the family.  (Samantha and cousin Becky have been great about adding the names with post-its until we can take the blanket to a professional for the embroidering.) But, with the baby boom our family has experienced this year - not just from our 3 but from many of my nieces, the leaves are officially used up!  Natalie's baby due this November still needs a spot so we will get creative and branch out to other spaces on the blanket.  So grateful for our big beautiful family.  Each member is especially my mother's pride and joy and happiness.

a weekend with my mom

This weekend I am hanging out with my mom while Reggie does some more home improvements (more on that later!).  It has been fun spending time with her.  It feels good to help her get some things done and we ended the evening with a Mary Tyler Moore show marathon.

 Most of all, however we have been keeping an eye on the news about the California wildfires.  I have a sister in Cloverdale and we are constantly thinking about her and her husband.  They are not evacuated so far, but they are packed and ready just in case.  I can't imagine how stresssful it has been and how difficult the air quality is.  Keeping our prayers going and our fingers crossed.

every little bit, right?

The raging California fires are a few hours from us, yet they are affecting the air quality enough for all our schools to keep the kids indoor all day.  We can smell the smoke, especially in the mornings, and the sun is a blood-red orange color.  All of this is keeping our minds on those in the fire areas and causing us to look for ways to help.

 Well, today a teacher announced that a local organization is asking for specific food/ingredient donations for this weekend. They are going to take it to the affected areas and make meals for the firefighters and others who are working around the clock to get these fires under control.  Such a small way to help that I'm sure will be much appreciated.  I'm excited to do my bit and show up at school tomorrow with corn bread mixes and canned tomatoes.  (I'm guessing they are making chili?)

Grandpa's Song

Isla loves the post I did about "My grandbabie's songs".  She'll come up to me one day and say "I want to do Hannah's song", etc.   Recently though she asked me "What's Grandpa's song?".  That is a difficult question.  Reggie and I had songs for each other when we were teenagers, we have our wedding song, we have songs that bring back memories of our young parenting days, etc.  But when it's all said and done - through all the joy, blood, sweat and tears that go into a marriage, I would say that below is my ultimate, #1 song for Grandpa.  I've never told him about this song - that I love it because it - especially the chorus - reminds me of him and makes me teary eyed every time I hear it.  Well, thanks to Isla, I guess it's time he knew.


                                                                                "A THOUSAND YEARS" (the Piano guys version)

CHORUS:

"I have died everyday, waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more"

Luke turns 16

Luckily Luke was born in October - it made his present request of a "human skull" easy to find (something to do with Shakespeare).  He also got a couple of books and the newest Pirate movie.  His interests are many and varied.  We sure do love that boy!

Christmas in October

For some reason it's been hard for me to choose a theme for this month.  Recently I have felt a great need to express my feelings about some issues.  For example, I'm not a big facebook debator, but it was really bothering me to read other people's opinions about a certain issue and not give my own.  So I did, and I am happy to say that I felt better for doing so, and the friends and family that commented, whether they agreed or disagreed with me, did not let the debate get sarcastic or personal.  I think that might be the key to a positive facebook discussion.  That, and other issues that have been preying on my mind for months have been addressed and I can tell that I am feeling better: less worried, less bitter, more kindly towards those with whom I've been in conflict.

So, even though all of this expressing myself has felt good, I can tell it is time to move on.  I feel the need to take a break from declaring my position and clearing the air.  I feel a real need to not only look for the positive in other people but to express it more - that doesn't mean I have to change my position or agree with others on everything, but I do want to dwell on and express the good that I see.

Being a fan of everything child-development, I know how important it is for a child to hear what they are doing right, how much they are loved, etc.  But I know that I still hold back and don't express a lot of the kind thoughts that I have about my adult family members - including my own children.  So for this month I am going to change that.  I am going to try to be more verbal in my affection and admiration for people.

I'm going to say that all of that falls under the category of "Selflessness" and that will be the theme for Christmas in October.  Charles Dickens wrote:

      I have always thought of Christmas time as the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

As for a fun Christmas activity I think I will watch the Christmas specials of "The Great British Bake Off" and look for some new recipes to try.  Maybe I will find a new treat to give away at Christmas.

laps

One of the little boys that I'm assigned to joins the general ed class for about a half an hour everyday. I get to go with him, which is fun.  His classmates think he's pretty cool - first of all, because he gets to have an iPad to communicate, and secondly because he is just a great kid.  His time with this class begins at the end of recess, where everyone has to run a lap.  Today I noticed that he and I were pretty far behind everyone else.  I just figured we would meet everyone in the classroom.  But as we were making the last turn, all of a sudden there was a swarm of kids running towards us - 20 of his classmates, at least.  They had come to join him in finishing his lap.  He was SO happy - I've never seen a smile so big.  I know his teacher authorized the kids to go and do that, but boy were they excited to.  It was so sweet I almost cried right then and there.  His regular teacher noticed this happening as well and got a couple of pictures of his smile and of him running with all his buddies.  Life can be so good!

Hurray for October!

I love October.  There's just a fun atmosphere in the air.  We had a great start to the month today by watching General Conference (church being broadcast from Salt Lake City).  It was wonderful.

Tomorrow and for the rest of the month it will be about Halloween movies like all the Harry Potters, some of the Pirates, and of course - you know it - Arsenic and Old Lace!

The month will also be about pumpkin bread, gingersnaps, Luke's birthday, Addy's birthday, and the regular practical things in between.

I'm actually going to enjoy Arsenic and Old Lace even more now, after watching a documentary on Netflix about the Roosevelts - Theodore, Eleanor and FDR.  I had no idea how spot-on the guy plays Teddy Roosevelt in this movie - down to even small little details.

So anyway, Happy October!