Spooky Season

Spooky season has officially arrived at the Clifford household this week.  Weeks ago the girls broke out the Halloween decorations and have been not so patiently awaiting the start of the Halloween festivities.  This week it finally happened. Due to parent-teacher conferences, Elsie was off of school on Wednesday-Friday, Carrigan was off Thursday and Friday, and Merrick was off on Friday.  This meant extra time for some fun.

On Wednesday we had our church primary pumpkin patch activities.  My girls both brought friends along for the pumpkin picking and activities.  As is tradition, they had a fishing booth, doughnuts, Halloween tattoos, and the kids played on the playground.  Since C.C. enters Young Women's next year, this is her last pumpkin patch.  She made the most of it and it was a good time had by all.

Friday, we took advantage of the day off and I hosted a Halloween party for all the cousins who wanted to participate.  We ended up with all my kids, Nana, Aunt Emily, and all the Brown kids minus Colvin.  In all fairness to Colvin, he may have participated, but had surgery that afternoon on his ankle after a very serious injury in Football on Tuesday.  His was definitely an excused absence. 

For those that attended, we had an afternoon filled with Halloween festivities.  We painted mini pumpkins, bobbed for apples, decorated sugar cookie jack-o-lanterns, and watched a Halloween movie (complete with Halloween popcorn with candy corn, Reses Pieces, and mini chocolate chips).  It was a great way to spend a school free afternoon.

Here's to more spookiness ahead.

Growing Up

 This week, everywhere I turned I was reminded that my kids are growing up faster than I can keep up with.

Elsie is becoming more and more independent.  It is not uncommon for her to get herself breakfast in the mornings and it seems like everyday she tries something new.  Last week, we had a little snafu where her bus came super early and she ended up walking half way home by herself.  She was less than thrilled about that at the time, but this week she decided that she wanted to try it again.  One morning she asked if we would let her walk home from the bus stop by herself.  She did it and she was very proud of herself.

Carrigan is also growing up right before my eyes.  Now that she is in middle school she is so much more independent.  She walks to and from school everyday.  She's taking responsibility for her grades and doing revisions when necessary.  Also this week, she has decided that she wants to embrace her natural curls.  Something about that is making her look older too.

Merrick has always been the picture of responsibility, but he too is maturing so much this year.  He has reached the age where he is always gone.  He leaves the house at 6:30 every morning, and typically goes until 7:30 or 8.  Even when he doesn't have practice, he's at the court or on the diamond getting in reps or liftings weights.  This weekend we also experienced a first, his first high school dance.  Homecoming was yesterday and, unlike when I was in high school, probably at least half the kids go without a date.  He decided to have a few friends over for dinner and go to the dance together.  It was a little surreal to drop him off for his first dance, but he had a good time.

I don't know how I am going to keep up with all these changes.  Send help for mama who is missing her little babes.