FORTY-FOUR

 

Eggplant flowers are so lovely. 

2026 week forty-four

It's hard work being so cute and loved. 

Pumpkin Carving/Painting with Grandma and Grandpa

Our family's finished pumpkins. 

Theo's daily cat terrorizing...

Halloween 2026. 

V and some friends/moms of friends all dressed up like the six wives of Henry VII from the musical Six. 

Everyone's homemade costumes were really impressive. Anyone we passed, who was familiar with the musical, was so excited. Each costume itself is incredible, but in the group it's really stunning. 

All the wives and then the bride of Frankenstein -so I guess still just all the wives. 

We went to a new to us neighborhood once it got dark. The whole street really goes all out to make it quite the spectacle. It was so fun to experience. 

Theo is a WWI soldier and his friends were Prof. Grace and Rocky from Project Hail Mary. 

One house was giving away vintage comic books. It was such a fun night. 

Quotes:

Theo- "You already squeezed out a confiscation!"
V- "I didn't get it taken away you did that all by yourself *turns to look at me and raises her voice slightly* by shooting at me during chore time!"
Theo- "Are you still talking to me or mama now?"

Me- "Why aren't you outside playing?"
V- "I have a duty to fulfill."

Theo- "Shut up car you're being a real Veronica!"
Me-"That is not nice, apologize!"
Theo- "I'm sorry, car."

FORTY-THREE

 

On Tuesday Matt and I went to see Hermanos Gutierrez perform in Dallas. We love this band. It was such a good chill concert.

2026 week forty-three

Theo made a list of all the activities he would do for his "stay-at-home" birthday party.

After school, Theo usually likes to draw something awful on my board. 

This was this week's creation. 

On Friday our school had its Fall Fun Fair. This was my first year not at the fourth grade booth. Matt helped me make a balloon sword booth. It was very popular. 

On Saturday, Theo had a small stay-at-home birthday party. We made popcorn balls for the treat. The kids got to pick which grain (popcorn, puffed rice, puffed wheat) and which toppings (reeses pieces, m&ms, coconut, peanuts, cocoa krispies) and then I poured some hot marshmallow butter fluff onto their piles. They were all yelling about how hot it was. 

Veronica decided to make an ungodly popcorn boulder...

The boys shot a bunch of nerf guns at targets and then did soap on the trampoline until at least one person was crying. 

That evening, Matt took the kids to his parent's church for trunk-or-treat with some cousins. 

V got to test drive her costume. She was thrilled that at least one person recognized her as Anne Boleyn from Six. 

FORTY-TWO

 

Last few NYC photos: Buddhist temple

2026 week forty-two

Chinatown 

Degas 

Rodin 

On Thursday we celebrated Theo's 11th birthday. For lunch Matt brought him sushi, and his requested dinner was fancy ramen and bacon wrapped steak bites. 

Grandma and Grandpa joined us for dinner and cake. It's not every day that your young man turns 11. 

Slowly working on V's Halloween costume. She and some friends are dressing up as the 6 wives of     Henry VIII from the musical Six. 

On Friday evening V and I went to the local ballet production of Dracula. It was very spooky and fun. 

While we were at Dracula, Theo and Matt were at a raucous and fun birthday party.

                     

V leaves interesting drawings on my board at school.

On Saturday we went to Theo's last ever Cub Scout camp out. On to Boy Scouts next year. 

V was using this horrible periscope to whistle into my ear while she was sitting on my lap to keep me warm. Matthew in no way encouraged or aided her in this. 

Over the last month, Matt has been overhauling our rain barrel. This is what it looks like at 12 years old. 

This is what it looks like today. 

It's a thing of beauty. 

FORTY-ONE

 

Grandpa spent the long weekend chaperoning the kids around NYC.

2026 week forty-one

Times Square

Museum of Natural History

Theo's favorite food in the world: sushi. Also featuring the sushi taco. 

Matt and I felt pretty nervous sending them off for a weekend where they would need to keep their wits about them. But every time we hear from them they only have positive things to say. They're really having the time of their lives. 

NYC pizza. 

The bull on Wall Street. 

The Statue of Liberty's face. 

St. Patrick's Cathedral. 

A little Van Gogh and Warhol. 

At the top of the Empire State building. They wanted to stick their heads through the railing so I would be nervous looking at the photos. 

They went to see Six on Broadway. V loves this musical, so she was beside herself to get to see it live. 

The Brooklyn Bridge. 

The Bears in Central Park. 

The very same bears 12 years ago.