Another long one, covering everything from Halloween to grout making

These pictures are out-of-order. Don't write me angry emails--contact blogger.com. My biggest complaint about blogging is that I can't move the pictures around the way I want once they are loaded, and often they don't load in the order I thought I had them in. Ruff.

Moving along. The first picture is Miriam on Halloween night in her Cinderella costume. I asked her if she wanted me to do anything with her hair. She said no. I was relieved. I'm not really much of a gung-ho Halloween celebrator. I'm more of a convince-Timothy-to-let-me-put-up-the-stockings-the-day-after-Halloween-kind-of-a-girl.

He continues unconvinced. Sigh.





This is Emeline making "grout"--or "mud in a bucket." The other two offspring were out there with her just seconds before my camera was ready. That's the way of it sometimes.














Much fun had by all, except Mom, in the grout-making business.

Notice they have the big dump truck called out for this job.









This is Cowen as a cowboy. This picture was supposed to follow the picture of the three kids in their costumes, as I considered this the "after" picture. Timothy disagreed and made me take a second "after" picture.

Look carefully at Cowen's costume in the group pictures and you'll get a glimmer of what I'm talking about.













Timothy dressed up as a Yankee Peddler. He likes Halloween. Heaven forbid you should take your children trick-or-treating sans costume. I stayed home this time--no costume and no desire to walk anywhere.

Timothy reported back to me that Emeline was adorable saying "trick or treat," she always said "thank you" and that his (Tim's) costume was a hit.

I know it is somehow disturbing to look at Cowen in this pic as it reminds me of my freaky older brother, but notice his shirt.






Ah, here's a better pic of Cowen's original costume as put together by himself and his Mom. Although according to Tim, I should be ashamed to admit it. He looks fine to me. Cowboys don't always wear button-up shirts you know. And some cowboys wear sashes around their chests. Okay, Cowen is the only cowboy I've seen with a sash around his chest, but he likes it, and who was I to argue? A costume's a costume.

Emeline is a 50s girl. I thought I would clarify since you can't see the cute poodle on her vest.






I just like this picture because Cowen is weird.



















Miriam being princessy.

















The area of the basement now framed in (thanks Kenny!) and ready to be turned into a closet. And what will go in this nice, roomy closet?? Hand-me down clothes of course. What would a house be without carefully labeled boxes along the lines of, "Boys: 6-12 months)."







Being a tired, pregnant woman, I didn't do my normal "choose three for tonight and the rest we'll put away for tomorrow" that I usually do when mass quantities of treats are in my children's hot little hands.

I let them have at it. Then, when they couldn't eat another bite, I gave them a ziploc wherein to put the remnants. This is what they left on the table.

The point of my showing you this is to point out the amount of chocolate they left. What??? Children, I need to teach you to prioritize. Oh well, I was able to eat almost a full bag of m&m's, half of a milky way, half a kit kat, and various and sundry other yummy items that my children never put in their bags. Ah, the folly of youth and wisdom of age.

Notice Cowen riding out on his trusty steed. No way Jose that would have happened had I been the one taking them. Timothy didn't mind carrying the horse and Emeline--necessary sacrifices for the sake of a "quality" costume.










The "after Dad made him into a decent cowboy" picture. Still a weirdo. I LOVE that face!
















When Timothy saw this picture he said, "What a nerd."

















Miriam's princess closet door. It is bigger than a normal door so it looks really fancy. You can't see that in this picture. I'm still including the picture--I know it looks fancy and cool and besides, I've been a little lax on my documenting of the basement project of late.












Miriam's room. Timothy says it only needs one more coat of mud and some sanding and we're ready to prime. Yeehaw! Notice the window well. We have those now.









As one last note about Halloween. My sis-in-law, Amelia called today and asked what the kids had been for Halloween. I told Amelia and she said, "A princess and a cowboy--so, isn't that what they are every day?" Thank you so much Amelia for pointing out the obvious. But NOT every day does Cowen get to wear his Sunday shirt to be a cowboy. So there.

Tim and I were in the kitchen . . . bonding . . . and Miriam ran through the kitchen calling for Cowen. "Sir Cowen, Knight, I need you!"

A second later we hear Cowen sigh, "Alright, I'm coming." The second he was out the door we heard him say in an entirely too long-suffering voice, "I'll kill the dragon."

He's well-trained.

Miriam decided to write a book today during quiet/nap time. Soon, however, she tired of trying to figure out how to write the words herself, so she called for me. I went in and wrote what she told me to write on the first few pages. Then she said, "You finish it." The following is a transcription of the "book" I wrote her, complete with her comments as she read over my shoulder. Just a side-note--Miriam is having us call her Rose these days. It is her current favorite name. That and Pearl--the name of her little stuffed dog that she carries around in her pink purse.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Rose. She wanted to have an adventure. So she found her best friend Knight Cowen, saddled two lovely horses, and rode away from the castle. After several hours, Sir Cowen and Princess Rose came to a bridge. Sir Cowen started across. When he was in the middle of the bridge, a huge fish monster rose out of the water and knocked down the bridge and Sir Cowen!

Miriam: "Mom, is Sir Cowen okay?!!!"
Mom: "I don't know, I haven't finished writing it yet."

Princess Rose screamed in fright! Then, seeing that Sir Cowen needed her help, she cast her eyes about for a weapon. There were no weapons to be had, not even a rock. Desperate, Princess Rose got off her horse, picked up her little poodle,

Miriam: giggle-- "I brought a poodle!?"

Pearl, and threw Pearl at the monster.

Miriam: very concerned, "Why did I throw my poodle?!!"
Mom: "You couldn't think of anything else."

Pearl's frantic barking distracted the fish monster long enough for Sir Cowen to draw his sword and slay the monster. Princess Rose, at great personal risk, dove into the water after Poodle Pearl. Luckily, the poodle was able to swim to Rose and together, the two made it to shore. Sopping wet, but otherwise unharmed, Sir Cowen, Princess Rose, the two horses, and Pearl returned to the castle. The end.

Now you can see why the Newbery is well within my reach. The best part of this long tale is that after I wrote the story, I went back to doing dishes and Miriam started illustrating the story. When Cowen was allowed up, he wandered into the dining room and Miriam said, "Let me read you this story." She started to read it to him and when Sir Cowen fell in the water Miriam said, "See, it's a pretty interesting story."

Thanks Miriam--I was going more for "gripping" or a "never-ending thrill ride" but I guess "interesting" will suffice.