To Be a Basset

Here's what it means to be a basset.

1. Whine at the door all day to go for a walk.
2. Prance with joy when Mom gets out the leash to go for a walk.
3. Bound outside to go for a walk.
4. Sit on the sidewalk and refuse to walk.
5. Stare at Mom with incredulity when she tries to get you to move.
6. Rinse and repeat EVERY SINGLE DAY UNTIL THE END OF TIME.



P.S. - he's stronger than he looks; that low center of gravity serves him well in Tug O' War

Now That's the Stuff

Big steaming bowls of cheese and chocolate?
Two kids who are actually getting along and AREN'T rolling their eyes continuously at their mother?
Two solid hours of good food and good company?
Now that's the stuff.

Someone Might Have a Problem

What happens to a 12-year-old's body when one ingests an entire pumpkin pie in one day?

Our Ellie will soon find out, because she destroyed that pie, my friends.

I don't know whether to clap in admiration of her pumpkin-pie-eating prowess, or run for the hills in fear of the gastrointestinal karma she might incur. Or perhaps clap and then run?

Clap and run it is.

Well, done, Ellie, and crossing fingers.

Say Cheese! (Or Not)

How do you spell "attitude"?

E-L-L-I-E

Yup, our beautiful young lady couldn't quite bring herself to just say 'cheese' and smile sweetly for the camera. Nope. We've gotta show some attitude. And boy, there's some attitude for you. I mean, you see that face and you just think, yes, you're right, I'm just not cool at all, who am I kidding. You're absolutely right, Ellie, it's just hopeless, I should just give up any hope of being relevant.

Sigh.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, school pictures. That's Ellie's contribution. Don't think I'll be sending that to the grandparents.


Thankfully, our Jack came through with Proper School Picture Smile. And an attitude that says, no worries, Mom, you're awesome. And so very cool. And very relevant. And have you lost weight?

Yup, that's what I see.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Bedroom Glam-up

It was just unacceptable, people. Unacceptable, I say. How can a 12-year-old even SLEEP in a room clearly suited for a little kid? Really, that should be considered child abuse.

Or at least that's how Ellie sees it. Her room was in desperate need of a glam-up. So the other weekend, we got to work - we painted the walls a nice light grey, got new bedding, a new desk, lots of lights and knick-knacks and what-not - all to hopefully look like a room fit for a soon-to-be teen. And hopefully to stop this horrid child abuse ONCE AND FOR ALL!


Getting our prep on - we actually taped and did all that good prep stuff. Look at us with our responsible painting practices and what-not.

Ellie even did a little work (a little - let's not get carried away).

Not the best picture, but trust me, it's cute. I mean cool. Or whatever the kids these days say.

Halloween

It was a dark and stormy night....

No, really, it was a dark and stormy night this Halloween. Not the greatest weather for trick-or-treating, which might explain why Ellie and her friends literally spent more time getting ready for trick-or-treating than actual trick-or-treating. They arrived by 5, and after a quick pizza break, spent the next hour and a half getting glammed up for completely-dark-trick-or-treating-where-no-one-would-really-see-them. Less than an hour after they finally tumbled out the door, we got a frantic phone call from Ellie that it was pouring rain (dark AND stormy!) and they needed to be picked up. So off we went to throw a gaggle of screaming tween girls into the back of our pickup. They spent the rest of the evening ingesting vast amounts of sugar, giggling, and doing things on their phones we probably don't want to know about.

Jack stayed home for the first time, serving as Chief Jack-o-Lantern carver and helping to pass out candy. Which was a huge help, since Oliver lost his ever-loving mind every time the doorbell rang.

It was dark and stormy.
It was loud and hectic.
But everyone was together.
So it was good.

Happy Halloween!


Ellie and her friends (l-r) Lauren, Selma, Sasha, Ahana, and Maaya

Two angels? No snide comments, please - I've made them all already

Our Master Carver Jack

He took his job very seriously

A couple of days before Halloween, we hit the "Cookies and Scream" party at Cookies & Cream

You know I never give up a chance for some cookies and ice cream