We saw Santa at the Bass Pro Store.

Yes, I realize that sounds totally hillbilly, and I don't care, CUZ we had a great time.

If you haven't been to the Bass Pro Store in Stapleton, YOU are missing out. It pales in comparison to the one in my home state of Missouri-- Springfield's store is actually the largest in the country-- but it is nonetheless quite spectacular with the Islamorada Fish Company restaurant, Fourbucks coffee, ginormous fish tanks, plethora of stuffed animals (I mean the taxidermy kind-- is there another way to describe those?) and the shooting gallery...it is a blast!

The Santa's Wonderland at the Bass Pro Store is an idyllic scene out of A Christmas Story, complete with an electric train set, fake snow, wooden tables for coloring pages and writing letters to Santa, an area where kids can drive remote control ATV's and not just one but TWO shooting galleries-- one where they can shoot foam dart guns and one where they can play a target shooting video game with "rifles" (and where I was reminded that I am a sharp shooter). And because it is the 25th anniversary of A Christmas Story (does that make you feel old or what?!), they have Red Ryder BB guns for sale! They are also hawking pink Daisy's (I WANT ONE SANTA!) They have Frosty the Snowman and other children's classics in rotation on the DVD player in the coloring area, and a A Christmas Story in the grown up area where the BB guns are for sale. Oh! They also have roasted nuts for sale. The only thing missing is an ice skating rink! It is the perfect place to take your child(ren) to see Santa and the photo is FREE. You even get a coupon for a free kids meal for each child at the Islamorada, which is a very fun place to eat with kids.

I KNOW, I KNOW, it is all a mass marketing campaign to get you to spend lots of money on cheap plastic stuff at BPS, but if you can resist the lure of mindless consumerism (we did) and get your free coloring pages and photo, it's worth it. Our kids didn't get away so easily, they used their allowance to buy yet another wilderness play set. Liam bought a set that comes with a fishing boat, a kayak, two fishermen, two fish, and some fishing gear; Seamus bought a wooden whirly gig thingy, I think it's called an Air Top. But the BPS sets all fit together so one day they will have the complete outdoors, only indoors and made of plastic. Ba dum bum.

And before I forget to blog about the kids seeing Santa...of course the kids were adorable. Mara played her role as a fifteen month old very well and was nearly terrified of the big guy, and the boys weren't as big of hams as they appear in the photo. They were surprised to see that Mrs. Claus was there, and said she looked like Nana (I wished I had taken my camera but we may return for a second photo of just Mara for her bio mom).

I had coached them to wish Santa a Merry Christmas FIRST (which they did!) and to only tell Santa ONE big thing that they wanted ("You know, if you could only get one thing, what would it be?") Liam told Santa he wanted a violin. Seamus was very shy, and could not even speak to Santa, but just smiled sweetly, hence the reason why they have that area for kids to write letters to Santa. Mara didn't say, but I saw her eying a pink camouflage Hummer.

Even I coveted a couple of things at BPS. I love the McCall's jar candles, all the country kitchen stuff, and even some of the furniture which reminds me of Nana & Papa's place. The windchimes are impressive-- though too many of them are for looks only and do not sound good at all. The Bass Pro Store is no longer just a place to go for boats and fishing and hunting gear-- they are now marketing to the entire family, and almost half the store is geared toward Ma and Granny, so go check it out!

I've been in the Christmas Spirit since going. I'm even singing Christmas carols: "We wish you a Merry Christmas...We wish you a Merry Christmas...We wish you a Merry Christmas...and a Bass Pro New Year." Heh heh heh.

Apparently, there is a bitter pill lodged in my throat.

I have to get off the laptop and start bathing all three children so we can get their photo taken with Santa at the Bass Pro Store tonight after Mara's visit...

Seriously, there is an AMAZING Christmas Village at the Bass Pro in Stapleton complete with an old-fashioned electric train set, fake snow everywhere with little wooden tables for doing crafts and writing letters to Santa-- right around the corner from the visit-- and the photo is FREE...

But there is something I really need to get off my chest, that I woke up thinking about...

At the second to last visit, the Case Aide told me, "Mom wants to know if you have some recent pictures." OF COURSE I DO! But why is it my responsibility to provide photos to the woman who cannot bring herself to delve into the reasons why her baby had twenty-four broken bones at only five weeks of age? Why can't she think ahead and bring a disposable camera to the visits (as I have done for her in the past) so that she can take her own pictures with "her" baby?

So here is my evil genius idea: I want to get prints made for her of all the photos of Mara in her body cast and harness, the ones of her crying, and of her legs when they still looked deformed, and of what I know now were deep bruises even though she also has Mongolian spots.

My second more rational idea is to only give her pics of Mara WITH US (her FAMILY).

Would both be wrong? Or would they send a clear message?

I know a few of you read this, so tell me what you think.
Please be honest, I CAN TAKE IT.
Feel free to reply off the blog.

More evidence of our growing addiction to girls' clothing.

Exhibit A is a Skipping Hippos Poncho which is named "Apple" (in celery green) which was purchased at 53% off by one doting foster father on babysteals.com. It has pom poms all around the edge of it and BRIC A BRAC plus a little tassel on the hood, too! The only victim was our bank account. Daddy may someday be tried by a jury of his peers and will most likely be found guilty of being wrapped around Princess Tomorrow's little finger.

Now my blog has a soundtrack!

I was inspired by my friend Heather to add a music player to my blog (and she has great taste in music!). It was really easy, all I had to do was add the HTML/Java script gadget and copy the code from the play list I created at playlist.com. I now have play lists for all three of my blogs! Yes, I have three blogs...this one, a political one, and a new weight loss blog. I think if you look in my full profile you can get links to the other blogs. (If you voted for Obama, you won't like my Mother Liberpublican blog, so just do us both a favor and don't read it.)

I also changed how many posts are displayed to one hundred for those of you who want to enjoy getting caught up on our foster-adoption story while enjoying a cup of cocoa and listening to the new musical selections. My apologies in advance if this causes some of you to experience longer loading times.

If anyone knows who the song "Baby Don't You Cry" is by, please let me know!

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, JUST SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND CLICK ON PAUSE.

Day 7 of severe sore throat

I have strep throat. It's really, really, really, really painful and I feel generally awful but I started a "Z-pack" which is a five-day regimen of azythromycin (antibiotics) today. Antibiotics are an absolute must with strep or I would use a remedy from the book Herbal Antibiotics. I haven't had to take antibiotics since just after I had Liam-- so for almost six years. Using a Neti pot cured my "chronic sinusitis" and helps with allergies, too.

It may seem strange that I didn't go to the doctor until today, but it was my first really good opportunity. We left for Missouri last Tuesday, which is when my sore throat started. We took two days to get to Conway, and arrived at about 4 p.m. on the day before Thanksgiving. I thought about going to the ER on Black Friday, but felt a bit better that day so I decided not to go. Then it was on the road again on Saturday and Sunday. It's been a pretty miserable week. You don't realize how often you swallow until you have strep throat.

I just hope:
1. That the kids don't get it,
2. That I didn't give it to anyone in Conway, and
3. That I start to feel better, as the doctor said I might, in 24-48 hours.

That's all for now, and I will post some Thanksgiving pix ASAP.

Over the river and through the woods...

to Grandmother's house we go! The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifting snow- oh!

You get the idea.

We're leaving as soon as Big Daddy and Moose get back from taking Feenix to Pup Stop, and I'm so excited! I couldn't sleep last night, and had to take Melatonin at 2 a.m.

Did I mention that I am supposed to be in the shower?

We'll be staying in Topeka, Kansas tonight at the Super 8 (newly built, so not your typical Super 8), so we're getting most of the driving out of the way today.


Here's a picture for each seven days I will not be posting here:

A year, a month, a week, and a day since we picked her up from the hospital.

But who's counting?



No wonder that is my favorite blanket of hers, it is the one she was wrapped in whenever I first met her. That was like unwrapping a gift from God.

There was another one that was really soft fleece in pink and white gingham print with a butterfly and the words "Baby Girl" embroidered on it. We took her to a visit wrapped in it, and she came back to us in another blanket that wasn't nearly as soft or pretty but was handmade. I figured the Baby Girl blanket had been soiled and that the bio mom was going to wash it and return it to me at the next visit. But when I asked her about it at the next visit, she said, "OH NO, I burnt that nasty blanket! It was EVIL." Apparently, it was the blanket that she had taken her to the hospital in. I suppose it's best that she burnt it already, as she saved me the trouble.

Biting and other signs of aggression.

It isn't always hard.


Baby Grrl bit Moose this morning. It wasn't the first time, and it might not be the last, but it was the first time her teeth broke the skin. I think I need to fill out an incident report (and this time check the "Injury to Other" box), but I feel like I need to sort out my feelings first. I came very close to smacking Baby Grrl on the mouth today, and realized that there is still a difference in how I feel about her. At least I don't remember feeling this way when Moose bit Hammy, which my better half reminded me of when I called him at work in my exasperation (while Baby Grrl sat in time out on the bottom step on the other side of a gate, safe from me!) This was right after Nana called, and I answered the phone by saying, "I don't know why I answered the phone! Baby Grrl just bit Moose and she is in time out." But the truth is, I needed a distraction. I answered the phone to buy her some time! :>S

Children bite. It is par for the course of childhood. But I have this voice in my head, the voice of one of my former La Leche League Leaders in Creve Couer, and it says, "Biting is the ultimate sign of aggression. When you have a biter, you have some real trouble." (and she was referring to a child biting another child, nto a child biting Mommy!) Now, I don't want to go off on a tangent of why LLL Leaders have to be careful of what they say when it does not involve breastfeeding, because this is not the blog post for that. But that Leader's voice does haunt me, and when combined with everything I can find in my parenting books, one would think that biting is the mark of Satan's spawn. What gives? Why is it cute when a toddler bites on her teether, but not her brother? Why the over-reaction? And why do I feel so fiercely protective of Moose? Was I like that back when Moose was biting Hammy? Did it make me feel like a failure as a mother? And why do I blame myself for everything.the.kids.do.or.don't.do?

All I know is that I had to take a full minute to get myself together before saying, "We do not bite! OUCH! Biting hurts!" whereas that sort of redirection would normally come naturally to me after raising two toddlers. This is my third time civilizing a wild monkey. So why does it feel like I'm driving without headlights?

I've decided it's called Child Rearing because we must teach them via their rear when needed (I'm only half-joking). I only had to spank Hammy ONCE for standing up in the bathtub, and Moose twice because he is a bit obstinate. But because I cannot spank Baby Grrl, she stands up in the bathtub every.single.time. I give her a bath, and attempts it several times per bath, and all I can do is say, "Sit down! We do not stand up in the bath tub," and remove her if and when she does stand up again (which probably sounds, from across the street, as if we are murdering her because she absolutely loves to take a bath and absolutely hates being removed from it).

No, spanking is not the answer to everything (certainly not hitting). But it is very effective with toddlers who do not yet possess the ability to process logic and insist on running towards the street. They cannot be reasoned with, and you are wasting your time and their respect by lecturing them. Just stopping them works well when a parent is present, but operant conditioning works even when a parent is not there! This is where the Behaviorist in me pushes the Humanist aside and says, "Let me handle this. You are using too many words. Natural consequences speak volumes." Obviously, I cannot let the kids run into the street and get hit by a car. But neither can I sit there and watch Baby Grrl bite Moose and say, "Natural consequences." He was just standing there, leaning on the coffee table, and she wanted to be where he was and she had tried climbing up him and shoving him and neither approach had worked. Oh wait, she also tried screaming at the top of her lungs, but he just laughed at her. Hammy and Moose really are good-natured kiddoes. they mostly observe her tantrums and comment on them, without any judgement or criticism. Occasionally Hammy will say, "I hope she grows out of THAT soon!"

I have to tell Moose at least once every evening not to lay on the floor in front of the TV and let her climb on him, pinch him, poke him, pull his hair, or smack his face. "We teach other people how to treat us," I say. But they let her treat them like jungle gyms and then she wonders why Mike and I won't let her do it to us.

Well, I think I've managed to stay mostly on track here, but have ended up wishing I could spank Baby Grrl, and that was not the point of my blog post! Being a foster parent to Baby Grrl has definitely taken me well out of my comfort zone. I said I would never foster a child who was not available for adoption, but I couldn't say no when they called about Baby Grrl. I said I would take the child(ren) that no one else wanted, but we took in one whose biological parent still claims to want.

I hope my honesty here is not misunderstood. I just don't buy it when people say they love their foster-adopted children the same as their own, but maybe it comes with time. All I can do is be honest and admit that it is different, for me, right now. I hope that it changes when we adopt her, but this is where I am now.





*A note to followers: you may notice I'm returning to using nicknames for the kids; this is in anticipation of going public again after the TPR hearing in March, so more people can read our adventures in foster-parenting and hopefully be moved to give it a try themselves. Bear with me as I finger out how information is displayed between my two blogs. Just be glad I took the politics somewhere else. ;>)

Motrin Babywearing Ad SMACK

I have to agree with YouTuber briannenana who says, "If someone is truly discouraged to bond with their child because of a commercial about back pain, this commercial is not the problem. " BUT.STILL. I hate this ad (and this new style of ad, too). But you know why they don't show any moms wearing their babies? BECAUSE THE SIGHT OF A MOTHER WEARING HER BABY IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND PRECIOUS THAT THEN THE AD WOULD NOT WORK!

Another video for "The Furry Family"

Dear Seffy-boy,

Since you liked watching Liam and Seamus swinging their rocks so much, I know you will LOVE watching them play on their tower slide, LOL!!

P.S. Please come over and play with us soon!
We may only get one more Indian Summer!

I am keeping my son home from school today.

I am keeping my son home from school today.
He has fallen behind in some subjects
and they need special attention,
like birdwatching
and blowing on the dust bunnies
'til they scamper across the floor
and deciding once and for all whether
the crack on the ceiling is a sleeping dragon
or a boat to sail away in.

Later on
with furrowed brows
we will conference over cups of hot cocoa
our fingers curled
around the smooth ceramic surfaces,
both seeking and protecting its warmth.
Earnestly we will say to each other
that it is all very well
to excel in math and spelling,
but if you cannot tell the difference
between a sparrow and a chickadee
then you're headed for some trouble in life.

Tomorrow (next week)
I think he can go back
when he is caught up,
when I am sure he knows
how to catch the icy points
of the year's first snowflake
on his tongue.

Adapted from an original poem titled "I am keeping my daughter home from school today," by Jenny Schmitt, which was published in Mothering magazine, No. 151, November-December 2008, page 58. www.mothering.com

Kids Rock Swings

The boys swinging their pet rocks and Mara blowing spit bubbles-- what more could you want in a video? Watch how she is practically hysterical for her Daddy at the end, until she comes upon her wooden horse.

Completely Unreliable Second-hand Gossip

So last night, at the visit, I talked with Tarazina (the foster mother for Monee and Ayanna, Mara's four and seven-year-old sisters) and she said that she was asked at the Administrative Review if she thinks Monee and Ayanna should be separated if they are moved again and/or for adoption. She was also asked if she would be willing to keep them both or which one until they transition to a permanent placement. Yet another clue that TPR (termination of parental rights) is most likely going to happen in March!

She also told me a few other things which I cannot post here due to confidentiality, even though my blog is now limited to a dozen family members and very close friends.

Thus, my question-- and when I pose questions here, I really am asking for YOUR advice, insight, opinions, and suggestions: if the Denver County Case Worker asked us to take four-year-old Monee (and a part of me is miffed that I have not been kept in the loop), do you think we ought to consider it? She has A LOT of "behaviors" and issues that will require ongoing therapy and she takes medication; but she is Mara's full sister, the only one with whom she shares the same biological mother and father.

Does it even matter that they have the same parents? Biology does seem to be destiny, but I know now that common alleles alone do not make a family. And Mara does exhibit a marked increase in "negative" behaviors after the visits-- in fact, she is pinching Seamus right now-- so I guess that is a little answer all its own.

I don't know mow much Nurture can overcome Nature. I'm currently in a state of doubting if it really does or if we just attribute far too much to Nurture (or lack thereof). I recently read an article in Newsweek about a gene that may explain why some children are more resilient than others and can overcome poor parenting. The children who do not have the gene are more sensitive and tend to adopt the attitudes and behaviors of their parents (Liam) as a way of securing their bond. The children with more oil on their backs tend to listen less and be more obstinate (Seamus). And then there are the kids who are sensitive but somehow thrive despite abuse (Mara).

I just hope they do not identify the gene to the point where parents get their kids tested to see if it is okay if they suck as parents. All we need is a license to neglect. As it is, DVD players, TVs and PlayStations, Xboxes and Wii's are raising far too many of our precious youth.

But I digress...and it's what I do best.

One month until the next court hearing -OR- Why I don't sleep well these nights.

There's a hearing scheduled for December 12 and it's been described as "a chance for the judge to just check in and see how everyone is doing before the case goes to the TPR hearing in March". Apparently, the case comes up for review every ninety days. I don't know why I am not used to this yet. It's a short enough period of time that it feels like nothing much has changed or developed (this time), but yet it's somehow long enough that I almost forget we do not have custody of Mara every.single.time.

It's so hard to think of Mara not being part of our family, and I try to avoid it! She has really begun to express her affection for us all. When she throws her little arms around my neck and hugs me, the last thing on my mind is that she is not "mine" or "ours". Her adorable little thing lately is to tell me, "Goo gull, ma," (Good girl, mom) whenever I do something that pleases her. And she claps her hands and says, "Yay! Did it!" when I pick something up or put things away.

She also screams A LOT, about almost anything and everything when she is not getting her way, but I think we're getting used to it. Mike tells me almost every day, "It's just a phase, honey," and I usually snort and roll my eyes. Yeah, it's a phase, and it will last her entire life!

I wanted to nap with her this afternoon, but just laid there and gazed at her sweet little face with a smile on it, and cried the familiar tears of not-knowing. I just want it all to be over, I want it to be done and decided, but we have to go through this painstaking process that keeps our family in this weird sort of limbo. I know that these months will pass quickly, especially because of the holidays; but there is also the fact that the holidays will make it all that much more bittersweet.

Will this be our last Christmas with her?
Will she be with me for the next Mother's Day?
Will we get to celebrate her second birthday with her?


We are into our fourteenth month of sleep deprivation and currently taking turns sleeping in her room with her (she sleeps in her crib-- which is really more like a day bed now that the front rail has been removed-- and we sleep on the day bed). She does not sleep through the night and she is formula fed. Yes, we give her lots of stick-to-the-gut solids before bed, too. She just doesn't sleep very well or for very long, and we aren't supposed to sleep with her, which is how she sleeps best. In fact, when she's eighteen months old, we're not even supposed to sleep in her room. That ought to be fun. I can see her standing at the side of the bed now. I would picture her at Daddy's side of the bed, but he's much harder to wake up.

And I digress...from hearing to sleeping (or not sleeping)...from the mind of a mom who needs nap...but sips her second cup of artificially-sweetened coffee instead.

First day, pink gloves

MCCAIN/PALIN WINS BY A LANDSLIDE

That was the headline yesterday at Liam's school. The children voted, and it was 78 for McCain and 10 for Obama.

Liam was among the ten children who voted for Obama. He has consistently said he would vote for Obama, and his reasons given have included "because he is the tallest one" and "because his name sounds cool".

Keep in mind that this is the same child who told me the other day that Barack Obama was at the door. "And he has a lawn mower with him," he reported from the front window. I assured him that Obama was busy campaigning for President of the United States of America and therefore was not going door-to-door to mow lawns. It of course happened to be the kind older gentleman who goes around our neighborhood offering to aerate lawns. He aerated our lawn for me this Spring for only $30 (10" deep plugs!); and if he comes back again, when I am not half naked and just out of the shower with a napping baby, I will hire him again. I will also offer him a hot cocoa which he will politely decline, just as he declined my offer of lemonade last Spring. We will discuss the neighborhood, the war, and he will tell me who he voted for-- it may surprise you to know that he is a Republican. He barely makes it on his SSI so he supplements his income by doing yard work. He owns the means of production for his business, he pays taxes, and he works hard. Change we need is he and I sitting in our yard having a conversation while we watch the kids play. Change we need is also him holding Mara and telling me he will pray for her to stay with us. Change we need is me telling all my neighbors what a kind and trustworthy man he is, and to please hire him this fall if they can spare $30.

I am proud that my son has opinions that are different from mine. In my mind, it validates the hard work I do at "unschooling" him and I, by teaching him to question authority and think for himself. Obama will most likely be our President and Liam will gloat that he won. But Seamus has consistently said he will vote for McCain, because "he has a Mommy with him" and "he looks like Papa Patton". And their votes cancel each other out.

I don't hate Mondays!

It used to be that my theme song on Mondays was "I Don't Like Mondays" or "Manic Monday"...I used to dread Mondays, and I would start dreading Monday on Sunday...but not so much as of this week! This week my song is "Getting Better". Short story long:

Since Mara came to live with us over a year ago, her weekly supervised visit with her bio family has been on Monday. A few months after Mara came to live with us, Liam transferred from one Options School site to another--moving his one school day a week from Friday to Monday. Mondays for the kids used to start at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. Of course for us parents, the day started much, much earlier and went much, much later (especially when Heroes is on). I had communicated to the County Case Worker and to the Case Aide that Mondays were very stressful for our family, and were possibly the cause of weekly night terrors for Mara, which she would have every Monday at 10:30 p.m., as her brain was trying to fall into a deep sleep state after having her naps interrupted all day or napping in the car; but every time, I was told that there was no other day that we could have her visit, even though I was available every.other.day.of.the.week.at.any.time.of.the.day. I explained our situation to her Case Worker and to the Case Aide several times, but they both seemed to think it was manageable and did nothing to have it moved to a different day. It amazes me how the County bends over backwards to make the visit convenient for Linda-- it is literally across the street from her apartment so she can walk, and it is on a day and at a time that is best for her. I had spoken with a friend who is a foster parent, and she suggested that I put in writing a thirty day notice that Mondays would not work for us any longer. the very day I was prepared to do that, I received a call from the Case Aide saying that the visits were being moved to Friday evenings for now. She apologized for the fact that the visits would have to be on Fridays, forgetting that I had said Fridays would be great! You see, when you are a homeschooling family, as my friend Heather says: "Every day is Friday"! (Except the night before the one day of school per week at the Options School).

Fridays would be better for many reasons, only one of which is that our "kidsitter" is more available then for watching the boys at our home, so that Mike and I can get a much-needed break from all three kids and a decent meal on Fridays. Finally, this may actually occur-- unless the visits turn out to be on Thursdays, of course.

Anyway, Mondays will no more be spent in the van from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or later. It is still the day that Liam goes to Options School but at least now we don't have to pick Liam up 2:45, then Mike at 4:30 and get Mara to her visit in Montbello by 5 (with 225 Northbound rush hours traffic) and dine at the BK Lounge or McD's when we all really want to be at home after getting up at 6:30 a.m. Life can be challenging with one vehicle and a growing family, but it's worth the effort to make less of an impact on the planet while experiencing the blessings and joys of life with more than one child. Because more kids = more laughter; just ask any parent with kids!

So instead of frantically rushing to get Mara changed and fed so I can go get Mike from work in after school and rush hour traffic, while praying that Mara falls asleep on the way and sleeps until her visit, if the boys would only stop bickering in the back seat; I am sitting in the back yard listening to the happy sound of kids playing and leaves falling. Because I begged him to let me "sleep in" this morning with Mara/take Liam to school at 8:45/then come back for Mara, Seamus and I so we could take him to work and have the van to get Liam at 2:45, I don't have to pick him up until 5:30 (if you followed that, you're probably the mom of more than one child and/or less than two vehicles!) I think I'll suggest dinner at Chick-Fil-A since we still have a free birthday meal coupon for Liam and there's a new CFA on Smoky Hill Road (just past Southlands by the new Walgreen's). I had a repeatedly interrupted and mostly sleepless night with Mara waking to play at midnight and Seamus sleepwalking again, so I need to take it easy tonight.

Nonetheless, I am grateful today. I'm grateful for Mara's two-hour nap this afternoon. I'm grateful that I had enough time to talk with Liam's school director...about him being sent to talk with her...for talking too much...in Language Arts. I'm grateful for less rushing around today-- not because I can't do it, but because it means less stress on the kids who do not deserve to be shuttled from one point to another like baggage when they need time to wake up slowly, to eat a peaceful breakfast, to play outside, and to sleep whenever they're tired.

"It's getting better all the time..."

Day of the Dead

It's literally the Day of the Dead here at Casa de Fee as we partied too hearty this week! Halloween is like a high holy day in our family and we really celebrated this year!















It all started a week ago today, when I took the kids to trick-or-treating at the Centennial Medical Center. I had imagined this would involved visiting a dozen or so doctor's office, under an hour. I was so wrong it wasn't even funny. It was a biggish indoor/outdoor event with lots of offices totally decorated like haunted houses that were too scary for the boys, outdoor booths, a barrel train for the kids to ride, a mobile deejay, furry sports team mascots walking around, and an ambulance, a fire truck and a life flight helicopter which landed while we were there and was way cool. The kids got to climb inside all three of the aforementioned lifesaving vehicles and even ride the barrel train for $1 thanks to my friend Heather who brought cash (I ass-u-me'd everything would be free). I scored treats like sunscreen and wipes. And we got the last three of 1700 Krispy Kreme doughnuts they had handed out that day (at a medical center...whuh? Perhaps because obesity makes more money for hospitals?!)

Then on Sunday we went to the Boo at the Zoo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, which was
1. too expensive ($9 each even though we are members! plus gas!)
2. too far (why drive to CO Springs when Denver Zoo has a Boo at the Zoo?!), and
3. too late (it started at 5:30, went to 8, and then we had a long 1.5 hour drive).
































The worst part is that I had neglected to call Jen all week and see if they wanted to meet up with us there, so I felt guilty *and* we went all that way without seeing them (which we never do). We probably won't go to that event again until the kids are much older. Turns out the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in October is cold at night!
I do not recall seeing a single animal as they were all hiding/indoors/sleeping.
Nonetheless, the boys got their picture taken with a Storm Trooper *and* Darth Vader, rode the kiddie train and the carousel, went to a magic show and played carnival games indoor at the Lodge at Moose Lake. Highlights for me included the outdoor holiday lighting in the trees and et cetera which was very well done, and the amazing view of CO Springs at night! I will send more pix through Snapfish)






Thursday, we took the kids to the Trick or Treat Street at Denver Children's Museum (and renewed our membership while we were there, after paying $4 for parking because we were not members). That was more like it, and the kids had a blast when we FINALLY rode the trolley. They had wanted to ride it for two years-- we used to go to the museum every Monday-- but they wouldn't ride it for the first time without their Dad! So the stars were at last aligned and we all rode the trolley, for only $2 for each adult and kids free, with Mara, and at night, which was really neat.






So by the time Halloween rolled around on Friday, I was sick and tired of halloween! But I put on a happy "jackitty lantern" (Tigger) face and we carved our pumpkin, and toasted pumpkin seeds while watching Pooh's Heffalump Halloween.






Our friends Star, Pheonix and Genesis came over for worms and blood (spaghetti), and I trick-or-treated the 'hood with the big kids while Mike and Star stayed at home with the wee grrls and handed out candy.






The kids were complaining by the eighth house, so we only went to the homes of people we know in our neighborhood. Everyone wanted to know where the little one was, asking, "Where is your baby?" and "Where is your little sister?" So next year we will have to take Mara along even if we have to pull her in a wagon! The problem is that one of us has to stay home for the trick-or-treaters because we have so few of them, lest we get stuck with too much candy like the first year we lived here! I think we only had about twenty people visit our house last night. It was the warmest Halloween I can remember, and on a Friday-- so I don't know where everyone was.

I hope you also had a happy Halloween and would love to see your pix, too!