Cool...

It's been so blessedly cool here this past week. I love it. I can go outside and sit in the sun with a book and not bake! Today, Dan and I went with Emily's class on a a nature walk to Pioneer Park. It was really fun, and I'm glad we went, because there were like 16 kids and only two teachers, so Dan and I helped a lot with keeping everyone in line and safe. It was great to finally put faces to the names Emily is always talking about, and to see the kids' interest in the changing leaves and chestnuts and such. Pretty cute, and an wonderful way to get outside and enjoy the mild weather.

I just finished the book The Lovely Bones. It was AMAZING. If you're looking for a deep, meaningful, thoroughly enjoyable, makes-you-cry-and-laugh-all-on-the-same-page read, this is the one. I've been thinking about it and mulling it over even since I finished it. It's wonderful, go to your library and pick it up!!

Talked to my mom, and apparently she is getting her tonsils taken out October 29th. So we're going to head over to the coast and spend that weekend with them to help out a bit. It's Halloween weekend and they live in this huge housing development, so it'll be fun to go trick-or-treating with my little sister Shannon, and see all the kids' costumes, etc. Emily insists on being a mermaid (surprise, surprise) and I was thinking black leggings + black long-sleeve shirt + ears and tail + black eyeliner = cheap, easy and warm Black Cat Halloween costume for me. I just can't bring myself to spend like $35 on a flimsy costume I'll wear once. I can always reuse a long sleeve black shirt and black leggings.

Dan has an interview with an Amazon.com branch in Kennewick tomorrow, so I'm hoping that all goes well and he gets a job offer. It's only a six-month position, but that's probably good-- maybe in 6 months he'll have some other sort of permanant job offer. and he won't have wasted a bunch of time doing nothing. Plus, it'd be so much cheaper to live in Kennewick or Richland that here. So... fingers crossed.

Well, I think I'll go sit on the couch with a blanket, my husband and the pups, and play some Halo: ODST.

September Sunshine

Emily has been going to preschool for almost three weeks now. She's doing so well, only having a bit of separation anxiety before I leave her there. But usually I can get her busy playing and then just give her a quick kiss and take off. It hasn't been nearly as traumatic as I thought it would be. She really seems to like it. When we first go pick her up, she doesn't remember anything they did (I think it's just all the excitement) but throughout the day she'll share little bits and pieces of what they learned and who she played with. Yesterday she brought home these four little colored pictures of lion kings who were making different faces, and sang the song "Old King Cole", substituting "merry" for whatever emotion was on his face (IE: angry, sad, happy..) It was SO very cute, she has the sweetest little voice and I just CANNOT believe how grown-up she is. Everyone always tells you "Oh they grow up so fast!" and you're usually that sleep-deprived mama of a five-week-old and all you can think is "Not fast enough..." And then...seriously... you blink and that colicky little baby is four and a half years old, and in preschool and where has time gone??

We are having a gorgeous Indian summer here. It's been really warm (I think it got up to the High 80's yesterday) and sunny... but I am ready for fall. The dogwoods are starting to turn, and there is a weeping birch on the way to Em's preschool that is fully golden and dripping leaves. Stunning. I LOVE the leaf changes. Oh who am I kidding, I am a sucker for all things fall.