officially known as 'pumpkin week'

Yes, after adopting our little orange pumpkin of a cat last week we jumped right into 'Pumpkin Week', unplanned as that was. On Monday Sam was kind enough to turn the car around so I could get a photo of the boys and the huge pumpkin pile at the Farmer's Market on our way up to Nana and Grandad's for Thanksgiving supper. What a great backdrop! Then Henry's class took a field trip to the pumpkin field just outside of the city and Felix and I were able to join him there. Wow! ... I loved it so much I told Sam we had to get back as a family this weekend to pick up our own pumpkins. Soooo back again we went this morning. More pumpkin picking, more photos, more fall sunshine, more wandering along the rows and among the dirt and vines. I love the feeling that fall gives me and the pumpkin embodies it all. It's a simple thing, but strong and beautiful as well.

happy early birthday to me!

So this happened this weekend! I told Sam last birthday that all I wanted for my 40th this year was a kitten ... and not so secretly I wished for an orange girl cat above all. I've been humming and hawing about it for a few months though, wondering if I did indeed want to have another someone to take care of ... but on their own the kids (especially Henry) have been asking for, pleading, and voting on bringing a kitten into the family. Yes, there were quite a few impromptu children-led hand-raising voting sessions on this subject lately, ha! Sam decided to put in a cat door down to our basement on Sunday so that we'd be ready. A purchase which led to just picking up all the cat supplies as well. A drive which just happened to bring us to the SPCA afterwards. A last kitten whose brother had just been adopted a few moments before. And a kitten who just happened to be a soft orange girl cat. Who purred in my arms and licked me right away. Who were we kidding? ... home we went with our newly purchased cat door, litter and food, and one tiny 2 month old soft orange pixie.

Her name means lovable, you know.

anne of green gables said it best

a little bit of here and there (part 6)

celebrating five

Yesterday was the last big hurrah in our "two boys have birthdays two days apart" week. And for the second weekend in a row we had a birthday party ... this time to celebrate Walter in a big way! He doesn't have the same established friends yet as Henry does at school and so I decided to rent out the gym at our nearby Rec Centre and invite his whole kindergarten class, plus another set of family friends. Was I crazy? In the end we had 23 kids bouncing, biking, laughing, snacking, and having loads of fun together ... and I actually enjoyed myself too! Quite a few of the parents stayed as well which I was hoping for so Sam and I could get to know them better. For the most part these kids will be together til Grade 12 and so I wanted to start a good relationship from the beginning, as I do with Henry's classmates and their parents. I had promised Walter a donut tower "cake" long time ago and it turned out to be the easiest thing for such a large bunch ... he was thrilled and they were yummy! I have a birthday break now ... Felix's is not til the end of November ... and I'm itching to get my house back in order, switch out the summer clothes, do some scrapbooking, catch up on new Fall TV shows and start making lots of pumpkin recipes!

a full hand

Walter, you are 5 now!

Your big all-kindergarten-class party is on Sunday but today we, the ones who love you the most, are celebrating your special day. Including a very subtle '5' balloon and a not so chocolatey cake (wink, wink) ... we try to make this birthday day of yours pretty special and full of love.

I'm so glad I got one brown-haired boy. That's our special thing together, just you and me.

I'm so proud of you for tackling all day kindergarten and coming home with stories of new friends and new accomplishments. We wanted to get to know all your friends so an everyone party it is this year although I'm pretty sure I'm a little crazy to do this!

I love watching how you teach Felix these days. And also how you've learn so, so well to outfox him and his 2 year old stubborn ways. Your bag of tricks is growing bigger all the time.

I remember the look on your face last week when Dad pulled out your very own Liverpool jersey ... oh the joy! I'm so glad I took those photos - just priceless!

I'm trying really hard to give you time to speak as it just takes you longer to get out your words and your explanations. I'm sensitive to your middle-child-ness and so I always want you to feel heard and not rushed or shushed.

I love your crazy laugh. Sometimes you add in crazy eyes to your crazy laugh and that's just hysterical.

I love that your brothers are your best friends most of all. I hope that will always be.

Your Dad long loved the name Walter and I have long loved you. 5 years long now. I think you're simply wonderful. You and your brown hair, let's be honest.