#3 Cakes

I'm thankful for a mother who taught me how to decorate cakes when I was 10 years old.

Erin, I found the shiny chocolate frosting I called you about. Ganache. It is easy and beautiful and super rich.

Look at how shiny it is.

#2 Knitting

I am thankful for the time and resources I have to learn a new skill. This is my first hat!

One more thought about Halloween

Every year I sort of dread Halloween.

I don't like spiders, I'm not crazy about those big blow up decorations and I don't get all excited about coming up with costumes. In recent years I've come to resent church Halloween parties and even worse, the lame people who feel like they have to take a stand against Halloween. It all makes me tired.

Every year however, as I watch my children running and giggling from house to house, I am struck by the charm of this holiday and the tradtions that go with it. I love strolling through the neighborhood, ""trick or treat!!" being heard here and there, visiting with other parents, friendly neighbors showing a small kindness to our little goblins and throwing a wave to us. It makes our community seem smaller and safer and simpler. Our nighborhoods feel like they felt when I was a kid and I really like it.

Whenever we come home from trick or treating, I wish I had done more for our costumes, I wonder why I let the goofy people get to me and I promise myself that next year I won't be such a Halloween Scrooge.

Sorry mom, I totally forgot to take pictures. Sara was a witch, Gloria was a Genie. Dan had a Halloween party which was great and the 2 Pauls ate all the Snickers.

#1 Laundry

I am thankful for a big washer and dryer that beep at me when it is time for a new load so that despite the ADD I can finish all the laundry for 6 people in one day.

Thankful November

One of the things Mindi does on her blog is "Thankful Thursday". I like that, so throughout November I am gong to post things I am thankful for.

Spoooooky!

I saw these pictures on Photojojo a couple of years ago. I have been thinking about them ever since. This is our first try and I love how they turned out.

Pack Man

Over the summer a switch was flipped and Daniel stopped being my little boy. Here are a few of the rules that have been laid out for me since school started.

Things I am allowed to say to Daniel in the car when I am dropping him off:

Anything

Things I am allowed to say once the car door is opened:

Nothing, not "have a good day" or " love you" or "be nice to the nerds". I will be met with nothing but a quickly slammed door. If I am lucky I might get a dirty look, but usually no recognition of any kind is the result of any comment made.

Things I am allowed to call Daniel at home:

Dan, Danny, Daniel, Danny Pants, Pack Man, Bud, Buddy

Things I am allowed to call Daniel in public:

Dan, Daniel

I have learned to be on my best behavior when accompanying Dan anywhere in public. My mission is to be as inconspicuous as possible. This, as you can imagine, has proven to be harder than it sounds but I really am trying.

Daniel is having his first Halloween party tomorrow night. We are setting up a big movie screen in the backyard and are going to watch The Mummy. I am worried I might accidentally show affection to him. I am really going to have to watch myself.