Rocktober

It's currently six hours past my bedtime but Ben's slipping me New Girl episodes and bad reality television like a corner dealer.  Since the last time we've been out alone together was August we have to take our moments wherever we can find them.  We've got big plans this long weekend that include not leaving the house, a pj's only dress code, lots of baking, lazy reading, after dark reruns, neglecting any activity that falls under the heading of productivity...aaaaand maybe a little blogging.  I'm slowly realizing that this is not going to be a season of reflection but dang it I can at least throw up a couple pictures of the cutest superheroes on the block.

Meet Wonder Woman and Captain America

Ben's awesome freehanded pumpkin creations

Bird and superhero mamas

Last Saturday Ms. A celebrated the big number seven and somehow my dinner with family turned into a sleepover party, trip to Bullwinkles, visit from Chicago grandparents, and a three day present opening fest after which she declared she does not need anything for Christmas.(We'll see how long that lasts.)  

Kitchen dance party

 Banana spilt birthday cake

 Breakfast monkey bread

 Making it to the top of the climbing wall

 The next night was family party night and I made this rainbow cake with a rainbow banner that insisted on saying, HP 7th, IRD, AA!  We rolled with it.

I'm not gonna lie, it was a lot of partying.  But compared to her last birthdays I think I kept my crazy to a minimum.  Once again daddy pulled out a stroke of genius with a pogo stick and Heely's.  She has been a blur this entire week.  I can't believe she's actually seven.  Her current claim to fame includes being a rockstar reader and eating up a chapter book a night.  She is the best big sister to Ian, our resident jewelry designer, an amazing artist, and somehow makes me feel luckier every year.  

So that pretty much sums up the last of October.  Here's a pick of little man loving his alone time with Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai.

One last October gem

Was this as random as it seemed to me?  I'll end with my current mantra where I'm consistently craving less routine and more alone time, but this gang of hooligans tip the scales in my favor and send my exhausted self to bed with a full heart.