I LOVE IT!!

The other day we were driving behind someone with a movie playing in their van's DVD player. Lucas wistfully said "I wish we had a DVD player in our car." Half jokingly I said "But Lucas we have books to read in our car, that's much better! He was silent a minute then said "Yeah mom you're right - books are better than DVD's." I love it! It's worth it to not have a TV in our house! He LOVES to read!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

Marisa is enjoying the turkey leg! Her favourite part! We had a great Thanksgiving with my mom joining us from Ontario. It's good to have her here for 2 weeks.

Yes, I'm one of those crazy people who goes out shopping in the middle of the night. (It's all about efficiency - I get major bargains and a huge chunk of time without anyone bothering me.) I'm quite pleased with my loot! :-) I arrived at the outlet mall at 2am when most other shoppers were on their way home and then I headed to the Carlsbad mall at 6, then to the Christian bookstore, and Michaels. Home at 9. That's 7 hours of shopping. I think I'm done now. One of my best bargains was a Gymboree ski jacket for Marisa for $11.20.

From Pumpkin Patch to Pumpkin Stew

Look at my new pot! This was dinner last night - beef stew in a pumpkin.

I made beef stew and put it in a pumpkin to bake for an hour. Fun dinner.

Yet another pumpkin patch ...

Yet another pumpkin patch! How many pumpkin patches can we get to in just one October?
This is part of the playgroup that Lucas and Marisa have been in since Lucas was 2 months old. It'll be 7 years this month! We've gone to this pumpkin patch every October for the past 5 years. It felt like 90 derees out this day. Not right.

Another pumpkin patch visit ...

Last week we had another pumpkin patch visit. This time with Marisa's Kindergarten class. She wanted the green pumpkin. :-(
Don't you love the messy hair? Sorry Kristen, I just can't do it right!

The little Chinese girl she is with is the daughter of the Mandarin teacher at the school. Yes, they learn Mandarin starting at Kindergarten. I was commenting to the Mandarin teacher that we would love to visit China someday. She said "I go a few times a year. I'd love for your family to join us and I could be your translater and tour guide! AND I have an apartment in Beijing where you are welcome to stay!" I almost have the flights booked already I'm so excited.

And here is Marisa raising her hand to answer a question in the pumpkin program. After answering she said to the lady - "next time I answer a question if you want to call me by my name - it's Marisa." :-) I wasn't sure whether to burst our laughing or die of embarrassment.

The Yearly Pumpkin Patch!!

Last week we had a day off school for Parent Teacher Conferences so we headed to Bates Nut Farm for our yearly visit.
You never know what the temperature is going to be like in October here. Too hot for the Halloween sweaters - but good thing we have Halloween t'shirts too! One day last week it was in the 90's. Usually when you mix 90' in October in San Diego, that means fire, but last week it didn't thankfully!

They had fun in the straw maze - Marisa is pretending to not know where to go next!

And my little drama queen trying to pick up the pumpkin ...

Ahh, there we go - she got it.

Music to a Mother's Ears

Tonight Lucas said he hopes he doesn't get sick this winter because he doesn't want to miss any school. And if he does get sick, he said he hopes he's only sick on the weekends so he can be in school on Monday so he doesn't miss anything fun. :-)
Gotta love it.