We’re all coming down from a sugar-high this morning…thank God we had an extra hour of sleep.  Norah was the only one who had a Halloween party at school (called an “Orange Party”), but we got lots of use out of the costumes this year (especially since Norah’s was Aliya’s Dory costume from 4 years ago!).

~ Friday night there was a party at the YMCA, which we usually go to.  I was so wiped out that I took a 3-hour nap while Ben took the kids to the Y.  By 8:30 p.m. I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to work until 3 a.m.

~ Saturday morning we had 2 soccer games – no rain, no mud, WOOHOO!  Aliya is a superstar, Adlani is still heading for the marching band.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

~ Saturday afternoon we went directly from Aliya’s game to Pumpkins in the Park, put on by the Park & Rec Dept.  It was a gorgeous fall day, even though it was extremely windy.  I love the smell of fall.  Pumpkins in the Park was an opportunity to choose a pumpkin, paint it, go on a hay ride, play bean bag toss, listen to some live Halloween-themed music, and go on a costume parade.  The kids had a great time with the Funsecas and were very proud of their pumpkins.  Adlani got mad at Ben for making a mustache on his pumpkin so I had to clean it off and start over.  The costumes were completely covered with paint by the end, but it was a small sacrifice in the name of art.

~ We rushed home for a quick nap, and it took them so long to calm down that they finally fell asleep about a half hour before they needed to get back up again to go to a party at Coach Linder’s.  I made ice cream cone cupcakes and washed the paint off the costumes while everyone else napped.  Ben woke up from his nap and went right for the cupcakes, then got mad when I wouldn’t let him have one.

~ The party at the Linders’ was a lot of fun…good food and a “boiling” cauldron of punch followed by trick-or-treating en mass.  We stopped to see Maria (Norah’s teacher this year and Adlani’s teacher last year) on our way home.  The mobs of middle school kids on her street were a little scary.  Now I know who’s buying all of the Ravishing Red Riding Hood and Foxy Firefighter costumes.

Today we’re trying to catch up on some work and homework, while getting some leaves raked and hopefully installing two new heating units with Orialis’ help.

CARROLL, Iowa, Oct. 29 (UPI) — Two men arrested for attempting to break into an apartment in an Iowa town had crudely painted their faces black with permanent marker, police say.

Carroll police said a woman called 911 at 11:32 p.m. Friday to report two men trying to break into an apartment and officers soon after pulled over a car matching the description given by the woman, the Carroll Daily Times Herald reported Thursday.

Police said Matthew Allan McNelly, 23, and Joey Lee Miller, 20, whose faces were blackened with permanent marker, were arrested without incident and charged with second-degree attempted burglary. McNelly was also charged with a count of driving while intoxicated.

The men were released on bond Monday and are due in court for preliminary hearings Nov. 10.

Did you know you could buy caskets on Walmart.com?
That seems odd to me.  What’s next…Walmart selling door closers?

I’ve been wondering whether it takes more water to wash dishes in the dishwasher or by hand.  I’m happy to report that it appears that the dishwasher is as efficient as or more efficient than hand-washing.
It’s right here on the internet so it must be true:  http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=314

There’s a rumor going around that Norah’s classroom aide Ivette has finally had her baby.  Norah is a little perturbed that the baby’s name will be “Pumpkinhead” as voted on by the class, instead of her suggestion – “Baby Puke.”

I had a webinar at 9 p.m.  When Aliya asked me why it was so late I said it was because there were people in China on the webinar.  She wondered how I would understand the webinar in Chinese.

Adlani has been doing a little better in the classroom but had to sit out during music today.  Ben said it’s because music class is for girls.  That is NOT helpful!

I have been taking a class on Adobe Flash, which is the software program that makes many of the cool animations and web-ads with moving text, changing colors, and stuff flying around.  I am old enough to be my teacher’s mother, but even though I’m no spring chicken, I’ve picked it up pretty easily and I think I can do some cool things with it.  Now I just need more hours in the day.

Uncle Josh and Auntie Rachael made it home from Spain and are sleeping off a long day of travel.

Check out this police video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ynNApX3mVM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]

What can I say? Really. Where would I start?

If anyone would like eyeshades added or removed, just let me know.  I was instructed to hide the identity of certain partygoers and at this point I can’t really remember who wanted to be anonymous.  Next year, wear a mask.  I’m pretty sure the entire PTO is going to recognize you anyway.

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