Evolution of a Costume

I bought the most adorable costume after Halloween last year. And I fully intended for Gavin to wear it this year. It was going to be the perfect size, the perfect cuteness. A little lion. I even made him try it on weeks ago just to see how it would look.


Then one day he had a nasty encounter with the corner of a wall. And I thought maybe a Frankenstein costume would suit him better. Poor baby. It was bad.




But it healed. And I realized he could be neither lion nor Frankenstein. With his age and girth he needed to be something more...religious. It was settled. He would be Nacho Libre for Halloween.




Nachooooooooo!

Halloween Extravaganza

Picking out pumpkins:



Stopping to pat the bunnies:








Carving (perhaps my best year yet):



Parading at preschool:



Trick-or-treating as gorilla and Nacho Libre:

If Nautical Nonsense Be Something You Wish

About 33 years ago my mom made the most adorable sailor suit for my older brother. He had his picture taken in it, as did my other three younger brothers. It was one of those keepsake outfits that got passed around, with hints of maritime and nostalgia.

Then when my older brother had a son, the sailor suit reemerged and took its place in another seafaring photo. In fact, all the nephews have had their picture taken in the outfit. So when my two boys came along I knew I had to keep up the tradition.

Here is Owen in the suit:


And I almost forgot to get Gavin's pictures taken. My mom remembered the suit and sent it to me just in the knick of time. It barely fit. Here's Gavin sporting the stripes:


Now both times I've pulled out the sailor suit to get the boys photographed, Mark has put up a fit. He says, "Please Bridge. Don't make them wear that." He is not a fan of anything nautical, it's safe to say. But I wasn't going to let that take the wind out of my sails. That outfit is adorable!

And I'll have you know every woman in the mall would agree. After getting Gavin's pictures taken I ran into a couple more stores to do some shopping. You would not believe how many "ohhhhs" and "how cutes" I got. Little boys just don't dress like they used to.

The sailor suit lives on.

Cookie Class

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the most wonderful cookie decorating class with my friend Kim. It was held at a Parisian-inspired pastry shop called Miette and taught by a true cookie artist. Wearing crisp white aprons, we worked in the confectionary kitchen and used all the bake shop tools. It was so, so exciting!

We learned how to make a great sugar cookie. The base of the sweet treat is very important, you know. But most of the time was spent learning how to perfect the art of royal icing (mixing it, thinning it, coloring it). We then practiced different techniques in decorating. My goodness, I could have stayed there all day. There is something so comforting about working with fresh-baked goods. Being in the kitchen with good company, creating something delectable!

I think I would really like to work in a pastry shop someday. I have so much more to learn, but I loved getting just a taste of it. I'm sure the only drawback of decorating cookies with royal icing is they are too cute to eat.

That Doggie in the Window

Owen's wanting a dog has been a reoccurring theme for awhile now. For as long as I can remember, he's been fascinated with dogs. He loves everything about them. He is convinced he needs one. Remember this? And Gavin is right alongside him. He takes notice of every dog everywhere we go. Even the faintest bark sets him in search of a hound.

There's just one problem. I am NOT a dog person. Well...I do like them at a distance. I think it would be great for the boys to have a dog. I had a dog for a short time growing up and I loved it. But the thought of taking care of it, cleaning up after it, getting attached to it. I feel like I'd be taking on another half child. Not sure I'm up for that.

Yet Owen is relentless. Everyday he talks about getting a dog. I feel myself slowly wearing down. About a week ago on our trip to the library I suggested we check out some books on dogs. That way we could learn more about different kinds and how much work it is to take care of a pet. In a way I was hoping it would distract him from the daily debate. Instead, I found this hanging above his bed the next day:


He had looked through that piddly library book like it was a catalogue. And he ordered up the one he wanted. Total backfire. After a frank reminder about how to treat library books I asked him why he hung the page up. And his response was, "When Santa comes to my house he'll think this boy wants a pug for Christmas."

The question of whether or not we're getting a dog remains to be seen. But what's certain is we'll be checking out this event again this year. It's too cute (weird) to be missed.