That down time is now a Vague Memory

The days are flying by!  But I am so glad that I have the flexibility to be here a lot when the kids get home or to pick them up from school.

Here is what Middle School son looks like when he sees me taking his photo after picking him up from cross country practice after school.  I couldn't help it.  He looked so vibrant and healthy (and I am so grateful for these blessings):

And Saturday morning was chilly but so crystal clear and gorgeous outside watching him run cross country:

(never mind that I get a photo in front of the porta potties).

After about five weekends our master bath is completely demolished.  I'll post more later on how it is a miracle we weren't electrocuted in the shower these past five years we've lived in our 30 year old house.

And the wallpaper in the bathroom included two layers on top of drywall so the only logical thing to do is take down the dry wall.

We have an excellent tradesman and his bad-ass daughter who were the latest crew to be given the tour of our crazy-designed master bath and who got the job of re-creating it this week.  More on that later.  Hubs and I are guests now in our own home being in our guest room and all.

So many areas of parenting are harder with kids getting older.....but not Halloween.  It was easier this year -- I found that out even though I've been lamenting the younger years and gazing at photos.  Being easier this year really worked out well because I haven't had a lot of down time.  The days of getting three pumpkins and carving them all fancy are over.  I did one:

And a couple weeks ago our youngest son (5th grade) told us he wanted to be an IRS agent and carry a briefcase.  He needed a suit jacket anyway.  He watches lots of TV (and is smarter than everyone in the house put together) and said he saw an ad for attorneys "Montlick and Asso" and then an ad for "Are debt collectors after you?" and he got the idea.  He asked Hubs for a week to show him how to tie a tie and Hubs showed him about an hour before trick or treating and now he is the best tie-er in the house and tied his own tie.

When I asked Middle School son what he was doing he said grunt, grunt.  Then suddenly on Halloween he told us that he and some friends were going to go around our 'hood and he got out the bag of past blood, scars and amputated hands and found facepaint and made himself a zombie with dirt and leaves in his hair and blood on his shirt and he left for a couple hours.  Oldest son left for a couple hours too to a friend's house.  I think it was a coed low-key party of sorts.  But he was back home at 9:00.   I walked around with some moms in another 'hood as our n'hood is too hilly for maximum number of houses to cover.  Fortunately Youngest was ready to go home the same time I was.

In one month there'll be a Christmas tree in our house.  Amazing!