Fall!

I love this time of year; theoretically.  The fair comes to town (even though the magic wore off this year because the food made me sick), the weather begins to change (although in Phoenix, we’ve been in the 90’s through most of October), college football Saturdays (although ASU is officially dead to me and BYU stinks this year), Halloween decorations go up (I don’t like the gory stuff).  Well, you get the  idea.  This is a great time of year despite a few bumps.

The party season kicked off with a celebration at Lifetime Fitness for the kids.  Inflatable slides, a pumpkin patch, face- painting, etc.  Pace decided to be Spiderman to this event and had a really good time.  That night, my folks’ ward had their annual Trunk-or-Treat.  Ryan & Grandad took Pace all of whom had a lot of fun.

Thursday was Pace’s school party.  I went and saw Pace in his  natural school environment.  After seeing this, I decided I better get something good for Mrs. Burgess for Christmas this year. 

That night was the school carnival.  Games, food, fun, etc.  I didn’t go but Pace and Ryan both came home smelly  so I imagine they had a great time running around.

Friday was our ward Halloween Party.  Planned were a chili cook-off, a Jack-O-Lantern contest, and a trunk decorating contest.  I have not participated in this event up to this point because I don’t like Halloween that much but since Pace is so captivated/terrified this year, I figured I get involved for his sake.  Then it became a mission.  I started planning it out the week before and had tasks for  Ryan and I to complete each day – including a pumpkin carving night.  Party store, grocery store, back to the party store, Costco; it really was a marathon of shopping.  On Friday, I got up early and began the chili – burned it - had to clean up the mess and start again.  Then on to the van; I had my hot-glue gun, dry-ice, glow-in-the-dark bugs, black light, drop-down spider, evil-hand candy bowl, it was too exciting.  I worked on it all day. 

My brother started serving his chili in a pumpkin bowl a few years ago so I decided I give that a try; we were supposed to get to the church early to set out our chili.  At 6:00 we loaded up and headed for the church but, by the time we got there, it was mass pandemonium!  Hundreds of little princesses, Scooby-Doos, superheroes, and other characters running around, amped on candy BEFORE the trunk-or-treating even began!  I almost turfed it just getting my chili to the table.  And so it went, one chaotic event after another.  Stand in line, slam down your chili, wait for the winner to be announced.  Grab your little superhero, run for the games, eat the prize on the way to the next game.  Fly by the Jack-O-Lantern table for a split-second glance.  Tear outside and get your trunk ready for the trunk-or-treat and onslaught of hundreds of little goblins and ghouls revved up on the sugar-high of the year.  What fun;  I can’t believe I’ve missed this for so many years.  However, Pace did have the time of his life as Batman.  And, after all, wasn’t this all for him? 

Did I mention I won first place in the chili contest and best decorated trunk contest?  Maybe it was just a little for me.  I love this time of year!

An Ephriam weekend

I'm not very big into reunions, but this one at Snow that I went to a couple of weeks ago (October 8-9) was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime event. After all, how many people can say that they were a part of a team that won a national football championship 25 years ago? To make the event even nicer, not only the were the players and coaches there, but students and fans were also part of the occasion (actually, I refer to them as friends of the team). Nothing like the feeling of getting to re-live your youth for a weekend. And of course, getting the entire team inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame is like putting the cherry on the sundae.

Even though all of us are older, and have kids (or even grandchildren), the fact is that what was accomplished 25 years ago will never go away. Well, the whole event left me with a warm fuzzy feeling. Anyways, it is back to real life now.

Reunion withdrawls

Pace and Halloween

Pace has a love-hate relationship with Halloween.  He has always been fascinated by the “spookiness” of the holiday but is afraid of it at the same time.  Last Halloween, his teacher helped him make a skeleton that moved at all the joints by using staples as hinges.  This activity made such an impression that we have been watching, listening to, and helping Pace make “moving” skeletons, super-heroes, and movie characters ever since. 

As Halloween approached this year, Pace began to notice the decorations going up with combined wonder and terror.  He talked aloud about the scary ghosts, spooky skeletons, and creepy Jack-O-lanterns.  Although no one seemed to pay much attention, he continued to muse. 

Last week, he went with me to the grocery store.  Frys had really done it up for Halloween; the entire produce department was alive with all kinds of spooks and ghosts.  I heard Pace moaning out of the corner of my ear; things like “Do you think these ghosts are real?” and “I don’t want to get too close to those scary goblins, they might eat me.”   He climbed into the cart, scrunched down, and hid his eyes although at almost six, he is really too big for the cart.  I didn’t pay any attention to him, this was nothing new and I had groceries to buy!  Then, while I was selecting apples, I could ignore him no longer.  He yelled out, “MOM!  ARE YOU JUST GOING TO STAND THERE GETTING APPLES AND BE DOOMED?!?!?!”  I looked up at Pace; he was wide-eyed and totally serious.  All around, customers burst into laughter.  Unflustered, I answered, “Yes I am!  I need apples and I am going to pick the best ones even if it means that I am going to stand here and be doomed!”  And I made a mental note that Pace needs to stop watching Scooby-Doo.