How’s this photo for a creepy family portrait? Spooky, no? Gotta love Halloween!
We had the most wonderful Halloween this year. Friends joined us at home for cocktails and treats before heading out for trick-or-treating. Per the children’s request both Raymond and I dressed up this year. At first Lola wanted me to be Glinda the Good Witch to go with her Dorothy costume, but that was a little much for me to pull off. We settled on a ghost instead. Raymond surprised us all with very scary makeup and totally spooked the kids!
There were probably close to 50 people that came through the party at one point or another. The kids ran circles around the house. The adults drank Black Widows expertly poured by Raymond. And when the sun began to set, we headed out en masse for trick-or-treating!
If the test of a neighborhood were the number of families walking the streets on Halloween night, and the number of homes decorated and lit and ready with candy, then Ardsley Park would surely top any list! There were kids everywhere! (And more than few haunted houses and spooky charecters lurking in the shadows – including a wolfman that jumped out of the bushes and scared poor Lola Gray and Anina into tears!) We kept going until the kids were exhausted, their bags too heavy with candy to carry any longer and my feet were aching.
I love this. I love the excitement, the costumes, the candy. I love that Fletcher announced every piece of candy like it was the greatest thing he had every seen and that Lola Gray held my hand as we walked between every house. I love that they are already talking about what they will be for Halloween next year. They won’t be little for long. One day they will want to dress in gory or sexy costumes that will make me cringe. One day they won’t want us to go door to door with them, will be embarrassed by Mom and Dad in our goofy costumes. (I hope when that day comes my friends will still be coming by for cocktails, because I will definitely need them!)
Categories: Ardsley Park · holidays
Sometimes my girl just blows me away. I have spent so much time worrying lately about the fact that she doesn’t seem to know her letters – something Fletcher had mastered by the time he was 18 months old. I know how smart she is, I have no doubts about that, but sometimes I forget . . . Tonight she reminded me, yet again, that intelligence comes in many forms. While I was cooking dinner, Lola got out the construction paper, scissors and glue. She worked very quietly in the playroom for a long time, and then came triumphantly into the kitchen to show me the scarecrow she had made. She was so proud of herself! And I was so proud of her!
She and Fletcher both played beautifully this afternoon. We didn’t turn on the TV all day long! I know it is a little sad that I see that as such an accomplishment . . . but I do. And the thing is, not only did we not turn on the TV but the kids never even ASKED to turn on the TV. There were just too many other fun things to do. That is what I like to see! To celebrate, ghostly mashed potatoes for dinner followed by home made caramel apples for dessert. I love Halloween!
Categories: uncategorized
It was a loooooong week. First the fever, then the congestion, then the waiting and waiting to make sure we didn’t go “out” too soon. Fletcher and I spent a LOT of time together, just the 2 of us in the house playing Uno and watching movies. It was so great to finally get out of the house on Saturday! We started the day with breakfast at Krispy Kreme (when I suggested it, he said “That’s crazy, Mommy. No one eats donuts for breakfast!” But oh, young Fletcher, you have much to learn!)
After breakfast we went to the Fall Festival at the Bamboo Farm and Coastal Garden. So great to have my boy back!
Categories: uncategorized
My baby girl has gone with her Daddy to visit Grandmama and Auntie M. She was sooooooo excited – and with good reason! I am certain the weekend will be full of girly fun and Lola will be properly spoiled by the end of it.
But I miss her.
Fletcher and I spent the day quarantined in the house. His fever is gone, and though the coughing and sneezing is worse than ever, our crazy old Fletcher is back. In fact, he spent most of the day bouncing off the walls. He had finished all his school homework before breakfast and was begging for more. We did dozens of worksheets, watched movies, read books, and played a marathon game of Uno. Really, it was a great day . . . but I’m not sure I can take 2 more days of being house bound without going truly stir crazy!
Categories: uncategorized
O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October’s bright blue weather;
When loud the bumblebee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And goldenrod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;
When gentians roll their fingers tight
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs
Without a sound of warning;
When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;
When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;
When springs run low, and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;
When comrades seek sweet country haunts,
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers, hour by hour,
October’s bright blue weather.
O sun and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October’s bright blue weather.
by Helen Hunt Jackson
Categories: uncategorized
I love October. I love the chill in the air, the changing leaves, the way the sun sits lower in the sky and casts long, dramatic shadows. I love the smell of decaying leaves, love the melancholy sleepiness of late afternoon as the sun sets ever earlier, love snuggling under blankets and feeling the cold air on my nose. The problem is, October in Savannah is rarely any of these. For the first few weeks of the month we sweltered and sweated and cursed the summer clothes we were still forced to wear.
And then . . . October decided to visit us at last! The temperature fell. We opened windows, pulled out sweaters, lit a fire. Autumn at last! October in all it’s brilliant blue glory is here!
For one beautiful Saturday we enjoyed it to it’s fullest. We visited the pumpkin patch, had a picnic by the lake and fed the geese, lit a fire in the backyard and roasted marshmallows. . . And then the fever hit. And then it went higher. And higher.
The flu – strain A, most likely H1N1.
So now Fletcher and I are staying inside, snuggled on the couch watching endless cartoons while he recovers and I try desperately not to get sick. There will be more beautiful autumn days to enjoy. For now, enjoy these photos of our one day out in the cool, crisp air.
Categories: nature · transitions
Today I went and ate lunch at school with Fletcher! I can not even begin to describe how much fun it was! The children in his class were all so surprised to see me, and so excited that I was there. They talked non-stop! I am so, so glad I went!
Categories: school
Yesterday Disney’s Christmas Carol Express rolled into town, so of course the kids and I had to go check it out! The train is promoting the upcoming 3D version of A Christmas Carol, and inside were all sorts of displays documenting the process by which they achieved the amazing animation. Fletcher and Lola, to their credit, were really interested in all of the preliminary work of the animators – I thought it might be a bit over their heads. But then, of course, Disney does everything to the highest level so the displays themselves were incredible eye candy.
We could have stayed inside a long time . . . . if only it weren’t so darn crowded! By the looks of the line when we exited the train though, it looks like we arrived just before the rush. At 5:45 when we left, the wait was anticipated at 3 hours to get on the train!
After touring the train and playing in the bubble “snow” for a while, we were able to see a 10 minute sneak peak of the new movie. It looks really wonderful. The style of the animation mixes beautifully painted and illustrated scenes and classic characters with motion capture technology. Throw in the 3D effects and I was totally hooked. Can’t wait for this to come out in theaters!!
Categories: uncategorized
Lola Gray was finally able to have her new friend Isa over for a playdate today! This is a big one, as Isa is the first friend that Lola has truly found on her own. The girls had so much fun together, and I feel certain we will have many more playdates in the future!
Categories: friends
Online auction hooks children on books
Bid on donated items, such as weekend getaways and gift cards, to help provide local children with a free book every month until they turn 5.
By Anne Hart
Ashley Waldvogel Gaddy’s dream is that every child in Chatham County receives a free children’s book by mail every month from birth to age 5.
An online fundraising auction under way at http://ferstthingsfirst.wordpress.com is the first of many steps toward accomplishing that dream.
Gaddy, an Ardsley Park mom of two and Savannah College of Art and Design professor, leads the Chatham County branch of the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy and is organizing the online auction.
The Ferst Foundation aims to instill a love of books in all Georgia preschoolers by giving a free, age-appropriate book to a registered child every month until the child’s fifth birthday.
The goal is to eliminate the key reason why parents don’t read to their children: the lack of quality books in their home.
Read the full article here via Online auction hooks children on books | savannahnow.com.
Categories: Ferst Foundation
