October Already

I have noticed a trend, around the Interweb, of people being astonished that it's October.  Me too.  And not least because I planted pansies in my front flowerbed today.  Because that's what people DO in Texas--they don't have frost here!  At least, not until like December or January.  I can't quite wrap my mental processes around it.

Meanwhile (yesterday), the kiddos and Daddy were playing an MMO.  (Lord of the Rings Online, if you want to know.  Miss Boo has her own character, a girl she designed herself that spends a lot of time jumping in place and getting stuck against walls and behind trees.)  Miss Boo is directing her Daddy to fight the "wolves, bears, bad pigs, even lions" in the game.  Those bad pigs (wild boars, I think they're supposed to be) are her favorite enemies in the game.

(Go Razorbacks?)

Buddy is not as thrilled with the activity since he's not allowed to hit buttons.  He just likes sitting with Daddy.

Although the adventures of Miss Boo's twitchy, wall-bound character do interest him sometimes.

She's actually fairly competent at navigating, except she hits the map view key all the time, so her character dies.

A lot.

She doesn't care.  She has a lot of fun just watching the backdrops.

And, of course, playing with Daddy.  That's the main thing.

Daddy, who could be leveling up his own character, is very patient.

This? Oh, this is what Mama has been doing.  Note the shopping list and the unpaid bills in the corner?  Yeah.  I gotta get to those tonight.  And I have to restrain myself from dinking around with the novel any more tonight. I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen between now and the next big event, which is... tricksy.

Meanwhile, this morning, we were invaded by Pirates in their Bathing Trunks, who threw legos all around the living room.

There were also girl pirates, who put their swimsuits on over their clothes in what I can only assume was a subconscious bid to go swimming.  But alas, it's just a bit too chilly for swimming.  Also, swimming outside is a pain, and since Mama had to get up at 5:30 with bouncy children this morning, Mama's patience wasn't up for it.

Pumpkin-Pecan-Cranberry bread.  Oh yeah.  It's as yummy as it sounds.

See?  (America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.  Buy it.  Everything--absolutely everything--I've ever cooked out of that book has worked perfectly the first time and has tasted fabulous.  But what would you expect from a cookbook whose recipe, for instance, for mashed potatoes calls for a cup of heavy cream?)

This is Jambalaya from the same cookbook.  (Also excellent, although I didn't have any shrimp--just sausage.)  Miss Boo, when she saw what I was cooking, began singing "Jambalaya and a pumpkin pie on the bayou..."  Which makes me think I ought to watch what I sing around the house.

He liked the pumpkin bread.

It was mostly what he had for dinner.

She asked for regular bread and butter instead, because she said that the nuts in the pumpkin bread would hurt her stomach.  She ate the butter off the bread like cheese.

I gave her some more butter.  It was pretty much all she ate for dinner, having filled up on dried cranberries earlier.

He wanted pumpkin bread, but did not get any.

Because even with four teeth, we tend to choke on stuff.

We don't really believe Mama when she says that something is a choking hazard.

We think she's holding out because, perhaps, she wants all the choking hazards to herself.  Because she's selfish with danger like that.

But we try to have some understanding for her.  Mama tries her best, even though she is rather easily fuddled.

His male model pose.

Guess what was going on while I was making this post?  Yep, a boy who is not wanting to admit that it's bedtime.  I'd better go help with that.

Cheers,

Breanna