A tradition that we've been doing since before Winnie was born: heading to a friend's house for a pumpkin carving party. Great fun.

 Winnie carved her own this year. Meaning--she gutted it and used the cutting tool to do it all by herself. I wasn't allowed to see it until...

Whallah! Winona's first jack-o-lantern! Me encanta lo! 

And here are the creations of the evening all lined up...

A few Winona quotes that, along with the pictures, will tell you more than any of my narrative ever could.

Winnie (shy and giggly): This is a picture of me marrying Toa. I kinda think he's....(giggle giggle); he's kinda...."

Dad: You have a crush on him?

Winona (lights up):  YES! I have a crush. (shyness gone--no holding back now) He's nice and funny and I like him like I like Connor and the boy who played Jack in Into the Woods (this one was news to me)."

Pause.

"I'll marry Toa, but Connor still has my heart."

(Sorry, Jack. Don't know where that leaves you. 

Maybe as the cool boy next door with the rockin' bean stalk).

 And this, well; no narrative to go with it, but it hardly needs commentary.

Other recent quotes worth, er, quoting:

(Sung, in an improv session with Mike at the piano and Winnie singing)

"I sing the songs I promised to my soul."

A few days ago, on a deep October autumn day bikeride:

"Look, mom! That tree looks like a Candy Corn Tree!" (Yellow leaves with hot orange ends--it totally did); 

Then, Jezebel 47 times with increasing frantic energy: Where candy tree? Where? Where Candy Tree? Where? (you get the picture).

Tonight, driving home,

Sleepily, "Mama, I've been watching since we left the party and I'm pretty sure that star is coming home with us." 

BOO! 

 Did we scare you? :)

Had a beautiful float down the mighty McKenzie this past weekend. Clear skies, warm sun and only a few splashes (Jezebel squealed with delight; Winona squealed in horror). 

Hello, Fall! 

We left the "city" today in search of fall fun...and found it, along with some friends who happened to be there, as well! 

 The horse-drawn hayride was a highlight... and the sun came out for the duration of the entire ride.  

And stayed out long enough for another attempt at the maze. Both figured out pretty quickly that it's A) easier and B) more fun to get up on the haybales and run and leap and, yup, fall. Even the falling was pretty hilarious (most of the time)

Holey Smile and A Whole Lot of Friends

Here's what I look like with all my teeth. Get a good look, because...

...it's going to be awhile before I don't have a Big Hole-y Smile! 

The other front one is hanging on by a thread.

I have all my teeth. And all my friends. Meet Mustard (the cat) and Kwady (the lizard), and Woofy (the dog wrapped up in the napkin and out of sight here). I like these guys a lot. And I like knowing where they are at all times. 

Especially right when it's time to go to bed or leave the house. 

You can imagine how much mom loves this.