November at an orchard, in the woods, on a beach

Last week, Oliver enjoyed his Halloween card from Grandma Mandy!

On Friday evening, Madeline attended June's birthday party while Oliver and I held down the fort at home (he'd spent the day home sick).

On Saturday morning, we returned to Sunset Orchards for Benji's birthday party!

That night, Summer and I got a sitter and went to a music festival celebrating three years since a fantastic little local theater was renovated and reopened.  The lineup was generally impressive and featured the first-ever performance by The Huntress and Holder of Hands, whom you should all check out.

On Sunday, we met up with Deb, Noah, Lea, and Sam at Weetamoo Woods in Tiverton.

Lea and Madeline thoroughly explored their surroundings.

(And sometimes Oliver tried to keep up with them.)

Near the parking area, there's a pen with horses and this tiny pony, which the kiddos plied with a carrot.

By the time we left, the day -- and the weekend -- was coming to an end.

Monday evening I was out late and Tuesday evening Summer was out late, so today's holiday came as a nice reprieve.  In the morning, the kids played calmly and inventively with each other while Summer and I read in bed.  The quiet was occasionally punctuated by the likes of this: in trots Oliver, who says, brandishing a bag that contains two baby dolls and a toy pacifier, "I have something cool for you, Mommy!"

In the late afternoon, we headed out to coastal Warwick, where we got food from Iggy's and briefly played on a dark beachfront playground.

Halloween and after (update 3 of 3)

On Halloween night, we ventured out for some trick-or-treating.

Oliver's adorable pizza ensemble drew many exclamatory comments -- "How cute!  I want to eat you!"

We visited lots of houses ...

... and met some interesting people.

We even visited babysitter Sara and petsitter Lauren (a skeleton just like Madeline)!  Then we returned home, fired up the jack-o-lanterns ...

... and considered our loot.

The next morning, Oliver still wanted to be in costume.

He enjoyed pumpkin seeds and hot cocoa, shirtless for reasons known only to him.

Then, while he napped, Madeline and I put our community garden plot to bed for the fall.  Madeline enjoyed taking care of the worms in the plot ...

... and climbing the pile of woodchips outside the fence.

And now here we are in early November!

Halloween preparations (update 2 of 3)

Back in Rhode Island, we returned to routine.  One day, Madeline asked a series of interesting questions peppered with a few observations:

• What if everything could sing?
• Like trees -- what would they sing about?
• The sun?  
• The rain?
• And what if trees had legs?
• What if everything had legs?
• Then our house could get up and wander away!
• And it could play basketball!
• What if our house had a face?
• And it could talk?
• I think it would talk to an old garbage truck.

Madeline is quite the conversationalist these days.

Over the course of the week, we worked on Oliver's Halloween costume.  He and Madeline performed the important task of gluing mushrooms and olives to the pizza.

On Halloween, we carved pumpkins.

Oliver did a pumpkin-carving dance.

And he admired the resulting jack-o-lanterns.

Madeline drew what she wanted her jack-o-lantern to look like; I tried to oblige her.

While Oliver napped, we finished Madeline's costume.

We just had time before the festivities commenced to take a quick wagon ride to the post office and the library.

Then we got the jack-o-lanterns ready to set out on the front steps.

(The little pumpkin is one we grew ourselves, in our yard!)

And finally the hour arrived for trick-or-treating ...

October in Delaware (update 1 of 3)

In October, in addition to the usual art projects ...

... we packed up for a long weekend and drove, stopping at a rest stop ...

... to Delaware!

Early Friday, the kiddos played.

Later, while Grandma Susy and Grandpa John tended to the kiddos, Summer and I attended a wedding!

Then on Saturday, after Oliver's nap ...

... we visited the kiddos' great grandparents (but sadly neglected to take photos).

On Sunday, we took a trip to the Delaware Museum of Natural History with Uncle Alex.  The kiddos climbed on the statues outside.

Inside, we saw dinosaur casts.

A special exhibit allowed the kiddos to dig for some dinosaur eggs ...

... and brood some dinosaur eggs too.

Oliver was a little nervous about the same glassed-over giant clam that used to give me the heebie-jeebies as a kid.

But he loved the grizzly bear!

There was a lot to admire.

After the museum visit, we dropped Uncle Alex off in Philadelphia and then returned to Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Madeline got in some some low-key time with Grandpa John while Oliver played on the playground with Grandma Susy.

Then, before we knew it, Monday morning arrived and we headed back to Rhode Island.