H-A-L-L-O-W-E-E-N

Spelling is almost dead over here. Charlotte is on the verge of understanding every word we spell, so I guess we'll just have to learn a new language to talk over her head.

Halloween was unorganized, messy, cold, and rainy here this year. We went costume shopping at lunchtime, carved pumpkins in the afternoon/evening, and then headed out into the dreaded freezing rain at dusk.

The kids had to wear layers and layers of clothes under their costumes. Trying to undress them at the end of the night was an Olympic sport.

But we had hot soup, roasted pumpkin seeds, a fire in the fireplace, and the ultimate -- candy -- to keep us going.

For those of you who don't know, Anson won't eat chocolate. He just doesn't like it. As a result, Charlotte rarely has it. So she likes it OK, but doesn't love it. You know what that means? That pile of chocolate is for ME!!!!