it's pretty obvious.

You make a candy trail over your entire house.

obviously wonderful. LIFE.

good candy.

So...I say finally because Halloween really did not pass my kids up...although from their perspective I think they were sure it would because it took all day to get around to being here.

We finally got out of the driveway and...went door to door asking for candy. 

We kept calling Emmett, who was out with his friends, and asking him if he'd been to Machete Man's house.  Machete Man is the neighborhood legend.  Last year their house was decked out in cannibal style, complete with a cannibal man and his machete, ready to eat any kid who came too close.  His wife stood by him and in cannibal language ('ughs' and 'ummphs') bid kids come and brave getting close enough for candy to Machete Man.  He had a table with king size candy bars on it and those plastic bloody fingers.  He would scoop up the king size candy bar with his machete and give it to kids.  The whole house had lights and music.  These neighbors really get into a theme for trick-or-treating.  So...naturally, we wanted an update as soon as Emmett had gone to the legendary house.  I mean...really....what kid doesn't want to brave the Machete Man and his cannibal tribe for a king size candy bar.

About 3/4 of the way through trick-or-treating the clouds broke and it rained cats and dogs.  We were soaked to the bone in less than a minute.  Crazy.  Gracie was done.  She wanted to go home.  Mike raced back to the house a mile away, ran through the woods, scraped up his legs, got the car, and rescued sweet Grace. 

The kids and I stayed out for a little while longer and then lights started turning off.  We came home, took warm baths, and did what all kids do...Counted the loot.

happy. HALLOWEEN. LIFE.

halloween.

I don't know if there is another time of the year that is more highly anticipated for my kids than the moment that magically chimes the free-for-all-door-to-door-candy-walk-a-thon.  My kids think that half the year passes every one minute that leads up to the first sighting of a trick-or-treater.  This sighting means that we need to be out the door 5 minutes ago...at the very least.

They try to keep themselves busy in the middle of the "can we go now?!!" and the "when are we leaving?!" and "all of the candy is going to be gone!".  You would think that somehow Halloween was going to pass with out them. 

This reading moment of Miriam's lasted all of about 2 minutes before the barage of questions about when would we EVER leave to go trick or treating??? started up again... 

I have a feeling your kids sit quietly on the couch with their hands in their laps patiently waiting for the clock to strike "TIME TO TRICK OR TREAT."  And then they very passively walk to the door and begin their trick or treating.  All the while remaining calm.  Or maybe not.  Maybe they are just like my kids and act like they are caged animals...

putting on their costume the moment they wake up.

are we going trick or treating now?

no.

oh man.  (takes costume off)

puts costume back on a little while later.

are we leaving yet?

no.

geez. (wears costume for a little while and I find it peeled off in the driveway)

costume is magically back on again

WHEN are we GOING trick or TREATING?

not yet.

UGH!

hat from costume is on

will we be leaving soon?

in about 5 hours.

WHAT!?!??!!

and so the day goes.....

.........

..............

.......................

Finally, the costume is back on for the umpteenth time. 

Mom and Dad, we HAVE to leave!!!

Okay.

And before I can say another word...

they all bust out the door, running to the neighbors to be the first to ring the doorbell, with me yelling behind them, make sure to say thank you!!

I think Halloween should always be on a school day...

:)

funny. LIFE.

by the seat of our pants.

I'm really not good at looking too far into the future.  I live pretty day to day most of the time.  At the beginning of the summer Mike and I said we were going on vacation with the kids...we even put it on the calendar.  I remember saying we should go to Atlanta. 

Well, about two weeks ago I realized that trip to Atlanta was coming up.  I thought to myself, "we'll just find a hotel when we get down there...we'll just wing it.  It will be fun."  I had some ideas about what we could do and I was especially wanting the kids to experience the In to the Dark exhibit that is there. It's a fascinating journey into a blind person's world.  I got to go to it when I was at Love Affair and loved the chance to have my mind opened to a completely different way of seeing.  I knew it would be great for my kids.

As the trip got closer, I decided we had all been to Atlanta enough.  We've been there 4 times since we moved here (not that you could ever run out of things to do there) and I wanted to go somewhere new.  So...4 days before we were supposed to leave and during peak season for EVERYTHING since school starts...TOMORROW.  I decided to try to book something in Charleston or at one of the many state parks in North or South Carolina.  I spent an entire day on the internet and phone hearing all about how everything was booked and if you want to book anything you have to rent for at least a week.  Needless to say I got pretty frustrated about 1/2 way into the day.

I finally talked to a woman near the end of that long long long day at the computer and she recommended Pawley's Island.  I had been looking at resorts and big frouffy places that I really didn't want to go but didn't know where else to look.  I wanted something that felt smaller, more cozy, and less tourist-y.  From what she told me, it sounded like Pawley's Island was perfect...a little island between Myrtle Beach and Charleston. 

We arrived and loved the feel of the island and have decided we'll have to go back next year.  We had so much fun.  I'm posting some pictures of our trip and I'll be posting even more...I may have to do a couple of segments or something.

These images are about the first 12 hours we were there.  We went to the beach before anyone even had a chance to change into swimsuits...no one wanted to wait. 

Even though Mike and I had arranged to eat out for breakfast each morning (becuase we thought the kids would think that was awesome!) we quickly found out that our kids had decided that eating at the little round table in our little villa (2 bedroom condo) was the coolest place in town to eat breakfast.  So we went out and got cereal and milk (exactly what we have every single morning at home) and had the best tasting breakfast we've had in a long time.

We also went biking and crabbing and made sandcastles and went boogie boarding...more of those pictures to come soon...

A real vacation is a must!  I left my computer at home and so did Mike.  Most of the time I forgot my cell phone in the villa while we were out playing around and it was beautifully freeing and fun and so wonderful to be so present.  I hope you're getting a chance to do the same.  Really living makes a really big difference in your life.

vacation. LIFE.

Don't Stop Believin'! from davina fear on Vimeo.

I'm an 80s girl!

...and so is Gracie.  We can't help it.  We love Journey...and Sting...and REM...and U2...and The Police...Billy Idol...Howard Jones...INXS...Eurythmics...John Cougar Mellencamp...Bonnie Tyler...The Cars...ZZTop.

Love it.

And who can resist Steve Perry in those hot tight jeans? The long girl hair?  The animal print shirt?  Oh baby. 

Seriously. 

Okay. 

Maybe not.

(I am kidding about Steve Perry.)

but...

Bono.   Oh Baby. 

John Cougar.

Sting.

Those boys have got it going on.

Who is your fave 80s rocker?

...and yes, I really do let my child sing the words to that song...

great. parent.

rockin'. LIFE.