Here come the spots on Bethany!!

Well... I spent the whole week resizing photos to get the web site updated last night after Trick or Treating. It was a great evening... clear but not too cold. Erin was dressed up as a “nice” vampire (“the kind that only scares bad guys, Mom”) and Bethany was an adorable princess who kept trying to out race every one to the door. We went out with 4 other kids and 2 other Moms who were also in costume. For some funny reason, even though I was in costume, all my neighbours knew it was me!?!

After about an hour and a half, Erin started feeling itchy and funny again, so we came home to get an antihistamine while Bethany tagged along to the last 2 houses with the others. The doctor warned Erin that this type of flare-up would happen for a while with excitement or stress. Then everyone came to our house for a little play and peek at the loot.

Just as everyone was heading home, Bethany suddenly bolted for the bathroom and began begin violently ill to her stomach. I assumed that she was overtired and over-candied until I saw the first spots on her back... yup...Round 2 of Chicken Pox here we go!!!

At least they are happening now before I head off to Cross Stitch Retreat next weekend. If both my girls had broken out while I was away... I think my name would have been MUD!!

So now I have put up the results of the Dani the Dragon contest... and it was SO hard to pick winners. I am worried that lots of people won’t agree with my choices... that there will be hurt feelings... but I just kept coming back to some designs more than others and so did the people I asked to help me whittle the top 10 down to 3. Nick thinks it is funny that with all the colour choices I received... the 3 winners are green dragons... but it was the extras that tipped the balance... not the colours. That’s why I have so many Honorable Mentions!!

Bethany was a warm, sooky bundle on my lap as I started to type this blog. 2 hours later, after an Aveeno bath, medicine and bed (for her) I can finally finish my blog!

Brisk Walks and Arms Full of Leaves...

The kids in our School District have no school today or tomorrow as teachers do Parent/Teacher interviews and Professional Development days. I think that will Halloween falling on a Friday this year that was a clever way to avoid the excitement overload of kids whose brains are more set on trick-or-treating than learning!

Erin had a friend over to play this morning, so I did get a bit caught up on e-mail... but my office is a total disaster zone and this weekend I simply must go through all that kitchen counter clutter that piled up while Erin was sick. It isn’t just possessions that clutter up our houses. .. there is simply to much paper everywhere!! From school memos and the latest fundraiser to business information, cheques and bills. Too much!! Give me a town crier and less possessions any day!!

After the interview with Erin’s teacher, Nick dropped Erin and I off at the post office about 15 minutes from home so that I could send out a model to a stitcher. Erin and I then walked home in the blustery fall afternoon. I usually make that walk fairly quickly... but I haven’t had a child to it with me in a while. Erin was fascinated with the large gold maple leaves and kept picking up every “perfect” specimen (ie. no spots, tears or big blemishes) so that she could press then when we got home. (Oh... MORE clutter!!) She was skipping along in sheer joy with this huge armful of leaves, so totally caught up in the moment. Kids are a great reminder about just living life and enjoying each moment. I must learn to do that myself more often!

Playing Courier Tag... or A Dragon Chasing Her Tail

Why is is that couriers always seem to come to your house to deliver things during the small window that you might NOT be there instead of during the many hours that you are? I am waiting for more bags... so that I can batch up some orders that are ready, except for the bags, and came home to find the note stuck to the mail box that the courier had been in our neighbourhood early today. Arrrgh!

Tomorrow I have a meeting at Erin’s school since I have been elected to sit on the PSSC (A Parent Advisory Committee to help with school improvement) and so I had to fill out this long list of instructions of where they could leave said boxes... and hope that they find it in the brass mailbox since the weatherman is calling for blowing wind and rain tomorrow. Will they find it? Will they follow instructions? Will I have another note left and have to drive to the opposite end of the city tomorrow night to get my bags?

There are times when having an office staff or secretary would be nice... even a well trained pet! But at least this means that the bags are in the city. Won’t Nick be overjoyed to know that we have more bagging to do! (I can see the nervous tick starting up again already!)

The Joy of How Voices Blend...

For once, thanks to the time change, getting everyone out to church this morning and making it to rehearsal for choir was relatively easy! We were singing an anthem with the most glorious harmonies.. and at first I was a bit panicky about having missed choir practice last Wednesday to look after Erin. I have a good ear but my sight reading can be a bit slow sometimes. Thankfully, the tenor line came back quickly considering that I’ve only sung the anthem through a few times before today.

There is nothing quite like the moment when all the parts blend to make such a wonderful, musical whole! To hear your own voice and how it blends in with the others to keep the parts distinct and yet blending is something I absolutely love. The only other thing that has ever come close has been the joy and privilege of designing with Karen Weaver and Teresa Wentzler on the Legends pieces... that blending of talents that makes a greater whole and the sheer joy of spending time with two such special and talented ladies.

I came home and indulged in an afternoon nap (since I got up with the wide-awake kids early this morning) and then worked some more on the illustrations that had troubled me so much on Friday. This time, my hands seemed much more cooperative... so it was good to make some headway.

I snuck down to write this as my girls are watching “The Wizard of Oz” on TV upstairs. This is one of our favourite family movies... though Bethany still finds the “mean green witchy” kind of scary.

Erin will be heading back to school tomorrow.. and so far Bethany hasn’t broken out in spots... so I will indeed enjoy a quiet house to work in tomorrow morning!!