Foreshadowing....

...what may come if America adopts Nationalized Healthcare.

Story here.

A little scary, but maybe it would help with our immigration problems too? Of course, most refugees aren't overweight... until they get here and eat our food for a long enough time.

Unhelpful.

So I've been doing this preschool program with Maria. The program centers around reading good picture books that relate to the weekly theme. So we've been using the library a lot recently.

At the suggestion of some good friends, I finally figured out how to make book requests online so I won't have to spent time trying to find everything by myself. It usually took me an hour or so and wasn't very fun for Amelia, who tended to get grumpy and eat any books within range. (She's an avid book-eater... but that's another post.)

Anyhow, I spent time to today making requests for books and CDs for the next three weeks worth of "school." Then I decided to check my account to make sure that everything had gone through. The account summary said that I was past my overdue limit. So I looked at the more detailed pages. I had renewed some books at the beginning of the month and one of them hadn't renewed for some reason. I tried to renew it, as it still had a renewal left but it told me that someone had a request out for it. Ah-ha!

Worried that this would effect my requests, I called the library and explained the situation. I told her that when I had renewed the books, online, it hadn't told me that the book had any requests out, and I had thought that it was renewed. After a few other suggestions, she said, "Maybe it did say it, and you just ignored it."

Um...yeah. I don't think I'll be calling to ask for anymore help with the online system. Next time I'll ask in person, so maybe she'll be less inclined towards such rude comments. Or at least I'll be able to get her name and report her.

Halloween.

When given the choice between a princess dress and a doctor costume, this is what Maria chose. We have high hopes for her.

These first pictures are from the local Halloween Parade.

Since it was raining, as in torrential downpours, the parade was held in the school gym.

When the entertainment failed to show up they had the kids do a "freeze-dance," which Maria throughly enjoyed.



This next batch of pics is from Halloween night.

This doesn't really do the costume justice, but when she was in a crawling position, Amelia really looked like an overgrown skunk. It was very funny.

Since the costume was size 6-9 months, Amelia could barely move. But she was very determined to try and spent a few minutes waddling around the house.

Our first stop.

Back in the car, after a successful hunt.

Last stop, Aunt Becky's house

Here's our, uh, I mean the girls' take for the evening. Not bad for going to only 5 houses.

Pumpkins...

...as big as your kid.

A little overdue here are some pics from our pumpkin pickin' trip to Merrymead Farm. Next year maybe we'll plan better and do the hayride or the cornstalk maze. But for this year the pumpkin coral will have to do.




Oh, and we got some gourds too.