Gone [for] November

Adam leaves for job training in Houston tomorrow at noon. We don't really know how long he will be gone, but it could be most of November. I've been reluctant to announce that in the blogosphere, let me also add that I sleep with several loaded guns, a K-9 German Sheperd at my feet, and I never miss my target when swinging a baseball bat (ok, that last part isn't true). I'm really, really going to miss him. Yet I've been well trained in the art of single parenting these last few months while he has worked so much. Except that I keep getting sick. I was sick for a few days when Le Anne was here visiting, and now I've had the body aches/monster cough for 6 days. "Tomorrow will be the last day and Adam and the children will not catch it", I shout futily to the virus/bacteria.

We had our ward party last night. I won "The Best Chili Ever" award. Now that is a major award :). I used spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce and it just happened to compliment the chili spices very well. Oh, and I used elk meat. Adam bought us a bunch of costumes last year on the day after Halloween for 75% off. Mine was "Autumn Witch" and I can't believe they can get away with making such a skimpy, trashy dress and calling it a costume. I wore a few layers underneath. Kaia made up her "snowflake" costume as we were walking out the door. Apparently the elephant costume she wore to school earlier that day wasn't going to cut it for the second party. Right now she is working on a third costume for tonight's party. Sierra's costume is falling apart in the above pic. She calls herself a "tap-dancing vampire" b/c she borrowed that dress from Gram's collection of tap-dancing outfits. She made the newspaper wig in her first Activity Days last week. She is so excited to be part of that group. Tristan was a Transformer, but he wouldn't look up for the picture b/c a smaller kid was threatening his candy at that moment. Ruby was a little monkey, the same costume we got for Kaia at this age. So cute.