Snapshot 10.29.14
— Last Tuesday I dropped Anthony off at the Amtrak station one village over. Almost four hours later he was in Bakersfield and getting ready for several days of classes and a certification test. Aside from one disastrous dinner train adventure taken with our friends the Waltons over ten years ago, we’d never ridden on a train before. I told Anthony that I hoped very much it was like the Hogwarts Express and that he could eat pumpkin pasties off a cart, look for someone’s escaped toad, and dodge some Dementors with the help of a werewolf. It was actually quite and uneventful trip and nothing like the crazy train I envisioned. His boss joined him a few days later and also attended classes, and on Friday they made the drive home together. They didn’t come home, however, but went straight back to the office, where he worked until late that night, and also all this weekend. We missed him a lot but he learned so much and it was a great opportunity. I’m not going to lie and say it didn’t suck, because it sucked royal balls, but the reason it was so awful is that I had caught what felt like the 20th cold of the season. But we made it, and what doesn’t kill me gives me antibodies.
–The week before all this was my birthday, and it was actually a great day. I was in a grumpy mood, and instead of trying to change it, I indulged it. When Anthony got home we went to one of my favorite thrift stores a few towns over (it’s a Hope Chest, if you are familiar with that chain) and out to my favorite Chinese place in Modesto. While we were ordering food the waitress took note of Isobel’s confident tone and turned to me and said, “Wow, she’s the boss!” You have no idea, lady! It was so nice to relax together as a family, and Elias is still really calm in restaurants. While thrifting I found some amazing melmac platters and three gorgeous beaded necklaces that I can’t stop wearing. My party was nice and laid back, which since I was feeling poorly, was all I could handle. Stef also needed a laid back party, so we only planned on delicious food, something to nice drink, and comfy seats for bullshitting. My friend Christi embroidered this #OMFN tea towel and gave us items of thrift store gore. We taught her well! Isobel kept asking me over and over what I wanted from her and I told her I wanted art, so she drew an amazing picture of her, myself, and Baby Elias. My birthday gift to myself, since we weren’t in the position to cross anything off my life list, was to spend every gift card I have since I am fantastic at hoarding them and not-so-great at spending them. I’m still working on it.
–Isobel did settle on a Halloween costume, and although I initially thought it impossible, but we are going to give it a try! Isobel asked me what I am going to be for Halloween, and I told her “tired.” That wasn’t okay with her, so I’ll probably go as Tired, With Wings.
–While Anthony was away on his work adventure I took the kids to a Halloween carnival at her school. We wanted to find her cousins but they never arrived. Happily, we ran into our friends Brandon and Noel’s daughter Spencer. They had a great time playing the games, taking photos, and making the crafts. Spencer was totally on Isobel’s wavelength because they both wanted to make crafts together all night. It was a lot of fun but by the end of the night we were exhausted and we passed out in front of the TV watching an Avengers cartoon.
–When librarian friends @lieberian and @shinyinfo were so enraged Isobel didn’t receive any candy from school for dressing up for nerd day (her costume was deemed “not nerdy enough” to deserve candy), that they sent us care package of crazy socks, LEGO-shaped candy, and Nerds candy. It totally made our day! Thanks, ladies!! You internet people are all right.
— When we visited our friends Dave and Stef recently, Isobel left me and baby Elias to chat it up with Stef while she hung out in Dave’s Workshop. He was tinkering with something when he popped his head into the living room and asked if he could make Isobel a wooden sword. He somehow threw it together in one afternoon of visiting and painted the whole thing and attached a pink D20 to the end of the pommel. It is fantastic and she loves it.
–I finally had my chance to help out in Isobel’s classroom and was lucky enough to be assigned the cooking station where I helped the kids make “bone sandwiches” using a cookie cutter. Part of my job involved asking the kids all sorts of questions involving things they’ve learned about bones. At one point I asked the kids to tell me what was attached to our skeleton that helped us move around. The kids all shouted out “muscles!” and afterwards one kid said to me, “Yes, and my friend has muscles, too.”
Follow Friday: Backyard Beekeeping. These tweets are on fire.
Snapshot 10.22.14. What to do when the plane goes down.
Little Big Collection: Vintage Egg Cups. Have I mentioned how much I love egg cups?
Follow Friday: Hello, Fellow Youths. I am an old.
DIY Weeping Angel Tutorial. I love that Victoria used thrift store angels! Perfect.
Didn’t see this one coming, Steven Moffat.
Support the Discworld Project at LEGO! One of the best things about being a librarian is that I had access to a large collection of Terry Pratchett. Via @byshieldmaiden
Tonight I carved a pumpkin. Squeee!
This dog is dressed as Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
This bicycle has a baguette in its drink holder. Genius.
DIY Wolverine Adamantium Skeleton. A super fun Halloween decoration.
Least popular American baby names according to early records. Some of these are hilarious, but I’d love to bring a few of them back. Dove is an excellent name! I’m betting it’s a few more months until the uber-hip start naming their kid Spurgeon.
This is what happens when you take a picture of a kitten going through a dollhouse. via @CatchTheBaby
Are You A Dog Person Or An Ant Person? Clickhole Quiz Time! Via @apelad
Swedish police officers help boy with homework after call. Why must Sweden be so cold and faraway? It sounds fantastic.
Good news for @RiffTrax fans: Two more primetime specials coming to @NatGeoChannel in December!Via @thecomicscomic
8 DIY Couple’s Costume Ideas. All of these are my favorite.
DIY Baby Costume Inspiration. Isobel is the cutest piece of sushi of all time.
DIY Pink Pirate Princess Costume. Pink! Pirate! Princess! This costume had a lot of pieces.
DIY Kiki’s Delivery Service Costume. My favorite ever.
DIY Toddler Bumble Bee Costume. BEE!
