No Halloween. Really?

Halloween has been removed from public schools. Really? Growing up I never equated Halloween with devil, witches, and satan. Never on halloween have I come across someone preaching satan worshiping rhetoric. Yes, people do dress up as evil characters, but that would be more for the fear factor than a show of their beliefs. Halloween has always meant candy and fun and using your imagination to dress up. I think this is so startling to me because when we left the south 3 years ago there were rumblings about fall parties and a few religious preschools had definitely latched onto the fall party concept, but halloween was not a dirty word.. Halloween is now a dirty word in the public schools of the south. I don't get it. Our school has even changed from having the party on Halloween day to having it tomorrow (perhaps we won't notice that the evil holiday is there at all) and no costumes are allowed at all.
I would have to rate this whole hullabaloo up there with a speaker I heard at a conference my first year of teaching. The staff of my school traveled out of state for a christian schools conference where the opening speaker analyzed (overanalyzed) the effect of popular cartoons on children's views of religion and how they were trying to replace God with other figureheads. The one example that comes to mind immediately (and is still a joke around our house) is that Papa Smurf was presented as a supreme being more knowing and powerful than God. No really. This was an hour long opening seminar to adult professional christian educators. Papa Smurf as the supreme being was the work of counter culture to brainwash children all over the world against christianity and God as our Father. How many children are tuned in enough to connect the hierarchy of the Smurfs to a religious hierarchy? How many of us watched the Smurfs with more than a sleepy eyed interest to see if Gargamel would outsmart the little guys this time? That is what this whole "evil halloween" looks like to me. Over-reaction to a children's celebration of fun, candy and imagination.
So why do I feel guilty whenever I say the word halloween now in a group of people that I am not sure of their "halloween beliefs"? In fact I sometimes feel like I should whisper the word itself.

It is THANKFUL THURSDAY so let me do a quick thankful: I am very thankful that fall is here. Can't wait for the rain and cool weather this weekend (apologies Gig Harbor and Pac NW friends or should I say condolences on the end of warmth and light). So thankful for the break I took from blogging-- feeling refreshed and ready to write a bit more. I am also very thankful that G's fall conference went so well. Not surprised but thankful. G has D's gift for numbers and is a voracious reader like me.

Love and hugs and happy halloween (should I whisper that?) B

Catching Up for October

Catching up in pictures for October. The pics are mostly small so you will have to double click if you need to study details or have failing eyesight.

Earlier in the month we headed north for cousin G's birthday, but not without a quick adventure on the way. We walked the battlefield at Manasass (also known as the Battle of Bull Run). This my favorite Civil War battle and I think it may be E's as well. Who doesn't have a favorite war battle? It's not strange. E is such a history buff. All the boys loved the chance to run the fields and climb cannons (against the rules-- do not actually follow our poor example) and see the giant statue of Stonewall Jackson. Pics of Manasass below:

Next up--- a few pics from the birthday celebration. The boys playing football outside and then the cake with 5 cousins surrounding ready to devour it.

Last weekend found us finally choosing pumpkins at the pumpkin patch.






We also took advantage of the beautiful fall weather and enjoyed our favorite walk over the suspension bridge and around Belle Island. Picture perfect with the leaves changing all around.The last pic in this series should be a Richmond postcard.



Along the way on Saturday we let M choose his new bike-- the birthday is in a couple weeks, but we decided to go ahead and let him get it since the old one was showing signs of giving out after living through all three boys.

love and hugs, B

Apple Picking 2011

We went to Carter Mountain to pick apples for the first time since 2007.The boys had a good time picking apples and remembering our past visits to Carter Mountain. I have pics of every visit and all 3 boys picked their very first apples there. This year we went early so the apples close to the barn were plentiful-- a key to a successful picking adventure. Red delicious and golden delicious were our first targets and we picked so many that we decided to check out and leave them in the car and just walk down to see what the Jonagold orchard looked like. That was a mistake since when we got there we discovered the Jonagolds were huge and absolutely scrumptious. As usual I thought we picked too many, but once home and some were given away found that we picked the right amount so we would have some for 2-3 weeks without being suffocated by apple surplus.


Funny how little things still tug at my heart about Gig Harbor and how when the kids use that as their point of reference it still surprises me (and it shouldn't-- that is where most of M's memories are). As the 3 boys walked toward the apple barn the final time munching Jonagolds as big as their heads (literally, not figuratively) M turned to G and said "Remember when we would eat apples like this for lunch?" G agreed and said they were better in Washington. They began to talk about the apple truck man. E then asked what in the world they were talking about and they explained how the apple truck man would always them give the a gigantic apple to eat when I stopped to buy from the Wenatchie truck. It all happened while E was at school so he had not experienced it with them. The whole conversation had me listening in wonder and hoping that they will hold on to all the memories we are making together. If not, I guess they can read the book I make from the blog every few years.
Also, wanted to let you know that I was almost true to my word from a couple posts ago. I did download the pics onto my new computer and actually managed to write a post from it, but still couldn't get the stupid thing to let me put my pics on the blog. I am slowly climbing up that learning curve though.
love and hugs and I love fall! B
It has been very wet here and there are beautiful little (and giant) mushrooms everywhere. Found this bright red one in the woods and had to share it.