All Hallow's Eve

Halloween.
Samhain, for those in the know.
Funny, I thought it had been a few days - but I honestly didn't know that it had been a week.
Here's what we've been up to.

Lots of potty accidents. In a variety of places. We'll continue on immediately.
Roll after roll of toilet paper in the bathtub - course Mama doesn't find out until it's toilet soup in there, not in one easy-to-get-it-out lump, but so much.... soggy nothingness that it clogged my pipes. Not kidding. Kids sported tp in their hair for a couple of days. That actually made me smile, being out to dinner, and seeing dozens of these little spit-wad things decorating their oh-so-innocent heads!
Tons and tons of play-doh play. The real stuff, not the homemade stuff. Well, the homemade stuff, too, but mostly the real stuff.
Three floods. One nature made (The Mama is supposing that we have a crack in the foundation somewhere, as water seeps into her precious room and wets the floor under serious rainy conditions, which thankfully isn't very often.) The second one was a gift from Maddie. You know the laundry waste pipe (that comes with your washer) that hooks up high into your home plumbing? Well, Maddie simply disconnected it. We came home to dirty laundry water (it's carpeted) all over the laundry and hall area. I almost took pictures of every towel we own decorating my floors (for two days), but frankly I didn't have the time or energy. The second flood was also a delightful gift from Madeleine, she's had this fun game of leaving on the bathroom faucet full force, which is kinda cute in the beginning - say, the first three times she does it - but then when you're downstairs, playing with the children, and don't KNOW what is happening, and all of a sudden water comes dripping from the ceiling in sixteen different places, including light fixtures, it sort of freaks you out. Never think that I jest here, for I absolutely do not.
Our (main) furnace isn't working now, either, and we're not sure if it's due to drowned wires, or not.
What else? Madeleine has mastered sorting. The forks with the forks, spoons with the spoons, and big spoons with the big spoons.
We've been watching Walking With Dinosaurs, borrowed from Hollywood Video. Yes, we have it on tape, but this has extras, and we like it a whole bunch.
We've shopped for and made Halloween costumes, of course.
We spent the better part of one day looking for our Brand New Jumpstart World game, to no avail. Oh - and another day looking for our third - Yes, THIRD- set of lost keys. Know that I have never in my life lost a pair of keys until about three months ago - I don't know if Madeleine tossed them into the garbage, or down a heat vent, but other than that, they are NOT in this house. Along with the Mama's beautiful salt shaker that matches her lovely pepper grinder. And lots of other things that I cannot think of Right This Minute because it's Halloween and I've finally carved the jack o-lanterns and things are finally looking up and more peaceful and promising.
I'm sure there's more... what else?
One evening we went for a lovely family walk. It was so beautiful and peaceful - softly sweeping and crumbling leaves.... beautiful.
One Halloween Party. Last night. Lovely!
We've discovered that three more of our JumpStart (bless them) games work with Vista. That was a fine discovery.
There's been dusting and tons (quite literally with all those sopping towels) and tons of laundry, and cleaning carpets, and helping and a bit of frustration, too.

I think now, though, we may finally be on a better track, and as I sit here and feel this almost cold breeze sweep across my front porch, I look forward to sticking tea lights into our Jacks, and hearing the children shout their very loudest "Trick Or Treat!!"

I think it's all gonna be alright now, and I think we're all ready once again appreciate the ordinary Life Magic.

Blessed Be.