Absolutely the biggest surprise ever

Sat Oct 25 was our big Halloween party here. For those that don't know a small portion of my family runs a riverfront camp/cabin/floating resort. Every year we invite our favorite/best customers, have a DJ, costume contest, and dance all night (we love throwing a party). We know everyone we invite but I always do the stranger danger talk to my kids before a party (except in reverse; these people know us --but we don't know some of them very well, Etc.)

The rest of our family; my dad, mom, siblings, Etc. live in Las Vegas. We miss them an awful lot.

So the party starts at 7:30 and we are hanging out and eating. People in costumes are trickling in, there is a REALLY creepy costume that was familiar and super creepy to me but I couldn't place it. I asked Ricky where I knew that creepy thing from. He said that it is "Jigsaw" from the horror movie Saw. I have Penelope on my hip at the time and I notice after a few minutes the Saw guy is waving at Penelope from afar and she is memorized. As he turns away she waves back.


At about 8:30pm Sage is talking to my aunt in the kitchen and he looks upset. I ask him what is wrong and he won't really tell us. I did hear him say something about creepy and he looked like he might cry. Mother's intuition said, "Is it the creepy costume guy?" I just knew it was Saw guy, and I was right. So my aunt gets Sage settled in watching a movie with Layla and Penelope. The kids have a closed off room from the party + the office that is locked and they can play, sleep, or whatever if they don't feel like being at the party.


Apparently when my Aunt got Sage settled in with the girls he yold her this Saw guy was following him and the kids around, so she starts watching this guy --I had no idea she didn't tell me.


At around 9pm Obama and McCain costumes walk in. Funny as heck costumes, this couple pulls it off so well. They can barely make it to the dance hall and I snag the couple and get a picture with them. Ricky and I are going back and forth checking on kids and mingling with people. I suddenly get roped into helping to judge the costume contest. So I'm standing next to the DJ with the other judges and we are trying to make our selections and I say, "Well the Saw guy scared the crap out of Sage so he gets scariest costume as far as I'm concerned." It was agreed. Just as the DJ is getting ready to make the announcements I change spots and suddenly find myself next to Saw guy. I turn to him and say, "I just have to tell you, your costume scared the crap out of my son tonight." The person pulls the mask up very slowly; imagine my utter surprise when it was my dad inside!!!! I did a trple take and screamed so loud I can't believe no one heard me over the DJ's announcements. Then the clown standing next to me lifted up her big glasses and said hi. It was my mom!!! I looked around and finding that no one heard me freak out  I calmed down and started grabbing family members in to watch. Knowing my dad was going to get the award for scariest I was trying to get as many people as I could in my family so they could see him be awarded. I told them, "Come here, stand right here and just wait!!!" Ricky was at the private door the kids were behind keeping an eye on them and I had to practically run crowds of people over trying to get to him.


Scariest costume is announced and my dad goes to the center of the room and unveils himself; to whom the family freaks out and my aunt Sharon cries in shock. (my mom stayed hiding a while longer from everyone!)


As my dad was winning his costume award I notice I'm standing behind Obama and McCain. Something clicked in my head and as I starred at the back of McCain my eyes scanned the back of his head/hairline. I lifted up a small flap in the back of the mask gently. This was my little brother. I just knew it. I grabbed him and turned him around to me and said OMG you're my brother!! He shook his head no and I jumped up pointed and said yes! (Could you imagine how funny it would have been if I was wrong!!) Obama looked at me and I knew that had to be his wife. I don't think I've ever been so shocked in my life than this night!


I let the other family members figure it out on their own and in their own ways so they could have as much fun as I had just had. They waited a while to show others!

We took my dad back to see the kids and Sage was SO CUTE. He said, "I'm so glad that was you Grandpa." :)


So things are really kicking now. We are dancing and having fun. The kids (all of them expect Sebastian -I nursed him and he went back to sleep) are having fun at the party with us. The kids even find some friends to dance and run around with too. Suddenly I notice my aunt looking at a costumed person. I go up to her and she says, "Is it, is it him!?" I go closer to this Joker costume and look... then I say a bad word and jump up in down and hug him. It was my other little brother. The guy sitting next to him in a old man mask gets up and reveals himself too, it's my brothers friend and a very, very good friend of the family who we haven't seen in years.


Best surprise ever. Words can't even express the brilliance or surprise they had just pulled off. This will be a tough one to top. We had NO CLUE, none at all.


My dad said it was indescribable seeing us all like that, you know, without us knowing we were being watched. He said, "I feel like I saw a small window to your world. Like if I wasn't here this is what you'd be doing"


In the picture I took with Obama/McCain my parents are in the background. Awesome since I had no clue and there I was posing with my family.

Overdue update

We have had a wonderful time adjusting with a new baby. We have had a pretty easy time with a some what new homeschool schedule even if we are still working out the kinks. Being a mother of six is wonderful. I don't have time to write anymore. But I'm going to try and make time. (how does one make time? I'll just cook some up in a pot on the stove I guess?!)

We have loved every minute of our new baby in the house. He is nothing but a sweetheart. It's like we've always had him. The kids are absolutely the best kids and big brothers and sisters. My husband and I are not taking care of these children alone...we all take care of each other. Today Penelope (it's her her birthday today) took off her diaper and said, "Go more." And Sage (8) said, "You have to go potty more?" Penelope then shook her head yes and off he rushed her to the bathroom. I checked on them what seemed to be some time later and they were reading books on the potty.

I barely remember the last time I wrote. Between then and now so much has happened. Lots of adventures have been had, and learning taken place. The kids are learning lots of math without very much help at all. It amazes me still that this "unschooling" (child led learning) thing works ;)

We have a new vehicle for the whole fam (and a 4x4 for the winter). We kept the mini van but we now have an 8 passenger vehicle (an Excursion, we call it "the beast") the licence plate we got for it is KID BUS.

Charlotte has metal brackets and will get braces this month. She had a slumber party for her birthday and it was such a blast. Even her dad and I had a ball. We've been skating a couple times, to the library, to the annual pick your own pumpkin patch/hayride/maze place, to a fun play about dinosaurs, and to a conservation class about animal tracks, bones and fur.

Sage and Layla found love for yet another reading site at http://www.readingeggs.com/
(ooo, That reminds me the free trial for that just expired today.)

The kids have been studying world religions again. We have an animated dvd from netflix that while not very complete has been a starting point for conversations and intro into religion. I downloaded some basic bible stories from itunes for them too. They just love stories and history. Most children do. They have been into Greek mythology for years.

We have been baking/cooking from scratch now more than ever. Cookies, muffins, breads, soups, pies, pot pies...

Oh this is exciting for us... We also got a new dining table! (for free! from freecycle!) It did not come with any chairs, but that's ok we had some chairs. But the table very comfortably seats all eight of us! Well Sebastian isn't using his seat quite yet. :)

I hope to post of our Halloween adventures and sugar skull making! during the first week of November.

Below the kids caught a hummingbird that got into the house by mistake. Penelope is admiring him in the jar. He was not hurt and they let him go right after the photo op. Layla didn't want to be photographed that day.