i just published a couple of blog posts from a while back, and i'd hoped they'd show up with their original dates, but they didn't... so that's confusing.  oh well.  i don't think anyone is reading anymore, anyway.  i don't blame them, i only post every few months!! 

micah is loving gymnastics.  she goes two days a week at heights recreation center in richardson.  last week her teacher came out with the kids when class was over, found me, and let me know that micah is ready to move up to the intermediate class.  i was so excited and proud!  then micah quickly let it be known that she was not interested in the slightest about moving up a level, and that her teacher was "wrong.  I am not ready, mama."  okay then.  i asked her if it was because she didn't want to leave her friends, and she insisted it was because she really does not feel ready.  i feel bad for not believing her, but i honestly think it's because she doesn't like change and new things!  so we'll see what we all decide to do about that.  part of me is like, hey, this is supposed to be fun and engaging physical exercise for her, and if switching classes will make it STOP being that, then what's the point?  but also... i want her to try new things and challenge herself.  lord, where's my parenting manual...

rowan just finished two sessions of karate lessons at the richardson ymca.  he loved it, had so much fun, and looked so cute in his gi!  now he's going to try kung fu at the rec center.  i would love it if his class coincided with micah's gymnastics class, but i don't think there's much chance of that happening...

grandmommy is doing well.  she is taking a two-week break from taxol infusions so the swelling in her legs and feet can have a chance to go down.  her doctors think the edema is a side effect of the taxol, so that's why they want to give her a break.  i don't get to see her often, since her white blood cell count is low and she can't really risk having people around her.  but she sends out email updates to all the ladies in her bible class, and all the folks at church who are praying for her and sweepie, and she always includes the family in the email list. 

we had a wonderful halloween!  micah went as cleopatra again this year, and rowan chose to wear his gi and be a karate kid. :)  our street and immediate neighborhood looked pretty dark, so we walked a couple of blocks up and hit the jackpot.  the neighborhood behind ours is very nice, and has a lot of older folks, and every other house was lit up and decorated.  it felt like a block party.  folks were sitting out on their porches, dads gathered in one yard drinking beer and laughing, kids having an impromptu light saber fight over there... it was marvelous.  i was so happy.  we walked up and down both sides of two streets, and the kids had more candy than we could carry.  we headed home and drove about a mile away to our old across-the-street-neighbor's new home.  he is a halloween fanatic and decorates his yard and house to the n'th degree every year, complete with flashing lights, fog machine, loud, scary music, and he and his friends in elaborate costumes.  he used to put a sign on the corners of our street that advertised the "archery lane haunting."  so fun. :)  so the kids had fun seeing his kids again, and he and josh hung out and chatted for a bit.  then we went home, and the kids engaged in a halloween ritual that i enjoyed, too, as a child: the organizing of the hoard.  they dumped out their bags on the living room floor and sorted all their goodies by type - chocolate with the chocolate, hard candy with the hard candy, and so on.  it was so fun to watch, since i remember LOVING that part as a kid. :)  oh, and we decided on our family theme for the next several years.  we're going to do lord of the rings (josh: aragorn, me: arwen, micah: frodo, rowan: samwise), star wars (josh: obi wan, me: c3po, micah: leia, rowan: yoda), and i love lucy (josh: fred, me: ethel, micah: lucy, rowan: ricky).  the kids are most excited about i love lucy, mostly because they can't wait to dye their hair. :)

let's see, what else... josh's sister katy moved to montana and we really miss her, but got to video chat last night, so that was really fun.  the kids and i went to stay with my mom, papi, and maya in austin weekend before last, and got to see their awesome new house!!  it is beautiful, and their land is so awesome.  the kids literally spent all day outside.  it was wonderful, and i can't wait to go back.  we're looking forward to the holidays and spending even more time with family!