This is Halloween.

We are preparing for Halloween around here. It has been unseasonably hot, but we are undeterred. We live in a wonderful peanut-butter-and-jelly neighborhood. There are tons of kids and everyone decorates their homes with jack-o-lanterns. And as a friend pointed out yesterday, Halloween is one of the few times we experience actual community in our suburban neighborhoods. Everyone's doors are open and there are people out on our street. I like that.

Adam took his sibs to see The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D last night at the Spectrum.

The kids will be carving their pumpkins today. I will make churros and hot chocolate. (I finally got my "churrera" from www.latienda.com ) Sometime today I'll get to the store to buy as much Candy Corn as I can find. (Amy's favorite)

Lucy is making plans to have her friend Alison join us tomorrow. They will be wearing flowing skirts and beads. (gypsies? pirate princesses? peasants? does it matter?) They will look adorable.

Jonathan is putting the finishing touches on his Indiana Jones costume (ie. getting the shirt dirty). He explained that rather than be a ghoul (yawn, yawn, yawn) or Captain Jack Sparrow (like every other kid on the planet), he thought Indiana Jones was more of "a classic hero" (his words). That he put this much thought into the "character" of his costume choice speaks volumes about this kid.