When It's October

When it's October you get outside and make the most of it before that cold north wind hits. This year we didn't even make it to November before it snowed. But we made the most of it while we could and went for bike rides and spent time outdoors. 

Hanging out in the sunroom:

We went to the Conrad family reunion in Independence:

Emily and her friends in the Franklin cafeteria. They were all so little and now they're in middle school! They're starting to look like real people:

My parents are planning a move down south; soon we won't be able to visit them as often. Celebrating my mom's birthday:

The vivid colors of the sunset outside my parent's house that evening:

Breakfast for supper! Our Wednesday evening routine before Rose goes to youth group. She's not really licking the spatula, is she? Gross:

Date night at Lion Bridge:

Taking our family pictures against the backdrop of the fall colors:

Getting into the Halloween spirit:

It's squash soup, but when cooked in an iron pot it looks like a witches' brew:

Carving our pumpkins:

How'd they turn out? Emily's:

Rose's:

Cynthia's:

Mine:

The shadows cast by the streetlight create an eerie effect:

Who would've expected snow on the ground before Halloween? It snowed twice right at the end of the month and it wasn't melting, either:

There's something almost magical about the first snow, before everyone is sick to death of it:

And of course nobody in Iowa knows what to do when they drive in snow even though it snows every winter. I saw a driver run a red and hit a minivan ahead of me when I was taking Rose and Laura to school. Coming back through the intersection was a mess:

It was a dark and snowy night when we crept into the streets to haunt the neighborhoods... and so coooooold.

We're Little Red Riding Hood and a murderin' lumberjack:

And Carrie. THEY'RE ALL GOING TO LAUGH AT YOU:

Rose went with her friends (after a close call with the murderin' lumberjack):

And Emily went with her crew:

Emily and Cora were a creepy doll and a ventriloquist puppet:

After our circuit on Grande we went back to our old neighborhood and Roxi didn't disappoint:

The annual burning of the pumpkins! Such skillful carving, such fiery destruction! And so we celebrated another passing of October.

All Hallows' Eve

smoke burns from a fire that hasn't been set
cries from the dead who haven't lived yet
bones crack beneath a dark silhouette
witches are laughing

the midnight dance among skeletal trees
tonight all bad things will happen in threes
black plague, pestilence, and kissing disease
witches are laughing

bells will toll as the village is burning
awake from restless tossing and turning
flee to the woods without a warning
witches are laughing

mischievous eyes watch from outside
abandoning homes as they run and hide
scattered to the dale so terrified
witches are laughing

summer to winter it falls in between
a time of celebration for those unclean
and such is a happy halloween
when the witches are laughing

Homecoming 2019

Rose got to be in the homecoming parade for the second time (she walked in the parade in elementary, too) and her picture is currently on the homepage masthead of the Washington High School website. How cool is that?

Walking in the parade:

The homecoming bonfire:

And the homecoming game where the Warriors got slaughtered as usual. They're not... great. But it's still fun to go to the games:

Getting ready for the homecoming dance. Too bad her parents weren't going, cuz that would be super awesome:

Rose also went to homecoming at Marion with some of her friends. They went out to get pictures taken first and then dinner:

Yup, that's about it.

Were You Born for This

have you left the battlefield drenched
with everything that brought you here
did you spare nothing
did you abandon good sense, forsake your fear
did you bloody your fists, your face
did you begin to persevere
so hungry and you wanted more
on the great divide
where the river flows to the two seas
a land not yet charted
hearts yet to be buried at wounded knees
a calling from your wilderness
out of the dark and into your plight
it's the verse that you sing
painting your lines before the fight
on the peak, on the edge of this
did you stand against
did you hold your ground, refuse and resist
did your faith get tested, and all that you trust
did you boldly persist
this is more than a test
an emergency broadcast
this is civil war, march forth under this flag
it's what you came here for
fighting for liberty, but presented only defeat
rome is still burning
a horde descends from the hills, rise to your feet
get up, face this, unshakeable and tenacious
a storm is rolling in
were you born for this

1982

plastic is melting
in the brilliant sun
on a scorching sidewalk
where we used to run
calamity riders break
amongst trees locked fast
under time's fading keys
shouting warriors tumble through
if they ever caught their prey
wouldn't know what to do
unstoppable forces meet
immovable time
always in motion
forever we climb
magnetic north
cannot lead you there
to a place where a month
is almost a year
the streets are forgotten
the maps washed away
and the legends change
whenever they're played
still there's a way back
to find where i live
in an age where providence
felt inclined to give
renderings and glimpses
in an unaltered view
the best of skinned knees
the year of 1982

Cheerleading

Sue and both sets of grandparents showed up for Rose's first time cheerleading. The Warriors played against Prairie (and lost) and we finally got to see Rose in action. The cheerleading squad practiced about three times a week for the two weeks leading up to their first game:

I think that look means she appreciates all the close-up shots:

It was a fun night and bit hot out. Might as well enjoy it while we can, it's gonna be cold on those bleachers soon...

BTS 2019

Back to school! Emily is going into middle school and Rose is a freshman. They are ready to go:

I hope they have an awesome first day and a fun year. Can't believe how fast they are growing up.