Day 30 of the Halloween Decoration Special Feature and going on a flashlight walk
OK, I lied. No carved pumpkins today. I never got around to taking the pictures. Besides, Paul wants to carve a pumpkin still and he hasn't done it yet. So today's HDSF is Haurel and Lardy (work that one out for 5 points), a salt and pepper shaker set. 
These two jolly guys like to laugh it up at the dinner table, even if they never get used. I'm not in the habit of salting or peppering anything once the food hits the table. And I discourage my children from salting anything plated. We get enough salt as it is. So I bought this set PURELY FOR LOOKS. I am that shallow.
Last night I took the younger kids on a flashlight walk. As a public service, I will provide the following advice to anyone who wants to take children on a flashlight walk.
1. Obtain a degree in Astronomy. At the very LEAST, take a descriptive Astronomy class in college. This will help when the youngest child asks what each and every star and/or costellation in the October night sky is. He will also ask if Sirius is a star or constellation. And he will want to know why there are so many "majors and minors" among the constellations.
2. Be prepared to argue (using standard debate format) your location in the city you live in with the children who think they are nearing the elementary school and will not be persuaded otherwise. As a side debate, be prepared (with notarized documentation) to back up or dispute youngest child's assertion that he has not ever been on "this" sidewalk before.
3. Develop and intimate and expansive (almost encyclopedic) knowledge of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons, and be prepared to explain up to five difficult-to-understand punchlines of said cartoons without visual aids.
4. Know coyote habitats in the Upper Midwest and be prepared to list three concrete reasons why coyotes do not live in Community Park.
5. Fully appreciate the camaraderie present between an 11 year old sister and a 10 year old brother who can finish each other's sentences, irritate each other to heck (and back) and yet not anger each other, and who can share one flashlight between the two of them without a single argument.
These two jolly guys like to laugh it up at the dinner table, even if they never get used. I'm not in the habit of salting or peppering anything once the food hits the table. And I discourage my children from salting anything plated. We get enough salt as it is. So I bought this set PURELY FOR LOOKS. I am that shallow.Last night I took the younger kids on a flashlight walk. As a public service, I will provide the following advice to anyone who wants to take children on a flashlight walk.
1. Obtain a degree in Astronomy. At the very LEAST, take a descriptive Astronomy class in college. This will help when the youngest child asks what each and every star and/or costellation in the October night sky is. He will also ask if Sirius is a star or constellation. And he will want to know why there are so many "majors and minors" among the constellations.
2. Be prepared to argue (using standard debate format) your location in the city you live in with the children who think they are nearing the elementary school and will not be persuaded otherwise. As a side debate, be prepared (with notarized documentation) to back up or dispute youngest child's assertion that he has not ever been on "this" sidewalk before.
3. Develop and intimate and expansive (almost encyclopedic) knowledge of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons, and be prepared to explain up to five difficult-to-understand punchlines of said cartoons without visual aids.
4. Know coyote habitats in the Upper Midwest and be prepared to list three concrete reasons why coyotes do not live in Community Park.
5. Fully appreciate the camaraderie present between an 11 year old sister and a 10 year old brother who can finish each other's sentences, irritate each other to heck (and back) and yet not anger each other, and who can share one flashlight between the two of them without a single argument.
Comments
As far as answering kid questions, Dylan has been asking a LOT about how things are pulled off in the Star Wars movies. I need to do some studying on special FX so that I can answer every single possible scenario, "cuz that's what he's askin'.
Also I don't think my girls will be as nice to each other about sharing a flashlight. I can already see someone getting hit over the head with it.
Your salt/pepper shakers are adorable and were worth the purchase even though you don't season your foods at the table. I'm exactly the same way; I never salt my food, and I actually prefer my food to be bland and tasteless. That's just me though.
Oh, I forgot to comment on your trunk-or-treat decorations. I loved them! I want to do something similar this Friday when our trunk-or-treat occurs. However, Mike refused to let me purchase any Halloween lights and said our clear, xmas lights will work just fine. WHATEVER!
Jen-white lights are NOT appropriate for Halloween! I am appalled! I'd let you borrow mine, but you'd have to come get them. I don't have the car seat for the fake baby who is here today.
I loved the description of the walk. I have had similar discussions. ("How can you tell the difference between and airplane and a space shuttle" was one such discussion).
And for Jen, I got some "Spider Icicles" at Target. White lights are inappropriate for Halloween. Mine are purple.
My word verification is "wiessest" which is a great description for me.