Young Jedis

Having a 5-year-old son & living in the deep suburbs has changed me in ways I never could have predicted. For example:

This is how the Engels spent the Friday after Thanksgiving.

In a THREE-HOUR Jedi training course.

Where Dash arrived with his own custom Jedi robe, made by me. And another one to give Roman. Because we had an extra one.

(After I stop laughing at myself, remind me to tell you about the time I got wasted with Marc Jacobs at the Sunset Marquis in Hollywood).

Another One Bites the Dust

"Dear Tooth Fairy, May I please keep my tooth? Thank you, Dash Engel"

Wanna see a bloody tooth up close? Too bad!

(Spoiler alert, she let him keep the tooth).

With Thanks

You know, it's weird. The happier I get, the harder it is to come up with what to say here during this season of Thanks. I mean, I am so, so filled with gratitude every day for our too-many-to-count gifts, that setting some aside for November seems false. So let's just look at pictures of another beautiful Thanksgiving where we were blessed with family, friends, good food & much cheer.

Dash has illustrated the Mayflower's passage for us. Because clearly he is an artistic genius.

And Pig would like to remind you to eat more of the other, other white meat.

I had a couple of minutes to step outside before the first guests arrived. We don't get much Fall foliage in the So Cal, but we appreciate what orange & yellow we can find.

Here's the table. Dash wrote out the place cards on paper leaves.

And Josh carved little pumpkins into candle holders.

Closeup!

The kids' table was set for Dash & his bestie, Ben. I tried to come up with fun activities for them (coloring, feather headbands, felt acorns), but mostly they just wanted to run around and beat each other with toy swords.

Apparently Dash got hold of the camera and took twenty picture of Cuddles all over the house. Christ he loves that tiger.

Um, honey? I think it's a little late for CPR on that thing.

(You'll notice that all of these pictures are from before the action. That's because we were all too busy eating & drinking & toasting & laughing to stop for pictures. Just exactly as it should be.)

(Well, ok, fine, here: 

SQUEE!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Teefus

Well, after more than a month of watching & waiting, the little tooth finally bid Dash a fond farewell last night (with a little help from a piece of dental floss & a good yank by his Daddy.

Before

After

So last night the Tooth Fairy paid him a visit and left him two shiny dollar coins in exchange for the tooth.

I'm just hoping he doesn't ask what the Tooth Fairy is doing with all those baby teeth.

Stuffed

I made some stuffed stuff. Stuff.

This dude is for when Dash loses that tooth that's been wobbling around in his mouth.

He has a backpack (of course he does).

Made from a fat quarter of the genius Sammy K's custom Spoonflower fabric.

Also! A corduroy Chewbacca for a certain boy twin who is turning one.

Made from Draw Pilgrim's awesome FREE pattern.

And a Princess Leia doll for the aforementioned twin's girly half.

Made without a pattern by moi.

Admirer

Oh, it's on. Somebody hold my earrings.

This Was Halloween

Aaaand, now it's November & I'm onto obsessing over Thanksgiving. But let's take a moment to review my most favorite Halloween yet, shall we?

The day started with a Halloween parade at Dash's school. Dash was a zombie ninja, his BFF Ethan was a pirate & Will was a tube of toothpaste. Because obvs, Will is the most awesome kid in the world, parented by the most awesome adults in the world. (Dash is now making this face in nearly every picture. I don't ask why.) 

See?

Then there was a performance. You should have seen the concentration on their little faces while they were trying to remember the choreography. 

And then it was time to return home & start the festivities in earnest.

Josh & I thought we had maybe gone a bit overboard on the yard decorations until we saw the PIRATE SHIP that the neighbors down the road built on their front lawn.

I'm pretty sure Josh took it as a challenge & I will be confronted with an actual gallows in the yard next year.

Did I mention that we had also carved pumpkins the day before? Here's Dash's that he carved all by his own self.

Here is is at the patch, a piece of straw in his mouth, staring wistfully into the distance and remembering his old life on the range.

Here's my Jack Skellington that doesn't really look anything like Jack Skellington.

And here's Josh's Perry the Platypus. Josh carved another pumpkin, too, but it looked better all lit up, so I resolved to take a picture after the sun went down. I bet you can guess how that went.

And then it was time to party. Josh was the Strong Man to my Bearded Lady. Sadly, this is the only (blurry) picture of us from the night.

Jordan & Prudence, adorbs per usual.

Mad Doctor Vinnie decapitating a chocolate rat. As one does.

This was my most favorite costume of the night--the one-armed girl from Soul Surfer! Genius!

Smartie Pants (get it? Get it? Those are Smarties! On his pants!) and Gypsy Bride. Get this: That is her actual wedding gown. That still fits her. Bitch.

I wouldn't trust that doctor if I were you, Uncle J.

Not pictured: About 70% of the guests, including nearly all of the children. Because I had to put down the camera to pick up the glass of wine. Priorities, people.

Wanna see the spread? OK!

Creepy & delicious witch finger cookies by Prudence & zombie hand brownies by moi.

I asked Josh to be in charge of the punch thinking he'd open a bottle of Hawaiian Punch & call it done, but he went all gourmet on me. Lemonade, orange juice, ginger ale, gummy worm ice cubes & an ice skull. We're nothing if not fancy.

I bought those pirate goblets for Dash's next birthday party before he changed his mind from pirate party to space party. So the adults got to drink wine out of them. Everybody wins!

Eyeball, anyone?

Pre-decapitated rat.

And so. Another Halloween bites the dust & all that's left to do is clear away the cobwebs and get started looking for a new way to make green bean casserole.