Ryan & Erinn's Family: October 2019

For the kids, early October is always dominated with the question of what they're going to be for Halloween. Celeste knew right away that she wanted to go as Owlette from PJ Masks. I got her a dress-up quality costume so she could play with it longer.

Celeste's friend Emma (who is the daughter of the Montessori Owner) had a huge farm-themed birthday party. There was a petting zoo, along with a music lady whose only real participant was Celeste herself.

Celeste and Emma

Music Time

Our friends the Palmers came down to visit us on their way to a Mexican resort. The dads took the older kids on a multi-hour hike, but Trenton was feeling sick and Corinne and Celeste were too little, so Tiffany and I did a shorter hike up Whiting Woods.

The Moms' Hike

The Dads' Hike

Since I was teaching an insects class at school, I was even more on the lookout for interesting creatures to show off. We found a gigantic tobacco hornworm on Ryan's tomatoes, which eventually dug itself into the dirt and turned into a dark brown chrysalis. Then, later, we found a scorpion on the front porch. We watched it in a jar for awhile, then decided to let it go and test the rumor that they glow under a blacklight. It was pretty creepy.

Cute 5th Graders / Insects Class

Because I was teaching a trees class to the middle-schoolers, I had to teach myself how to identify California trees. I got a great book called, A Californian's Guide to the Trees Among Us, and started obsessing over it. The more I learned, the more interesting all my walks or drives through town became!

Naked Coral Tree at the Church

Silk Floss Tree by the Park

In mid-October I flew up to Utah to be with my mom for the 2nd anniversary of Chuck's passing away. We had a really nice, relaxing visit. We went birdwatching at Utah Lake, shopped for a ski jacket, and ate way too much sugar. Also, I contributed to changing the outside light bulbs by holding the ladder while my mom did all the work!

The weekend I was gone was quite busy. Elise volunteered at the pumpkin booth for the Club 21 Walk-a-Thon in Pasadena. She helped organize other volunteers as part of her Young Women's Good Works project.

Corinne had a soccer game and Evan had a baseball game at the same time that Ryan was supposed to be helping at Club 21, so Aunt Helena stepped in and took Corinne while Connor supervised Evan. I think Celeste went to Pasadena, but I'm not sure.

Washing Aunt Helena's Car

Setting Traps

Before I left on my trip, I realized that my driver's license was lost - probably somewhere in the house. I managed to fly to Utah with my passport, but I had to go wait in the DMV for a replacement when I got home.

Our school hosted a Memoria Press teacher training conference. I left the older kids to watch the younger ones, and was able to go learn a little bit about how to do my job.

11th and 12th Grade Revealed!

The second day of the conference was even busier than the weekend previous. Connor was drafted into his friend's haunted house crew, piano lessons happened at our house, Corinne had a birthday party to attend, Celeste had a Harvest Potluck at her preschool, Elise babysat that night, and Ryan took off for a Critical Mass bike ride. Connor finished up the haunted house around the same time Elise finished babysitting, meaning, very late.

Before

After. He was supposed to be a mental patient.

Montessori Potluck

Cami's B-Day Party

Critical Mass

The next day, Saturday, was Trunk or Treat! Evan entered the pumpkin carving contest, and although he didn't win, his was one of the best!

Evan and Mason, Pumpkin Artists

Cake Walk

This was the best trunk.

Elise couldn't wear this to church, but she practiced the makeup when she got home.

Connor's friend and our piano teacher's son, Kasper, had a birthday party at his house. Like most Yoder parties, it was unique, including a sweet tradition of making a circle and giving good wishes/advice to the birthday kid. They also played a hat game that was a little like musical chairs, but more violent. Elise did well.

Balloon Stomping

Wish Circle

Halloween! We went trick or treating with the Emmersons in Glenwood Oaks. Connor fell asleep before we left, and wouldn't get out of bed, so he missed it. He had enough excess candy from trunk or treat that he was okay, though.