I've been working so hard on genealogy lately, that I've neglected posting here. Our December was filled with a week at Disneyland and then three weeks of sickness. Totally worth it, but put a damper on excitement for Christmas when we couldn't stop coughing and blowing our noses.

For New Year's Eve, the kids stayed up until midnight. I lasted until 11pm. Now it's naptime for all as we just spent an hour pulling together everything we could from the pantry, refrigerator, freezer and vegetable bin making a delicious Stone Soup. The kids even say they will eat it for dinner tonight... we shall see.

The 2011 year has a trip to Maine in store for us and we are so excited. We will also be visiting Oregon as soon as the pass will allow and a trip to Southern California for some sort of monster convention for two of the Mascots (here's a hint- not me and not the one who would out-monster the monsters).

We wish you all a very happy new year and I promise to try to be better at this whole writing thing this year.

This year's costumes feature Signa as Frankie Stein (Frankenstein's Monster's daughter), William as Boba Fette, Marc as a deep sea diver and me as Sunken Treasure. The kids' costumes were store bought, but not ours!

I finished my Halloween costume, but the cost?

Skin.

The user of my hot glue gun (me) decided to shoot glue onto that part between your thumb and index finger. Then that same person grabbed for the offending glue with the other hand.

Ouch.

But my costume's done and now I have a day of work at a client's and then tomorrow a seminar and a Halloween party and then more Halloween parties!

The kids have been practicing their Trick-or-Treat ettiquette. Knocking gently, saying please (I told them that no one says, "Trick or treat PLEASE" and that they could be off the hook this time), taking one piece if the owners hold out the bowl, not walking into their home, saying thank you. While this is all very cute, the over and over knocking is getting on our nerves, so we are glad to be nearing the actual day.

I think with all the parties, we should do a really cool breakfast for Halloween, but not sure I could pull this off:

http://hoosierhomemade.com/halloween-breakfast-food/

We may settle for Count Chocula cereal.

I spent most of yesterday in the John Wayne Airport. I had a client meeting that we thought would go all day. Our flight choices were 4:30 or 8:30. Since we thought the meeting would go until 4pm, we chose 8:30pm, knowing it would be a long day (the morning flight was at 7am. However, the meeting was over at 2pm and we were back at the airport at 3pm trying to get on the 4:30 flight. To no avail. So I spend five and a half hours at the John Wayne International Airport.

Luckily, I was with a really great person and we laughed through the day and night, but ick. What a LONNNNNNNG day. And I never saw Signa or William yesterday. Cannot wait for them to get up this morning, but since it's only 6:30, I won't stomp around and cough or anything to wake them.

Yet.

I’m doing a fundraiser for CORA through the month of October. There are some GREAT new books (including a new series that I’m coveting for William). All my commissions from your orders (and your friends’ orders – pass it on!!!) will be sent to CORA. Last year when I did this, we raised $50. This year, I want to send them a lot more.

My Usborne Website: www.ubah.com/j2614

“CORA provides free and confidential services to victims and survivors of domestic/dating violence and abuse, including child and teen witnesses, in San Mateo County. Our services include a 24-hour hotline, support groups, legal services, emergency and transitional housing, and more, in English and Spanish. http://www.corasupport.org/ ”

CORA is a wonderful organization and performs so many valuable and needed services. For each of us, this fundraiser is a win-win. You get great books for the children in your lives AND part of your money goes to a wonderful organization.

I love to suggest books for you, or you can see our new titles here:
http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/results.asp?sid=J2614&gid=101462745&newtitles=on&submit=new

Personally, I’m ordering this for William, as it looks just about perfect for my anxious-to-read 4-year-old:
Very First Reading Set
http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/VeryFirstReading.asp?sid=J2614&emkt=203

Thank you and please let me know if you have questions!
-Debbie (debbie (at) mascotmanor (dot) org)