2023 :: week 43

October 22

Sunday we celebrated Lauren’s birthday after a dinner of fried chicken at Memaw & Pepaw’s house. These tuxedo cakes from Costco have become the birthday dessert of choice.

October 23

These trees in our neighborhood are so beautiful! On several occasions over the past week I have enjoyed looking at them. I noticed that they had red x's spray painted on them and discovered that they are set to be chopped down due to the emerald ash boer moving into the area. The city is cutting down approximately 2400 ash trees and then replanting one for each one cut. They have to be planted several feet away from the spot of the previous tree, and if there is not enough room they will plant the tree at a nearby park or greenspace. I hope they will be able to plant them along the street. I love driving along the tree-lined streets in our neighborhood.

October 24

Tuesday after preschool we made plans to meet Miles’ sunbeam classmate Leo at the park. Leo also attends preschool at the SMECEC. The rainy, cold front came in a bit earlier than we expected and because it was already raining by pick-up, we went to the indoor playground at Matt Ross instead. That was fine with Miles! He had a great time climbing and playing tag with Leo and his little brother while I chatted with his mom. 

October 25

We had SO MUCH RAIN this week! At the afterschool pickup I was hoping the Elliott would want to quickly walk home, but no. (Lauren stayed after for Student Council). Elliott got soaked going down the slide over and over with his friends. He was hooting and hollering and having the time of his life. Miles waited under the awning of the pool house while I collected him and made him come home. Having Nicholas over softened the blow of leaving.

October 26

Anthony spent the week in Colorado Springs at the conference. He stayed at the hotel, which he said was very posh. He sent me this picture of him and his fellow NCCT psychometricians  before they went out to dinner. Anthony wasn’t feeling great before he left and wasn't feeling any better after he returned home. He has had a persistent cough for at least a month. Don't worry, he tested for covid and it wasn't that. When he returned home on Saturday I made him an appointment at the CVS Care Spot where he was diagnosed with an ear infection. That was unexpected, but it was good to get him on some antibiotics.

October 26

Thursday after school Miles and I met Jill and Henry at the zoo. It rained in the morning which kept the crowds to a minimum and we were able to get tickets to visit the new aquarium. It was our first visit to the zoo since the aquarium opened at the beginning of September. We liked seeing all the sea life. I was excited to see a giant Pacific octopus after listening to the audiobook Remarkably Bright Creatures for book club this month. Seeing the baby sea horses getting rides from their parent was pretty fun too. 

October 28

Saturday was our ward's Trunk or Treat. We combined with Mill Creek, and it would have been great if the weather cooperated and we could have been outside. Unfortunately it was pouring rain and it was all moved indoors. Our gym is not meant to hold that many people. After the Truck or Treat Anthony and I headed downtown to see Took Kill a Mockingbird at the Music Hall. We enjoyed it! Though you could tell the dialogue had been written in modern times. I had a teacher say something to the effect that art tells you more about the time it was written than the time period in which it is set. That definitely felt true for this play. Richard Thomas, who played John Boy on the Waltons was Atticus Finch. The actress who played Mrs. Dubose (Mary Badham) was the actress who played Scout in the 1962 movie, which was fun.