That's My Son Making Me Proud

At his karate belt graduation ceremony:

Sensei: "What have we been working on?"  

Alex: "Kicking combinations!"  

Sensei: "Excellent. Now you can demonstrate a kicking combination for us." 

Alex: "Nah. I don't want to." 

The Next Disaster

During Hurricane Sandy, Sasha and I were out of town and only knew the storm through news reports on the "Frankenstorm," so-named because it would hit on Halloween.  But he's ready the next one.

From our conversation on the way home from our family trip to the library:

Sasha:  I felt a drop of rain!

Mama:  Oh yeah?  I don't see any clouds.

Sasha:  I felt it right here (reaching underneath his jacket and pointing to his rib).

Mamu:  Hmm, let's check the forecast.

Sasha:  I'll do it!  Can I have your phone?

Mamu:  Sure, here.

Sasha:  [Checks forecast.]  Look!  Thunderstorms!  Maybe it's going to be another Frankenstorm.

Mama:  No, honey, I don't think there's going to be another one of those.

Sasha:  Oh. [Brief pause] Oh, it's a Chickenstorm!  For Thanksgiving!

Skill-building

Superheroes Go Camping

Fireman Joe Discovers a "Toe Tree"

"What?! A toe tree?! I have definitely never seen one of those before. "

Halloween and Having Fun without Hurricanes

Some photos from our Halloween trip to Wisconsin.  Though we left well before the Ferocious Megastorm, we were fortunate enough to be far away from Hurricane Sandy while it smashed through New York.  So we played indoors and out in gorgeous weather while Mama had to cut short her trip to DC, cancel her trip to Kentucky, and hunker down in the Bronx.

Cutest raccoon in town, complete with waddling butt.

The Black Widow and The Black Panther, crime-fighting, candy-eating duo.

Princess Pirate and Black Panther caring for their dead son, Skeleton.
Four-year-olds have freaky imaginations.

This house is definitely haunted.

MORE CANDY!!! 
The boys pulled it together to get all the way to the neighbor's house
without getting distracted by lawn ornaments.

Goofing around with Aunt Wendy.

Food and coffee break during some daytime trick-or-treating. (Thanks, Middleton business district!)

Cuddle break, too.

Sasha got to spend some special time with cousin Beckett, too.  They played really well together despite their age difference-- so long as Beckett kept his hands off the train track.

Chill time, Wisconsin style: in warm hats.
None are camouflage, so clearly we're in the suburbs.

Grandma and Grandpa took the Bub and the Bug camping "up in da norf."  What a blast!  All the elements that are necessary for life were there: woods, a river, a camper, an ATV, a plastic owl, and indulgent grandparents.

The gas is on the left?

Oh my god, I think we're going, like, 50 mph!!

Grandpa taking the kids on the bounciest trails he could find.

Campfire lunch.

Dirt from head to toe. Joy.

What else can we throw in the stream?

Wait a minute... I think it's...

... Yes, a fine specimen: Camperessa Mamuae.

Waiting for cake at Sasha's (early) 4th birthday party.

--Who dis? --Water batman and his pink camper van.

Actually, She Didn't

She looked out the window, she walked out the door

But she followed him and he said what you looking for?

 -Grace Potter, 
"Something That I Want" from the "Tangled" soundtrack

We were listening to music in the car and a song came on from the "Tangled" soundtrack.  That's the Disney version of the Rapunzel story if you're not familiar.  In the story, of course, Rapunzel is locked up in her tower; in the movie, the tower has a window but no doors.  I'm singing along to the song when Sasha says suddenly, "No she didn't."  Confused, I ask, "Who didn't?  Do what?"  The obvious answer: "Walk out the door!  There was no door."

Voting for President

Sasha helped Grandma vote yesterday.  When Mama asked him who they voted for, he told her, "That guy from the Packers."  Who was it, Mom, Clay Matthews?