Some Sirius Fun

Bullet updates! Better late than never!

• We did run the race! In the cold & rain! L ran the 1.5 mile loop and B continued with me for the second loop and ran his first 5K in 33 minutes! I was so proud of him!
• And then we went straight into my new favorite way to socialize as a family: the boozy brunch playdate. We prepped this amazing casserole Friday night and popped it into the oven, set out fruit and salad and pancakes and the kids grazed and played for hours while the grownups had mimosas and chatted. 
• Sunday it was not raining, so I was inspired to put up the Halloween decorations and paint pumpkins---we did Harry Potter, Hedwig, and Platform 9 3/4. They were amazing and I will try to add pictures if I have time later. 
• I made two big pots of soup: this African peanut soup (I used kale instead of collards) and this curried cauliflower (I subbed lime for lemon zest, vermouth for wine and used chicken broth since we had it). Both were thick and hearty and made a full meal served over rice. 
• I've mentioned this before but I really love Halloween in our neighborhood. Its just...fun. Everything except the candy part. The weather was beautiful this year, in the 60s, and just getting outside and walking & seeing friends & neighbors was great. 
• G made B a BRILLIANT costume---he went as Sirius Black in the "wanted" poster---he created a whole foam board box, with lights, that he wore with shoulder straps and his face was in the middle (tough to explain...). I would say maybe 20% of people "got" it, but those that did were really impressed. L was jealous at the attention---he was a super cute Harry himself, and quite honestly made out like a bandit by being able to sneak in and grab candy from all the bowls, while B was hindered by the huge box around his body! I borrowed a robe, greased my hair, and put on a dark mark tattoo so I could be a very low-key Snape.
• I buckled down like a madwomen and analyzed data to create a poster that I ordered as custom fabric online. I HATE carrying a huge poster tube on the plane and I really wanted to try it, but the turnaround is slow and my poster is in 10 days. I am super proud of myself!
• Definitely not committing to writing daily this month but I AM trying to figure out a regular blogging schedule. I have thoughts and ideas I want to share, and I am missing this space.