Pumpkins and Purna

It is past midnight. I should be sleeping, but I am trying to post more often. My dear friend, Amanda, reminds me. We are two days til Halloween. My favorite holiday. Texas is finally experiencing some coolish weather and with that coolness my fire, about which I've blogged, has cooled. This fire cooling is a good thing. It means I feel exhilarated with all the possibilities that the transition to fall holds. I see orange pumpkins all around. I adore the effect of pumpkins all around. They make everything appear more jolly, all round and fat or tall and skinny and now all the new/old varieties around bumpy and green, white and smooth, warty blue... My house is my solace once again, all cozy with family. We finally hung photos/prints on the walls and wow, what a difference that makes. Hey, someone with a life lives here. I've decided blank walls are no good for a family home. The blank walls are like static on a radio station. You don't always notice it at first, but when you do you realize it has been grating on your nerves all this time. We also have little glowing lights, candles, fires in the backyard with s'mores. Our Harvest Potluck was a smashing success. A nice even stream of people with their kids throughout the night. A large group gathered around the fire making the s'mores. Dearest Amanda so graciously playing S'more Wench/Maven. Chris and Hutch made gumbo again and strung the backyard with lights and glowing stars, perfect at dark for the kiddies to play under. So magical. The whole house looked magical and romantic, all reds and organges and flowers. Sigh. Oh, I am still blissed out about it all. And the next day was so yummy just hangin' with the family. The cubs were up late so they were really tired and we all just cuddled on the couch all day talking or watching movies...Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Nightmare Before Christmas.

The cubs and I are having so much fun running around, decorating for the holidays, taking hayrides, painting pumpkins, watching goats climb trees, eating pumpkin icecream. I'm busy putting together their costumes for Friday. Freya: ladybug. Ursula: butterfly or fairy the costume will work for both. I put them together as best I can from stuff we already have and then fill in the rest with items I make or pick up second-hand. I loath Target-esque costumes and just can't bring myself to go that route. It is so much more joyful to Frankenstein it all together, pun intended.

Things I'm lovin right now other than pumpkins and cooler weather: The dancing of the girls. Today Ursa piled on a bunch of costume clothes and looked like a gypsy fairy waving her arms with grace and fluidity. Freya had on a costume outfit making her look like a little Dutch girl. Hearing them sing little made up songs when they think no one is listening. Me talking to Freya sternly the other day (I don't love that, but do love Freya's response) She said in her most placating voice, "You don't have to yell. You don't have to yell. It's gonna be all right, Darling." And then she bent over kissed me and hugged my neck. The way they both just crack each other up by saying the word "Poopy" How the name "Bad Poopoo" is the worse thing they can say to each other and causes big tears. When they call me "Bad Poopoo" which makes me crack up and then they crack up...all tension gone. The way Freya says "Nicelies" instead of "Nicies" when I rub her back. How they love for us to tell made up stories (though, sometimes this gets old for me, especially when I'm driving) How they love to interject their own parts of the story now, whereas before they just let me tell them the story. The way Freya's little tongue sticks out when she says certain words/sounds giving her just the slightest lisp at times. The way Ursa always talks with her head cocked and one hand on her hip. Oh there is so much more, but i must to bed get.

In Sanskrit there is the word Purna or Fullness. That is the best word for this season, for this family, for this life. Yummy Yummy Scrumptious Family. Round and Sweet like a Pumpkin Treat.