10.27.11 (Thursday) - Another rainy day, we seem to be having a lot of these lately. So many leaves are already off the trees and (just like every autumn) I feel like it happened too fast. For date night we attended a speech given by Justice Breyer (who was shockingly funny and charismatic) then dinner at Jaleo. Sometimes I forget how wonderful a night alone with my husband can be. 10.26.11 (Wednesday) - Walking F to school in the morning, wonderful to watch P (nickname "Tigs" after Tigger) bounce home.

10.25.11 (Tuesday) - Every week it takes longer and longer to walk F to school. T likes to stop and check out everything along the way (every stick, every leaf, every halloween decoration). He forces me to notice the details. 10.24.11 (Monday) - In the late afternoon, someone left a flyer about a lost cat on our doorstop. So we decided to search the neighborhood. We ran into other kids also looking for the cat, funny to watch groups of kids meow at dusk. 10.23.11 (Sunday) - Fall Harvest Days at Mt Vernon. The girls sat up front next to the driver during the wagon ride, which made their day.

10.22.11 (Saturday) - Blocktoberfest 2011. South Arlington knows how to party. 10.21.11 (Friday) - The kids begged me to buy Halloween decorations this year. So I surprised them. Their reaction was better than Xmas.

10.20.11 (Thursday) - T and I walked to the preschool to pick up P. We stopped at the big tree on the corner and he spent forever playing in the leaves, stick in one hand and stuffed animal in the other (his signature style). He still refuses to wear pants, regardless of the temperature outside. 10.19.11 (Wednesday) - An early release day at F's school - not sure who was more excited - the school-age kids or all the younger siblings, so happy to have the older kids home.

10.18.11 (Tuesday) - The girls decided to play a game where they drew pictures together. P drew the faces and F created the halloween costumes - princesses and superheros. 10.17.11 (Monday) - An ugly orange house was built on the corner a few years ago. The yard contains construction scraps and all sorts of garbage, as well as a garden with roses and tons of veggies (they even grow corn in the summer). The roses always look beautiful, despite their surroundings (or maybe they look more beautiful because of their surroundings). 10.16.11 (Sunday) - F wanted to celebrate her birthday with a few friends at Claude Moore Colonial Farm's Market Fair. The girls all ran through the fields playing "What Time is It Ms. Fox?" Dan, T, and I just sat and watched while other kids joined in.

10.15.11 (Saturday) - Swim lessons in the morning. 10.14.11 (Friday) - Quiet afternoon with P at a playdate, F at school, and T sleeping. I probably should have made the bed, but instead I just took pictures of the afternoon light. 10.13.11 (Thursday) - Walking P home from her friend's house, the sky looked like it could rain any minute. 10.12.11 (Wednesday) - Dan home sick with the flu and T wouldn't leave his side.