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52 weeks of daily life in pictures: trials and celebrations,  

the extraordinary and mundane -- 
whatever is unique to the week. 
Join me if you like.

Faith started ballet lessons. Very exciting. Her first real ballet shoes.

 all the kids (and the girlfriend) carving their pumpkins

intense work -- they are creating a cat

I think this is the first year I did not even touch the pumpkins -- they did everything (including the cleaning out) themselves. Of course, I cleaned up the mess. ;-)

it was fun to see the kids-who-think-they-are-not-kids act like little kids

our flower fairy trick-or-treater




The Columbus Dispatch did a story on the neighborhood where Faith trick-or-treated with her cousins. She was "featured" in the article:

"The thin, delicate princess strode confidently past dueling skeletons and scorpions in the Westerville front yard, oblivious to the tongues of fire shooting from 23 tiki torches.

After 9-year-old Faith S---- had gathered her Beggars Night candy yesterday at 1110 Bryan Dr., however, the garage door suddenly opened to reveal a man in black with white makeup.

Music blared as he “played” a fake scythe to the Emerson Lake & Palmer song Karn Evil No. 9.

Come inside; the show’s about to start — guaranteed to blow your head apart.

 

Behind him in the garage stood his backing band: three skeletal figures, two holding guitars and the other seated at a keyboard.

Faith shrieked and dashed away."

End of "feature." I guess the writer didn't notice the wings on her back, or maybe didn't think about the fact that princesses don't wear wings. Faith was quite offended that he didn't get her costume right.

When I lit the candles in the jack-o-lanterns I placed a vigil in front of the Blessed Mother and asked for her prayers for the night.

 The funny thing is the first trick-or-treaters who came to my door (I was sitting on the porch) were several young boys -- about 12 years old. As they walked up to the porch I heard one say to his buddies, "It's about religion."

Me: What's about religion?

Boy: Halloween

Me: Oh, you mean because it's All Hallow's Eve?

Boy: Yeeeaaahh -- our religion teacher taught us that today in religion class

Me: Well, God bless your religion teacher for teaching religion in religion class
(never one to let a faith-teachable-moment pass)
The reason it is called All Hallow's Eve is because tomorrow is the Feast of All Saint's Day.

Boy: Yeeeaaahh -- that's what she said... something about a vigil

Me: That's right, it's the vigil of All Saints Day and Hallowed means Holy -- all the saints are holy

And then I gave them their candy and let them go, but chuckled at how Our Lady must have been tickled at that wonderful exchange between perfect strangers about our faith

Maggie loves trick-or-treat -- can you see how's she has smudged up the door? Unfortunately she didn't get any sniffs in. She just had to watch.

Faith decorated the house -- I didn't get one decoration out. Of course, I'll have to put them all away. It's funny, the boys would never have decorated -- it's such a girlie thing.

The ghosts and the pumpkins just slid in around all the regular things. I need to teach my daughter about cleaning up before we decorate. Or not.

You probably already saw these, but for the record, our All Saint's Day vigil.

And All Soul's Day with the funeral cards from our loved ones.

If you want to join me in 52 Weeks of Photos, just leave a comment in the com box and I'll come and visit. Thanks.