[day 325... nov 21]

I just couldn't resist this "then and now" comparison. Cory is hugely into creating paper outfits and objects right now, and his older brother Tynor loved to do the same when he was younger.

Look how similar these two paper costumes are! So cool.

For the record, Cory is Boba Fett from Star Wars, and I'm not sure what Tynor was - maybe just standard armor.

[day 324... nov 20]

The big move is finally happening at work. We've been cramped into too few offices for the whole two years I've been with this group, with the promise of moving to new space and spreading out always "just around the corner."

It's finally here, and with 10+ years of seniority (which is how they decide these things), I'll go back to having a window office. That'll be nice, though as long as I have my own office and space, the rest is gravy. Our relatively-recently-reorg'd teams will be arranged near each other, too, which will be nice.

I'm not fond of packing and moving, but everything's done now, including three boxes at home, along with my red guest chair and my office chair (which they'll replace with something standard and uncomfortable otherwise!).And the best part? We get the three days off before Thanksgiving weekend so the movers can shuffle everyone around unencumbered. :-)

[day 323... nov 19]

Tomorrow Cory's class goes on a field trip to the Northwest Puppet Theater to see this play about Raven, the trickster. They've been reading stories in class and talking about the show, and are very excited to go on this big outing.

I remember Kellen and Tynor going to puppet shows there many years ago, and am glad that they're still performing. The theatre is in a former residence in Seattle, so the setting is a bit funky and down home - or comfortable and cozy, depending on how you look at it. The shows are great fun and very well done! I'm glad Cory will have the chance to attend on and can't wait to hear what he thinks of it.

[day 322... nov 18]

Tonight was a "State of the School" presentation at Little School, so it was a wild day. Work, then Niall's OT session over in Shoreline, a stop at a nearby McD's for dinner and playtime on the climber there, then back to Bellevue for the meeting.

Happily, the school provides free childcare for most of these evening events now, so Cory and Niall spent an hour or two in the familiar Extended Day classrooms with caregivers they know well. It made for a very late night, though, by the time the meeting was over at 8:30, then the drive home, then quick versions of bedtime routines, and off to bed. There were some very tired kids at school the next day, I'm afraid.

Cory spent his evening time working with Colleen (his lunch teacher during the school day) to make cool things out of K'nex. They made a great boat outline on the floor and Cory also made this AT-AT walker and light saber. He was very pleased with how they turned out, as you can see. :-)

[day 321... nov 17]

Every year, Carmen - the Spanish teacher at Little School - builds a beautiful Day of the Dead altar for the community to share memories about and honor the memory of their loved ones who have died. Some years I get organized enough to send photos with the boys of grandparents or others in our lives who have passed on, but it didn't quite happen this year.

Ten years ago, Kellen, Tynor and I traveled to Oaxaca with Susi, Martin and their kids for about ten days, timed to included the Day of the Dead - día de los muertos. The community there celebrates the festival in a huge way, with altars, sand paintings, skull-headed figures (catrinas), dances, performances. It was an amazing experience. We saw lots of other amazing sights in the area as well (despite Kellen being horribly sick a good part of the time, unfortunately), but día de los muertos was a major highlight.

[day 320... nov 16]

Cory has been very busy making paper objects of various kinds lately. Today when I arrived at Extended Day, Diana was signing the alphabet to him and he was creating a keyboard for this "laptop" - which comes complete with a mouse!

When we got home, he set it up next to my laptop and had me type on it, just so I could see how well it works. He was so pleased with himself. Wants to be just like his mother and type away on a laptop. Yikes!

[day 319... nov 15]

Haircuts for the three boys today, at our trusty local Great Clips. Julie trimmed Niall and Cory's hair, as usual, and Tynor's was taken care of by the gentleman in the far background of the photo. Julie is so good with the kids, though her haircuts are not "fabulous" - they work out ok and the kids don't get upset or (heaven forbid, but it HAS happened!) injured.

Tynor seems to have survived having the brisk guy cut his hair. I don't let that stylist near the little ones anymore. He jerks their heads around while he zips through the haircut. Umm...no thank you!