time is meant for sharing...

I'm sitting in my chair, drinking my rooibus tea, and watching the frost slowly disappear from the neighbor's rooftops. Our first frost, I think. It is beautiful and just in time to make trick-or-treating a real chill...I mean thrill. Also perfect timing for Ryan, who begins a new job tomorrow and gets to bid a sweet farewell to field work. I'm certain the weather is tipping its hat today. The fire is crackling (okay, hissing) in the living room. What a great day! My student is getting in some independent practice with her math. Yes, this is the student who recently raced in the front door to tell me that with my hair such as it was, I looked just like Lindsey Lohan. In the next breath she exclaimed, "OMG. She is SO ugly!" What do you say to that? :-)

There seems to be no shortage of smarty pants in this house. You all I know I married one. Unfortunately, I also birthed one. Just yesterday, Ryker informed me I was too fat to sit in the recliner with him. We had to read on the couch instead. Ryan is a merciless tease and Ryker occasionally gets a little sass going. "It's only funny to YOU, Dad!" Last night he was contemplating who was the strongest (Daddy of course), the richest (Ryker of course), the smelliest (Ryker again), the cutest (Emerson), the nicest (Mommy) and the funniest. "NOT Daddy!" he states emphatically.

We're working on initial letter sounds with Ryker. He always wants to know which is every one's favorite letter. His is 'C' for kick and he has to demonstrate of course. After several days of this, I decided it was time to break the bad news. "K is for kick." I inform. "C is for cow, candy and Uncle Case." He looks at me like I'm the strangest thing he's seen in his short life. "Kay...ssss." He sounds out. This is all so confusing. Call us Uncle Ks!

Well, good fall to all! Stoke the fire, break out the steamy soup recipes, brew some hot cocoa and kiss the family. The holidays are near.