Happy Halloween!

We have a busy day tomorrow, but I wanted to wish everyone a very

Happy and safe Halloween!

The Pumpkin Hawk!

My son wanted me to carve a hawk's face, so I did my best.

I'm very pleased with the result. It's a Nodin's Nest original!

Pumpkin Picking in South Florida

This week we went to the pumpkin patch. The South Florida version that is. This amounts to a vacant lot next to the highway, between a gas station and a fast food restaurant. As far as my son is concerned though, it's a little piece of country heaven. He had a blast running between the rows of trucked in pumpkins and touching the prickly hay bales.

They had Indian corn and mini pumpkins for sale as well. I loved the antique items they used to display old Halloween decorations and of course the scarecrows they made. We picked up a couple of pumpkins and one bunch of Indian corn for our front porch. I realized while trying to take pictures that he really needed a haircut and that was our next stop.

Abracadabra!

Look what we got in the mail today!

My son decided to be a Magicianthis year for Halloween.

The costume arrived today and he is thrilled!

He likes this one because there is nothing on his face, he is afraid of masks. The hat is a little smashed, but I think if I place it on a form of some kind, it will regain it's shape before Halloween. I was glad he chose something that could be used year round for dress up play as well.

I thought about making him a costume this year but after spending a huge amount of time on previous years costumes, only to have him refuse to go, my heart wasn't in it this year.

He seems very excited to go this time and hopefully won't chicken out. If not, we will have fun handing out candy together anyway.

Once he actually goes and enjoys dressing up, I'm sure I'll go back to making a costume for him.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will finally be his first year trick-or-treating!

Our School Corner

Happy Wordless Wednesday!
This used to be our dining room, now it's our school corner. There is also a bookcase on another wall and a dresser full of supplies.

We were very lucky to have a microscope to use this year,

thanks to my veterinary friend!
For more photo fun visit 5 Minutes For Mom.

Photo Contest

5 Minutes For Mom is having another terrific photo contest!

This time the prize is $1000 for your best silly kid photo.

This is my entry. Go check it out and enter your own photo.

The holidays are coming and who couldn't use $1000?

Mommy Guilt

Today I left my house without my son. No big deal right? Most parents do that occasionally at least. I however, rarely do. My son has been with me daily since he was born. That was the way I planned it. Being self employed, it was easy to do.

So this morning, my mother and brother came to spend time with him while I ran errands and did my pet sitting rounds. I admit that I do feel odd when I look in my rear view mirror and he's not in his car seat. For a slight second I think, where is he? Is he safe?

Add to that the questions and looks I got all day from people who are used to seeing him with me, and I came home with a huge case of "mommy guilt".

The bank teller with lollipop in hand, "Where's your son, is he not with you?", almost sounded accusatory. Then the guard at the gated community where I was walking a dog, strains his neck to peer in my back seat and scan the floor boards looking for obvious mommy violations. I just smiled and said "He's with Grandma." I don't know if he believed me.

This went on everywhere I went! I know he's a great kid, and sure everyone loves him, but give mom a break! Why can't I go out alone? It's not like I was even doing anything fun, just the same stuff I do everyday, only without him. I realize, that some of this is self-imposed guilt. I'm sure none of those people really think I did anything awful to my son, right? They were just concerned because they see him with me everyday, right? Yeah, I'm sure that's all it was...