still in October...

Halloween was so pleasant this year!   I think it was--in part--because the time had not changed yet.  So though we left at our usual 5:45 p.m. it didn't get dark until we were finishing our round.  

Michael and I actually have fun doing the trick-or-treating trail. Not only do we get to see our kids and neighbors' kids blissed-out candy happy but we also get to see where many of our customers live.  We meet tons of "neighbors" at the shop but don't have a reference for where they actually live in the hood.  Halloween creates a quirky opportunity to connect a face with a house.  We like the neighbors, kids like the candy.  Win win.     

Most of the Halloween pics are already on a facebook album, but here are a few more...

Emerson and Hannah did t-o-t at their school as well.

There are only five kids in her class, which is something I like about her school.

Han was a bit clingy and anti-costume that morning so she hung out with me instead.

Cousins came trick-or-treating!

Love these little Vaclavs.

Ah, the first borns.

The 2012 T-o-T Crew.

Ninja

Greek Goddess

Kitty Cat

Unicorn

They did so well.  They usually do, but this year in particular they were really well behaved and miraculously did not eat that much candy.  

A super pleasant Halloween for all.  Who knew?!

Clarksville

I love our neighborhood.

We had no idea that when (by divine intervention) we were able to lease a space for Medici in Clarksville, we would come to love it so much.

It's rich in history, has nicely situated commerce, is full of fascinating neighbors, has two highly usable parks, and our very dear elementary school is tucked right inside.  And of course there's Medici smack dab in the center of all that. What's not to love?!

But we also had no idea that when (again by divine intervention) we bought our tiny little condo in Clarksville, we would grow to a family of seven.  What, seven?!  Still trips me out.

So now we are at a very interesting crossroads.  Five kids in this cozy 1000 sq. ft. just doesn't seem to be the plan, although we have done it quite happily with four. And I know millions of families around the world have more people and less space.  So I'm working hard not to have an attitude of entitlement based on our kid-per-square-foot ratio.

Bottom line is, my heart's desire is to move.

Options for moving within the neighborhood seem to be very limited.  But after a small freak out, I can now say I have total faith that the right place will come at just the right time.  But will that necessarily be in Clarksville?

I hope so.  There are so many treasurable memories to be made here...like these at Nau's Enfield Drug Store.

This place has been open since 1951.

Elia, her best buddies and the siblings got to drink milkshakes after school.  This is before the sugar rush, believe it or not.

Lauren is a reliably photogenic sweetie-pie.

Isabella, setting the tone.

Hannah, telling me to get out of her face with my camera.

Lauren's sister Kelsey and her mini-me.

Poor milkshake man.  He did more than his share of shaking this day.

Isabella's little sister and Austin's classmate, Andrea.

Bit-o-heaven.