Goodbye Notes: Wordful Wednesday.

Today's topic on Wordful Wednesday is "The Perfect Location." Given that we're moving on Friday and relocating a more perfect location (two streets over), I decided to include a note that Barrett (7) wrote yesterday to our very dear next door neighbors.

Miss Robbie and Mister Griff:

I am moving to [address redacted] on Friday. I will miss you.

Sincerely, Barrett

But it is close and it will be good to call you.

Getting Ready.

For the past two years, I have been the absentee parent on Halloween. I have been joining my girlfriends in St. Simons Island, Georgia and attending the UGA v. UF game in Jacksonville. This year being a rebuilding year for our football program, my college roommates and I chose not to go to the game and decided instead to meet in Athens on October 17th and participate in a breast cancer charity walk, which leaves me in town for Halloween. The kids seem really excited that I'm going to be around to celebrate the holiday with them.

That being said. I love Halloween. It's my favorite non-religious holiday. (OK, I really like St. Patty's Day, too). In the past two years, I took off for the East coast with my children's costumes all set only to realize that they had changed their minds two or three times and ended up with substantially different costumes than the ones we had previously agreed on. Fundamentally I have no problem with this, however when spending a wad of money on a costume only to realize that my daughter wore an old, dirty leotard (to school, no less) is quite disconcerting.

I'm always trying to come up with costumes that all the parties can agree on. I don't allow scary costumes. I don't allow weapons. These are my only parameters. Since I'm going out of town next week, I decided that this was the week we were going to nail down the costumes. I'm afraid that if I wait, my options will be limited.

This year (presently), we have decided on an Artist for Barrett and Dorothy Gale for Ansley. [Ansley decided Dorothy was too itchy last year after I left for St. Simons, but apparently it has become less itchy with age?] Clayton is still kind of all over the map. His options include a doctor, Clark Kent or Robin.

Yesterday, we worked on Barrett's costume. We took an old mens dress shirt and went to town on it with some finger paint. We also made her an artist's palette to carry. I think she's going to be the cutest artist in town!!

Summer Teeth.

Some are there.  Some aren't.  [Now there are two out of three kids in our family who are missing their two front teeth.]

Higher Education.

On our recent trip to the motherland, we decided to take a side trip to Athens and show our children the University of Georgia.  I am convinced there is no other city quite like Athens, GA. Home to the B-52's and birthplace of REM.  It is my *favorite* city (edging out Paris by a razor thin margin).   These are the iconic arches of North Campus where the college borders the city.  Legend has it that if a Freshman walks through the arches, they will never graduate. Freshman actually walk around them, or avoid them all together.

My eldest child is interested in becoming a veterinarian, so my husband wanted to take her by the College of Veterinary Medicine at UGA.  [The vet school is world-renown.  Students at the UGA vet school invented the flea repellent Top Spot.] My husband envisioned her looking at this photograph to help motivate her in her studies.

My husband also wanted her to have an idea where she might end up if she didn't do well in school and apply herself. [I'm assuming he meant working and not eating.] I'm sorry if you're offended by my husband's bizarre sense of humor (he was endlessly amused by this).

Seven.

While we were in Atlanta, my eldest child celebrated her seventh birthday.  Although there was no party, it was celebrated with the appropriate amount of fanfare.

We had a Belgian waffle with blueberries, whip cream and a candle for breakfast.  American Girl store and bistro for lunch.  Along with the purchase of a new *friend* who is now traveling with us everywhere.  (And I do mean everywhere).  And finished up with dinner and dessert at her favorite chain restaurant seafood dinner, Red Lobster.

The middle-aged lady at the table next to us was also celebrating her birthday.  When the waiters came around to sing "Happy Birthday," it was for "Deb and Barrett."  Not exactly what we had expected.  Clayton repeatedly sang happy birthday to Deb and Barrett for the rest of the week.