Author: Elsa

This year we are continuing the Fleck Fright Night tradition but it will be more family oriented fun this year. Inside the little witches hat was the rolled up scroll giving all the scary details. I am finding it a little challenging to tone down the scariness level in the decoration ideas. Bloody doll heads with knives through them (used in the past) would probably give some of our little guests nightmares.

Both the girls slept over at Monti's friend Samantha's house on
Friday. It was so strange being at home absolutely alone. I tried to
sleep in but it was no use I was up at 7am as usual. Samantha's dad
made pancakes for the girls for breakfast. He gets very artistic with
his pancake creations so he asked Monti what animal she would like her
pancake shaped like. Her response… "a blue heron, please."

On Friday I took a hike by myself up Cougar Mountain. It was about 2 miles up to one of the view points. Up there it was very quiet with only sounds of the forest. I was standing at the view point trying to decide which way I was facing when I heard what sounded like large raindrops falling through a tree. I looked over to see a cute young cougar grasping onto the trunk of a tall tree after falling down from his spot higher in the tree. I got out my phone and started walking towards the tree to get a good picture for my blog when something clicked inside my mind. If there is a baby cougar here there surely must be a mother cougar close by. I turned around quickly and hightailed it out of there. On the way out I noticed the sign about wildlife at the trailhead. It looks like I did at least 3 things wrong; went alone, approached wildlife, and turned my back on the cougar.

Monti’s class has been reading the book Frog and Toad at school. Her assignment this week included designing a swim suit for Toad. As you can see the swimsuit is quite dramatic as you would expect. Who wouldn’t want feathers on their swimsuit? 

We woke up this morning to find out the mountains had disappeared
outside our window. Dahlia was hoping since we were basically in the
clouds we would see Lumpy again because you know that is where heaven
is… up in the clouds.

Monti's class is studying wetland habitats in school. She has been
begging to go down to the wetlands. Thursday night we went out
exploring Lake Sammamish state park. She was satisfied with the visit
once she had a couple cat tails to take home. Both girls missed seeing
the snake on the path that I almost stepped on.

Three girls at the bus stop showed up wearing their leopard skirts on Thursday. Nothing was planned between them. I guess they all just shared a common though that morning, “It’s a good day for leopard print.” When I was in junior high I would totally plan with my friends to dress alike. Something about dressing identical was so cool to me.

It took us 25 minutes to go to the gym from our house. They are
widening the road to add more lanes to support all the new homes in
the area. The project will not be finished until the end of 2009.
Until then we will have to pad 15 minutes onto any important trip down
the hill. Monti and her school friends have been talking politics at
school. Everything regarding the election and party values is
extremely over simplified and stereotyped. When she saw them cutting
down trees for the road expansion she exclaimed, "I bet they are
Republicans because Republicans cut down trees and kill bugs."

I was invited to a Cookie Lee jewelry party and was told to bring the
kids along with me. Monti and Dahlia are officially in love with the
jewelry party idea. Not only did they get to load up on fruit and
sweets they both came home with new necklaces. For 5 and 7 year old
girls that is an absolute jackpot.