Monday and the holidays

Well it's Monday and since fall break is over it's officially the countdown to the holidays at our house.  It's a couple of weeks until Halloween and it's our last official trick or treat.  In our family when you are done with elementary school you are also done trick or treating.  The child will get a bag of candy of their choice as a gift ( yes my mother still gives me something ).  Since we live in the country (there are 5 houses on our road) we have never had trick or treaters other than kids we know like my nephews and niece.  My mother moved into town years ago and since she gives out candy I feel no guilt in letting my kid trick or treat in her neighborhood.  Sprout found a carebears costume over the summer at goodwill.

Sprout's school does some costuming for book fair week and she's in the process of trying to figure out who she wants to be this year.  There is usually a pajama day thrown in there as well as some others.  It finishes up on their last day before Thanksgiving break.  That is feast day.  Each of the classes brings in their favorite foods and parent and grandparents are welcomed.  The kids can dress as a pilgrim or native american.  Since we have ancestors that were on the Mayflower she has always been a pilgrim.  I'm not sure if the costume still fits, but if it does that will be what she wears this year.  I got the on call phone for the week before Thanksgiving so I won't have it any in December and I'm grateful for that.  I do have a class scheduled for a week in November and December so I've got to get my shopping under way soon. I do quite a bit on black Friday, but there are quite a few I can't get then so I need to get a move on.

December will be a bit hectic since we will need to be handling the paperwork for her school change so that when she leaves on Christmas break she's all set for the new school.  It seems so far away, but I know that it's going to come faster than I want it to.  I'm grateful that I have all of her Christmas break off.  It makes life so much easier at our house.  This year my sister is coming from California and my dad has requested that all of us come to his house for a day at the same time so I guess I'm going to Ohio for a day.  I have a feeling it will be the last holiday that is celebrated at the house since my step mother's dementia is progressing pretty rapidly these days.  It's hard for Sprout to see her this way.  She remember the Gram that read to her and sang with her and not the one who doesn't know her name.  It's hard for me too since she doesn't know my name either.