Thankful Happygiving

 All my babies came home!

Sometimes I think when they come back here from where they are I also subconsciously expect that they will be little again too. Mostly it's good that they're big. 

Friday we reverted back to old patterns, got pizza and watched The Simpsons. When the kids were younger and Matt was away, the only thing that the kids could usually agree on watching was The Simpsons, so we would pick a random episode. Did I let them start watching it at an inappropriate age? I'm not sure - when the movie came out in (checks Google) 2007, wait what, TWO THOUSAND AND SEVEN? I was going to tell the story about how Angus's friend Eric's mom invited us to go and since I thought of her as a stricter mom than me I figured it would be okay. Then I half-expected to be met at the exit door of the theatre by Children's Protective Services. 

Look at my children, watching the same tv in the same room!

Anyway. I thought we were going to pick a random episode, but we had to watch episode 2 of the new season that just started because it turns out that Eve has been a faithful Simpsons watcher, which I did not know. 

The episode was about (among other things) the distressing trend of tweens - children, really- becoming obsessed with anti-aging skin products. Since I haven't watched the show in real time for decades, this felt uncomfortably on the nose for me, particularly since the very next day Eve and Davis and I went to....

The new Barrhaven Sephora! 

*sounds of angels singing*

As we were walking up, Davis said "I wonder how long it will stay open. Could be a long time. All those ten-year-olds worrying about skin care" and Eve and I said "OMG, LAST NIGHT ON THE SIMPSONS...."

It is a really nice store. The mall ones always make me feel seconds away from a panic attack because of all the makeup stands that are taller than me and the narrow aisles. The aisles are wider in this stand-alone, and everything was clean and new and shiny.

There was so much sparkly stuff plastered on.

There were so many perfumes sampled. 

That one was NOT good

I bought them each one thing, and then we went next door to La Vie en Rose, feeling penitent about the noxious cloud lingering around us. Then a salesgirl walked past us and said "ooh, you guys smell good, what is that?" and we burst out laughing and said EVERYTHING.

This is Eve suddenly realizing that they new the sales girl from high school and telling Davis who then plaintively said "but she saw me in just my bra"

Eve went over to Davis's for Thanksgiving Dinner #1 (last year we both went there for Thanksgiving Dinner #2) and Angus and I watched some of the new Dexter, which is surprisingly good with a shockingly prestige cast.

Sunday afternoon we went outside to take some family pictures.

Matt was taking a picture of the three of us and Lucy was running around.

She started to go too far out and he said "Lucy! Come back here!" and she did this, which she has never done before.

I mean...

Then I went to ask my neighbour if she could take a picture of the four of us, and Lucy invited herself in. Yvonne said "I'll be over in a minute, and I'll bring your dog". Full-service neighbour, she is. 

Then my parents came over for dinner - first time they had seen Angus since last Christmas. The weather has been perfect and it was a really nice day.

Monday Eve and Davis and Jackson and I went to do Annual Pumpkin Patch Photo Shoot #7 - down a couple of kids who are at different corners of the globe but were there in spirit. This obviously needs its own post. 

Then they came back here to paint the pumpkins, while I tried to make dinner and bake more pumpkin muffins for people to take home and make Pillsbury cinnamon buns for the 'fall vibes' and we watched The Craft and the first three episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Happy they are here, sad that they have to leave. Thankful for how fortunate we are.