Sean, here's to early detection and good medics. I hope this all goes as smoothly as possible.

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OK, this appears to be National Parents Getting Cancer Month, and it can just stop.

I am hoping for a full success on removing and treating your mom's cancer, Sean.

I need to order some toddler galoshes. It's raining buckets, which combines Mal's two favorite things: Outside and Water. He's frantic to be outdoors, but Robeez aren't going to cut it.

JZ, hang in there. The newborn stage is pretty awful, but it does get better, and in a few months you won't even remember how frazzled and tired and anxious and stressed you were. (If people did remember, the human race wouldn't survive).

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Hec's a Math Prof Rockstar! Or something!

((((PMM and Sean))))) Bloody hell.

Best Thing Evah: realising that, yes, I can plug my iPod into the computer's speakers and fill the whole classroom with my music, rather than just my head.

(eta...er, "rather than just FILL my head WITH MUSIC", that is, not "rather than just FILL THE ROOM WITH my head." Obviously. Er.)

Even Better Thing: my kids. So cute. So Halloweeny. So cute! Did I mention the cute? The cute SLEW me. Ded. We didn't have fancy dress to school, just after school, but still - damn. Cute. Bless. And they wrote brilliant poems today. And did good maths. And sang well. And were just omg unbelievably cute. OH! And Barney The Dog (the fluffy white dog who goes home every night with someone who was fabulous) had a costume too - I brought in little red devil horn hairclips (almost a santa hat effect, because they have white feathery fluff at the base) and clipped them on Barney's ears. SO CUTE! (I was also wearing devil's horns all day - the only member of staff to do so. And I had a witch's hat and cape that I got changed into at the end of the day, which gave the ruby slippers I was wearing a whole other connotation.)

NOT the best thing ever: a conversation with a random Thai lady (a mum? a TA? Who knows?) in which it became clear that she thought I was, in fact, Carmen. Which would be fine, I guess - but Carmen's 9 months pregnant. So she was going 'there's a white chick...short hair...enormously round, clearly must be pregnant - that'll be her then.'

I remain surprisingly chilled about this, but - yeah. Time to get my fat ass back to the gym.

...did I mention the part where my kids were cute? Because OH MY GOD the cute! Such cute! All your cute are belong to them!

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JZ, I'm sorry to hear about your rough day. It realy truly does get easier. I think I mentioned before, but it's so true - I clearly remember thinking when Ellie was about 2 weeks old that we would never survive to our 6 week appointment. (Not sure what I thougth would happen to us.) Anyway, I was so proud of myself when I actually got there because it wasn't *quite* as hard as it had been. Newborns really do suck the life right out of you. (Ha! I'm so funny. I didn't even mean it that way. )

Fay, I think Halloween would be such a nice time to be around so many cute kids in cute costumes. Sorry to hear about the random lady. How rude! Do Thai people celebrate Halloween or is it because you are at an American? school?

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Sean, I'm glad they caught it early. Strength and peace (and some big old BOREDOM) to you, and all your loved ones.

Hil, congrats!!!

JZ, you poor lovey. Is there anyone local to you who can spot you during the day, sometimes? You're still recovering.

Just helped Emmett with his math homework. Prime factorization with exponents!

Ben (also fifth grade) was doing that, recently. By any chance, Hec, does Emmett's school use the "Everyday Math" program (based on Chicago Math)?

Last year, they were measuring angles, including obtuse angles, (my fingers REALLY wanted to type that as 'obtuse Angels') which was hard for 9/10 year old minds. It was too many steps, all of which require precision. It was the first time Ben didn't instantly get math, and he was much put off by the concepts of studying and working for a subject that had always been his candy.

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I have the stomach flu. Ick.

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May today be a much better day for you, JZ.

sj, no one should have the stomach flu while on vacation. That's just wrong. Feel better ~ma, sweets.

Oh. And Happy Halloween, y'all! And Happy Birthday, Daniel!

I cut a small hole in my poofy pillow and let out some of the foofy-ness last night. If all goes as planned, my fake belly for my fake pregnant costume will fit better under the overalls now. I hope. Off to shower!

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Oh, Sean. So much ~ma to your mom, and you too.

Poor sj!

Happy Halloweeen, all!

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

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I'm looking forward to the yeast infection, though, that will follow the course of ABX.

Definitely eat a bunch of yogurt. Plain is best (mix it with yummy fruit or nuts or what not) and make sure that it says that it has the whatever healthy bacteria. Lots of processed yogurts overprocess lots of it out.

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Happy Birthday, Daniel! With cake and lots of happiness!

Happy Anniversary, Jilli and Pete!

Seconding Nora's recommendation of yogurt. If you gobble down enough of it, it will help keep a yeast infection at bay.

We are the proud owners of a 25-pound pumpkin. Strangely, it doesn't feel much lighter hollowed out -- the flesh was at least an inch and a half thick and a bitch to carve.

Nothing like waiting till the last minute, when only the mutant pumpkins are left. But it makes a pretty magnificent jack-o-lantern.

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