A day at the races, searching for costumes, homemade birthday cards, and more (7 Quick Takes)

~1~

Our friend Theresa invited us to go to the Maryland Million with her, so our boys and I headed down to Laurel on Saturday for a few hours at the races. Growing up, I was one of those 9-year-old girls who read every Marguerite Henry book I could get my hands on, and I am fascinated by horses. I couldn’t wait to go to the racecourse myself—and take our sons.

We had a blast. We made $2 bets on a handful of horses, picked completely based on names. I had told the boys ahead of time that we weren’t like to win, so naturally our very first horse came in third. We immediately went to collect our $8.40.

Another horse won while we were driving home, so I think we actually came out ahead money-wise. But I wasn’t worried about that. The best part was getting to spend time with Theresa and introduce our children to a new experience.

And I loved that the track food included soup—and the flavors on Saturday were chicken noodle and Maryland crab, favorites of our boys.

All in all, it was a wonderful day.

~2~

On the Halloween costume front: I was hoping we could run to the costume store, pick our costumes, and be done. But somehow both children are picking costumes that seem to require a little more legwork.

I’m sworn to secrecy on what they’ll be dressed as, so I can’t tell you anything more. And—if we’re being completely honest here—the costume concepts might change since they’ve changed somewhat in the small amount of time since we came home from the store.

The photo is just one of the boys goofing off with a decoration, so don’t read into that as a clue. I invite you to stay tuned.

~3~

Our fourth grader and I stopped by a convenience store the other day to get lunch, and then ran through the rain to eat it outside in our car—even though there were tables inside. My son liked the chicken noodle soup so much that we had to run back through the rain to get more.

As we were walking into the store, I noticed a refrigerator full of bait and pointed it out to him. Then he spotted a shelf of Berger cookies.

“You always notice something new when you go somewhere again,” he said.

And he was right. I hope we always notice something new when we visit a place for a second time.

~4~

Who wears the pants in your family? Because I can’t get anyone under 12 to wear pants yet this season, and I think it’s definitely cold enough for pants. The school nurse called yesterday to tell me my son had had a very, very minor injury during P.E., and when I saw him at the end of the day, he gave me a smile and said, “When the nurse called, did you think she was going to tell you I have to wear pants?”

~5~

My niece is in my Sunday school class this year! It just happened to happen. I volunteered to teach wherever needed, and my assignment changed a few times. When I landed in Pre-K, my mother said, “Have you mentioned to Treasa that you’re teaching in Pre-K?”

I hadn’t because life has been a bit of a blur. So I told her, and suddenly she had signed my niece up for Pre-K. It’s fun on many levels and also exciting to get to be part of talking about her faith with her.

She turned 5 on Sunday, so I saw her on her birthday and gave her our gift, along with a card I made for her. Homemade cards are too much fun to make.

This weekend the children are invited to come dressed as saints, and she apparently picked one that I will never be able to identify. I do love a challenge.

~6~

October is birthday season in my extended family, and my father had a significant birthday this week. Am I allowed to say how old he is? Maybe you’ll figure it out from a clue in the photo.

I made his card using aluminum foil and—because he’s a Wonder Woman fan—I wrote a poem inside that went something like:

“No invisible jet or lasso coiled,

But you’re 75! You sure had us foiled.”

~7~

Our sitter who sat for us after school last year and over the summer is away at college. We miss her, though I’m grateful we found another sitter who is great with the boys.

The other day our former sitter texted me a photo of a rainbow she had just seen on her campus. She said when she saw it, it reminded her of our younger son running outside every time it stopped raining to search the sky for a rainbow.

I love that. I hope it’s not raining where you are. But if it is, I hope you’ll find a rainbow soon.

Read more quick takes at Kelly’s blog, This Ain’t the Lyceum, and have a wonderful weekend!

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