Ten things of thankful

Every week, my sister hosts a "Ten Things of Thankful" blog round up over at Thankful Me. I'm giving it a try this week.

So, in roughly chronological order, here are some things I was thankful for this week.

1. Halloween. I love Halloween in New England, especially when, like this year, we don't have to deal with rain or snow. It's more of a community event than I remember it being when I lived in Utah or Oregon. Each town has its own particular quirks: the house that hands out baggies of fresh popcorn; the house that gives extra candy to kids who do a trick (jokes count); the house that plays opera on outside speakers; the house with the sound of a chainsaw coming from the barn, the house that hands out jello shots (in plastic containers so you can consume them after you drive the kids home) to the parents.

This year, only Kid 4 was young enough to go trick-or-treating, and he and his friends lobbied to go around the village without parental chaperones. The parents discussed it and agreed--as long as the kids agreed to check in via walkie-talkie throughout the evening.

I also made Kid 4's costume with visibility in mind. Which brings me to . . .

2. Pushing the envelope. I almost always buy Halloween costumes, but for some reason, when Kid 4 and I started talking about his costume this year, I began by doing a Pinterest search for easy no-sew Halloween costumes. A jellyfish costume caught Kid 4's eye, and he confessed to having wanted to be a jellyfish the previous year.

Crafting is so not my strength, but I was able to put something together that was recognizably a jellyfish. And it was white, and had LED lights, so kiddo was extra visible for his first unchaperoned trick-or-treat.

3. Fun field trips. Kid 4 got to spend Friday night in the Boston Science Museum. I am thankful for the adults who rode in a bus and slept on a museum floor to give him that opportunity.

4. Great local theater. Friday night, I went to see a great production of a play by a local playwright.  I live within 15 minutes of three community theaters, but this one is our "home" theater, so I knew almost everyone involved with the production. I drove home on a theater high.

5. My kids' cross-country coach. Eight years ago, Kid 1 came home from 7th grade and told us he had joined the cross-country team. Privately, my husband and I agreed this wouldn't last two weeks. Kid 1 ran all through high school, and the twins joined up when they got to 7th grade. The coach is a character, prone to putting his foot in his mouth. He also loves running and loves the kids, and he fosters determination and team spirit better than anyone I've met. My kids are blessed to have him in their lives.

6. Cross-country meets. Yesterday was the final cross-country meet of the season for my kids. After dropping the kids off at school to ride the bus, my friend (whose son is also on the team) and I went out to breakfast before driving to the meet. We arrived early enough to walk the course, which was especially scenic, even this late in the fall. It was cold, but we lucked out and had only a little rain. Spending the day outside, chatting with parents, cheering on the kids, and watching the kids cheer on each other is one of my favorite things about fall.

One of the runners on the team is . . . not fast. He is running because he wants to share the activity with an older brother, but running is not his gift. He comes in minutes after the next slowest member of the team. And yet, when he hits the home stretch, he has a crowd of teammates cheering him on.

7. Pumpkin-stuffed French toast, with whipped cream and real maple syrup. It completely violated my post-Halloween vow to eat healthier, but it was worth it.

8. My small group at church. As part of preparing to be received into the Episcopal church last month, I met regularly with the priest and the other people preparing for reception. We found our time together so enriching, we decided to keep meeting even after our reception. We met today and had a lively discussion on All Saints Day and what sainthood means to us.

 9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Kid 2, Kid 4, and I started watching this together on Halloween. They are enjoying it as much as I thought they would, and I'm enjoying sharing it with them.

10. Reading time. Kid 4 and I started a new read aloud this week. I'm glad he still likes being read to.