All the Halloweens.

In the aftermath of Grandma's departure, at least we had Halloween. It's my least favorite holiday, but my Mom has always loved it, as do F+F. 

So does, inexplicably, Seth, who invariably conspires with Finley to con everyone into family costumes. But I digress.

At least we got our money's worth of sweatshop spandex. First, there was my work fall festival, to which Seth did not make it and at which I was too mortified at being clothed in spandex in front of my senior rater (a three star general) to take any pictures.

Then, Boo at the Zoo for our local rescue zoo, which we adore. Where the kids can feed Stretch the giraffe,

pet revoltingly enormous Burmese pythons,

stand back to avoid being in spit radius while Dad feeds the camels,

play on seriously dilapidated and probably dangerous playground equipment with old friends,

and dote on their real favorite animals, the owners' dogs.

Pre-Halloween weekend also involved Finley's first "big girl" birthday party, a roller skate party which included approximately five minutes of actual skating

and a couple of unseasonably warm fall nights on which Dad was- unusually- home. Which meant evening bike rides (we love where we live)

and trips to see the hit of the season, our Dutch neighbors' contribution to American Halloween: this large inflatable dragon. The kids adore it, and ride their bikes to say hi to the dragon every night. As a result, Halloween being over is going to really kill our bedtime routine, and I'm trying to figure out a way to convince the neighbors that there is such a thing in America as a "Christmas dragon." Any and all ideas appreciated.

Halloween itself was idyllic. Upper 70s and sunny. The family costume, sudden mask aversion notwithstanding, was a hit.

Thanks to Jayne, the house looked festive.

Seth got home in time to drive the kids around trick or treating on the golf cart (along with the rest of the neighborhood) while I handed out candy and sipped pumpkin beer. (Don't feel too sorry for him. The golf cart has cupholders.)

And F+F consumed a reasonable amount of candy and were down for the count by 8pm. (This is them pretending to sleep when I checked on them at 7:45.)

We're enjoying this calm version of Halloween while we can, and know it won't last.

Nor will this, my favorite photo of the week. In a post-Halloween coma (and inexplicably missing some PJ items), F+F climbed in our bed early this morning. I woke up Thursday to go for a run and saw this:

Here's hoping everyone's Halloween included pumpkin beer, a decent bedtime, and sleepy snuggles.

Goodbye to Grandma, and zoo adventures.

I guess all good things must come to an end, but we had gotten super spoiled by having Grandma Jayne around to handle daycare pickup and dropoff and- because she's awesome- the bulk of the laundry, cooking, and potty training.

We had one last farewell weekend before she left, during which I snagged a rare night away. Which for some reason, I opted to spend running a 200 mile relay across Eastern North Carolina with a van full of sweaty cops, for the Tuna Relay. At least I got to share space, and some unlikely campsites, with Michelle. (The one on the right is us crashing midday at Bentonville Battlefield, dodging fire ants and overly enthusiastic park rangers.)

We eventually made it to the beach, and grabbed a few well-deserved morning beers. It had been a long time since I had been kicked out of a van to run 9 miles in the pitch blackness at 2am, and it felt good to be back in the saddle.

I made it home just in time for the first round of holiday parties (we have so far massively lucked out on weather) and costumes.

And as Grandma Jayne's last hurrah, we made a Sunday run for the NC Zoo in Asheboro- my favorite zoo of all time-

where the kids made new friends

and enjoyed the very last vestiges of summer.

Followed by a trip to the Flying Pig for food and arcade game throwbacks

and, naturally, trains. An Asheboro (and Ford) fave.

My favorite photos of the week are of the Nieman men, checking out the elk exhibit at the zoo

and this- completely candid- late night photo I snapped at Lowe's Foods in Asheboro. I swear Seth was only pretending he was going to punch Ford. Who loved it. Finley, on the other hand, was actually dancing like a paid performer on the tabletop.

I'm sure Jayne's going to miss this band of crazies as much we we're going to miss her!

It's beginning to feel a [little bit like] fall...!

This is the view of the trees in our backyard when you're lounging in the disc swing (with a glass of wine in hand.)

This is generally my view whenever I attempt to enjoy it. Minus the spilled wine.

Yesterday was the first day with a little bit of fall nip in the air. 

Not Alaska nip, Miss, but it did get down to like 60 degrees at night (causing every single Southerner to pull the winter coat out of the attic), and enough of the hurricane mosquitoes died that we were finally able to- for the first time- haul out the bounce house and enjoy our oasis of a backyard.

We salvaged a lovely fall-ish weekend out of one marred by a last minute Friday trip to (and earlyyy Saturday return from) DC for the Regimental Dining In (for me),

a fairly major tropical storm (during which- Jayne sent me this while I was at work- Finley danced in the rain in her PJs),

and yet another dance performance at a random rural festival. Which Ford crashed, as per usual.

The Coats Farmers Day festival actually turned out to be a total blast, complete with rideable farm equipment and a hysterical parade that included line dancing, candy-throwing, and lots and lots of Jesus.

Plus donuts.

We went full "fall in the south" and wrapped up the weekend with chili, football, church (in matching dresses, thanks to Finley), and a trip to the pumpkin patch

including some hilarious failed fall photos.

Also, F+F made superhero masks and put up the Halloween decorations with Grandma while I was at work. Crafts and decorating being two of my least favorite seasonal things, I am eternally grateful. 

Somewhere in there I had time to attempt my annual DIY house project, which resulted in spilled picnic table sealant, an emergency trip to the hardware store for paint thinner, and a barely-noticeable bald spot near my left ear. Plus noticeably sticky fingers.

But cheers! to my favorite time of year, even if it means some seriously questionable language pouring out of my living room as I am reminded where Seth learned to scream at the TV during football games. (His mother.) (Fine. This is actually one of my favorite things ever, and is completely hilarious.) Happy fall, y'all.