Miser Family Update: pumpkins, sweaters, travel, and rainbow wedding cakes

Life continues to be rich and full in the Miser Family Household -- even with my family mostly far-flung, I seem to have more than enough to occupy my time.  (Okay, I admit it: maybe I'm a tad over-committed at work.  Or over-committee-d at work.)  The stuff I'm doing doesn't even much make for interesting updates: anyone want to hear about a memo I wrote?  Minutes I took?  An exam I graded?  Anyone?

No, I thought not. 

Fortunately, my family is doing enough share-worthy stuff to fill up a letter.  Like, N-son is still having a great time with his sister. (Hey, N-son!  Text or call or email me!  I'm your mom, man!)

N-son and I at our neighbor’s cookout

Me wearing dad’s sweater... and n-son said,”wait, dad wore knit sweaters? “

Halloween here in our neck of the woods came a day late, because actual Halloween threatened bad storms.  That gave us a bit of breathing space to do some cool stuff.  I made a Jack-Cow-Lantern.  I know it doesn't look too much like a cow to y'all . . . but it's a prototype.  Next year my Jack-Cow-Lantern will be even cow-i-er. 

My new next-door neighbors had a blast scaring creating haunted nooks, dressing as werewolves who jumped out of shadows, and scaring the pants off of little kids.  I was surprised at how many parents thought that was HILARIOUS.   Self-selected group, I suppose.  But the pencils I gave out (following my dad's lead from many years ago, and a way for me to go low-trash for this halloween) seemed popular.  I also offered people dog food, to give the dog a treat, and so Prewash had a great time wagging her tail at adoring fans and giving free dog kisses.    

I-daughter dressed as that Disney character that no-one can pronounce.  Mall-off-the-scent. Male-if-it-scent.  You know.

As for my husband, he's having a blast riding his bike and other forms of transportation on the other side of the world.  I get email updates like this:

The last few days have been much focused on war--visiting memorials. Tomorrow is peace--visiting [former army buddy who is now a monk].

Israel by the end of the week.

and this:

T-mobile told me I just entered the eighth country so far, Latvia.  I am at the KGB museum because it's Shabbat and the Jewish Museum is closed.  

and this:

I miss you too!!  Two weeks and three countries and I’ll be home.  

But if that's not exciting enough for you, how's this?  K-daughter's divorce came through on November 1; she got engaged on November 1 and 3 seconds; and she got married earlier today.  Whoop!

I snagged just a few pictures -- and realized too late that I managed to snag several photos of the rainbow cake I made, but none of my new son-in-law.  Well, that's an embarrassing admission of mixed-up priorities.  Here are my photos, mixed in with a few that I-daughter took.

A wedding cake with no plastic toppers,
but still a bride and groom (and wedding party)

A-child actually fell asleep during the ceremony,
but whenever a camera is present, she hams it up!

Before the wedding: sisters getting ready together.  

After hair and make-up is done.

I-daughter's favorite photo of herself that day.

For what it's worth, I also didn't take a picture of myself.  The bridesmaids all wore red, but I wore a teal wool dress that my own Nana had made for my mom, and was glad to bring a bit of both of them to this ceremony.  I gave a speech about all the extra parents my kids have had (because, if any professors has the chance like this and doesn't give a long speech, they might take away your PhD!).  I-daughter said it reminded her very much of the speech my sister made at her son's wedding (that I had to miss).  

And with all that excitement, I guess I can wrap up by saying that that's the news from our family, which continues to be wealthy in our adventures.  May you and yours be similarly prosperous.