Tricks and Treats

I've always said that Parker, who arrived one week after his due date on Halloween, was both a trick and treat. As the years begin to roll by, I never cease to be amazed at how much this little guy continues to surprise me.

For example, there was a time when I thought Parker would love Lightning McQueen forever and ever. But then, he started humming Finn McMissile music -- "Deh deh deeeeh, deh deh deeeeh, deh deh deh deh deh deh deh deh deh deeeeh...." So we thought, let's let Parker dress up as his favorite spy from the movie Cars 2 for his birthday.

The costume was simple enough, more or less a shirt plus a cap. And we bought it in September, giving him plenty of time to wear it around the house throughout the month of October in preparation for Halloween. Much to my surprise -- and disappointment -- the child refused to wear the costume. Each time I would as so much take it out of the packaging, he would cry.

So I started to work on a Plan B. After building Dusty Crophopper from an old Amazon box, I also built Lightning McQueen (for Jeremy) and Sally (for me). And to top it all off, I built a little Finn McMissile for Parker.

So what did he decide he wanted to wear at the annual Camp Amgen Halloween Parade? That's right, the original Finn McMissile costume, not the one that I slaved over for hours.

Parker as Finn McMissile

I'll spare you the photos of Parker screaming and crying while he marched through the parade with his classmates.

Refusing to Smile

But then, Parker had an idea. He decided he would in fact put on his Finn McMissile car, provided he could drive the car down the street. The results were disappointing for him, but hilarious for everyone else. He didn't quite understand why the car wouldn't drive. I guess I should have put actual wheels on it. (#MamaFail)

Driving down the Amgen Paseo

 In the end, though, the Camp Amgen parade was a great start to Halloween. Parker even went Trick or Treating with a few friends who live up the street from us. He didn't quite grasp what was happening until someone gave him a lollipop, which he very much appreciated. But then he just wanted to go home. Asleep early on a Friday night? Perfect treat for Mama and Dad.

Happy Halloween, Parker!

Dusty the Crop Duster

October, you've arrived. Welcome glorious month of birthdays and costumes! I'm so looking forward to all 31 of your days and nights. 

And tonight, I could not be more excited, because I have just finished making what will perhaps be Parker's Halloween Costume. After making it, I realize it is a little bit large, so it may just end up being MY Halloween Costume -- we shall see. I think I look pretty good in it!

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Gotta prop up those wings...

Those of us who know #UnforgettableParker are likely surprised that I did not make some type of automobile costume. The truth is that Parker seems to have moved on from Pixar's Cars in favor of Disney's Planes these days. It's a welcome break from the Cars story lines, yes. But I admit a small piece of me misses singing Sheryl Crow's "Real Gone" from the first movie and Weezer's "You Might Think" from Cars 2. I'm not worried, Parker still carries his cars around the house the entire day, from his bed, to breakfast, to the bathroom for any and all diaper changes...

Should his passion for all things "Dusty the Crop Duster" fade by October 31, I'm certain I can whip up another costume. Because to be honest, this little arts and craft session, though intense, was actually SO. MUCH. FUN. We can always have an airplane-themed second birthday party, right?

Watch Out, Howard Schultz

At this moment in time, we have 8 pounds of GREEN coffee beans at our house. Yes, that's right. GREEN beans. The unroasted, not quite ready to turn into coffee varietal of coffee beans. Yes, because someone in our family decided he would like to start roasting his own coffee beans. 

Said Someone

I don't know why I'm surprised. The past year or so, Jeremy has been baking his own bread in the style of a famous bakery in San Francisco, Tartine. That means "regular" yeast is replaced by a natural leaven which gets its "yeast" from stuff in the air. (Sweet, Jeremy, we're eating microbes.) In addition, Jeremy cooks his bread in a cast-iron skillet. It's really kind of like a science experiment, which is fine, except that it's in my kitchen. And to be honest, the results to date have been hit or miss. But when they've hit, they've been great, I'll give the man that.

But coffee roasting? I honestly don't know where this one came from. He's mentioned a desire to brew his own beer, and make his own wine, and I get that -- such activities also include fermentation, a process he "studied in college," lest I ever forget the man is a chemical engineer.

A chemical engineer, and now, a coffee roaster. A coffee roaster who roasts coffee beans in a popcorn popper on a camp stove in our backyard.

The Setup

The Inner Workings

That is what ARTISANAL coffee looks like. And THIS is how it tastes...