Our week off

We recently took one of our weeks off, and I took the opportunity to get a few things done.
1.  I decided on the colors for Mary for our Nativity set.

Now, I just need to get her started. :)

2.  I deep cleaned and organized The Professor and Velcro Boy's room.  Not there was much to do mind you.  There wasn't really anything I could get rid of.
3.  Planned our activities in Year With God up to Advent.  That's going to be a whole other ball of wax, so to speak :)
4.  Planned our October/Halloween crafts.
5.  Picked up my new glasses.
6.  Bought hubby a "new" car and got it insured and registered.
7.  Updated the kid's photo albums.
8.  Send the portraits and regular prints to out-of-town relatives.
9.  Found Halloween costumes for the kids!

Doodlebug's going to be a teddy bear (used costume from Velcro Boy)
Velcro Boy is going to be a UPS driver (I found brown pants, shirt and a hat, I just need to dye the hat        and make a "nametag")
The Professor's going to be a FedEx driver!  We have pants and a hat already, so I just had to find a shirt.  And I also need to make him a nametag.  The pants and shirts are things that the kids can wear again, so I didn't mind spending the money.

I also got them canvas bags (inspired by my SIL) that I'm going to decorate for Halloween loot bags.  I'm tired of trying to find storage space for those big plastic pumpkin buckets :)

10.  Of course I spent some time in the kitchen :)  I made banana bread, graham crackers, salad dressing and several other things.
11.  I found room darkening curtains for the boys' rooms.  I got them hung Saturday night and they really do block a lot of light.  (It's hard to tell if they help, we've all been sick and no one sleeps well when they're sick).  I did this in anticipation of the time change November 1.  My kids already get up before 7 (I know it's not the crack of dawn, but still...).  I hate to think of that becoming waking before 6.  I try to get up before them to shower, dress and have some prayer time BEFORE they wake up.  I'm rarely successful, but I can't imagine having to get up at 5 to get all that done.
12.  I also did our regular cleaning and gave the van a good vacuuming out.  It needed it.  It's been ~8 months since it's been done.