Our big week of Halloween activities wraps up on Tuesday …

We carved pumpkins with Kiana & Ange on Sunday night, and we are ready to go. Candy is ready. Costumes are ready. Video camera, still camera … stay tuned for more pictures!

Halloween’s not until Tuesday, but we kicked things off tonight in Downtown Campbell, at the merchants’ Trick & Treat event for kids. Cousin Kiana joined us for the fun, and the girls all got to show off their costumes.

Karen has once again created masterful custom costumes for both girls. Jocelyn is a Witch and Felicia is a Spider. Since Halloween is still four days away, there are sure to be lots of cute pictures.

Jocelyn has been honored with another “Booksin Spirit Award” …recognized by her second grade teacher, Mr. Martinez, for demonstrating the life skill of “Common Sense.”

Around about this time last year, she was recognzed for the life skill of “Effort” in first grade.

We’re quite proud of her life skills — and the good example she sets for her peers. Congratulations!

Jocelyn’s 2nd Grade class has embarked on an exciting community-service fundraiser … collecting aluminum cans on behalf of local charities. The proceeds of the class’ collection will go to purchasing Thanksgiving Turkeys for two San Jose charities: Martha’s Kitchen and Loaves & Fishes.

Jocelyn and her classmate Kai took a trip to Crossbow on Monday to collect cans for the drive. The kids met with the company’s HR and Facilities Manager to tell him about the project — and get his permission — and then they cleared out the recyclables from the two employee break rooms. They each collected a large bag of cans!

Well done, Kai & Jocelyn!

Jocelyn had the day off from school on Friday, so the “Daytime Trio” made a day-trip to Roseville to see Grandpa & Grandee. We did all of the usual things, including some computer games, lots of Thomas the Tank Engine, watched some more movies, played at the park, had lunch at Applebee’s, and took a bath.

But the most important activity for Felicia was replenishing her sticker supply for potty-training rewards. She’s interested in potty training, and especially likes to get stickers from Jocelyn as her reward. Last week, Jocelyn ran out of her favorite stickers … the “Froggy Stickers” from her grandparents.

All last week, Felicia would tell anyone who would listen, “After the Sharks game, we going to Gampa Gandee’s house, and we get Foggy Sticters!”

Not only did she nab a new page of Froggy Stickers, but Grandee helped her make some new custom stickers using her recently-posted SJPPNS Elva’s harvest artwork. Now, her 3-D collage has inspired its own unique sticker.

Felicia really loves her new preschool. She’s been in class for a little more than a month, and really seems to enjoy it. She especially loves her “Teacher Sharon” (her title and her name, as far as Felicia is concerned).

In addition to our regular appearances on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we often see Teacher Sharon at Booksin School, because she takes her first grade son to school at the same time we take Jocelyn. Teacher Sharon actually lives just a few blocks from our house, so Felicia sees her almost every day … but that may not be enough.

For the past few days, Felicia has been searching for Teacher Sharon everywhere we go. “I see Teacher Sharon!” she proclaimed as we walk down an isle at Target on Monday. “Is that Teacher Sharon!” she’ll ask, trying to look into the cars next to us at a stoplight yesterday. “Daddy, Teacher Sharon!” she insisted after seeing someone equally blond and similarly attired walking along the street today.

Jocelyn completed the Booksin Walk-a-Thon on Saturday, and had a great time doing it. She even played in a soccer game in the middle of the day — and got credit for walking 15 miles (an improvement over last year’s 12 miles)!

She’s pictured here with her good friend Kaitlyn Abe, who kept her company for a big chunk of the day … while Daddy was coordinating the Sound & Entertainment DJs for the event. How about that crazy hair?

You’re here because you are invited to my eighth birthday party, and you’re about to become Ruff Ruffman’s newest “Fetcher!” Here’s what you need to do:

If you haven’t watched FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman on PBS, then you are in for a real treat. You can watch it on Friday afternoons at 5:30 on Silicon Valley Public Television KTEH 54.

Here’s the beginning of the official 8th Birthday Challenge: Read the rest of this entry »

Just in case anyone was wondering, Felicia has decided that Tiburon is her cat. She primarily calls Tiburon by her new name: “My Kitty.” Siskiyou is “Jocelyn’s Kitty.” … nevermind that both cats were born long before either girl.

She still loves both cats, and often wants to know where they are. And she constantly wants Tiburon to sit on her lap. The cat isn’t so ready yet, but maybe someday.