Halloween!

Last Saturday afternoon, Jack and I went to Kansas City's historic Union Cemetery for a couple of pictures. He was AMAZING.

And, oh yeah, did I mention that my mom made this vampire costume for me when I was a kid?














Even vampires need a break.


Our last shot before carrying him back to the car. We had a blast!


Then Leslie's cousin Lyndsey came up to experience Halloween in the suburbs. She and Jack squeezed in a mean game of Mousetrap before trick-or-treating.

When Jackson was an infant, I carved a special "JACK" o'lantern with just his first name in big letters. And since my oldest sister already gave me a hard time this week about the youngest child (i.e., me) always complaining about being neglected and getting the shaft, I figured I'd better carve a personalized pumpkin for Landon, too.

So... his very own jack o'LANDON.


Someone call animal control!

(The full moon was just up to the left.)

It was a gorgeous night to be out 'n' about, talking to neighbors.

This is how he rolls.


P.S. Jack loved his red bowtie so much, that he insisted on wearing it to church the next morning. A huge thanks to the nice woman at Sir Knight Formal Wear in Gladstone for her help!

All Hallow's Eve eve

Jackson was off school last Friday, so Leslie started the day by making homemade pumpkin pancakes. Which soon become "Jack" o'lantern pancakes.

Then it was time for the eagerly awaited "Carving of the Gourd"
(a 34-pounder this year!). After changing into the appropriate attire, of course.

We went through a couple rounds of design concepts, but Jack wanted it to be giving the "evil eye" and make it as sinister as possible.

Observe the concentration.

The finished product (complete with a dusting of cinnamon on the inside, to make it smell good on the front porch).

And making some caramel apples that evening (notice he's already in his jammies). Honey crisps are the best!

A day full of homemade pumpkin pancakes, jack o'lanterns and caramel apples. We love fall!

Girls' weekend

While I was in Maryville last weekend, Leslie went to Branson for a girls' get-away with her two college roommates.

"Rachael and me posing for Brenda in front of a shop in downtown Branson."

"At the Texas Land and Cattle Resturant at The Landing, in old downtown Branson. Brenda, we should have had someone take this so you could be in it too! Yummy meal after a long and successful day of shopping."

"After being on our feet all day and our yummy meal, Rach and I decided we needed a massage. I could have sat in that chair all night. What an AWESOME DAY!!"

"Before the show — Brenda and Rachael."

They saw a show starring Todd Bradshaw, their old neighbor across the street from the house the three girls lived in, in college!

Homecoming (...and related festivities)

The weekend before last, I spent three days and two nights in Maryville for Northwest's Homecoming. I first had some board meetings Thursday afternoon, Thursday evening and Friday morning; then was fortunate to be involved in the inauguration ceremony for Northwest's new president.

Photo by Eric Keith, St. Joseph News-Press.

Photo by Lori Frankenfield, The Northwest Missourian.

See the university's official photos here.

Me and Dr. J.

If I had to name just one person who most inspired me to become an active alum 11 years ago, it would be Mike.

Then it was off to tour various buildings on campus for the four different open houses and academic showcases.

The Department of Music had groups of student musicians playing at each site!

We made sure to end up at the on-campus elementary school where the principal presented President Jasinski with a hardbound book filled with notes, drawings and "job descriptions" of a university president — all made by the children. Then their Bearcat Choir gave a special performance of songs that you could tell were selected just for this occasion. (Vanessa, the elementary school's vocal music director, who instituted this select choir, and I were in college together and she was completely in her element.) It was all very impressive.

Unfortunately, I didn't start recording this until I realized, "Wow, they're really good. I should be recording this."

After the annual flag-raising ceremony at the International Plaza, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of the Valk Center renovation, it was on to the grand reception in the Administration Building. Whew!

Though it had been rainy, cold and windy, campus was still beautiful.

Louise and Janet, who Leslie worked with on campus for a couple of years, and who she still stays in touch with.

On my way out the door, I ran into Don & Marjean Ehlers, the Wesley Center campus ministers, who I hadn't seen in years. We ended up talking for the next three hours!

Later that evening, walking through campus on the way to my car.

Saturday morning, my wake-up call was at 4:30 a.m., I was checked out of my hotel room around 5:15 and I was back to campus by 5:30. That included getting to tour the president's house, built in 1870, which is being entirely renovated. "The Classical Revival structure has been the home of Northwest's president since the university's founding in 1905 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places." Through this second-story window...

I saw the sun rise over the county courthouse...

which made this young maple tree, just outside the Gaunt House, look like it was on fire (it hasn't been altered or PhotoShopped one bit).

And with that, just as I had feared, my camera battery died (I accidentally left the charger at Mom's in Nebraska the weekend before). But I borrowed Sully's camera to snap this of the Alumni Association float, complete with the alumni band chapter which played throughout the parade route. See more of Darren Whitley's photos here.


Two pics of that afternoon's overtime victory, from BearcatBlitz.com.