#1: 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Totally stoked that Halloween is over. Zoë spent 48-plus hours (on and off) puking and with the Big D. It definitely looks like she's on the mend--but happy to be past the worst of it.

In other news, for Hallow's Eve we handed out local apples purchased from the Farmer's Market, mini compostable pumpkins, fruit leather and play-dough (from China).

The takers in apples and play-dough were split evenly - a few fruit leather partakers and some pumpkin snatchers. The apples I understand - a lot just seem to start noshing as soon as they grab them. But I imagine the great pumpkin choosers get home and think: "what the hades was I thinking? It seemed so novel at the time."

The Greatest Superhero Man's Ever Known

The costume pre dance-wear

Holden invented a new superhero - his name is Captain Spears (I can only assume that's how you spell it). A couple of Saturday's ago, when I asked Cito what he was going to be for Halloween he told me about Spears; and with a little digging I discovered he wears "a mask, a brown cape and a diaper."

He dressed up (with black tights and whatever the male equivalent of a leotard is) and showcased Spears at his preschool program last week.

The other night I asked him what he was going to wear for trick-or-treating.

He said: "Baby Bup-Bup." Which apparently is Spears' nemesis (and brother).

Me: "What does Baby Bup Bup wear?"

Holden: "Just a gas mask, socks an shoes." (Now I know he's being über creative because anyone that hangs out with me knows that me and my kids maybe wear socks 8% of the time.)

Me: "where are we going to get a gas mask?"

Holden: "Oh it's just at Target."

Fast Friday (Cause that's all I've made time for)

Yesterday was third Thursday at Make and Takes. So I was doing some blogging over there.

Today (Friday) is a standard blogging day for the WE. So you could check out my article here. Also, remember how I get all crazy political every four years to coincide with the Presidential election? Well, I've been quite restrained on my blog (and facebook too, I think); but I make no apologies for my Twitter Feed (I think it can be viewed on this website under the heading "Suites Tweets.")

In other news, last week I bought myself a salad spinner. I've had my heart set on one of those things for ages, so yeah - it's kind of a big deal. Also, tonight I ordered business cards for "The Shakti Suite" - my business. They read "Yogi. Writer. PR Goddess. Green Mama. Altruist."

But most importantly, have you seem this "Ganesh is Fresh" picture of Zoë?

One of our sweet neighborhood friends brought these awesome t-shirts back for my kids from India (along with some banging bindi's for me). Public Shout Out to Sandra!!!!! (I have been meaning to call, and thank you personally...)

What I've Been Doing

OK, seriously, I know I haven't been a round...

Here are somethings that need to be blogged about (in no particular order):

• My mom, she turned 60 today
• Our AMAZING trip to St. Regis splendor in 
• Zoë hit the 10-month mark - trying to walk (growing up way to fast)
• Our garden
• Canning, canning, canning
• Some Make and Takes blogs (oh, it's 3rd Thursday - check it out!)

And someday I will. But the truth is, I've just been so busy with the Howell Campaign - I've been keeping up on life via instagram and other social media.

But here's where I've been doing most of my writing lately. 

Chat soon. 

This is Embarrassing....

So I got this message in my email tonight, from a friend's email. 



Dear Sabrena,

This is your blog. I miss you. So much. Your friend (rhymes with Mem-A-Lee) keeps pestering me to find out what is going on with you, but I just tell her that I don't know. Because I don't.

Maybe this (person I can't name) is some sort of lame-o who needs to get a life and quit living vicariously through you. Probably. But give the girl a break. She has two kids and an 88-year-old woman to care for. Cut her some slack. Give her a window to a much more exciting world.

No, you don't owe her this. She can just suck it for all I care. But you do care. Your public needs you. The Emilys of the world need you.

xoxox

Your friend, Suite Spots




My mom turned 60 today. I best write something. My public (or my one reader) demands it...

Sweet Child O' Nine (Months)

Go Utes!

Zoë hit the 9-month mark today. She's 25 pounds, wearing 24 month clothing, too big for her cloth diapers (it's an issue with the circumference of her delicious thighs), crawling everywhere, "couch-walking," pulling herself to standing and even trying to balance on her own every now and again.

She's got object permanence so I really can't be away from her for more than an hour. 

Proud to say she's still nursing, though we have given her the opportunity to play around with solids a little (fresh fruits and veggies -- she's unofficially a raw-vegan, unless you consider breastmilk an animal product.) I say unofficially because she tried to steal a onion ring off my plate at a Micro-Brew in Ogden. 

Holden is still an awesome big brother to her. He's a little rougher with her than I prefer, but she giggles when they wrestle and I really love that he pays attention to her. 

I felt the first of her two bottom teeth breaking through this week - which I think is great because I didn't have to go through all of that "I think she's teething" nonsense. 

She's also doing great with her "pottying." And yes, I know plenty of you think it's ridiculous to potty train this early, but it pains me her ("one-size-fits-all") cloth dipes don't fit, and so I am trying to do everything I can to not waste. Plus, it helps with diaper rash, and we're not being crazy about it. 

She may be three before she stops wearing diapers too; but it works for us -- so to each their own, eh? 

She's got a sweet disposition. 

We only have 60 more days until the election. Our lives are crazy and she is such a good sport. She's spent a few meetings on my lap, and crawling around on the floor. I've even breastfed her at the office... sometimes in a back room, and sometimes just in front of open-minded and sensitive colleagues who I am so grateful allow us a way to "make this work."

Love this girl.

We Don't Need No Education (um, no actually, we do)

"It’s been a big week for Education in our home. Yesterday I attended Scott [Howell's] press conference on education at the University of Utah, tonight was preschool orientation for my three year old, and it seems like all my social media channels are abuzz with first day of school pics."  That my friends, is from last week's contribution for the "WE Blog." I encourage you to check out the entire post -- and then make sure you're registered to vote.  

The truth is, I'd like to add to those obligatory "first day" photos. On Tuesday, Holden, Zoe and I hit up Holden's intro to Pre-school. It's the day where they meet their teachers (with the parents), get their 'cubbies' and their bags, and can play with the toys for as long as they want in a 2-hour window (which in most cases means, as long as their mom's will let them before they have to run more errands.) We stayed almost an hour.  

I asked Holden that morning if he was excited for pre-school. His response? "I'm excited for PG-firteen movies." 

Here's pic of him getting adjusted into his new environment.

For the record, Danny loathes those play contraptions. He said growing up he could never do them. I have a different philosophy. My Father in Law gets very stressed about kids hurting themselves -- and he's very protective (a wonderful attribute, though I know I drive him crazy because sometimes I let "natural consequences" play a role in parenting  -- gravity is really an amazing teacher). Anyway, my hypothesis goes like this. Dave told Danny not to play on them -- worried he would get hurt. Danny never played on them, worried he'd get hurt. Danny tells Holden he shouldn't play on them, because he'll get hurt. Holden plays on them anyway -- because I let him -- and Danny freaks out the whole time thinking, "I can;t do them - how can he at only 3?!?!

Anyway, he played and remained unscathed. 

Fast forward to Thursday morning -- first official day of school.  Holden takes the obligatory photo-op, though we have yet to put on his shoes, and I wonder why we're taking it at the front door, when Holden's not walking or leaving from the front door and his shoes are in the basement, next to where he'll put them on before he walks to the car to drive to school. 

Danny says you take first day of school pics at the door. So alas:

Proud to say we had no trouble with the drop off -- Holden jumped right out of the car and neither of us cried. 

When I picked him up he had tear stained cheeks so I asked him if he had cried at school. 

"Um yeah," he said. 

"Well what happened?"I asked

"So I was playing in the dirt, and they wanted me to come inside and I wanted to live in the park and they just wouldn't let me."

"So, you wanted to stay and play outside but they wanted you to come in?"

"Yeah - I didn't want to work it out." 

But apparently he did. He learned a song about a Jack in the Box and even brought home his first Art project from "Children's Discovery. It's a mixed medium piece titled "Jack in the Box." He said he'll try again next week.