One negative, more positive (includes kid pictures)

Ok, lets get my negative over with fast.  My mother has yet to call to talk to me since Friday.  She hasn't tried to talk to my kids, her grandkids, since the day before my aunt had surgery.  Who does that?  Who forgets everyone that matters to the exclusion of one person?  She says that we will all be here while my aunt won't, but the kids won't be this age forever.  Today was Halloween, and they were so excited about trick or treating.  They would have loved to talk to my mom.  She doesn't answer her phone if I call, she keeps it off so it doesn't disturb my aunt.  I feel very unimportant.  I hope that I never make my kids feel that way, no matter what is going on in my life.

Ok, on to the good part.  Pictures.  The kids were Darth Vader and Strawberry Shortcake.  The Strawberry Shortcake costume didn't come with a wig, but I did buy her a wig for her birthday to go with her Ariel costume, and we tossed that under her hat for her costume, and she looked AWESOME!!

So, pictures.

I love these kids more than anything else in the world, and I hope they know it everyday.

Today is also Samhain, which to people of my faith, is the New Year.  So, Happy New Year.

"Between the heavens and the earth
The way now opens to bring forth
The Hosts of those who went on before;
Hail!  We see them now come through the Open Door.

Now the veils of worlds are thin;
To move out you must move in.
Let the Balefires now be made,
Mine the spark within them laid.

Move beyond the fiery screen,
Between the seen and the unseen;
Shed your anger and your fear,
Live anew in a new year!"
-   Lore of the Door   

"The symbolism of this Sabbat is that of The Third (and final) Harvest, it marks the end of Summer, the beginning of Winter. It is a time marked by death when the Dead are honored - a time to celebrate and "study" the Dark Mysteries. "Samhain" means "End of Summer". Its historical origin is The Feast of the Dead in Celtic lands. It is believed that on this night, the veil Between the Worlds is at its thinnest point, making this an excellent time to communicate with the Other Side. Symbols for representing this Sabbat may include Jack-O-Lanterns, Balefires, Masks, The Besom (Magickal Broom), The Cauldron, and the Waning Moon. Altar decorations might include small jack-o-lanterns, foods from the harvest, and photographs of your loved ones who have departed from this world. Appropriate Deities for Samhain include all Crone Goddesses, and the Dying God or the "Dead" God. Samhain Goddesses include Hecate, Hel, Inanna, Macha, Mari, Psyche, Ishtar, Lilith, The Morrigu/Morrigan, Rhiannon, and Cerridwen. Key actions to keep in mind during this time in the Wheel of the Year include return, change, reflection, endings and beginnings, and honoring the Dead. Other meanings behind this Sabbat celebration include the Wisdom of the Crone, the Death of the God, and the Celebration of Reincarnation."