Well, it's October 31st, and today's post will be just what you expect.

We went over to our friends the Fellows' for some amazingly yummy soup before the kids set out trick-or-treating.  The Fellows' live in a neighborhood that has lots of Americans who work for the embassy, and it is truly the Hot Spot for trick-or-treating in Berlin.  People come from all over the city so their kids can trick-or-treat here, since Halloween is more of an American holiday than a German one.  There was a steady stream of costumed kids at the door - literally a steady stream.  I don't think the front door was shut for the two hours or so of trick-or-treating.  By our best calculations, the Fellows' gave out more than 800 pieces of candy.

Here is Pep the soccer player ready to set out with his buddy J, who is a very official-looking firefighter.

Adam the vampire attacks Darth Vader (Luke).

All in all, it was a delightful Halloween!

Adam's Happy Place.

If I'd let him, Adam would sleep and take all his meals here.  He is addicted to a game called Minecraft right now, and we've had to lay down some rules and set the oven timer so he doesn't spend ALL of his time here.

This morning, Lukie and I drew each other's portraits.

Here is Luke with the picture I drew of him.

And here is the portrait of me that Lukie drew.  

He wanted to take my photo with it, like I took his, but I flatly refused.  I was in my pre-shower state, wearing my ratty old Thunderbird sweatshirt (which he accurately depicted), so I was in no shape to be photographed.  Let's just say that this drawing of me was extremely flattering.

Last Tuesday, Beatrice's mother came and stayed the night with us.  She brought us some amaryllises to show her appreciation.  I've never seen amaryllises before (my only experience with them is The Music Man, where the little boy pronounces it "Amarylith" until I am ready to hit him in the mouth), but I think it is my new favorite flower.

It took a few days for them to open up, but now they are fantastic!

This is what I drove through on my way home from school today. 

I love Fall.

When I got home from my class today, I was just exhausted.  I don't know why, but I was.  So, I crashed on the couch.

When Luke got home from school, apparently he joined me for a while on the couch.  Beatrice snapped this photo - obviously, I was oblivious.

When I woke up, this is what I saw on the living room floor:

I guess I wasn't the only one exhausted this afternoon!

Every once in a while, I have a moment in which I think my life is so weird.  This afternoon, I went visiting teaching, which is pretty normal, except that I took the S-Bahn to do so.

Growing up in Orem, UT, I never would have imagined myself in this scene.