Recently in Katie Category

It's time again for da carving to commence. This year, we did all our carving on sunday after I was away at the Sea Witch Festival, in Rehoboth Beach, DE. For the first time in years, I dressed up for halloween. When I get some of the good pictures from others, I'll post a few.

However, this post is all about pumpkins! We sort of went into this year with vague ideas at best. Ellen and I planned a Portal pumpkin, which i envisioned as a 3D thing with cutout sides. She did almost all the actual work--I just designed it. I thought it came out pretty well, as you can see below (unlit and lit versions):

Katie did everything herself. She found a Yatsuba picture of the girl holding her hands over her head and yelling. Unfortunately, the hands are indistinct, so it's hard to see them as hands, but I still liked it. She did do the entire thing herself, though, so she gets lots of credit for that (lit only):

Finally, I wasn't actually sure I'd do a pumpkin this year, but discussing an idea with Katie made me want to try to do a completely carved out, bas-relief pumpkin. Essentially, letting the shape of the thing come out from the pumpkin. I'm not sure it really worked, but it came out reasonably well anyway (and didn't take the 8-hours the Matrix one did last year...)

So, my entry this year, Katie had named "Identity Crisis", which I loved (several angles of unlit, and one lit):

So, there's this years crop. Hope you enjoy!

I facebooked these, but I should have blogged them and then had them post to facebook, but regardless, these two were too funny to not post on the blog for future reference.

Both of these were tonight at dinner.

Katie Conversation:

Katie: "what movie are you talking about?"
Me: "silence of the lambs"
Katie: "what's it about?"
Me: "a serial killer."
Katie: "poor lambs"

Ellen Conversation:

We were discussing a meat dish that was very tender (a slow-cooked mexican pork dish). She pronounced that "meat was the only thing that got better with entropy", and ultimately therefore "slow cooking was chaos theory in action."

Wow.

We got Katie a new phone for her birthday, complete with texting ability. She has taken full advantage of it...

"Okay. On the bus. Better day today. people punching the back of my seat and screaming in my ear. Nicky's hand groping, trying to recover her umbrella which i confiscated in an attempt to keep her from bopping me on the head. then, when i get home i have to go get two needles filled with germ injected into my arm to keep me immune from diseases not even native to this country. after that, i must come home, set the table, clear the table, get ready for school, and go to sleep finally, exhausted and an hour later than i had planned. Hmmmmmmm. no thanks, i think i'll stay at school."

That was just one text from today. Oh, boy.

Katie: Hey dad, why don't you sell your cocoa next time we have a garage sale?
Me: Well, because garage sales are usually in the spring and people don't want cocoa in warm weather.
Katie (not missing a beat): Why don't you sell hot dogs?
Me: You're just going with anything here aren't you...
Katie: Yup!

The other day, we're sitting at dinner, and I look behind katie to the windowsill, whereupon I see a small box-shaped thing.

Me (to Katie): What's that thing on the sill behind you?
Katie: Oh, that's just the box to my eraser. Pay it no heed.

Consider it done.

Saturday, we went out to the Grande Luxe Cafe, the Cheesecake Factory's more sophisticated sibling at the Garden State Plaza mall. They have really excellent food, and Katie got red velvet pancakes with cream cheese frosting (basically, she got cake for breakfast). After eating some of that, and drinking 2 glasses of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, she was ready to pronounce the following about her meal:

"Everything at this table, if you take a bite of it and close your eyes, it tastes like you're soaring through the air on a helicopter made of cheese."

This year's installment of the annual Meyerson pumpkin extravaganza yielded some interesting results. We had planned on 2 pumpkins--I was going to just help the girls do theirs--but decided to add a third with me taking over the one Ellen was going to do. Good thing, too, as it took more than 5 hours...*rolls eyes*

To be honest, though, I think Katie's pumpkin came out best of the three, but you can be the judge.

Ellen's was the simplest, and only took a short time, but came out pretty cool. You have to know the video game Portal and the geeky comic it's based on from Penny Arcade, but anyone who does will instantly recognize it.

Katie also chose a video game theme, the Big Daddy from one of her favorite games ever, Bioshock. She did an amazing job on this one, and did everything herself. All I did was tape the pattern down and cut the top open.

I'm not sure people will recognize my entry, but I'll leave you with a clue...

Here's a slightly darker picture of mine. I couldn't decide which one I liked better.

Today's my Katie-bug's 10th birthday! When she awoke, the balloon fairy had ravaged her room yet again, but sadly it will be for the last time. Just as candy doesn't taste as good when you're 10, so does the balloon fairy cease to come to spread inflated-rubber joy.

Right now, Katie, Kim and Ellen are trekking off to get the birthday present that means most to her...Gerbils. Yes, we acquiesced to her continued badgering for a pet and in the last week she's obtained a new tree frog (Lyra!) and now a pair of gerbils. She is bouncing off the walls in anticipation. Picture of the little guys to come soon.

Katie's having a guitar lesson. Her teacher is saying "you need to practice this after I leave."

Katie: Can't i do it after I go out and play?
Teacher: No, you really should do it now.
Katie: Come on...
Me: Katie, stop whining.
Katie: I'm not whining, I'm trying to find a loophole.
Me (literally out loud): Oh, Jesus...

Do I really need this? Come on...

Katie and I are driving home tonight from Tae Kwan Do, when we pass the place near us that used to do a nice Dim Sum brunch. They've been closed more than a year now, so Katie was reminiscing.

K: You know what I liked that they had? There was this one thing that had sort of wet meat in soft bread.
D: Um...wet meat?
K: Yeah. It was sweet and the outside was white sort of?
D: a roast pork bun?
K: Yeah! That was it.
D: Wet meat....ew.

Bet that description would NOT do well on a menu...