I doubt too many of you read this blog to find out what's going on with my family. If you don't, click the TulsaBloggers link over on the top right. If you do, it's been a while since I've written anything family-related, so here's a little update:

The nature sanctuary that is our backyard currently features a small tribe of mourning doves, a couple of frisky squirrels, a cardinal couple, a blue jay couple, and a cottontail rabbit, who has dug his own entrance under one of the gates. We usually see the bunny along the back fence near the miniature rose bushes, but sometimes he hangs out by the front of the house.

A week and a half ago, my son found a monarch caterpillar and put him in the house in a critter keeper. A couple of days later, the caterpillar (which he named "Catty") took a notion to suspend himself from the roof of the cage and proceeded to turn into a chrysalis -- lime green with a band of black and sparkly gold. It will be exciting to watch it unfold, so to speak.

The boy (9) is finishing up his assignment for nature studies -- a collection of 15 bugs -- insects or arachnids -- with common and scientific names. In September and early October, he and his classmates would be out on the playground after school with nets, capturing moths and butterflies.

This fall he joined Tulsa Boy Singers. He opted to do that over any other extracurricular, and he really enjoys it. They're preparing for an evensong service and a Christmas concert.

The girl (5) is in her first year of real school, although it's still pre-K, and she likes it. She even likes the little bit of homework they do.

We went to the HallowMarine event at the Oklahoma Aquarium on Saturday. Local businesses and organizations had tables around the exhibits where they gave out candy. The boy went as the Grim Reaper; the girl as a fairy princess with butterfly wings.

I've been redoing the floors in the kids' rooms, with help from my dad and my father-in-law. We're taking out the carpet to help with allergies. The wood was in good shape, just needed cleaning and sealing. I did the second of the two rooms this weekend, and the rest of the family escaped to my parents' house to avoid the fumes from the polyurethane.

So we were all over there this evening as trick-or-treaters came by. My dad was wearing a red shirt and a red hat. Since retiring in January he has grown a full white beard and is letting it grow out as much as possible so that he can be St. Nick for various events. It was fun to hear the children come to door and exclaim, "Trick or treat, uh, um -- Santa?"

Before it got too late, we got the girl ready, and I took her up and down the block so she could collect candy along with compliments on her costume. Real old-school trick-or-treating -- door-to-door, after dark, in the neighborhood. (Before we left, she objected loudly to wearing a fleece jacket under her wings and over her leotard, but she asked for it about halfway down the block.) The boy had a low-grade fever, so he stayed in and played a computer game. He seemed quite content with the situation.

That's all for now.