Phases of paper mache

First, you get enormous balloons and blow one up. Rest.



Then, you figure out how to make it stay still.



An upended stool is a good start, but any air movement whatsoever will make it drift away. So you tether it with a makeshift clip twist tied to the stool. And you get to work.

After hours of effort, you will be halfway done.



And then, just as you feel like you are making good progress, the balloon will shift and suddenly be punctured by the twist tie. So your final product looks like this.



Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to weep in a corner for a while.

Sea Serpents like movies too

This one enjoyed Storks a lot. (Me too.)



He's also looking forward to Trolls. (I can't believe they've come back.)

May cherubs lift you high

I guess Sea Serpent's luck continues to hold (him up).

Sea Serpent gets lucky

We could all use a little more of that, am I right?

Sea Serpent Sees Shoes

The fun part about getting one's hair done in a vintage shop is all the vintage.

Sea Serpent finds a whale of a friend

Fish of a feather stick together. Or something like that.

Abacus impersonation

Now Rocky and Flatty are trying to convince me they are experts in calculation, but something just doesn't add up...

It's pumpkin season!!!!

Rocky and Flatty are good sports about it, but my fondness for all things pumpkin is infamous.

We will rock you

Rocky and Flatty preach to the crowd. Rock on, small friends.

Rocky has a bubbly personality

Rocky and Flatty enjoy a little zen moment at work. Ommmmm.

Octopus is a hat

Drat! Forgot this one from last week, where Spider Finger Puppet tried to wear Octopus as a hat. Cute, no?

Max says TGIF

And that is something I can agree with. Cheers!

Max takes the carpool

Max and Squid tried to convince me we could take the carpool lane to work. I was tempted, but I didn't think a ticketing officer would buy it.

Max finds the circus

Max thinks startup people are weird. I guess there are worse things to do over a lunch hour...

Max's discovery

Fall leaves? How is it fall already? Especially since we haven't had our big Bay Area summer yet. #CAproblems

Max and Chocolate are done with Monday

I may just join them.

Octopi are good at camouflage

Can't even see Octopus in this one, can you? (Shhh. Don't tell her.)

Cheerleader Octopus

Octopus found a motivational poster she could relate to. I love it when that happens, don't you?

Octopus takes the train

When Octopus saw this train on Loud Coworker's desk, she wanted to go for a ride. Since Loud Coworker had left for the day, I said OK. I had no idea she would yell out "Whee! Choo Choo!" I suppose that makes *us* the loud coworkers...

Octopus doesn't want it either

I had this silly idea that I'd be more likely to eat fruit for a snack if I had it at the office with me. So Octopus and I brought a nectarine to work. And then we never ate it. Hahahahaha. See? Silly.

8/22 - Twins, 5th grade mod

There we were, living life and doing all of the things and sucking the last drops out of summer, and suddenly, there it was: my darling twins are now enormous 5th graders.  May they learn much this year, be kind and generous, and get everything they need to succeed.

[Yes, I have been neglecting this blog terribly (but I still take the pictures with the toys -- can you believe it?).  Please look for me on Facebook and Twitter -- I post/tweet every once in a while with things that may even be amusing or useful.]