Happy Halloween

Here's an interesting post to read about Halloween in this part of the world. It has become one of the only times of the year that I meet more people in my neighborhood than the ones right next to me. This year, we're actually going to a party (for the first time since my sisters and I threw one about ten years ago), so we won't be home, but I normally so enjoy handing out candy and chatting with my neighbors.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween, no matter how you choose to celebrate it!

Trying Something New

I grew up in a family that used fine china. We didn't use it for every meal, but it didn't take much for an occasion to be considered special enought to break out my Mom's beautiful wedding china. So, naturally, when I got married it was very important to me to choose a beautiful china pattern, and I actually wanted people to by me my china for gifts. I was not one of those brides who said, "No, I'd rather have something practical like a mop." I can buy a mop with my own money. I probably wouldn't ever spend money on nice dishes if I didn't get them as a gift.

I was adamant about the fact that we would use our china. Well, we haven't. I even have plenty of it, so I've decided that David and I are going to try something new. At least once a week we're going to eat in our nice, beautiful dining room off our lovely wedding china. I already set the table for us in the kitchen for supper nearly every night. This will just be a different location and different dishes. I won't be able to stick these dishes in the dishwasher, but it's only two of us...it should be no problem to handwash the few pieces we'll get dirty.

Bested by a Two-Year-Old

Who would have thought a jigsaw puzzle would spawn more than one post?

On most Monday nights David and I babysit AbiLyn and Lex while Liz and Eric play volleyball. Well, this week David was diligently trying to finish the puzzle while I was in the den with the babies watching a movie. Well, Lex meandered into the dining room to check on "Da-bid". He picked up a puzzle piece but then dropped it. We halfheartedly looked for it but couldn't find it. David just kept on working on the puzzle.

When Eric and Liz got there, Eric jumped in to help David with the puzzle. They got it finished except for one piece. The missing piece Lex had dropped. Liz checked his diaper...not there. She handed him another piece to see what he would do with it. He handed it to me. Before it was all over four adults were on our hands and knees looking all over my dining room floor for a puzzle piece. I got a flashlight, and we found it behind the china cabinet. I think maybe it got kicked back there or something.

It was just so funny how everything came to a grinding halt while we looked for that stupid puzzle piece. All because a little two-year-old innocently picked up something and dropped it...but he's such a darling little two-year-old.

Work in Progress

Last winter, while David was on strike, we began working jigsaw puzzles for fun. Well, when everything went back to normal, we slacked off. We've had this puzzle on our dining room table for about six months. You can see we're down to the starry sky. It's been that way for about three months. I've gotten disciplined about it this weekend. I'm working row by row from the bottom up. I have the pieces sorted out into groups by shape, and I'm trying every possible piece in each spot until I'm done. I've gotten about three rows done this weekend. By the end of this week I should be done, and I can't wait. It's my favorite puzzle we've done.

Even in My Dreams

I'm so focused on the fact that I can't have any Diet Coke that last night, in a dream, I went to McDonald's and got Diet Coke without even thinking...and felt horrible about it...in a dream.

My, My, How Things Have Changed

Do you remember when you were a little kid and you had something on the weekend you were looking forward to? For me, it was always a slumber party. For the boys, well, I don't know what little boys get excited about...digging in the mud looking for worms? Anyway, that week was the longest week in creation. Every day seemed to drag by, and Friday, well, it was the worst day of all. By lunchtime you were wound so tightly that sitting still was an absolutely impossibility.

As we aged to the tween years, it was a youth rally or party or sleepover. In junior high, my best friend Chassidy and I would pass notes to each other in the hall between classes. In almost every single one there was a comment about that weekend's youth event and how we couldn't wait.

In high school I would get myself so worked up over travelling to basketball/soccer tournaments or cheerleading camp that I would literally be sick to my stomach the morning of leaving.

Today, I'm beside myself with excitement. Seriously, I'm looking at my clock every two minutes, twirling my hair, crossing and uncrossing my legs, etc. Want to know why?

Tonight, I'm going straight home, as is David. We're putting on jammies and having chili for supper. We'll probably watch an episode of Studio 60 on DVD (birthday present from Carla), go to bed and read a chapter in Eclipse, and be asleep by 9.

Wow.

Yikes, It's Thursday!

I missed some days. I knew I was missing some days. I'm just out of anything to post about. Maybe tomorrow, or later today.