Halloween II: Revenge of the School Parties

Friday, quite possibly the most beautiful fall day EVER, was filled with school festivities. The elementary school had their parade during the day...

(Notice the shorts...I would have been wearing some too, if I hadn't already switched to my once-a-week shaving schedule the minute the temperature dropped below 60.)

(Hello, $5 Lillian Vernon costume from Marc's!)

That evening was the annual Parkside Halloween bash. It was also pizza and movie night, the middle-schoolers invited friends to come over for dinner before the party. They got their own special table in the basement and were lucky enough to make it through most of Kazaam before the party started.

After I snapped this picture, the girls all said, "OK, we have to go now. Bye." And they were off.

The evening was a success--fun had by all, stuffed to the rafters with pizza and soda and treats, and two winners in the costume contest! Sydney took 3rd in the Prinicpal's Favorite category, and Leah took 2nd in the Most Original category. I guess all the spray adhesive inhalation was worth it.

Next stop--trick-or-treating!!

Halloween: The Beginning

After nearly getting high on spray adhesive and realizing I would be sans husband, we made it to the ward Halloween party in all our costumed glory.Bag of Popcorn (quite possibly the crowning achievement of my costume-making career)
and Dunkin' Donut #1

Dunkin' Donut #2 and friend

Ballerina Witch and Dunkin' Donut #3

Bring on the candy!

You know you're obsessed with Shaquille O'Neal and the Cavs when...

...you wake your son up in the morning by saying, "Andrew, the Cavs season opener is tonight!"

...you put Kazaam on hold at the library.

...you give a little kid a hard time at the ward Halloween party because he doesn't know which game you are referring to when you ask him who's going to win.

...you get jealous when you find out that someone your husband works with goes to the same gym as Shaq and think that person is totally crazy for not switching her gym night to be the same as his. And then you tell your husband to find out which gym it is.

...you pause The Biggest Loser to watch the game.

...you think "Look at him. He's right there!" everytime they show Shaq.

...you are (literally) on the edge of your seat for the final 2 minutes.

...you have the same feeling during Game One as you had during the playoffs.



...and you are just as disappointed after the loss.

Goal-oriented.

Family scripture reading.

It's such a good idea, a commandment even, but trying to round up the kids after a long day of rounding them up for homework, dinner, and chores and then getting them to sit still or even upright is quite a task. One that I am very tempted to bag when it's after 8 o'clock.

But for the last couple of years we have been reading more nights that not. Not always happily, not always without distraction, not always without tears or bickering or raised voices. I would be willing to bet it was easier for the Gitmo interrogators to obtain info from their terrorist prisoners than for our family to get through just one verse a piece, yet still we trudged on.

Finally, this week, we hit a milestone in our Book of Mormon reading. And no, it wasn't that we finished the book.

No, this week we finished the book of Alma. All sixty-three chapters.

Three hundred and sixty-eight pages down, only one hundred and sixty-three pages to go. We're two-thirds of the way there.

Think we can finish before the leaves fall again?

Maybe if I can get some of those interrogators, we might have a chance.

News Flash: Exercise Stops, World Doesn't

With Glenn out of town, there were two mornings I couldn't leave the house to exercise like I usually do. So, even though there is a perfectly good treadmill in the basement, I made an executive decision. I just didn't do anything. I slept till 7, when it was time to get the kids up for school. And then today the kids were off school, so there was no way I was getting up earlier than the sun. Yet another day with no physical exertion. And no sweat.

This hasn't happened since our vacation this summer. And before that it was post-surgery recovery. But three days off in a row for no good reason? Not for a really long time.

And guess what? I feel fine. I have not suddenly gained five pounds. I am quite capable of doing that with the exercise, thank you very much. I have not suddenly been zapped of all my energy. I am still just as tired as ever. Was I more stressed this week without exercise? Doubt it. In fact, I haven't missed it at all. I think I could get used to this.

Aww, who am I kidding. I'm going to keep exercising because (sing-songy voice here) it's the right thing to do. And I kind of like it.

But the best part of all? No guilt. Not one little bit. Not even a tinge of feeling bad. Now that is a truly refreshing break.

(Would I feel this way after a three day break from cleaning the kitchen...?)

Half-way there.

Half-way caring about the messy kitchen.

Half-way through a batch of banana snickerdoodles.
Make them and you will understand why.

Half-way through last night's Biggest Loser.

Half-way deaf from the high decibels of my children's voices.

Half-way frozen toes that need to get under a blanket.

Late night conversation with my boyfriend.

Half-way through Glenn's two day business trip.

Half-way through an exceptionally stressful week.

Half-way to the loony bin.
Half-way lost my mind.
Half-way holding it together.

Livin' on a prayer?

Absolutely.

Stats update

Andrew's numbers for today's game--

1 15 yard punt return
5 flags pulled
1 extra point conversion

and

1 touchdown!!

See it for yourself right here...



And now for a little intensity...

The boy loves his game!