Happy Halloween

You've Got to See This

Look at Yahoo's dancing characters at the top of their page! Today!

How to Effectively Open a Box of QTips

(Because sometimes the plastic-front won't separate from the cardboard-back)

Step 1: If you are exhausted from your grocery shopping trip, stand at the bottom of the stairs and throw the box to the top. (if you didn't throw hard enough the first one, even two times, and the box tumbles down the stairs and back to you, repeat step one and throw harder)

Step 2: Since you threw the box harder, the box will hit the wall, breaking the box open.

Step 3: Clean up your enormous Q-Tip mess.

Box Open

He Couldn't Wait!

Many of us have been holding our breath as he took his first this morning. Welcome, Little Zander. We're rootin' for you! Your mom, too.

I Hoped You Could Stop By

Inspired by Tifferbob, and because most of you won't be in my state this autumn, come on in...

Break Time: Over

I hope you've enjoyed this break.

Because it's over.

All of the venting, fussing, whining, complaining, unloading and sighing that you usually read about was forced upon my mom this last week. Not online. In person.

And I'm pretty sure that her ears are going to shrivel up.

My mom spent this past week with us here in Utah. It was wonderful.

But now it's over, and she probably just crossed the California state line. Mom, Grandma and David are on their way to Sacramento.

All the shopping, scrapbooking, Rumikub and Sequence games are now just a fond memory. Did I mention shopping? Ohh, and the trips to Kneader's, Cafe Rio and Won Won Wok: Yum.

Now. Back to the venting...

Shhh! Don't Tell Me

I am now two (count them: one, two) episodes behind on Grey's.

Last week the (fill-in-the-explitive) DVR recorded Ugly Betty instead of Grey's. And last night I remembered to record The Office here at mom's, but not the other.

Let's hope my DVR at home is back on track.

We Made It

We have journeyed west.

And wait until you see the tumor that is brewing in the corner of my eye!

We'll both be happy to see you.

Not Falling Completely Apart

I didn't do too bad.

I had some leftover pasta and chicken before eating (only) 6 pieces of chocolate (better than the whole bag).

And instead of curling up in a ball to cry I vacuumed the whole downstairs, stairs and upstairs.

When I get back from taking Isaac to scouts, I'll dust.

So, I'm managing. Not doing too bad. I'll check in later.

Oh Crappy Day

I hope you're having a good day.

There is not even an ounce of sarcasm in that sentence. I truly hope you are having a good day.

Because I am not.

Random bits of stuff can sure shake things up.

Like... eh. It's lame.

I'm going to go curl up in a ball. I may or may not cry.

I have some Dove chocolates stashed away. Maybe eating my weight in candy will take the bad day away.

I also need TV.

TV and chocolate, ooh and a nap. Then should be in good shape (emotionally, but i guess not physically).

PS I kinda have a pretty big to-do-list.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

I was so excited to pick up a little jacket at Old Navy the other day; partly because of the clearance price - $10, and partly because I have been feeling so naked as this cold weather and snow have settled in for an early winter here in Utah. I have nothing to wear.

I paired my new bargain with a brown skirt for church today.

It wasn't before long that I was feeling like fräulein Jessica.

So Proud

And I don't even know her that well.

One of my students, new to me this year, is singing the National Anthem at the BYU hockey game tonight.

Oh, I wish I could be there.

Seeking Approval

I was flustered on Wednesday night when my family threw away their dinner and got out the PB&J.

I'm a good cook. Sometimes I go so far as to call myself a culinary genius (pronounced as Frank would say it on Father of the Bride).

But the rice didn't get quite done that night, wrecking the whole stir-fry ensemble.

Sigh.

So last night I went all out. My first clam chowder. My mom makes it all the time, but I was a chowder virgin.

I looked over plenty of internet recipes, but mostly went with my mom's (I'm sorry, I'm not interested in using fresh clams, hello, Utah), and then 'winged' it. (what's the past tense of wing?)

Like I said, I went all out, even picked up bread bowls. But with so much going on (ie David at work, Maddie at soccer practice, and parent teacher conferences) we weren't all at the table at the same time.

Bummer.

I got an IM from David while I was out - "Best soup ever".

Redeemed?

And So it Begins

(actually, it began last weekend, but fortunately we were out of state)

Jill Told Me to Get the Flashy One

You know you've been carrying around a purse too long when YOUR HUSBAND suggests you should move on.

It's been nearly two years since Becky and I bought our twin purses.

Presenting: the new purse!

It's kinda just an eel-skin (real or not) gift bag.

Say Cheese!

Did you see Abby in that picture below?

She's smiling!

I guess she finally realized that the camera doesn't steal your soul.

You Can Find Me On the Couch

Too

dysfunctional

to

blog.

But

totally

worth

every

mile.

Pretty Big Coincidence

For some reason, I sometimes get caught up in missing persons cases.

After reading this article, I have one question: don't you think it's weird that in a high-impact crash his wallet, identifying him, survived?

Who's One First

I just taught a lesson on homophones to my English Tutorial class.

A student asked me what the homophone was for sight.

"Site" I replied.

"Yeah, sight. What's the homophone?"

Sigh

My Favorite Karate Kid

Maddie just saw him on an early morning episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

She turned to me and asked "Isn't that Steven Cigar?"

Favorite TV Quote of the Week

From my geeks on The Big Bang Theory...

Sheldon: "Break out the Red Bull. We're going to rock Mario old school."

Our Outing

I introduced David to Kneader's today.

I tried to warn him while still in the parking lot that he was going to be hooked.

He thought I was full of it.

Part way through my sausage croissant breakfast sandwich and his pastrami sandwich - soup combo I leaned across the table and whispered "I told you so".

We left with 2 cream puffs, 2 cannoli, and one cream cheese brownie.

We also made a stop at D.I. We're trying to score a kids blazer to complete Isaac's Halloween costume - Will Smith/Men In Black.

Ummmm. For those of you back home, accustomed to the Auburn Blvd. D.I. - the two stores are not even on the same planet. This D.I. was spotless, well organized, even the T-shirts were hung with like-colors. (David also informed me that the bathrooms were spotless.) I haven't been to the Auburn Blvd. store since it was remodeled... maybe it's now neat and tidy, too. I should mention that we picked up a bunch of shirts and pants for the kids, but no Halloween blazer.

Before heading home we stopped by one of the last-of-the-season produce stands and grabbed up a bunch of tomatoes and peaches. I'm really going to miss summer and it's wares.

PS The manager of Kneader's mentioned that there are franchise opportunities in California. I'm just saying.