Happy Halloween!

So, we've had a fun day (despite our woes with moving and mortgages, but that's for another post)! We've made some fun pasta skeletons and we've had a lot of fun trick-or-treating this evening!

A Mummy!

Raining Cats and Dogs!

Let's get some candy! :) (Yes, she's got a twisted ankle).

Stress Quiz

I got a 404 on this. That can't be good.

Stress Test

Got this one from my brother . . .

And it's titled, "Never let your Mom do the wedding invites if she doesn't like your betrothed!"

We Love Daddy!

Hmph, cool graphic won't load. Oh well. Anyway . . .

I've come across this article today:
Working Dads Want More Family Time

We love articles on work-life balance. The book Take Back Your Time has inspired us to do much of what we're doing with having our own business--a holistic wellness center no less with the tagline "Life Balanced." This area has inspired us to have a home business. Medical School and the naysayers inspired us to keep on putting family first. Residency put us through the freaking ringer. And yet Mark's ALWAYS stood up--to the system and to his bosses--for family first. He's not putting off "family first" as a "someday" thing. And he's a phenomenal Dad. He puts our family first, has fun with the kids, we have pretty much all meals together daily, he takes part in music lessons, teaches school, cooks meals, does dates with the kids, keeps track of various requests, draws pictures (pretty dang good ones, too, and on demand!), and the list goes on and on and on, all while also being the world's best husband (seriously, Oprah could host a show on awesome husbands with Mark as poster boy).

I'm not saying it's always perfect or easy. And heaven knows we get stressed, there's no question. But that's our guiding principle. Mark's family has a family scripture. I've always loved that idea. Inspired by them, we have a family scripture, too. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. We've learned that every time a couple is sealed, a new kingdom is formed. Doesn't that shed interesting light on that scriptural teaching? So, basically "family first" is a guiding principle. Wow!

This article is interesting. I look at that list of suggestions and except for the potlucks (kind of a random suggestion, IMO), Mark does all that stuff plus some! And I'm so grateful that I can specifically help in some small way by doing a bit of work on the side so that he can enjoy in a more relaxed way. I know it's a lot to shoulder the finances of a family and the fact that he does that in addition to so much with family and around the house is nothing short of amazing. I love that we do this together. We are very, very blessed.

Today's Special Weather Statement

From weather.com . . .

...THE GROWING SEASON HAS COME TO AN END ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY...

THE CLEAR AND COLD CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING WERE ACCOMPANIED BY LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S OVER CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. A FEW OF THE LARGER METROPOLITAN AREAS IN SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA HAD THE MERCURY ONLY DIP INTO THE MIDDLE 30S.

LOW TEMPERATURES EARLY TUESDAY MORNING UNDER SIMILAR CLEAR AND CALM CONDITIONS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S WITH WIDESPREAD FROST AND FREEZING CONDITIONS.

THE NORMAL END OF THE OFFICIAL GROWING SEASON IS EARLY TO MID OCTOBER ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION...AND AROUND OCTOBER 20TH OVER THE FAR LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. SINCE PRACTICALLY ALL AREAS WITH LARGE AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY HAD A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 32 DEGREES OR LOWER EARLY MONDAY...FROST ADVISORIES AND FREEZE WARNINGS WILL NO LONGER BE ISSUED THIS FALL SEASON.

I love Peanuts!

I've always been a HUGE fan of Peanuts and Charles Schulz. I've recently come across this post and I'm sharing (quoting the person and blog) as well, since it's a great story with wonderful insight to a really neat man:

Charles Schulz was the genius who created Peanuts. One of his daughters joined the church and served a mission in England. Did you know that? I have for awhile, and didn't think much of it beyond "hmm, that's interesting."

However -

I was reading reviews of the recent Schulz biography, when I stumbled across a blog post at Cartoon Brew. The ensuing discussion has Schulz's children and other friends chiming in about the inaccuracies in the book. However, I found myself absolutely moved by his daughter's description of her relationship to her dad and his reaction to her becoming Mormon:

Check it out here, and then return and report (or comment, anyway).

[You can read the whole amazing discussion if you're a Peanuts fan, but I figured this one comment would appeal to Mormons of all types, even ones without any particular affection for the classic comic strip].

Hilarious Dooce Posts

Those with children, especially children who insist things be a certain way or else, can appreciate these. The past couple of Dooce posts sort of piggy back each other and are laugh-out-loud funny:

Reading the Fine Print
Nothing a Baby Wipe Can't Take Care Of

Flooring

I'm so glad we're not sanding (even though I feel guilty sometimes).

Addictive Logic Game

Block the cat!

I know it's Fall . . .

. . . but I've been meaning to post these. A wonderful woman in our homeschool group does this every year and I think it's great. She celebrates and welcomes Spring by dancing around the Maypole! Who does that anymore?? She does! And we do! We love it! These are from this past Spring. :)










After dancing around the maypole, we hold hands and take turns sharing what we're grateful for:




Pagan? Probably. Beautiful and uplifting? Absolutely.

World Series Opens Tonight

And what can I say?

Go Red Sox! :)

That time of the month

WARNING--some language (asterisks provided). Don't read if you're easily offended. Read on if you've got a pretty open sense of humor. Or if it's "that time of the month."

This is (supposedly) an actual letter sent to Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph...


Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your "Always" maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts.

But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos for being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from "the curse"? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my "time of the month" is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call "an inbred hillbilly with knife skills."

Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers' monthly visits from "Aunt Flo". Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior.

You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants...Which brings me to the reason for my letter.

Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: "Have a Happy Period."

Are you ****ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James?

FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything "happy" about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory

For the love of ***, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like "Put down the Hammer" or "Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong", or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull ****. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin, TX


ROTFL! For those who get into free samples, click here. Is that a maxi pad roller coaster??

The Price of Produce

UGH. This in no way whatsoever is meant to take away from the devastation of the fires in Southern California. Not at all. It's horrible what's going on over there. But it's a tangential aspect to it . . .

I bet the prices of avocados go up.

Big bummer. I heart avocados. I heart them in sandwiches. I heart them in Mexican food. And I especially heart them in sushi. Grocery shopping is already so expensively depressing. Ugh . . . avocados, too.

By the way, the avocado image comes from an seductively interesting article on tastecaliforniatravel.com.

Random Stuff

So, I come across a lot of interesting things and a blog is as good a place as any to share them. Here are some . . .

This one is a REALLY clever commercial. Watch the whole thing. You'll likely rewatch it once you get it.



Remember that eBay auction lady who sold her kids' Pokemon cards through her hilarious description? Well, I've subscribed to her blog since and she's got good stuff on there. Anyway, here's today's gem. Some judgmental Mormon dork went out of his or her way to criticize her all the while assuming she's Mormon. Nice. Anyway, I like her stuff on parenting--interesting:

Controlling Your Bladder is Easier Than Controlling Your Kids

Here's a thought-provoking ad I've found recently:



And here are some interesting articles as well:

8 Tips to Cancer-Proof Your Body
The 12 Germiest Places in Your Life

Yuck. As if I'm not already germ-phobic enough. Pass the hand sanitizer.

Okay, that's good for now. I can close some tabs. :P

I read the news and cried today

Full on tears. It just doesn't seem right.

http://www.ksat.com/news/14390162/detail.html

A Spit Machine

New Haircut

Mom wants to see, so . . .

Eating Pretzels with Friends

"You haven't really experienced this area if you haven't had a Shuey's Pretzel," she said. :) So, since we've been wanting to do that for years, we've jumped on the reminder and enjoyed some Shuey's WITH our friends at a beautiful park right near the community theater!

What Moms Say

Okay, I've gotten this from several women I know. It's worth a post! Enjoy!

It's the radical in me . . . or is it?

Guess what these 100 books have in common?

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

They are the 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990-2000. Isn't that sad? The moment someone closes themselves off from anything, they've stopped the learning process. What a shame. Openness is an inherent part of good learning and a central characteristic of growth and progression.

It pains me to consider someone never being able to read To Kill A Mockingbird simply because it has the "N-word" in it. It's important that we read with a New Historicist's approach. That beautiful piece of literature teaches more about the wrongs of racism and the rights of moral conduct than most I know.

Huck Finn? Of Mice and Men? Harry Potter? Where's Waldo?!?!? You'd think we're corrupting our kids!

Might some of these books shock, upset, or offend? GOOD! They ought to! Isn't that how we learn to develop our own moral standing?!? What good does it do to selectively read only that which is sunshine and roses without the occassional N-word or disturbing topic? This is how we develop a sense of who we are and what we believe.

It is Banned Books Week this week. There are a number of ways to celebrate.



I've read a wonderful book this year titled The Thirteenth Tale. The main character, Margaret Lea, is the daughter of a bookseller and she explains, "My father never put a book into my hands and never forbade a book. Instead, he let me roam and graze, making my own more and less appropriate selections." Isn't that beautiful?

Exercise your First Amendment right and read a banned book this week! :)

2 Things--Take 2, Me Too

2 Names You Go By:
1. Mark
2. Daddy

2 Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. Shorts (appropriate for summer, spring, winter or fall)
2. Glasses

2 Things You Would Want (or have) In A Relationship:
1. Respect
2. True friendship

2 of Your Favorite Things to do:
1. Doing "nothing" with family
2. Going out to eat

2 Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. A buyer for our townhouse (yes, I copied you)
2. More appointments for our business (copied you again)

2 Things You Did Last Night:
1. Saw my first acupuncture client
2. Ate a variety of finger foods

2 Things You Ate Today:
1. Fuzzless kiwi
2. Star fruit

2 People You Last Talked To:
1. My wife
2. Our kids

2 Things You're Doing Tomorrow:
1. Teaching at the community college
2. Brushing my teeth

2 Longest Car Rides:
1. Phoenix, AZ to Central PA (SO FUN!)
2. Vancouver, B.C. to Vernal, UT

2 Favorite Holidays:
1. Christmas
2. New Year's
(We're still making up for delivering babies on Thanksgiving!)

2 Favorite Beverages:
1. Water
2. Irish whiskey (well, some nights I'm sure it'd feel great!)

2 Things About Me You May Not Have Known:
1. Sleeping bags make me feel like I'm going to suffocate
2. I love a Feminist Mormon Housewife

2 jobs I have had in my life:
1. Insulation installer
2. File Clerk at a S.F. law office

2 Movies I Would Watch Over And Over:
1. Field of Dreams
2. Lord of the Rings (I just need to find 3 or 4 days to devote to it!)

2 Places I Have Lived:
1. Tokyo, Japan
2. In a van down by the river (Oops! Wrong Foley!)

2 of my Favorite Foods:
1. Sushi
2. All things Mexican

2 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. The beach
2. Moved into our farmhouse
(Amen on these 2!)

2 Things

I love having a sister-in-law who loves blogging, too! It's so fun! Here's today's meme (Em, check it out--I bet you LOVE that website!):

2 Names You Go By:
1. Stace
2. Mommy

2 Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. Glasses
2. White shirt (shocker, I know)

2 Things You Would Want (or have) In A Relationship:
1. Head-over-heels in love
2. Growth together

2 of Your Favorite Things to do:
1. Be at home with Family
2. Eat Sushi (I love good food)

2 Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. A buyer for our townhouse
2. More appointments for our business

2 Things You Did Last Night:
1. Enjoyed Book Club
2. Ate good food (the two go hand-in-hand)

2 Things You Ate Today:
1. German Rouladen (thank you to our good friends for sharing!)
2. Greek Penne and Chicken (it's a wonder I'm not bigger than I am--I love to eat)

2 People You Last Talked To:
1. My husband
2. Our kids

2 Things You're Doing Tomorrow:
1. Getting interviewed by the local newspaper
2. Attending a cooking enrichment (yes, more food--geez, this is crazy!)

2 Longest Car Rides:
1. Phoenix, AZ to Central PA (SO FUN!)
2. Provo to San Francisco OR Provo to Phoenix (not sure which one is longer)

2 Favorite Holidays:
1. Christmas
2. Thanksgiving
(It's a 3-way tie, though, with New Year's!)

2 Favorite Beverages:
1. Water
2. Chocolate Malts

2 Things About Me You May Not Have Known:
1. I have cryptic tonsils
2. I love Feminist Mormon Housewives

2 jobs I have had in my life:
1. Waitress at Ponderosa
2. Google Answers Researcher

2 Movies I Would Watch Over And Over:
1. You've Got Mail
2. Um, I don't usually watch movies over and over again (I like to watch new stuff)

2 Places I Have Lived:
1. Lisbon, Portugal
2. Cape Verde, West Africa

2 of my Favorite Foods:
1. Sushi
2. Chinese Take Out

2 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. The beach
2. Moved into our farmhouse