Halloween

Today is the day and there will be no trick or treating for us. We have tried it in the past but for some reason, here in Kentucky, they like to make their yards into graveyards with dead bodies hanging in trees, people chasing you down the road with chain saws, and others jumping out at you as you pass the garage... it is the creepiest thing and not to mention, it has turned our girls off to the whole idea. So, we have decided to make this night just a family night. We are probably going to dinner and then maybe a movie which sounds so much more pleasant than a night of walking in the cold... looking at bodies hanging from trees and coming out of the ground.......Can you imagine turning your yard into a graveyard? That just seems wrong to me....maybe it is just what rednecks in Kentucky do on Halloween!

taxes

I think I am going to try something.... I am going to tally up all the taxes we pay..... income, house, on purchases...etc..... and see just how much we pay for a year. I actually think it might be almost impossible to keep up with it all.... there are probably things we get taxed on that we aren't even aware of...... but don't you think it would be interesting to see the final number. Every time you go to Target, Walmart, gas, house, clothes, phone bills (which have insane amounts of taxes tacked on to them) etc etc etc etc.... wow! I think we would be disgusted to see what the numbers actually might be. Is tracking it even possible?

what in the world?

I feel like marriages around me are being attacked from every which way.... it is sad. Affairs are so common. Nothing shocks me anymore. Why is this happening? I remember finding out about my friends parents affair in seventh grade and I could hardly believe it. Now, I seriously feel that it is more shocking to hear of people staying together. I once heard somebody say "the minute you think it can't happen to you is the minute it will." I pray that I am able to protect my marriage at least to the best of my ability..... the devil is wanting to destroy us all and take away good families. Now is the time to protect and to put up a fight!!!

rainy day

I am enjoying the rainy day but all I want to do is read a book and drink some tea. I am trying to believe that November is right around the corner.... and then Christmas will be here. It is really hard to grasp how fast the time goes. The next few weeks are going to be interesting. This election, no matter who wins, is going to bring about lots of change and emotions from everyone. It will be interesting to see how it all happens.... how voter fraud takes a role, how people get angry when their man does not win, and how much our country might change in the next few years. That might just be the scariest part of it all. I even hear Nevaeh talking politics with some of her friends.... that is quite interesting. I have been wanting this election to just be over since it seems to have been going on FOREVER but now that it is here.... I am not sure I am ready for it to be over!

Pumpkin Patch

Our homeschooling group went to the pumpkin patch this morning. We walked through the barn, took a hayride, ate lunch, and then went inside the corn maze.... which was extremely hard to get out of and most of us didn't make it out the correct exit! Then the trip ended with each kid getting to pick out a pumpkin. I love the pumpkin patch.......

a nice morning

The weather is getting cooler as we woke up to start the day. I put pumpkin muffins in the oven and the girls started some school work at the kitchen table.... in their robes. :) After some math and science, they started coloring some pictures while drinking hot chocolate. Tomorrow we are heading to the pumpkin patch with our homeschool group and next week to the children's theatre for Mulan! I know this sounds so silly but what a perfect day. I am a dorky mom who only needs the smell of muffins in the oven to brighten my day. Oh dear!


On a different note, the election is just two weeks away. Oh my!!!! God help us. Go out and vote.... For MCCAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think Joe Biden gets botox injections.......

Rude or Polite?

Okay, I have to ask this question... first of all, I have come down with some major sinus problems. Stuffed nose, sinus pressure, runny nose, sneezing........I feel okay but just have some extra snot I guess. So, last night at church, it was time to shake hands with people and say hello to those around you. I had just put some hand sanitizer on seconds before we were asked to greet those around us. I politely said to the man in front of me, " I just put some stuff on my hands and I think you would rather me not shake your hand..." He said he understood but it was also his first time to our church so I felt like maybe he would think I was a freak or think that I thought he was a freak. I just felt incredibly horrible to refuse to shake his hand but also would have felt equally as horrible to have touched his hand with my germ filled hands. What is the better thing to do? Shake and share germs or politely decline? What do you think?

Random

I am glad it is the fall.. although we still have 80 degree weather.

I think I am getting a cold. YUCK!

Joel did not win the men's chili contest last night at church. It was good though!

I really want to take a trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

I would like new bedding.

I am really getting excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas to come. I asked Joel if we could put up the Christmas tree... He said "NO WAY!" Bummer.

Joel wants me to learn to play golf with him..... I think I would end up being better than him and would beat him all the time. That would be funny.

I am SO tired of this election.

I wonder how long I will live in Kentucky?

Detroit

Joel and I had our annual Trader Joe's party in Detroit this last Friday night. Since we do no live by family, we were trying to figure out what to do with the girls. I decided to ask a good friend of mine and she so kindly said "yes"! Her and her husband do not have kids yet so I wasn't sure what they would think of taking mine for the night. The kids had a ton of fun and got to go to a fun festival where there were huge pumpkins and lots to look at. Jesslyn also decided to crawl in bed with them at 3 in the morning!... Joel and I had a pretty good time. Our party is usually in Chicago, which is one of my favorite cities so I was bummed that we had to go to Detroit..... it is not too much to shout about for sure! ...... but getting away for the night was fun. The hotel was nice, the dinner was good, and it is always fun to catch up with the Trader Joe's crowd. Above is a picture of the kids with my friend Katie at the festival. She survived a night with my kids!!

October

It is finally here. I love this month. I love the cooler mornings and evenings, the pretty leaves..... and knowing that Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. Yesterday marked a year since my Grandma Betty passed away. I can't believe that it has been that long. I will never forget my last few moments with her and am so glad to have those memories. While I was in Washington, I went to her house a couple times and was determined to just enjoy it rather than cry. It seems like she should have been there just sitting in her chair, writing in her journal. When we got back home to Kentucky, Jesslyn was singing her own song about how Grandma Betty was up in heaven with Jesus. It was very sweet and I am sure that Grandma has had a grand time this past year...... she can taste, hear, and run and dance without any back pain! Miss you Grandma Betty.