Pumkins and growing up

Last night, I managed to think that I should empty the pumpkin to make the process of carving them easier for the girls. They had to be carved tonight since I have class tomorrow night and TorT is Wed.

So, tonight the girls and I carved their pumpkins. Last night, I managed to think that I should empty the pumpkin to make the process of carving them easier for the girls. They had to be carved tonight since I have class tomorrow night and TorT is Wed.

While I cooked dinner, they drew pictures of their plan so they were ready when it was time. After dinner, they drew their faces on the pumpkins and we began to carve them.

Sarah did most of her by herself. I drew the first eye to give the scale she would want, and she drew the rest. I just did some clean up for her.

Then we moved to Sydney's. Syd drew her design and once I started the cut, she took over. I was so amazed that she could cut some of these pieces out without help. I did have to finish the mouth for her as she had all these squiggles.

I sat there alternating between amazed that she was so grown up and sad that she was so grown up.

I'll post pictures of the pumpkins later.

FINALLY

I finally made it to the post office. Getting to the post office wasn't the hard part, it was getting everything that needed to go into boxes, addressed, marked, processed, etc

One box only got as far as everything that needed to be in it, but I left the address at home and didn't have my cell phone. I might have asked to use the phone at the post office (small town and such) but there was a line of 5 people behind me.

So, into the mail went:

1 overdue birthday present
3 packages of clothes that needed to be returned over the past year or so
1 package of Sarah hair to Locks of Love (been in the car since the last week of Aug)

remaining - 1 overdue birthday presents to my nephews (2 boys).

The other day, we discovered that they actually do notice if we send something as there was a box on their doorstep when they got home the other day an my now 10 y.o. nephew said "hey, that must be the box from our state. It does make me feel good that even kids I see about every other year really do feel a connection to us. We don't talk on the phone as they hate it, so my sister has done a great job of keeping us connected on their end (just as I have here).

Need to go, I have to iron on rhinestones on canvas tennis shoes for a birthday present for today's party (Sarah decorated white shoes with fabric marker for her friend's b-day. I'll post pics later.)

Sometimes it all falls into place

Tonight, I sat down before jamie time to set my laptop up. Not sure why, but it turns out that my power cord wasn't in my bag.

I dashed back to campus as I knew the power cord was either in my office or one of two conference rooms. I have keys to two of the three rooms, so getting in before everyone who has a key to door number three goes home. So, I dash, check office, check conference room, check office, drive to next building. On the elevator, success - a person with key to door number three.

I check, not there, I check one last time and sitting in the chair next to where I was sitting - a POWER CORD!!

I think I need to put my name and phone number on the cord. As a result, I can now tell you about the other "I couldn't set this up if I tried" that happened today.


I was in a meeting earlier today. My boss was commenting that I shouldn't be spending my time updating our website (I dinker with it but we are hiring a student to do the major overhaul). I spend so much time pushing papers and investing time that the powers that be decide are not needed it's nice to do something that will not be rejected. Also, I need the skills. Last year I lost out on a job because I didn't have the skills to update websites. The reality is that it would take me a few minutes to figure it out (and that has been the reality) but I couldn't convince the committee that was the case - so I want to have this skill on my resume.

So, as we were walking off the elevator for the next meeting, the website guru who is our site's webmaster walked by and complimented me on job I've done on the website - in front of my boss!!!

Some days it falls into place.

The week in review

I seem to be on brain overload. When I get this way, I can't seem to function as I don't know which way to turn. So, I'm going to try emptying my brain some.

I'm working so very hard to both get the house organized and decorated. I managed to finally get the decorations on the mantle. I'm also clearing out the hutch in the sewing room dinning room so I can keep my projects out of the middle of the dining room. I also want to clean out the basement. I think I might be getting a little to ambitious??

Friday night, I was a bit tired, but had an opportunity to go to a photo organizing night. I had a huge number of photos sitting around, 2 almost full Creative Memories Powersort boxes, and a bin of unsorted junk. So, I decided that rather than sleep, I'd go organize. I now have 3 Powersort boxes. Bless my friend/consultant's heart who decided that someone would probably need a new powersort and had one on hand!

Sat was a bit busy, I was tired, but the grocery list was made, shopping done, and the girls and I made empanadas. I used Paula Deen's recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34307,00.html

This morning, I woke up to this:


The puppies are the principals. Tigger and Lambie are the "bad kids."

Then, Sarah decorated the shoes for her Halloween costume.

She's going to be a singer. The dashed lines are decorative stitching.
The shoes were her own design and compliment her shirt.

I have papers to read (I love the topic they wrote on), an exchange piece to write (I finally decided to start with drabbles since the story wants nothing to do with me) and a chapter for my story that my muse did arrive for but I keep putting off until the exchange piece is written.

Maybe I'll just go to bed and start over tomorrow (with the bills, packages to the post office, class prep, work, . . . )

What is good for the soul

Sorry I've not been around much. Most of what I want to talk about are items I can't in this public of a forum.

So, scroll down to the next post and look at the pretty picture.

[ok, it's later.]

The sun came out and the temperature warmed up. I decided to take advantage of the fact that for ONCE it was not raining and overcast and I brought the girls outside to take nice pictures of them. Sarah was upset that two copies of something came in the mail in Sydney's name, so she was cryee and blotchee. I decided that playing in the leaves was the better idea to get them in a good mood before I took pictures. I had fun watching them play.

I decided that I just needed some sunshine and so I've brought my papers outside to grade.

So, I better get started. Meetings with the student happen starting tomorrow. Oh, don't groan, I've hear enough of that from my students. But, if *I'm* willing to give up some hours on a Sunday so I have time to meet with them all, so can they.

I love fall in our town

This was the sunrise over the lake:

And the light reflecting off the leaves in the back yard.

So, when the dentist's office called to confirm Sarah's appointment tomorrow, I asked if mine was the same. It turns out that they called to confirm Joe's appt today, but forgot to leave me a message. Darn, one more thing to squeeze in today.

Finally a minute. . .

One day, I got an email from my friend Kelly telling me that Fantasta Girl gave me an award. I would have completely missed it had I not received that email since I had a rough few days and haven't visited my friends in a few days.

Fantasta Girl- at The Adventures of Fantasta Girl - gave me the "You Make Me Smile Award"

It's a little intimidating when a super hero tells you that you make a difference in her life. I have no idea how I found your blog, probably through one of my heroes - Kelly. But, I'm so glad I did. According to Fantasta, this is what the person who created this award says about it- the thing that I love most about blogging is that I learn so much about a person just by reading their blog. I have met MANY wonderful people with wonderful stories to tell, and I am grateful every day for each person that I have the pleasure of crossing paths in life with. I wanted to create something special for the top ten people who have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell, and the lives that they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement. Although there are MANY people I want to give this award to at this very moment, I am going to choose ten bloggers: Please grab your badge and wear it(with a smile) proudly, and pass it on because you inspire and encourage me, thank you. So, now it is my turn to pass it on.

Now I have to choose my ten.... (I know some of them have already received it - so they don't have to do the meme, but they do make me smile!)

Of my ten, some will be from the LJ community I read also. I will list them here, but not link because most of them are friend locked and I find it very frustrating to find a new blog only to discover I can't read it.

So, in alphabetical order:

* 6 year med - She is one of my two favorite med students.

* Can Only Imagine - No matter what life has thrown at her, she has faced it with grace (and she's going home for Christmas!)

* From the Runway to Diapers - Just plain fun to read.

* It's Just the Coffee Talking - One to three times a day, Meritt keeps me awake with coffee and chat.

* Melinda's Blog - She's currently facing cancer with humor.

* Missing JT Snow - A friend by chance, and seven years later I'm still grateful.

* Planet Jules - The most amazing friend anyone will ever meet.

* The Scrapping Librarian - Her creativity astounds

And from LJ:

Dr. Poultry - who has enriched my life beyond belief

Sneaky Rhea - my other favorite med student

The dinner two years in the making

Three summers ago, our beloved neighbors moved and we had new neighbors move in. It was the very end of summer, so the new neighbors were only here for about a month before they left for the winter in Florida. I did have just enough time to meet them before they left. Last summer, we just never quite got around to having them down, I just never got the house clean enough. Then, I got pneumonia - so another year without dinner with the neighbors.

This year, I was bound and determined that we would have them for dinner.

Why was it so important? Well, D!husband grew up in this house. His father designed it. I really wanted to learn something about the history of the house.

I was really hoping that we would get along and have something to talk about. I discovered that they are the nicest couple. I really wish we'd done this earlier in the summer. I suspect that when I was stuck on my couch, I would have had alot of fun chatting with D!wife.

They really liked some of the things we've done to the house and learned a bit about it's evolution. Our kitchen is almost unchanged (at least since 1965) - the house was built in 1946. Mr. M. was a lawyer in town and there were 6 kids in the family - I believe 4 boys and 2 girls.D!wife and D!husband dated in high school. What I just learned is that they had been married to other people. When D!wife's husband passed away, she put a notice in the local paper. D!best friend saw the note and called D!husband to tell him that D!wife was now single. D!husband sent a card, they found each other and they have been married now for 10 years.

D!wife very kindly gave us a copy of a DVD of home movies. It has been so fun to see what the house looked like.

Now, do I take a quick nap or get back to work (ok, it's my day off but I'm working - then again I will be exchanging some time off later in the week.