“Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes;
and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.”

- Francis Bacon

Hi guys. How's it going? Guess what? I got my hair colored today. Just thought y'all would like to know what's going on in my little world.

There's a question that's been burning in my mind for a week or two, and I'd like to know what you guys think.

What (or who) should I be for Halloween? I've had a couple of suggestions already, like Cleopatra or a hockey player (so's I can whack people who don't behave with my hockey stick). Those are pretty good ideas, but I want to know what else you would come up with. And no, don't tell me to go as myself because I'm scary enough, or you're going the right way for a finger-wag.

Here's a super-interesting useless fact about me: I've never been trick-or-treating. Nope, never. Every Halloween our church has a big party with games and candy and costume contests and candy and prizes. And candy. They call it "Hallelujah Night", and that's where I went every year. It's super fun!

There's usually a theme for the costumes, and then whoever has the best one wins. One year the theme was "the farm", and my cousin dressed up as a milking machine. She wrote "Acme Milking Machine" on a white shirt and wore a hard hat that had "milking" tubes coming out of the top. Her costume was so awesome! Everyone thought she should have won, except the judges who chose a little girl who was "Princess Kay of the Milky Way". C'mon! She didn't think of that herself! She was only like seven! Whatever- we're over it.

What is everyone else going to be?

Tonight at dinner, my dad started singing a song to the tune of "Was a farmer, had a dog, and Bingo was his name-o". Tortellini almost came out of my nose. That, apparently, was his objective. You sicko.

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In other news, my dad has informed me that I've been generating controversy on this blog for a bit over a year now. I can look at this two ways:

It's been a year already??

or

It's only been a year?

There have been some darn good times here. I have come to think of the MOB as kind of my extended family, complete with older brothers* (like Kevi-Wevi, Andy and Benny-Wenny), the 'Volunteer Maternal Protector' (Cathy in the Wright) who helps me keep them in line, and the weird uncle (Strommy).

I always have fun at MOB events. Would it be really sad if I said they were the highlight of my social season? It would? Ok, never mind...

And to all of my faithful public, where would I be without you? I've written about some interesting things that have happened to me this past year, and I've posted dumb things that I made up on the spot, and you guys stuck around through it all! How do you do it? Seriously?

*Sniff*...Hold on, I've got something in my eye...*sniff*



*That occasionally drive me crazy, like big brothers have a tendency to do...I'm told.

Yes, it's that beautiful time of year; with leaves changing colors and the air getting colder*...

Time to break out the wrist sweaters!



This is the very last of the 899 pictures we took in Europe. We were at the airport to go home, and my carry-on luggage was so stuffed that I couldn't fit my wrist sweaters anywhere, so I had to wear them.


*The air is supposed to be getting colder, right? Though I personally am not opposed to 70 and 80 degree weather for fall...
My mom and I support global warming!

Alright, I've heard that some people have been clamoring for a post from their elusive Diva, so here I am. Bruise-free, might I add.

But this is a special post, as it is about a special person. I would not be here if she hadn't been here first. It's my mom. (Insert your "awwwww"s here)

It was her birthday on Friday. Earlier in the year I asked her what she wanted to do for it, and she said "Nothing, and no flamingo's!".

So I threw her a surprise party. Actually it was me and our home church group that meets on Friday nights.

A couple of weeks ago, my parents went on a little golfing vacation weekend thingy (yes, I did use both "golfing" and "vacation" in the same sentence, and no, I'm not crazy). So that Friday night we decided to plan the party and got all the invitations out on Sunday, which I thought was pretty slick.

The usual Home church schedule is everyone one comes around 7p.m. and just walk in, then we do a couple songs. We had our guests walk in around 7:15. The house was packed and my mother thoroughly surprised.

Direct quote from my Aunt Carol (HI CAROL!),"I've never been to a birthday party that broke down into a dance party." Which it did. Even ask Benny.

Thank you to everyone who came and would happen to be reading this! I swear that her party was better than mine.