Halloween

Last weekend (I think) we went on a Farm Color Tour. On this "tour" we stopped at an orchard (for apples), a country/general store (for BBQ), a few wineries and a pumpkin patch. While pumpkin patchin' we found some beauties that we had to bring back with us!

After much thought and Internet research, we chose our carving inspiration. Although my pumpkin is not as sophisticated as Hubby's, I did step up my game a bit this year.

You can decide who carved each pumpkin.

...and yes, the Trick-or-Treaters liked Hubby's best, per the usual.

Support

Bing: I think I support the growing unemployment rates. There was too much traffic from peeps going to work this morning.

Rach: Too much traffic...bah! Did you hear it's supposed to snow tomorrow morning?! Weird.

Bing: I support global warming then, too. It's too freakin' cold.

Rach: hahaha I love you.

One

Old

Today while day dreaming, it dawned on me, once again, that I am "old".

Mostly because this is what my day dream involved:

I hope someone invites me to a Pampered Chef party...soon...apparently I'm going through some sort of withdrawal which can only be remedied by shop-via-at-home-party purchases.

Oh dear.

Letters

A recent conversation with BFF-T:

Check out my new email signature? Is it too much? Sometimes I erase it...and it's only been around for two days.

Me, CPA, CFE
Auditor
Large Defense Contractor


It is NOT to much you worked hard for that and you better use those letters!

I'm jealous so I'm adding some to mine too.

BFF-T, DAWG, w00t
HR Guru
Large Pharmaceutical Company

...this is one of many reasons why I love you. T-Dawg.

McCain

My Last Presidental Election Related Blog
(feel free to ignore if necessary to retain our friendship =P)

Last night I caught the last hour of the final Presidential Debate. Around 10:15 or so, I was brought to tears. Sobbing, while laying in bed, and for the first time (since this crying isn't the first) truly and utterly fearful for the outcome of this year's election. It's no secret the many reasons I think Barack Hussein Obama is a deceitful, untrustworthy, egotistical, socialist moron. No secret at all. (Although I'm not sure how I am still on many Obama-spam email listservs..ugh...NO MORE!) There have been many times through this campaign he has actually lead me to TEARS due to his insensitivity on one of my most personal, moral issues facing our culture, our nation, and our future president.

That being said, the other side to this story is really not "I'm voting McCain because Obama makes me want to vomit" but, "I'm voting John McCain because I agree with him."

• I agree that domestic alternative energies must be utilized and that clean coal, nuclear power, and safe off-shore domestic drilling are crucial to our energy independence.
• I agree that our nation should help to women faced with "unwanted pregnancies", not through abortion options, but my providing birth mothers with an easier, more streamlined adoption process.
• I agree that charter schools and voucher systems for our public schools will lead to more competition, better teachers, and better educational opportunities for children of this nature.
• I agree that raising taxes is not the answer, but cutting government spending is the answer.
• I agree that our government employment is bloated and needs reform.
• I agree that our solders should not be left wanting, but should be given the tools and resources they need to protect our great nation and the nations that support us.
• I agree that MORE government regulation is NOT the answer, but capitalism will eventually settle the markets (which were taken advantage of my plain old greed by the way.)
• I agree that human life begins at conception.
• I agree that evil is real.

So as much as I cannot stand Barack Obama, I am voting John McCain because it is the logical decision. It's an educated decision. And no, I will probably not be able to understand why you do not agree with me...sorry.

Warfare

Today's devotional from Rick Warren...

How to Fight Spiritual Warfare

by Rick Warren

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

*** *** *** ***

There are four things we need to do when we are battling spiritual warfare in our lives:

1. Acknowledge the adversary. Satan is real (1 Peter 5:8-9). When you’re being attacked, it’s proof that you’re a believer. The more you make an impact for God, the more the Devil is going to fight you. You never outgrow it; it just gets more intense.

If there were no Devil, why would God send his Son to fight what does not exist? The Bible says in 1 John 3:8, “The Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil” (NLT).

2. Accept God-given authority. Most believers are very ignorant about the authority they have to use against the Devil. Matthew 28:18-19 says we have all authority in heaven and earth. Then Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples …” (NIV). He transfers the authority to you and me. He does that because he’s given us a specific mission (2 Corinthians 5:20).

3. Put on God’s armor. When Paul wrote about the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17), he was in prison chained to a Roman guard. Paul used the Roman centurion as a model for spiritual armor. Paul says, just as the Roman soldier is properly dressed to do battle, we also need to be dressed for battle.

For instance, I will often pray, “Lord, I put on the helmet of salvation that will protect me from the thoughts the Devil will try to give me. I don’t want to think the Devil’s thoughts. I don’t want to think my thoughts. I want to think your thoughts, so that that I may be a voice for you. I put on the belt of truth. Lord, I want to share the truth, not falsehood. I want to lead people into righteousness.”

4. Aim the artillery. The battlefield for spiritual warfare is primarily in your thought life, in your mind (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Paul says the weapons God gives us to use demolish arguments – that’s the way people think; they pull down pretension – that’s the way people think.

We take every thought captive. In this battle for thoughts, we have four weapons: humility, faith, truth, and praise.

Paula

While watching "Paula's Home Cooking" I just heard Paula say, "Ooooo doggies!"

It reminded me of my father...

...he makes me smile =)

Halloween

For the majority of my teen/adult years I have hated Halloween. I do not like the overall concept. I do not like dressing up. I do not like being reminded of all the smashed pumpkins I endured as a child (growing up near the local high school obviously tainted the whole "pumpkin"/Halloween thing). I don't get the glorification that Darkness gets through the costumes children choose to wear, or more rightly parents choose to let their children wear... (This year I'm sure there will be far more "Jokers" than "princesses" or "Lightening McQueens"...) I believe very strongly that there is both good and evil in this world...but I also believe something else...

I love chili. I love the overall concept. I love dressing it up. I love being reminded of coming home to crock pots of my mother's chili after a long day at school. It is one of the true perfections of my favorite meat, cow. I believe very strongly that there is good chili and bad chili (oh the things some people do to chili...)

This year our neighborhood has decided to have a Halloween Block Party and Chili Cook-Off. I could not be more excited. Not only did last year's Halloween festivities in Pleasantville thoroughly surprise me (I guess this is what I get living in a neighborhood with most children being, well, children, not teenagers wreaking havoc and ruining a child's "fun candy time") but this year it's going to be even better.

I may learn to like Halloween yet!

But, I still will not dress up.

TV

I think it's fairly safe to say, with only a few exceptions, that the Fall TV Line-Up (DVR Line-Up that is, we're not that amazing) is complete for 2008:

Monday
Chuck
Heroes
Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles

Tuesday
Privileged
Fringe

Thursday
The Office
Smallville
*Life on Mars - Gets it's first look this Thursday night... Will not be staying...it's like a rip-off of Journeyman (which was awesome, yet sadly cancelled) with a less interesting plot. Very sad.


Top Chef returns in November (or so I hear) so that will definitely be added to the line-up when the time comes! I guess it'll still sneak in as "Fall" but it'll be on the Spring listing as well I'm sure...along with....LOST! Can't. Wait.

Inappropriate

So, I just took out the trash, like the helpful wife that I am. When I opened the garbage can to toss in the bag to my surprise there was something inside already. Trash days here in Pleasantville are Mondays and Thursdays. Since I have been home since Thursday, I have not throw away anything in the outside garbage can. It did not take long to figure out what happened. The small bag at the bottom of the can reeked...

Someone walking their dog threw away the nasty bag-o-poo in our garbage can?! Who does that? Ew.

Please note, here in Pleasantville, USA there are dog-friendly garbage cans scattered along the major walkways, complete with extra poo-bags (how convenient). Granted these are not located on the ALLEY where our trash can resides, but really, why would you walk your dog where there is no grass anyway?

This is unacceptable.

Pills

Finally someone has addressed one of my Top 5 fears of having a child. For fear for mockery, I refuse to tell you where in those Top 5 this falls...

Crappy

There are several things that can attribute to a crappy day...

-Dealing with incompetence.
-Experiencing that pre-cold throat tickle.
-Discovering a snag in brand new stocking prior to one's first cup of coffee for the day.
-Having one's lunch grow cold as peppered with ridiculous questions.
-Eating luke-warm, homemade, chicken pot-pie.
-Having to cancel on a friend that you have not seen in two months.
-Going home to an empty house because Hubby has to work out of town on the weekend.
-Receiving Obama-spam from someone who obviously knows nothing about me by virtue of the fact that I am on their, growing ever too frequent, Obama-spam mass-email listing.

Yes, all of these things can contribute to a crappy day...my day just happened to include all of them.

"Tomorrow is another day..." ~ Scarlett, Gone With the Wind

Tomorrow will be much better. It begins my 3-day weekend of relaxation, well with the exception of completing my CPA Application loose-ends. Yes, that's right. I have passed all my exams...and that, that my friends, deserves a cookie.