In honor of Halloween:

Hilary Clinton Practicing Commander in Chief

Sorry, this was the scariest thing I could find.

Wait... it could be worse:

Granholm 2012

Burning Ring of Fire

I know you have heard of a snow day, but have you ever heard of a poor air quality day?

Three school days in 2003 were cancelled due to poor air quality. The fires were about twenty-thirty minutes from our apartment. The wind was not nearly as strong, so there was less chance of embers spreading quickly. Still, people all around us were wetting down their roofs, and getting ready to leave at a moments notice. We had nothing but crap in our apartment, so I was not as concerned as I would have been had I owned a home.

I remember climbing up on Applebee's roof and just watching the orange blaze lighting up the hills...it might even be described as pretty how it lit up the night and was so visable for miles and miles.

Maybe we need to send my mom and dad on a camping trip to Lake Arrowhead...

Birthdays+Birds=Big Deal

Three years ago today, I was holding this:

Fast forward to today, I can barely hold this:

Kayden's third birthday came with a total buy out of the Cars section at Target. Almost every present, except for the new bike from Grandma and Grandpa, came with a Pixar price tag.

Tuckered out at Seven o'clock-- I can hardly believe it!

I leave you today with a moral dilemna faced at Meijers. I bought Cars balloons at a party store a few weeks ago in preparation for the big day. Wanting only to get them filled, I asked to pay for the helium only--as I had done the previous week for a Hannah Montana balloon (also bought elsewhere). The teenager filled the ballons, and did not "get" the concept of charging me for filling them. Back and forth we went-- four or five times me asking to pay for them, him not understanding.

Finally, he wrote on a slip, "No Charge for Helium", handed it to me and said that he had never heard of such a thing.

Knowing I had paid for helium previously, I felt wrong leaving the store. I hung my head sheepishly as I left, feeling like security was going to chase after and knock me down for stealing.

Would you have pressed it further?

A few pictures from today...

Tag. I'm it.

It is hard to come up with things I have not already shared, but here goes....

My middle name is Lynn, so it shouldn't be too hard, right?

L is for Lack of discipline. Let's start with chocolate. I cannot eat just one cupcake. Oh no, I need to eat two. Kayden gets away with more than he should, too.

Y is for QuirkY. I never even my gas off to a round number. I prefer it to be $21.36 or something equally as random. Same thing with restaurant bills- the odder the number, the better. No rounding for me.

N is for iNsecure- especially when it comes to conversation. I am always second guessing myself and replaying entire conversations in my mind, picking apart/second guessing everything I said to make sure I did not say something stupid.

N is for NEED. One of the lowest points this past year was Easter for me. I remember standing in my shower getting ready for church, and I could not stop crying. My relationship with God was, in a word, bitter. I was so angry for the longing I had for a child, and the lack of it happening. Of course, if I could see into the future, it would have been easy. At the time, though, the desperation and hopelessness starting sinking in, and I was angry and feeling sorry for myself. I needed someone to take the burden, and eventually surrendered it. Thankfully, we have God who loves us as much as He does, is willing to forgive my selfishness, and still desires a relationship with me even when I am being a turd.

I cannot think of who already has been tagged, so you are off the hook this time...