The Chip House

I am not a fan of the Harvest Festival...

I am a Trick Or Treater! I admit it, and am proud of it!

My husband shares my opinion and in spite of volunteering at our Church's Halloween alternative each year, we split the day and our house is always open to those who want to stop by.

Eric is now 13 and time is running short for his adventure in gathering goods. His trick or treating buddy down the street informed him today that he isn't going tomorrow but then he changed his mind and they will go after all. Eric is excited.

Mostly, because of his costume which will be a Gothic dude but that he will again get to visit the famous Chip House.

We have neighbors who work for Frito Lay and each year they give out chips but to our kids, they are the ultimate prize and the very first Halloween treat to be consumed. If we were too busy and could only go to one house it would be the "Chip House" I was walking the neighborhood and ran into him and he informed me "The chips are ready"

Who would have guessed... Candy is dandy... But Chips take the cake

The Cheat Code

I have said before that picking up my son from Middle School is a little like facing battle in a war zone. Each day I have to not only endure inconsiderate drivers but the kids daredevil antics of riding bikes or scooters in the 2 foot space between the cars driving down the street and the cars parked on the curb gave me a heart attack. I just chalked it up to one of those things parents must endure.

Last year I used to park on a side driveway it was perfect, I would get there early to get in line and exit the school in the opposite direction of the "War Zone" Alas, they decided the area I parked in was going to be the bus area so I was kicked out of the driveway to the curb. Wahhh.

One day recently while in the battle I noticed the busses were now congregating in the front of the school and I realized the driveway I used to park in was not being used at all AND the driveway is right next to Eric's last class of the day. I got a brilliant idea and told Eric about the new pick up spot we would try, and he was game.

The next day I parked in the driveway and there was one car ahead of me, I asked him if he knew if it were OK for us to pick up kids there and he said he had checked it out and we were fine. Coolness...

Eric got out of school at 2:00. He was in my car at 2:01 we drove off and were out of the entire school zone by 2:02!!!! I am serious TWO MINUTES!!!! We avoided all traffic of any kind be it auto or human. Was it too good to be true? Could what used to take me 20 minutes now only take two? Please Lord let this be true...

Well, we have been doing what we call the parking lot cheat code for a few weeks now and we get out of the school zone no later than 2:03. Once Eric was late and got to the car at 2:04 and it took us until 2:13 to finally get out of the school zone. Wow what a difference four minutes makes.

Today though, my son beat his record and we got out of the zone by 2:01

We high fived each other cause we feel like such cheaters...Hee Hee Hee

Bad Bachelors

One of the things my men look forward to when I go away for a weekend is their "Bachelor Food".

I stock the cupboards with cans Dinty Moore Beef Stew, tuna, soups galore, chili, ravioli, you name it. Not to mention the jerky, their favorite chips and of course the staple of many a bachelor, frozen pizza.

Because I have been working a lot of extra hours I was unable to get to the store to set the guys up so I gave Steve one chore this weekend, Take Eric to the grocery store and get your own bachelor food. Eric was actually pretty excited, I told him he could choose anything he wanted and since he was of course going to be the chef for the weekend I knew they would mostly get canned stuff.

Steve on the other had got a case of the lazies and in spite of Eric's nagging, no shopping was ever done and all Eric got in the way of bachelor food was a trip to Mc Donald's.

When I got home and found out Eric had been groveling around the cupboards eating all the breakfast and lunch stuff planned for the next week I was LIVID!!!

I totally chewed Steve out about it, poor Eric and his bad bachelor daddy.

So tonight in retaliation I decided to get back at my man the only way I know how... Through his stomach.

The one thing my husband doesn't like for dinner is this old Boy Scout recipe Cam came up with called Pancake cake. You mix sausage and bacon in pancake mix and make a giant pancake. It is served with syrup and Steve simply hates breakfast for dinner. Breakfast is for breakfast and dinner is dinner.

So off to the store Eric and I went seeking the items for our breakfast and we found the ultimate, these corn dog like thingeys that have sausage in the center covered by pancake batter. We drew the line at the blueberry ones, picked them up and were both enjoying our devious plan. Muh Haa Haa Haa (can you see me wringing my hands)...

When Steve was presented with his dinner, my dastardly bubble was burst "Yumm... These are really good"

I just cant win!!!

Overcoming Obstacles

I love my little life, the one I call my "simple, blessed life" Well, for the past month I have filling in for a co-worker who had surgery, this means instead of working two hours I am working six. I know... WAHHHH you have to work six hours a day but think about it in relative terms I am working three times as many hours as normal. I once got some great advise from a homemaker friend that I have passed on to others, when the homemaker adds more work hours to her schedule the only one who's life changes is the homemakers. It is so true, my son and husband still expect the same from me and imagine the sour faces when I have said, sorry, too busy, fend for yourselves for dinner.

But, I am very accepting of God's provision, I have been completely enjoying myself at work, but my blogging and love for daily reflection has suffered, I cant believe I am three weeks behind on Thankful Tuesdays and you can just forget Blogging bottle Fridays...

BUT...

I go on Vacation as of November 1st which is also the first day of our annual November daily blogging event.

I look so forward to writing, hope you will enjoy the read

Love, Troysie

Precious VS Practical

I have a bridal shower to go to tomorrow. The girl is very special to me as she is the soon to be sister in law of my new daughter in law Beka.
I told Shelly Beka's mom that I think it is amazing that she will have two married Children this Christmas. Wow!

I really Love Nicole and Beka's brother Chris. They are a cool couple and Steve and I love hanging out with them.

So here is my dilemma, Do I give a Practical or Precious gift?.

I think gift registries are great, but I always love putting thought into my gifts, I once purchased gifts off of my friends daughters registry cause I knew the wedding was really small and she might not get all she wanted. This wedding is a similar circumstance so on one hand I want them to have all they need, but for me, my favorite wedding gifts were the lovely unexpected ones that I still have in my home 25 years later.

I have no memory of our first place mats, or who gave me what color towels, I did get FIVE cheese dishes and didn't even need one, but when I look around my house today I still love my Lenox dove shaped candy dish that was broken and replaced TWICE by my sister, My white milkglass vase mom got me and my Precious Moments bride and groom figurine.

I think I have answered my question...

Blogging Bottle Friday

From The Blogging Jar
It is Friday Blogging Jar day...

This weeks random question

Describe the most serious illness or accident you have had.

I have been blessed with health so far and even babysat with pneumonia so I will talk of the most serious accident I have had.

Actually I have been in. I was 18 and my friend Susan and I had just come home from a party. Susan and I had such fun together and it had been a great day. About a mile from home we passed by a stop sign and the driver of the car who was stopped at the sign gunned it and crashed right into my passenger door and forced us across the street and head on into another car. Back then we didn't wear seat belts so I was tossed over to the drivers side of the car and ended up down on the floor board. I remember Susan had hit the steering wheel but all in all, thank God for the big Ford she was driving.

We got out and looked and we had hit head on with none other than my friend Kathy's moms boyfriend Duncan, his head was bleeding but he was OK too. The driver of the car responsible was an undocumented mexican drunk driver. Susan was crying, but for some reason I became a female Incredible Hulk. Luckily, they pulled me away from that guy cause I really believe I could have torn his head off. I remember telling him in Spanish to "sit down G-Damn You" cause he was trying to run away, mom said being half mexican paid off that day. LOL

It was a crazy scene, parents were called and we took Susan to the hospital. Duncan was OK too and so was I. Susan had been a Christian but was kind of taking a break from church but we really felt the need to go to church that Sunday and thank God for our health.

I will never forget it cause it was really the first time I went to church other than tagging along with my aunt as a small child. It was simply amazing to me because it seemed like the message was talking just to Susan and I. We were blessed.

Susan and I are still very dear friends and Duncan married Kathy's mom the next year and is still a great guy.

Life goes on... And the blessings continue.

NOW for the worst accident I have had.

Just got a brand new BMW sedan, I had the plates but hadn't put them on. Every time we have ever had fender benders it has always been when our cars were brand new without plates.

I was backing out of my girlfriends driveway and crash, I hit her brick mailbox. I got out and couldn't believe I didn't see it at all.

Her son came out and said "Hey, your car is brand new You're In trouble...It's a BMW, you're not in trouble... You're dead where you stand..." I always laugh at that memory.

Have a blessed week my friends...