Red Pencil Diaries

We've already set up our plethora of penguins in the front yard. Three giant inflatable ones, three smaller woven wire looking ones, a couple more on the porch. We put up the gigantic wreath and the small light-up trees by the front door. We even put up a few decorations in the house--including the mistletoe above the entry to the hall. The tree is going into the new family room in the basement, so it can't go up until Dave finishes the drop ceiling--hopefully some time this weekend so the tree can go up next week. I have a smaller tree that I will put in the living room. We have a fiber-optic tree on the bar. And I have a tinsel tree I may put in the kitchen. GAH... I never realized how many freaking trees I have.

We have some holiday music playing... the kids are loving it. It's always wonderful to see the reactions of your kids to the holidays. This is the first year that Lola sort of understands what is going on. She doesn't understand Santa really, but she recognizes him. She loves all the decorations and lights. It's going to be a really fun holiday season. And it's only beginning!

Sorry abou that. If you have something to say, email it to me!

Dave and I have been sick off and on for three weeks. Yeah, I should go to the doctor, but who has time? I hate dragging two kids with me. And one day, I will feel good and think I'm on the mend. Then I wake up with that ick and the slight cough and the stuffy nose. Ugh. It happens each fall and spring. I always think it's just allergies, but then I get worse. I'm feeling ok today. But I probably should knock on wood.

We've been working our asses off on the basement. Well, Dave has. I have helped. A lot. Dave finished the flooring down there last night. OMG... the transformation is amazing. You people who've seen the "shuffleboard room" before won't recognize it. Seriously. It rocks. Or, it will when we've put the final finishing touches on it! We're planning on unveiling it for Thanksgiving to our families. We hope to invite some people over soon to show it off. We've even thought about having a small holiday shindig. We'd hoped to have it finished months ago, but money and time and kids and life got in the way. But we've now lived here nearly 5 years (in about a week it will be officially 5 years) and to have that room finished will be a huge load off our minds. It's the last BIG project inside.

In the spring, we'll start on the outside. Ugh. Can't wait.

It's finally election day. But that's not what I'm thankful for. We got great news yesterday about my Dad--he doesn't have a brain tumor. Yes, we spent nearly two weeks gripped in complete fear. He had some dizzy spells a couple of weeks ago and went to the doctor. They first thought maybe he had an arterial blockage or had a mild stroke. So the doctor sent him in for an MRI. The next day, his doctor called him in and announced that the MRI showed something--it appeared to be a brain tumor. We were all shocked. He was sent off for many more tests and more MRIs. All of his tests came back normal and healthy. He finally got the results of the second series of MRIs yesterday--there was nothing there. At all. My mom recalled that when he was in the hospital getting the first MRI, they kept calling him by the wrong name. My mom wonders if they sent the wrong MRIs to his doctor or something. We're just thankful that he is ok.

˙ǝɯıʇ ǝɥʇ ןןɐ sıɥʇ ǝʞıן ǝdʎʇ oʇ ǝʞıן p,ı ʞuıɥʇ ı ˙sʎɐɯ ʎןɹǝqɯıʞ :uʍop ǝpısdn ǝɯɐu ʎɯ ƃuıǝǝs 'ɹǝןooɔ uǝʌǝ ¿uʍop ǝpısdn ǝdʎʇ oʇ ʇı sı ןooɔ ʍoɥ Actually, it's just from this site.

I found this link with instructions on how to make your own disco ball from old CDs and a styrofoam ball. I was thinking maybe you could come up with another type of ball to use, since most people don't have styrofoam balls laying around to be reused. Anyway, it's a cool idea. Small ones would make great Christmas tree ornaments or rearview mirror decorations.