Ooh It's Halloween

Every morning for the last two weeks, I hear how many days to Halloween? Today it will be the squeals of delight at the girls remember that they get to dress up and do a candy feast tonight. I always enjoyed Trick-Or-Treating as a kid, so we made our own tradition. I don't bring a lot of sweets in the house. We have one night a week for dessert and two days a year for loads of candy--Halloween and Easter. The Easter bunny loves the Garners. Yes, they know what Easter is all about, but it includes candy.

They are also excited that BJ (Dad), Trish (Mom), Auston, Terrence and Eli are going with us. Alyssa and Buddy (her oh so cute dog) are also going. Sean, Alyssa's husband, is in Iraq right now and is sorely missed. He is an instigator with a wonderful sense of humor. (Please keep him in your prayers.) They were our neighbors at the apartment. So we are going to meet at my house around 7 and go Trick-Or-Treating. This neighborhood is big just like my one in Texas, so I'm sure the kids will not be disappointed.

Did I mention about my menagerie of critters? Well, Ally (cat) has decided that she wants to freak out around midnight and 5 a.m. each night. Nice. I put her in Stina's room so Lee can get some rest. Unfortunately, Shell (cat) was in there too and decided she wanted out about 4 a.m. this morning. Right before that, Chance (90 lb Labrador) convinced Lee to let him outside. I woke up when Lee got back in bed. Silly dog, I let him out right before bed and he must of just sat on the porch instead of doing his business. Needless to say, I've had maybe 5 hours of sleep and got up at 4. Now, all critters are peacefully sleeping...

The girls are still asleep, so I at least have some Mommy time. After I finish this, I will be working on refinishing the entertainment center. Kimberly in her wisdom back in Texas would shove apple cores, candy and chewed gum behind the TV. Needless to say, she did a lot of damage to it. So about half of it needs to be redone. I have sanded it and it's ready to be worked on. Now, I just have to do it. I thought I would get bored not doing my volunteer work. I was wrong. I have 2 end tables and a coffee table to refinish next. Why are kids so destructive or is it just mine? At least now, I am better able to keep an eye on them. Good thing being on sabbatical. We even have clean rooms. Kimberly is even starting to clean her room without me reminding her. The bathroom is a different story. But every night after baths, they get to clean up.

I was so happy when I found my Clean/Dirty magnet for my dishwasher! I am training the family to put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher when they are done. It's a slow process. Well, they don't always know when I have emptied it. I attempt to do it when I make Lee's coffee, but if I don't get up early it sits a while longer. Well, now that the magnet is there, there won't be any questions. Ha, another excuse banished!

I'm sitting here typing and listening to my black cat (Salem) making his "baby noises" while he sleeps. He really does sound like a baby making sleeping noises. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to trade places with him. He follows me around most of the day. If I'm in the kitchen after sun up, he's sleeping by the back door in the sun and occasionally gets up to rub my legs. I can't go in a single room without him. Even the bathroom I have to wait for him to saunter in and babysit me. Sometimes I think he is part dog. He even meows through the house if I leave a room while he is sleeping and he can't find me. It's so funny. He's my playful one too. He loves the milk carton rings and anything else he can bat around. The real entertainment is watching him stalk Shell. He and Shell tolerate each other. She swats him while he sleeps and he pounces on her whenever he can. The boxes have proven a neat playground for them. Shell gets as high as she can and glares at Salem as he tries to figure out how to get to her. I think I need to switch with them for a couple of days--just to act like a kid all day long, not just when the girls aren't fighting....

Happy Halloween!!