#15

I did it! I went a full week without making fun of Brian's Vegetarian food! I chose to call his soy meat just that, "soy meat" instead of "fake food" or "food wannabe". I've known Brian since high school and he's been a vegetarian for over 15 years. It's not new to him nor is it a fad -- it's his lifestyle. I accept it completely. I stay as far away from vegetables as possible I like any bully, I make fun of his diet to make me feel better about mine. I'm so grateful he loves me anyway!

I liked the way I felt this week. It was wonderful to show respect toward to food my husband eats. It sounds silly to say but I'm not finding the right words to articulate how I'm feeling about this so I'll leave it at that.

...oh, and I plan to continue this new food vocabulary. Because I love him that much!

#40

We headed to the Los Angeles Farmer's Market on Sunday. We all had a good time. The food was good, the shopping abundant and the memories and laughs terrific! Brian and the kids enjoyed a walk through the petting zoo (they had a Fall Festival celebrating the season with different activities) I chose to stay out, flip-flops and animal droppings...no thanks. Chicka-Doodle waited patiently and it paid off - after Brian and Goose gave up, the Wallaby ate from her hand. S/he took a (very small, cute) fistful of grass from Chicka-Doodle and ate it gracefully.

We were there for a full 6 hours and it was wonderful to see the kids exploring together and absorbing so many new flavors! One of the greatest moments: being serenaded by a fiddle / banjo duet!

It was unanimous - we will return!

#17

I am blessed beyond measure! Last night was crazy and hectic. The schedule went something like this:

Tif: Work until 2:30, pick up Goose at school, pick up Chicka-Doodle at bus stop, be home by 3:30 to get everyone ready for City Hall at 4:30. Enjoy opening of City Hall meeting, watching Troop receive recognition for being around for 60 years (yay!), grab family and one other scout, drop Teague family at home, drop scout at his home be at Middle School for Back to School Night by 6. **Visit EIGHT classrooms for TEN MINUTES each, with running across campus in between to leave at 8:30 and come home to...

My wonderful husband. Who knows me so well anyway, but also is interested in what I have to say so he reads my blogs...and knows that I enjoy those quiet evenings with just the two of us sitting down for dinner together...and he had dinner waiting for me (still hot even!) as I walked in the door - and he waited until I got home to eat so we could eat together.

I am counting this as one of my own because we DID eat after the kids went to bed - just the two of us. I'm commenting on this particular evenings dinner because it was appreciated and wonderful to know how much he loves me and "listens" to what's important to me. He's been feeling under the weather all week, spent Sunday in bed all day with his poor belly fighting to get out (and sometimes winning) and knowing he hasn't really had much to eat all week - him waiting for me to get home to eat, instead of eating with the kids...my heart is still exploding with love 10 hours later!

Yeah, I'm loved. And I'm so blessed to have that love.

#42

For the past two weeks, I have been spending 1 1/2 hours in 7th period. While it's not actually a class Goose is taking right now - he will be in it next semester. I have been spending this time volunteering in an ASL (American Sign Language) class taught by Goose's Language Arts teacher. I have to admit it's been fun!

#79

So, I'm not sure if this is going to generate any money for my cause, but I did sign up for a fund raiser. I will be walking for the Long Beach Children's Clinic's beach Walk. I will be walking with folks from Goose's Boy Scout Troop. Looking forward to it!

#19

Friday, 10/10/08, Brian and I went on a double-date with someone not listed...but I'm counting it anyway! Mr. & Mrs. Pena joined us for a movie and dinner. (In that order =) We went to see Fireproof and then to Red Robin for dinner - and ended up closing the place. We kinda got the idea the employees wanted to go home when they started turning off the lights!! It's been a long time since we've closed anywhere - we're usually asleep by 10!

Fireproof is a great movie for couples to watch. Thankfully, Brian and I are blessed with an incredibly happy, fulfilling marriage so we have not had to deal with some of the issues brought to light in this movie. We did, however, leave the theater with a sense of gratitude deeper than before of how wonderful our marriage is! What a terrific CHRISTIAN film, holding it's own in public theaters, with such a fantastic message about how every marriage takes work and the blessings that come with that work. We were so moved we are hoping to get in another date night to double date with another couple to see it again!

Dinner was fabulous! Brian and I split a cob salad, all meat on the side, of course! And the four of us enjoyed sharing the Tower of Onion Rings and nachos with salsa and fantastic guacamole. Three hours and endless conversation later, we left Red Robin...or at least the building. We stood in the parking lot for another 20 minutes chatting about this and that.

What a wonderful night I spent with my best friend, my life love, my husband - and what fun we had with J & W!