Halloween 2023

After work: Setting up

Then: Costumes

Trick or treat!

(at Grandma and Poppy's house)

Back at home: H & A came over, as did a couple of C & K's friends 

Then: Hubby and I enjoyed some fire time 

It was a great Halloween.

Busy With Denim

Work was fun - we prepared gifties for the spin-the-wheel game. 

We bought the grandladies their costumes, and I spent some time sewing.

And watching Better Off Dead.

I'm excited for tomorrow.

Carving Jack-o'-lanterns

Along with carving pumpkins, we enjoyed a lovely dinner of snacks, hors d'oeuvres and hot chocolate: nothing short of blissful. 

Little C's Birthday

Happy Birthday to this lil babe!

We have a busy day planned. Hubby had to go to a Saturday morning training, so I dropped him downtown. He nervously watched the tire pressure all the way there and I watched it all the way back to our city. It's very cold this morning so I'm sure that's playing a part. Here we are about to get our tires did:

Like the cracks? They're from Christmas Eve 2022

Our family, Hannah's family, and Kate's family all managed the avoid the Coach From Hell (and it was probably mutual). 

We then raced home, picking up C & K outside of Kelso, to celebrate with Little C on her big day.

Closing Time

Seaside looks perfectly spectacular today.

Today I opened (my usual job) and closed (which I NEVER do) the store. Everything went swimmingly well. Aside from the nice lady who walked into the bookstore at 12:25 pm (we close at 12:30) and asked for help "uploading her assignment" - we were able to sweetly shoo her to the tech support building - we had zero problems.

I hadn't used the website for the new credit card program we now use, and had unmatching amounts on the store transaction software, and it threw me for a loop for a minute until I figured out my mistake. But it worked out. 

In true Universe form, right at closing time, the exact moments when I was trying to perform tasks that required massive concentration and following a list, my phone started blowing up with multiple extended-family dramas. Go away, people. No one wants your garbage. It messed with my head for a while.

A lawn mow, a washer load, a bath, some funny videos and a couple of venting sessions later, I'm feeling much better, and also feeling like muting a few phone numbers; the Shmacebook Messenger app is already in the virtual trash can. I don't think it's too much to ask to have nice people in my life, who behave well and respect boundaries. I don't think it's too much to want good mental health. 

I get that no one is perfect, especially me, but I try so hard to be what people need. It would be great if that effort was reciprocated by some people. 

Later: We checked on H & A's kitties and brought home Shmapa Murphy's pizza for dinner. And the crowds went wild (yay).

Not In Seaside, Again

I've had just about enough of this

But campus is lovely.

Back at home: BED KITTIES

filled with kitty goodness

This child and her mermaid coloring book 

She was later heard singing her ABCs

This child

who bounced into the room, threw herself on the bed and immediately started mauling the kitties

And then....it was on. PILLOW FIGHT

Little R laughs her head off whenever she sees her legs in this pic

And THEN: I picked up Hubby. After getting some crappy news about R's soccer coach being awful to Hannah (it's been an ongoing thing and now a group of players are leaving that school after fall quarter), we visited H & A's kitties, then headed back to the city. Drowning our sorrows in enchiladas sounded like an amazing idea. And it was.

Churros and ice cream for dessert = heaven.