As A Clam

I'm ready to start the new week-- for once, I feel well-rested (despite a mere 6 hours of sleep last night), and I'm coming off a fantastic weekend!
Here are some highlights:
* The house is (relatively) clean and finally decorated for Halloween. Oh, how I love all my glittery decorations! I walk into the dining room and everything sparkles, and that makes me feel sparkly too.

* The fashion inspiration is flowing again. Today's outfit is ballerina meets Amelia Earhart. If you're looking for a new cardigan or two (because Modest is Hottest), check out NY&Co. So many great things. Yesterday, I was accidentally Blair Waldorf. It wasn't planned, but the result was effective.

* At church yesterday, Rudy gave a talk on Dating and Sexual Purity. Two major highlights:
-"I don't know what Heavenly Father was thinking-- He must have way more faith in us than I have. He's given us this awesome power, but it's really like letting a three year old run wild in a wood shop."
- "And it's not that we, as members of the church think sex is wrong. Sex is GREAT!" (And then, back-tracking a bit, because like most of the rest of us at the Singles' Branch, he is a virgin and pure as the driven snow) "Just ask these guys behind me!" (Indicating the branch presidency, all married men) It was super, super awkward, but really quite the memorable talk.

* I've started the Christmas shopping. The bad news: I'm so poor! The good news: I've got my sister, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law all taken care of. And I've got a good jump on the friend gifts. I've got at least an idea of what to get my dad, and my mom is always a snap, as I expect the nieces will be. Brother will be the biggest challenge, but I feel good-- like I can have it all done by Thanksgiving. Too bad property taxes are due soon, but at least the house insurance, car insurance, and other major bills are behind me for the year.

* Found many bargains on Saturday during the errands, and a few surprises. My best find? A $70 globe that ended up costing me about $11.50. The craziest item? A wedding-planning book in the bargain section at Borders. I knew I'd be hanging out with Paul and Kacie soon, and now that they are engaged, I'd certainly let K look through any and all of my wedding and event planning books. I've got quite a library these days. Those books are great for inspiration for ANY event, and they are beautiful, but are generally super-pricey. However, if I find them on clearance, I save a ton of money and my decorating skills and imagination expand exponentially. So I saw a huge wedding book for $5, and the cover was GORGEOUS. I picked it up without really looking at it until I finally went to bed hours and hours later. The surprise? It's about planning weddings for "women of color." I LOVED IT! Kacie isn't as pasty as I am (well, really, who even is?), but to call her a woman of color would be a major stretch. Still, good design knows no race-- the best design is influenced by myriad cultures, so I'm glad to add the book to my collection. Still, it was a pleasant surprise, and good for a chuckle as well. I should've known it would take a woman with some soul to pull off the verdant wedding dress on the cover.

* The next craft show is fast approaching, and I've not really done anything to prepare for it, but I'm excited. Participating will keep me from joining this year's "Thrill the World," but I made my commitment to the good Valley Lutheran Church Women, and I plan to deliver. A double booth! What was I thinking? Probably that I just have a ton of stuff to sell, but still, the creative juices are flowing now and I'd like to have a few more winter items to sell.

* The ambitious family history project is progressing slowly but steadily. I've got almost all the pictures and certificates and news clippings archived (the ones I have access to anyway) but the thing about genealogy is you could always do more. Still, it's been really awesome to finally understand who the Mulfords are, especially. By the end of printing off the 527 records for individuals on Michael's GEDCOM, I felt like I could generally place people in families.

Anyway, that's about all for now. Work is calling, and I can't shirk. I've got so much to do before feeding the missionaries tonight and then hiking with the kids. But autumn is surely here. I'm invigorated.