Collateral Damage

I was raised poor, and at no point in my adult life have I hidden that fact.  While I assure you that it was the first thing that I would hide when I was a child...I am quite proud that we had nothing growing up and that I have built this life.  There is still some damage from being poor, like the fact that I can't buy generic items at the grocery store.  But by far the most "damage" that I deal with is being raised Jehovah's Witnesses.  Sometime I don't even realize the things that I still carry with me, like when Adam asked me if we were taking the kids trick or treating this year and before I could stop myself I blurted out "Ummm no, we don't need to go house to house begging for candy just to have it tested at some independent lab for safety."  Oooopps.  At this point Adam is looking at me much the way that Joe looks at me for the Santa debate.  But it's hard for me to encourage things that I have never experienced.  Luckily I don't think Joe wants any part of trick or treating either so we have compromised by allowing Austin to dress up and help hand out candy.  :-)   Cheers...here's to my long therapy list!

We hosted a pumpkin carving party on Sunday but I spent the time making shrimp Po' Boys and barbacoa beef for lunch for everyone so I didn't have the chance to carve, but I managed to sit down and knock a princess one out two nights ago.  Although it looks horrible now so I am hoping to have time today to carve out a couple more for the front porch for the trick or treaters.



 Last Christmas Laura sent us these amazing aprons and Austin loves to just wear hers around the house.  So of course because everything has to be "even Steven's" (as we call it), Tyler wants to wear an apron too.  So I managed to fold mine up into this configuration so she can wear it around.  It obviously makes her very happy. :-)