Happy Halloween from Pippi Lillian, Elaina Bug, and Super Saihan Isaac!

I know it has only been a short time, but I must say work is really fun. The people have been so nice and I enjoy that my job keeps me busy and doesn't get boring. It is always something a little different. Plus, it is like window shopping while you work! I hope I continue to feel the same way after Black Friday hits and the crazy shopping season starts!

Yes, you heard right. Working woman here.

So far the vast 6 hours I have logged at JC Penney have been great. It is fun to have somewhere I have to be at a set time and to have a reason to be dressed presentably on a regular basis. As I will be working primarily in the fitting room area I am allowed to wear khakis and a store-supplied red polo if I like, and I imagine I will on occasion...but honestly the change from my "at home mom" uniform is part of the fun.

The people I have met have been great so far and I can honestly say that I am already going to miss the woman who hired and has been training me (she transfers to another position in a nearby store next week.) And I am quite impressed that even someone hired as a part-time seasonal worker is eligible for benefits and 401k. Not sure yet if it will be worth it for us to take advantage but it is nice to have the option!

And speaking of part-time seasonal...there are several changes going on with the full-time staff right now and it is has been implied over and over that I might be kept on after the season if I am interested. No guarantees of course, and obviously I need to see how this all works out for my family...but an interesting possibility.

Don't you just love the way autumn looks?





And...Happy Birthday to my beautiful Mama!

Gabe's last game didn't end so well for the team. He did have a 70-yard touchdown run that unfortunately was called back due to a penalty (that had no affect on the play, but whatever...rules are rules, I suppose.)

And...some pictures of the beautiful birthday girl!Yeah, we see you Pablo. (You see what shenanigans I put up with around here?)
She be cheesin'.


More cheese.
Not quite sure what exactly happened here.

And I will even throw in some Elaina cuteness.

So, I've realized that rather than "What's Up At Our House" this blog should really be titled something more along the lines of "Marci's Random and Scattered Thoughts." Not going to change it though. Whatever.

1. I may have finally ... well, I won't say "mastered," but got the crackle polish figured out enough to wear out in public.
2. I really liked that book I blogged about earlier today a lot. It is one of those I keep thinking about and am kind of sad I'm finished with.
3. Tomorrow is Gabe's last football game of the season (postponed from today because of this crazy wind and rain we are having!) and Laura's first choir concert of the year is next Monday. She was chosen for "select" choir this year which means that instead of black pants and a white top she gets to wear one of the razzy-snazzy long dresses they use. (I poke fun but it is actually not a bad dress. I think we are all glad she wasn't in select a couple of years ago before they switched to these new ones!)
4. Later this month Julia and Pablo will be finding out the sex of baby #2, assuming baby is cooperative. Today's check-up showed everything right on track.
   
5. If you should, I don't know, hypothetically remove the entire shower head from your shower, it will shoot out one powerful spray of water. Just sayin'.
   
6. Celebrating Laura's 17th birthday tomorrow and pretty much throughout the weekend as she has some friends over.
7. As promised, sharing a recent layout.

Wow, Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh is actually not my first choice genre for reading. I'm more of a mystery/suspense gal and I would put this more solidly in the chick lit category. And yet it is the most "can't put it down" book I've read in quite some time.

I loved the multi-faceted characters and all their quirks. It was a pleasure watching our heroine, Bridget, grow and work through her distrust of a God who she felt had ignored her and let her down.

I also loved the author's "voice." I'm not sure in literary terms that I'm using that word correctly, but what I mean is the way that Ms. Leigh shares Bridget's thoughts, words and personality with us. I am very eager to read more about the Pickwick family and more by Ms. Leigh as well.

This book was provided to me by the publisher via LibraryThing as an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for this review.

The Original Dark Shadows now available for streaming on Netflix. Win!

Random stuff, random, random, always random, lalalalalalala.

1. Still trying to figure out what the deal is with the crackle nail polish. I think Gabe's that he put on his toe turned out better than mine do.
2. Speaking of Gabe, I am pretty sure he has a bunion.
3. Going to a Lia Sophia party tomorrow night, woo hoo for Girl's Night Out!
4. I don't feel it is very safe for Laura to drive with her knee all messed up (she still doesn't have full feeling in her leg) so today and tomorrow (at least) I will be getting up early to drive them to school. It actually makes my day go sooo smoothly when I get up early like this. If only it didn't take a crisis like this to motivate me to do it!
5. Laura is turning seventeen in three days!
6. She and I and a few of her friends are planning on seeing Paranormal Activity 3 this weekend.
7. And possibly going on a mini shopping-spree for her birthday.
8. And...I am sensing some 11-minute cake in my immediate future...thanks Julia!
   

We braved the cold and wind today to watch Laura play goalie for Auburn United. Unfortunately, it wound up not being a great day for Laura. She was slide-tackled (which is a no-no). Twice. The second time she was down for the count. It was pretty scary for a minute watching from the sidelines as she did. not. move. Her rib has been messed up for about a year-and-a-half and I thought maybe that was it but it turns out it was her knee. We took her for x-rays on the way home (learned my lesson when poor Julia went six weeks with a fractured fibula before I took her in.) Nothing is fractured and at this point it doesn't appear there is ligament damage. Most likely just a bruise, but the internal swelling is apparently impinging a nerve and causing numbness throughout her leg as well as muscle twitches. (Not to mention the pain, of course.) It may be the end of the season for Laura as there are only a few games left over the next week or so.

A couple shots, pre-injury.



And, a picture of Julia's 17-weeks-pregnant belly!

On a lark a few weeks ago I submitted a few online applications for seasonal work. Imagine my surprise when I got called for an interview yesterday morning! I still have to wait for everything to be official but it appears as if I will be enjoying an employee discount at JCPenney this year. Go, me! It has been a very long time since I've had to do the being "up" for the public thing so I hope I still have it in me.

Tonight Arnel and I had dinner out with some very dear friends and it makes me realize how much I miss doing things like that. We used to be pretty good about it but it seems like the last year or two the kid's schedules have gotten busier, we have gotten lazy, etc. and we have let it slide. We need to do it more! On a related note, Applebee's has some pretty amazing side salads.

And a completely random question...WHAT is the secret to that crackle nail polish?? I've tried two bottles and they are just sort of...I don't know...stringing? I guess rather than giving that cracked look. Anyone have any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Tomorrow...soccer followed by the Pumpkin Patch...should be perfect CHILLY fall weather for both!

And finally, just because it cracks me up every time I see it...enjoy!

First, I would like to wish a very happy second anniversary to Pablo and Julia Ruiz!

My big kids forgot their lunch today which meant a quick trip to drop it off. Being that their "lunch" is at 10:05 in the morning (seriously, what's up with THAT?!) it was perfect timing for me to throw some coffee in a travel mug, grab some books and do some school "off campus" with the little ones.

We stopped for some muffins, juice and bananas, met the big kids, and then headed off to the park where we ate/played/did school, lather, rinse, repeat. Despite a disobedient puppy and malfunctioning car door (okay, and resulting mini-Mommy-tantrum) we had a good time. A little guilt over the tantrum led me to decide to extend the field trip a bit.

AFTER dropping the puppy off at home, we headed to Good Will (no treasures today,) and KMart next door for vitamins and chapstick. Next was lunch at our favorite junk food spot, Taco Bell. (Have you had one of those Cherry Limeade Sparklers? Delicious!) A few more stops (Dollar Daze just to peruse the scrapbooking goodies and yes, I did find a mini-paper pack that I NEEDED. Really....Big Lots where I mostly got some food, and then to Kroger for stuff for dinner tonight.) The stars must have been aligned just right because the kids behaved swimmingly well and I spent very minimal money.

I think we will have to do little unplanned jaunts like this more often.

We got home and the kids continued to do really well by finishing up their school work with nearly-no fuss. Must have been tired out from the day?

Oh, and Lillian found the most amazing bug I've ever seen. I tried to get a picture but was too slow. It looked almost like a ladybug in shape and size, except a little more elongated. But it was the most gorgeous, amazing shimmery metallic coppery color, with a touch of mauve. Anyone have any ideas what it could be?

Wow, Facebook has gone so far bonkers that I think I'm actually prompted to blog again instead.

So, I have been on a mini movie-watching kick. Over the past few days I've watched the good, the bad and the ugly. That isn't a grammar or punctuation error, no capitalization required. It was three different movies.

First, the ugly, because I want to get it over with. It was called Megan is Missing and it was just disturbing. I can't say if it was really a "bad" movie. I didn't find it poorly-made or poorly-acted. It was just disturbing, ever-so-slightly in the way "Precious" was disturbing. I certainly don't recommend it to anyone and am not even linking it. I will just say I should have heeded the written warnings and avoided it. But maybe others who are looking at it from some different vantage point than I would appreciate it. I dunno.

The good? The Perfect Host. You will notice that it is listed as a comedy, a crime movie, and a thriller. It is all of those. And if you watch the trailer, don't get angry because you think they've given away the twist. The one you see there isn't the half of it. The term "batsh*t crazy" is used frequently in the context of this movie, quite appropriately. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The bad was The Haunting. What can I say other than I should maybe read some reviews more carefully. Um...good cast? Had a few laughs? (You may want to note, though, that this one does not bill itself as a comedy anywhere.) I suppose the special effects weren't bad if you are into that kind of thing.

With my iphone capability to flip on a quick streaming TV show and not disrupt my earlier-to-sleep-than-I hubby with the light on...I haven't been doing as much reading as I typically do and would like to do. But the book I am working on is Restless in Carolina. It seems like a cute read so far, and I did receive it as an advance-readers-copy in exchange for a review, so when I finally finish it (I'm sure I will switch back to readaholic mode sometime soon!) you will be seeing a review here.

I know this will surprise most of you, but I've also been scrapbooking a bit! It really should be newsworthy, though...I haven't done a page since last spring. It is just that I never mentioned I'd stopped so how would you know to be surprised I was back at it? I found that my separate scrapping blog wasn't worth the effort at this point, so I will try to share a page here now and then.

Like I said...I'm barely on speaking terms with Facebook anymore and am sure I'm missing things I want to see so email or text is a safer way to reach me with anything important these days. I will try not to be a stranger here!

If you are still here and reading leave me a comment to let me know you are around!

The Corruptible

Another book to review, finally! I just finished reading Mark Mynheir's The Corruptible. For fans of the Christian-based detective stories, like myself, this is a winner! Full of flawed, fully-human characters, twists and turns, mystery and humor, this was a very enjoyable read and I am looking forward to more in the series. I have a mental picture in my head of the story's protagonist, detective Ray Quinn, and I can't wait to see how things progress for him.

Check out this excerpt: (Who could resist a book with the opening line "DYING ON THE TOILET was not how I envisioned leaving this world.") EXCERPT

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.