I need more kids to give candy to

Turns out, the last thing in the world I needed to do today was to buy more candy. We already had a ton of Smarties and Sweet Tarts. We picked up a 45-piece bag of various candies, as well as a selection of stuff that we just like eating. ... And then, my daughter came home from trick or treating tonight with 182 pieces of candy. That is, no doubt, an insane amount of candy. And now I have two bowls of candy, one with all the goods that she got from her foray around the neighborhood tonight, and one bowl with all the stuff we already had and that she and I bought today. No joke, it's crazy in my house right now, with the candy.
But you know what I've never experienced? I've never had the never-ending parade of kids coming by my house. Andrea and Ryan said that they've had more than 100 kids tonight. I remember Josh and Dawn commenting on all the kids they would get at their house. I don't think I've ever had more than a dozen or so on any given Halloween. Granted, most of our Halloweens were in apartments, and you just don't get a lot of kids trick or treating at apartments, but here we are, in a nice, family neighborhood, and I only got 12 kids at my house tonight. I love opening the door for the kids, and I love seeing their costumes. It's super disappointing to me when I don't get many children. And 12 just doesn't cut it. We need to go hang out with our friends one year so we can see how the popular neighborhoods rock it.

Candy, candy, candy starts with C

If you can believe it, we don't have enough candy to get through our day and night tomorrow. We've got some more Sweet Tarts, and some Smarties, but nothing of any consequence (read: nothing I like), or that's worthy of giving out to the kiddos. On the upside of this dilemma is the fact that all the candy at Target will be on sale. Bags and bags of delicious good stuff at 50 percent (I assume) off to whoever's still buying. Inexplicably, and happily, that is my kid and I. What's on the list? Well, I haven't eaten any Twix yet this month, nor any Snickers. This is bad of me. My Gramps would be very unhappy with the lack of Snickers. Sydney will want more Nerds. Brian will eat whatever I get him, and he'll be grateful for it, because he ate my last two Reese's peanut butter cups like a meanie.
I've been told that we're to dress in our witch costumes for the day, as well. I'm actually kinda excited to do that. But first and foremost, we need candy.

She had a great day, and I'm giddy

My kid was totally happy with her birthday today, and I'm on cloud nine because of it. I think I told you last year that she was pretty disappointed in her birthday. Even after the awesome trip to Flagstaff and all that. I can only base the success of this year's birthday on Jurassic World, and the plethora of dinosaurs she wanted, and got, and the movie that she wanted, and got. She also had a dinosaur cake with the decorations she wanted, and got.
Beyond all the birthday warmth and glowing that we have going on here, I'm super tired because she had me awake at 6:20 a.m. so she could open presents with Brian before he left for work. As for me, in celebrating my Birthing Day, I had some tea, watched some television, and gloried in the quiet of my home all afternoon while reading a book. Good stuff, all around.

Nine years ago tonight, I was in labor

One of the greatest joys of my life is preparing surprises for Sydney to wake up to in the morning. Right now, her bedroom is all streamered, and there are presents and birthday cards downstairs, and I can't wait for her to wake up tomorrow morning. It's so cheesy, but her smile, and her absolute happiness, makes all my work worth it. And I can't wait for her to get up tomorrow.
Honestly, the only real problem with doing such cool things for her is that she remembers them year to year, and now asks about them. "Will you put streamers in my room again for my birthday?" "Will there be presents in the morning?" I mean, of course I'm going to have presents, and of course, since she loved the streamers so much last year, I had planned on them again this year. And of course, it's all about her because of course it is.
What else is going on with the kiddo's day tomorrow? She wants to go have breakfast at IHOP, but Brian and I are not at all interested in going out for breakfast at 6 a.m. I'm hoping she'll sleep in, to tell you the truth. She's got Oreos to take to school. I'm picking up her cake in the afternoon, and it'll be awesome, because I've picked up an "extra" present to top the cake. And her presents? Well, it's all about Jurassic World, my friends, and she'll be pleased with that. No doubt, I'll be watching that very movie tomorrow night.

She needed S.O.S. from Blake's creepiness

I'm watching The Voice right now, and I have notes.
Rihanna is awesome, and her advice for the competitors, in regards to the singing and their stage presence, was straight and on point. I love her enthusiasm for the Voice process, and her happiness for the singers was genuine, too. I already was a fan of Rihanna's, so there's no life-changing attitude shift for her like I had for Taylor Swift, but she's managed to solidify her awesomeness in my eyes.
Blake was creepy. Kudos to Rihanna, again, for not telling Blake to stop creeping her out, because he was being a dirty old man trying to hit on her with no subtlety or charm at all. It was uncomfortable to witness.
For a show whose conceit is all about the voice of the singer, it didn't take long for "them" to completely make over the 15-year-old kid by changing his hair, making him ditch his glasses, and most egregious of all, having his braces removed for the sake of looking the part. I mean, come on. Hypocritical much? He's a 15-year-old kid. He's really supposed to be awkward. I'm annoyed they went so completely against their premise with this.
The twins were sent home, and I'm perfectly okay with that, because I don't like the idea of two singers battling against one in any competition. Two singers can compensate for each other's flaws, as they are, and bulldoze a single competitor. I was pleased to see the single guy win that one.
Adam needs to grow his hair back, like, now. Some guys just look better with a full head of hair. He's one of them. This needs to be rectified, and I feel like it will be when the show goes live next week.
Gwen's polka dot blouse was amazing, but in my boring white girl way, I would like it on me with a long black skirt, or jeans. The shorts were too much for me. But that's why she's Gwen Stefani, and I'm me.
The one girl who Rihanna advised to keep her hands off the microphone and emote, who then didn't, had a tremendous piece of advise that she ignored, and the effect was disappointing. Especially since we saw so much of Rihanna's stage presence advice given to her, and then were witness to how completely she dismissed it. That was too bad, really. I kept staring at the screen, being all, "Why aren't you doing what she said?"
Rihanna was great; Blake was creepy. I already said these things. They are worthy of repeating.

Getting ready for the rest of the year

One of my favorite things to do is to organize my calendar. I don't do it very often, because my calendar is always up to date, but when I get to sit with it and add stuff and all that, it makes me happy. Today, I got to do just that. Preparing for November and December is always a good time, since it's all holidays, Mom's trips out, and days off from school. Still, right now the calendar is pretty open. Going into next week though, once we get into November, it'll start filling up like crazy. And I'm giddy with anticipation! This is my favorite time of year. These three months are the best because everyone is happy, anticipatory and full up on holiday cheer.

I got my other pumpkin, and he's cute

Here's my pumpkin.
I call him "my" pumpkin because I was the one who wanted him. Sydney helped clean him out, and Brian perfected the inside, but I did all the carving. Sydney drew out the plan for the face, and I have to say, this seems to be a good way for us to divide our responsibilities for the pumpkin. My inability to do anything symmetrically is the reason behind the awesome kicky smirk on the Jack. Something new I'm trying is the tilting of the pumpkin top, to let out some of the heat, ensuring there's no singeing of the top while the candle burns. I decided on using real votive candles this year, since I've got that great package of 100 tealights from Ikea, and I'm excited with how the finished product looks. He sits on the TV stand, so we can keep a close eye on the open flame in the home.
But I'm crushing on him, for sure. He's adorable, isn't he?

It means you Don't. Say. Anything.

Let's have a conversation about secrets.
Secrets are important. And when you're invited to be a holder of one, it's a privilege. And when you share it, or brag about having it, or spoil it for the official secret holders, it's a betrayal. Seriously, there's no other word for it. There's no one worse than the person who knows the secret peripherally, and then tells the secret.
Actually, you know what does make that person worse? Facebook.
Facebook makes every secret harder to keep, and makes every secret holder a liability, because the bad secret holders who can't and don't want the secret to be a secret will spoil it. And the peripheral secret holders who want to be the Secret Tellers are the worst. They will make little comments here and there. They will be "cute" or "subtle." They will make jokes.
Here I am, a peripheral secret holder who can keep a secret. And I've got Facebook. And I see that a couple other peripheral secret holders are making comments, or being "cute," in a way that exposes the secret in not at all subtle ways ... on the actual secret holders' Facebook pages. This is rude, and mean, and insensitive, and just all kinds of blabbermouthy. I feel so bad, because due to these peripherals who can't keep their mouths shut and their fingers unengaged on Facebook, the actual secret holders had to share their secret before they were ready to do so. And I think that's horrible.
On the up side, the actual secret holders now know exactly who they can and can't trust with their secrets in the future. And I know better now, too.
Secrets are important. The ability to keep them is even more so.

Oh, pumpkin, you're so wonderful

I have a sickness this Halloween season, and it's called Wanting Too Many Pumpkins. We currently have five pumpkins downstairs. Sydney and I have decorated two in those awesome Target decoration packs, so one is a bat and one is a bumblebee. They are large and awesome. We have three more smaller pumpkins, upon which I will paint jack o'lantern faces tomorrow so they can sit outside, and not rot in the weather, and also not be scary.
But then Brian said tonight, "We don't have any jack o'lantern to light a candle in or anything." And I thought, he's totally right, we actually haven't done that in years, and we need more pumpkins to make legitimate jack o'lanterns. Luckily for us, our local grocery store is selling the perfect-sized pumpkins for such shenanigans for only $5, and I will go get a couple tomorrow. We will carve one and put a real candle in it, and set it in the living room for true-life Halloween pumpkin atmosphere.
I'm stupid excited about this new plan. And it also means that this Halloween will have our family purchasing seven seasonal pumpkins. (Let's not discuss all the decor pumpkins I'll get for my Thanksgiving centerpiece, okay?) So here I am, on the raggedy edge, and ready to buy more vegetables for decoration and seasonal enjoyment. Bring it on, pumpkins.

The Force is with us, but not the kid

I confess, it's totally awesome to hear Star Wars music coming from my television. Especially when it means that there will be new Star Wars coming my way soon. I'm up here, typing away, and I hear the familiar refrain coming from Brian's television downstairs. It's anticipation building, that's for sure!
My concern is Sydney's total apathy to see the original movies so that she knows the story for when the new one is released. But then she's all, "It's okay. I don't really want to see the new one anyway." I'm like, "WHAT?!?!" I don't understand that logic.
Now, I do not subscribe to the mania that caused people to buy tickets three months in advance and to crash the ticket web sites, but I would like to see the film within the first few days it's released. Otherwise, I'm afraid that spoilers will be coming down the Internet highway fast and delirious. And I don't want to have the movie spoiled for me.
So, Brian and I are both eager and excited to see this movie, but our kid is not. She's irritating that way sometimes. But until then, I'll be a very happy, if quiet, fan, who's just waiting, waiting, waiting for the awesome to arrive.

Proudly growing an awesome girl

Sydney made my Mommy heart grow about three sizes this evening. We watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown together. Not only did she run downstairs for the chance to sit and watch it next to each other, but she was pretty transfixed still. I think watching stuff with her every year, as she gets older, will yield some opinionated gold. Her getting older every year changes her perspective, as it should, and I'm intrigued to see how that manifests.
She had a few takeaways from the show tonight that were pretty awesome.
1. "Lucy is not a very nice girl, but I like that she's sassy and says what she means." Excellent observation, in that Lucy is a bit of a bitch, but she doesn't apologize for saying what she's thinking. And that she goes for what she wants. But in the end, she still loves her brother so much that she goes out into a cold pumpkin patch at 4 a.m. to bring him home and put him in bed.
2. "Why do they keep calling Charlie Brown a 'blockhead'?" Another good question. I don't know why no one seems to really like Charlie Brown much, but she recognized that there's no real logic there, and was ready to stand up for him.
3. "There's nothing wrong with believing in the Great Pumpkin." Indeed. If it makes you happy, and it doesn't physically hurt someone, believing in what you want is great. And if we realize that, and know that, do we pick on anyone else for their beliefs? Nope.
4. "Why would he think that young girls would believe everything that someone tells them? Girls should never just believe something because someone, or some boy, told them that." AMEN. She was so appalled that Linus would assume that Sally would believe him about the Great Pumpkin just because he told her about it. She made me swoon with that one. Yes, baby! That's exactly right!
Yay Great Pumpkin!

An ITEM! for every day I've been gone

ITEM!: My daughter loves me so much that she wants to share her illnesses with me, and I'm super excited to tell you that she has, indeed, given me her cold. I've been coughing lately, and am just minimally sniffy; but I am definitely fatigued, as well as irritated at my sub-par immune system.
ITEM!: The wonderful movie, Jupiter Ascending, was shown on the premium movie channel this past weekend, and it's been broadcast repeatedly over the last couple days. And I've watched it as often as I can. I don't know why I like this movie so much. I mean, it's really pretty bad. There's something cheesy about it that draws me in though, and I'll just continue to fall prey to it, so long as my immune system is fighting the good fight elsewhere.
ITEM!: I think Brian and I will be breaking up with Minority Report tonight. Every week, the same thing: weird Dash has some kind of incident, he makes that uncomfortable face, and Vega, whose boobs are constantly propped and in frame, uses her fancy technology to fix it. Also, there's a plot, and the brother and sister are skeptical. We're four weeks in, I think, and we're about done.
Now, as for Blindspot, we are all in. That show is ridiculous with a capital tattoo. No kidding, I'm hate watching that one, because the plot holes are insane, the plot line is inexplicable, and the camera close ups are prominent. I'm fairly certain that a story thread is in there, but I'm at a loss for taking it seriously. I giggle through that show, you guys. It's amazing.
ITEM!: Also, atop my priority list lately has been my iTunes. I've gone through it twice, making sure that I like, and am interested in listening to, all the music on my computer. You remember, space is an issue on this little machine, and I need to open up as much as I can. Granted, I know music doesn't take up much space on a hard drive at all, but every little bit helps. I've also added some more music to my phone, so there's a lot more awesome stuff to listen to on any given day.
ITEM!: I think the weather is finally breaking here, and the worst of the summer heat is over. It hasn't been cool, by any means, but it also has not been uncomfortable. My air conditioner is going only in the afternoons; huzzah! But it's still going, which is frustrating, but my windows are open, so that's enough to tide me over until fall officially arrives.
ITEM!: This is going to sound weird, but I think I may be allergic to mosquitoes. Honestly, I feel like, lately, my reactions to the bites and stings I'm getting are a bit worse than what normal people deal with. They get red, which is normal, but they also tend to swell up, and get more inflamed for a couple days. These two on my legs have manifested into large, swollen mountains, with diameters of about two inches. Is that right? It doesn't seem right. And it's not just these guys. It happens all the time, and I'm really beginning to wonder if there are darker forces at work here.
ITEM!: I have a job interview on Wednesday.

Enjoying the snowy weather, like a boss

Isn't this such a great photo?
It's a lion (obviously) in a zoo in Europe (London, I think) enjoying a snowfall from his housing enclosure. He's so majestic.
I imagine that's how I'll feel when we finally get some cool weather here. That might just be next week, though I wish it would be sooner, since Mom will be here tomorrow.

Music, worms and apples

I got sucked into an iTunes wormhole tonight, and all of a sudden, it's 1 a.m.
But, in the end, Sydney's phone is all backed up and her music is right. And I've managed to clean out my iTunes library a bit, though there is certainly more that can be scrapped. And I've attached correct artwork to a bunch of unadorned albums in the library, too. So, there is still work to do, but I'm feeling like I got at least a dent in it.
Speaking of Apple and AT&T (kinda), Brian was able to engage the wi-fi calling on his phone today. We searched my settings, and I was not given the option. He's concluded that it's because I continue to use an iPhone 5. And now, he is determined that I will get a new phone, because then I will have phone reception everywhere in my house. This isn't a bad idea. Obviously, it'll be better all the way around if I have reception throughout my home. But I really, really, really don't want a bigger phone. The iPhone 5 is an ideal size. The iPhone 6S is too big for pockets, bra cups and the like (because it would definitely be a 6S, a newer model than the 6 Plus that Brian has). So we're ... not really arguing, but having fitful discussions about it. Ugh. Yes, yes, first world problems. But a problem, nonetheless.

It's too small to hurt this much

Brian and I powered through a ton of television on the DVR today. There's still some to be watched, but a majority is gone, and I feel like a better person for it. We watched Minority Report, Blindspot, The Daily Show, Modern Family, and I watched Sleepy Hollow, too. There were so many stories to catch up on!

I love TV.

Also, I got a splinter in my thumb from the rake while I was outside working in the yard this morning. The splinter was so small I couldn't see it at all, but I could feel it in there. I made the doctor do some doctoring to help. Fantastically, this meant he had to wear his work loops so he could see the wee splinter. Well, if he wanted to take my mind off the surgery being performed, him in his loops did it. He took the splinter very seriously, and I was just laughing and giggling the whole time. My finger still hurts though, where the splinter was. I've put some Neosporin and a bandage on it for the night. It's actually bubbling a little bit, like there's puss or something gross going on there. It's so little though it's silly.

You really do ruin everything

ITEM!: I killed a mosquito in my car this afternoon. It was in my car. Super annoying, right? And totally uncalled for. How does a mosquito get in my car? And how does that particular mosquito manage to bite my leg four times before I was able to kill it while it attempted to feast on my knee? So, thanks to that little bug, I've got four itchy spots on my lower left leg. And I hate, hate, hate having itchy spots.
ITEM!: I baked the last of the chocolate chip cookies from the tub of dough I had in the fridge from Costco. Also, we've bought our first load of Halloween candy. Those cookies and the 3 Musketeers are my downfall, for sure.
ITEM!: It's not cool enough to have open windows tonight, and I'm a bit resentful of that. The last couple nights have been delightful. And the mornings have been glorious. I am so over the summer, you guys. And having been teased with the possibility of cooler weather has me all anxious and antsy to be more comfortable in life. Autumn, make it happen, my friend.

Sadly, "aloha," as in goodbye

I think I'm going to break up with Hawaii 5-O tonight. (I'm watching last week's episode right now.)
This show takes itself so seriously, that it's become difficult for me to do so in any capacity, as well. I mean, so many horrible planet- and civilization-ending issues happened to roll through Honolulu last year it was comical. And I really, really wanted to invest in the show again with this new season.
But here I am, two or three episodes into the new year, and I'm about over it. McGarrett is still so serious as a heart attack about every weirdly global situation that arrives on the 5-O doorstep. And even though Danny is the best part of the show, he's too likely to be just the "Book 'em, Danno" guy lately. And honestly, the only part I enjoy is having the two guys from Lost on the same television screen again.
But the Kono and Adam story line is bugging me the most. They are, inexplicably, still dealing with the Yakuza. Have they not been fighting against that elusive organization for the last four or five years on this show? Enough that when it was brought up again last week, I actively rolled my eyes and loudly sighed. (Do they seriously have nothing better to do with a strong female character like Kono? Make her the bodyguard/wifey of the rich man? She's a police officer in a highly respected and badass segment of the police department. They've got nothing to do with her than to make her Adam's wife. That's insulting.)
Over the last couple weeks, and even going back to last season, I found that sitting down and watching the show is more of an obligation than anything. And that's no way to enjoy a television program.

Please, please, please make this a trend

Brilliance, thy name is irritated women. I love that this is happening, and I hope that it happens everywhere that there are such ridiculous attempts to curtail a woman's right to do what she wishes with her body. It's absolutely a fair thing to do. Though I might add forced ultrasounds of their prostrates, too.

Women legislators turn the tables and introduce bills regulating men's reproductive health
Mar 12, 2012 8:22am PDT by Meteor Blades
Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner (D) isn't happy with bills that seek to control women's access to contraception and abortion. She has joined a trend across the nation by introducing a bill that would require men seeking a prescription for erectile dysfunction drugs to see a sex therapist, receive a cardiac stress test and "get a notarized affidavit signed by a sexual partner affirming impotency." Sex therapists would be required to present the option of "celibacy as a viable lifestyle choice.”
"The men in our lives, including members of the General Assembly, generously devote time to fundamental female reproductive issues—the least we can do is return the favor," Senator Turner said. "It is crucial that we take the appropriate steps to shelter vulnerable men from the potential side effects of these drugs.
"When a man makes a crucial decision about his health and his body, he should be fully aware of the alternative options and the lifetime repercussions of that decision," Senator Turner said today. Men will be more easily guided through the process of obtaining treatment for impotence so they can better understand and more effectively address their condition.
Sen. Turner isn't the only legislator to introduce a "Viagra bill" or amendments in response to what mostly male legislators have been proposing around the nation.
In Illinois, for instance, state Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D) introduced an amendment to a bill requiring ultrasounds before a woman can get an abortion that would require men to watch an explicit video about the side-effects of erectile dysfunction drugs. And, Missouri state Rep. Stacey Newman (D) introduced a bill that would allow a man to obtain a vasectomy only when not doing so could cause him serious injury or death.
Some people may take these proposals as jokes. But the problem they spotlight, the war on women's reproductive rights and privacy, isn't funny at all.

There's nothing better than open windows

Guess what, you guys. Because of a little rain and cloud system that has rolled into town, my windows are currently open, and will continue to be all night. This is super exciting to me. I've had fresh air blowing in and around and through my house all evening, and it's been delightful. Absolutely delightful.
If there's one thing that living in Arizona has taught me, it's to never take your weather for granted. I think no one appreciates a cold front and a cloudy day like the people who live in the desert. No one revels in the cool breezes and rain drops like the population of an arid state. And absolutely no one counts the days until fall like those that live in a six-month summer environment. This time of year can never come along soon enough for us.
The end of 100-degree days is like the beginning of a lovely, aromatherapy massage. It's that moment when the soft scent of lavender soaks into your senses, and the masseuse first begins rubbing your shoulders. It's that perceptive shift in your psyche and attitude when you can take that big breath, and relax as you exhale, knowing that you're in good hands for a while. That's the first cool night of the fall. And that's tonight.
I'm in love with the breeze blowing against my back right now.
I'm going to sleep so well tonight.

Random pizza and a beer festival

I ate chicken and waffles pizza today, you guys. It sounds super intriguing, right? It had a gravy and maple syrup sauce, with a thin layer of cheese, of course, but then bits of fried chicken and bites of waffle on it. I mean, we started with the regular cheese pizza, of which Sydney ate almost all. And the chicken and waffles pizza was my random choice. It was good.
We ate pizza while the rest of our group was across the street in a bar that Sydney wasn't permitted to enter. Sure, that sounds like it should be a no-brainer -- no children in a bar -- but most places allow kids in with their parents and whatnot because obviously they won't be drinking. The pizza place was a bar that let Sydney in for lunch. We've taken her so many places. For cripes sake, she hung out in a Hooters when she was five.
It made me irrationally, and rationally, mad at the bouncer in the bar across the street, and then I got annoyed at the rest of our group for settling in there instead of anywhere else. But anyway, our delicious pizza put us in the right frame of mind for the rest of the afternoon.
Today was Tour de Fat in Tempe. We attend every year, and have a good time at it. This year, I even remembered to bring along a couple parasols so we'd have shade with us everywhere. We brought a water bottle to refill throughout the day, too. I was much better prepared for this year's Tour de Fat than I ever have been before. Sadly, Sydney's sickness from the week was a bit of a killjoy, and she and I ended up leaving early because she got tired and overheated. But I got to cheer on the bike parade, and have a couple beers, and hang out with the family, and have fun with the kiddo.
And I had a completely random and awesome slice of pizza. All in all, a great day!

I need more music in my life

I'm posting from bed tonight, on my phone, because I didn't want to open up the computer and expose myself to all the germs Sydney's been coughing on it all afternoon.

It's actually quite nice right now. No television, just typing away, with the previews for Seth Macfarlane's new jazz album playing in the background. (I think I may have to pick this little gem up from the iTunes store later next week. Well, this one and the Leon Bridges CD, too.)

Actually, I'm currently suffering from music neediness. I've got three empty spots in my car's CD changer, and I've got the twitches because of it. I like the idea of having something jazzier in the car, but I may end up filling the spots with Tragic Kingdom or Songs About Jane, just to show Syd what the Voice coaches used to sound like. But really, I'd prefer something new. Of course. I'm hunting.

I should spend more time on iTunes to see what all they've got there. Time to broaden the Jetta's musical horizons.

Croft, Lara Croft. No, really. That's me

This year, I have decided to be Lara Croft for Halloween. On the blog anyway. I've decided to be Lara Croft on the blog. Because she's awesome and a badass.
At home, and in real life, I'm going to be a witch. I've already got my wonderful witch's hat. And I've decided to buy one of those long, tulle-ish black capes from Target, as well. Sydney has a pair of orange and black striped tights for her witch costume, and I think I need an adult pair for myself, too. I have a black dress already, though I may be swayed into purchasing something else if I find a better option. This will be the first year that we'll be wearing complementary Halloween costumes, and I'm actually kind of excited for the photographic possibilities.
But on the blog, it's all about being a super strong, super smart, super fantastic relic hunter who shoots a lot of guns at everything, and has grand adventures doing grand things.