Have a...

counterclockwise from the large photo in the upper righthand corner:

Pregnant UCA Homecoming Queen (with my roomies) in 2006

a Pretty Woman (with my roomies) in 2007

a Flapper (with Zach) in 2008

Ms. Lovett from Sweeney Todd (with Zach) 2009

a Peacock (with my former roomies) in 2010

a Masked Lady (with Zach) in 2011

Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's in 2012

in orange and black (with Dinah the Witch Cat) today

I considered dressing up today for work (we could dress up or wear jeans today if we donated $2 to our United Way drive ;), but I didn't feel like shaving my legs and had no leggings.  *hehe*  So I just wore orange and black and enjoyed everyone else's costumes.  :)  Then I came home and put Dinah in her witch hat.

You Goblins and Ghosties and Witches and Warlocks stay safe out there!  We are handing out candy--I put on a long black bridesmaid dress with my "Masked Lady" mask--and are eagerly awaiting our first group of Trick-or-Treaters!

Be Grateful #11

1)  I'm ever so grateful I got to stay home today (especially since the sinus monster took up residence in my brain again).

We met our friends, Mervin and Teryl, at the Crystal Bridges party.  Little did we know that Teryl and I would have the same costume on!  And here we are with the other two Holly Golightly's (a.k.a. Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's) we found!

2)  I'm thankful we did so many fun things with friends this weekend:  the young patrons' Halloween party at Crystal Bridges, our Mustaches and Muah fondue party, and zombie paintball!

3)  And tonight, I'm thankful for our Fall Feast!  Every year since Zach and I started dating, we choose a night around Halloween to have a mini-Thanksgiving and to watch the Charlie Brown and Garfield specials.  I went all out tonight:  roasted chicken, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole, Stove Top (Zach's favorite stuffing--he's weird ;), buttered corn, tomato herb toast, spiced apple cider, pumpkin pie, and homemade Halloween sugar cookies.  I had fun decorating cookies this afternoon.  No wonder I'm stuffed!

4)  I'm pleased it will be an easy week at work (I think).

5)  How can I not praise the Lord that I have 11 Composition classes left and six Beginning Briting ones left?!  I love my students and I love teaching, but I will be so happy when Thanksgiving Break gets here.  :)

I just love this picture of Zach!

6)  And I'll be so happy when this election is over.  It has made people so angry and aggressive and divisive.  It's no surprise that our politicians can't work together when folks in the same family can't agree to disagree.

7)  I'm forever grateful to have a husband who knows the way to my heart at midday:  corndogs.

8)  I went to the doctor on Thursday, and he gave me a great report!  I am now cleared to have labs drawn every eight weeks rather than every month, and after I have my routine colonoscopy, I won't have to go back to the clinic for a year!  Dr. Stagg was amazed at how well I am compared to a year ago, and he even complimented my haircut because we didn't have as much to talk about.  *lol*  My sweet nurse Becky even hugged me when I was leaving because she was so happy.  :)  

9)  We have two beautifully carved pumpkins on our porch, there is a chill in the air, and I have a cup of spiced apple cider to keep me warm.  Thank you, Jesus, for this day!

Be Grateful #10

1)  I'm grateful I got to go to this lady's shower.  And I'm so happy she asked me to be Miss Autumn's "Lorelei Gilmore" (that's like asking to be the godmother of cool).  :)  It was fantastic to get to catch up with some great friends and to celebrate this sweet little girl who will make her arrival next month!

2)  I'm excited to hear today that another friend has some happy news that will come to fruition in June 2013.  ;)

3)  I'm happy we got to see Argo for free this weekend.  That movie is AMAZING. You should see it. I can't stop thinking about it and want to read more about the Iran hostage crisis of 1979.  I expect it will receive all kinds of nominations this awards season.

4)  Although my first stocking didn't quite turn out as a stocking (um, more like a Christmas bag), I'm pleased I got the right size of needles now and am a good way into the second stocking.  It is going well, and since I have an inkling as to what to do now, I think this one will turn out much better--and much faster, too!

5)  I'm glad we got free fries from McDonald's (courtesy of Monopoly).  They may not be too healthy, but they sure tasted great as we drove the four hours home yesterday.

6)  I'm thankful we got to go to the War Eagle Craft Fair finally, even if it was a bit disappointing.

War Eagle Craft Fair

7)  I'm excited to carve pumpkins, and make Halloween sugar cookies, and attend Crystal Bridges' Halloween party, and host our Mustaches and Muah Fondue Party this week!

Be Grateful #9

Yeah, I know, I know.  I am almost a week late.  Sometimes life gets in the way.  I'm trying not to be too hard on myself for not following through, but I am the type of person who become disappointed in herself when she falls behind, even if it's a non-work project (if you know what I mean--this is a self-imposed self-improvement project, you could say).  Oh, well.  Here I am!  At least I am not a FULL week late.  ;)

1.  I am grateful to have less negativity in my life, even if it means putting distance between myself and a friend (or, in this case, a relative).
2.  I am grateful to have seen Pokey LaFarge and Jack White a week ago.  I had never heard of Pokey LaFarge, but they reminded me of The Soggy Bottom Boys and were a lot of fun to hear play.  I think my mama would like them, too.  (Possible Christmas present?)  It was a great show, and I love Jack though I do miss The White Stripes.  I just wish Zach and I could hold up for that long.  (Concerts without seats are rough these days.)  I still feel that Cain's Ballroom is a fantastic venue, especially since they just added a BBQ restaurant!!
3.  I am grateful my hair is growing back in.  And for new haircuts.  :)

4.  I am grateful my husband made it home safely from his conference and that he got his scooter back this week.
5.  I am grateful for our kitties because they make good company when I am home alone.
6.  I am grateful The Walking Dead has started back--and that I got into it over the summer so Zach and I can watch it together and discuss it with all of our friends.
7.  I am grateful for my sweet students.  It is fun to watch them grow and improve, and we are having a blast with this unit (even if I didn't want to teach this week--I wasn't feeling too hot).
8.  I am grateful that my Phoenix class is finished.  (It has made me feel like it is Christmas break, which is another reason why it has been difficult to work this week.  *lol*)
9.  I am grateful for new recipes.  I could cook all day!
10.  I am excited for my dear friend Monica's baby shower this weekend!  And so grateful I can go (because I almost lost the chance)!

Be Grateful #8

a portrait of George Washington at Crystal Bridges

1)  I'm thankful it's cooler in these parts (NWA).  It got down into the 30s over the weekend!

2)  I'm thankful for visits with family, even when it gets a bit stressful and chaotic.

3)  I'm thankful that this week will allow for some baking, some knitting, some Jack White, some time with friends before my husband goes to a conference for a few days next week.

4)  I can't life--I'm thankful we are at the midpoint of the semester!

5)  I'm thankful for friends at work who keep me laughing.

6)  I'm thankful my husband is a neat freak because it keeps me organized and clean.  ;)

7)  I'm thankful to live in such a beautiful area with so many opportunities.

8)  I'm thankful that I don't live in Panem.

9)  I'm thankful to begin my favorite unit in composition week--analysis (of advertisements)!

10)  I'm thankful this is my last week of Phoenix.  I'll get my Thursday nights back to snuggle with my husby and catch up on TV (and knitting).

11)  I'm thankful for Stephen's cocoa with bunny mallows.  Nighty-night.  :)

Be Grateful #7

We were at this concert last night, which is why I didn't get to post.  I'm just giddy over the panorama option on my new (Zach's old) iPhone!

1)  I'm so thankful Zach and I got to travel to Tulsa and Kansas City this weekend.  I'm thankful we got to go to the zoo, see some friends, eat some good food, and hear Florence + the Machine live!  I also have to say I'm thankful that we got our hotel room for free by joining a rewards program that awarded 80,000 points upon enrollment AND that we got upgraded for being a member of said rewards program AND our hotel only cost 20,000 points...so we can get more free hotel stays when we travel again.  :)

2)  I'm thankful Zach (or was it Terry and Adriane?) introduced me to World Market.  I love that place.  I would die if we had one.  I just wish they hadn't gotten rid of Crunchies.

3)  I'm thankful we will be halfway through the semester next week!  Next week, one class is taking their midterm; this week, another class is workshopping papers, turning them in next Tuesday, and beginning the new unit, which is my FAVORITE; after next Thursday, I'll be done at Phoenix.  :)

4)  I'm thankful for my two students who were sincerely disappointed when they found out I was teaching Composition II in the spring because they wanted to take me again.

5)  I'm thankful for places that offer sweet tea.  Mixing sugar into iced tea is not the same, and non-sugar sweeteners are GROSS.

6)  I'm thankful to have a home to which I can come home.  (Can you tell I've been teaching grammar for three hours this evening?  Woof.)

7)  I'm thankful it's the holiday (and candy!) season!  We have to get some candy corn M&M's; I tried them tonight, and they taste like cake batter!!

8)  I'm thankful for new episodes of shows on Netflix.  Time to catch up on Parks & Rec...