Happy Fall Y'all

I know it's still over 100 degrees here in Arizona, but fall is in the air. It's **kinda** cool at 5:45 in the morning. Still tank-top weather for a run, but nice and cool compared to 3pm. This is my favorite time of year, especially here. The weather is so perfect from now until next April. I was joking with my neighbor Cheryl the other day that we can be friends again, now that it's almost cool enough to go to the park. The kids all start playing outside for longer than 10 minutes, and sprinklers or swimming pools are not required. I love it!

The downside of my feeling the fall effect is that I just want to spend all day in the kitchen. Today I made some yummy peach jam. Then I thought "well, what are we going to eat it on?" So I made some of my mom's famous crescent rolls. These are a Stastny family favorite, and we used to only have them on holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Back in the day it seemed like such a huge ordeal to make them, but nowadays with the advent of Bosch/Kitchenaid kitchen machines, they are a piece of cake (or bread, as the case may be).



I'll admit this to all of you because I know you love me and won't hold it against me (for too long): whenever I make these rolls it makes me want to listen to Christmas music. Remember a few weeks back when I mentioned that I was sad and Fisher suggested I listen to Christmas music? OK so I did. Sarah MacLachlan's Christmas album to be precise. It's a goodie.

So my home smells all yummy now, I'm in a holiday kind of mood and I am happy. A little stressed that I made jam and rolls, and am now on my blog when I SHOULD have been finishing my work that's due tomorrow. But oh well. Mama is happy today :).

Phew!

Dr. Phil is NOT getting divorced! (Dad, are you listening?)

My dad has been trying to convince me for months that Dr. Phil and Robin are getting divorced, but apparently on his season opener show last week (I just saw the rerun today), he and Robin put those rumors to rest.

Don't worry Dad, I won't hold it against you. How were you to know that the headlines you see in the Star, National Enquirer, etc. aren't real?

I guess this is what happens when you unleash a retired gentleman on the grocery store checkout lines. He's never had time to pay attention before!

Dad, you know I'm just teasing :). I love you!

Progress Report

Emma and Fisher were playing "school" in my office yesterday. As I was tidying the mess this morning, I found this Progress Report she evidently intended to send home to Fisher's mother.



How'd ya like to get that note from your kid's teacher?

Awareness

Emma, upon completion of her umpteenth viewing of the latest Little Mermaid movie, was contemplating where Ariel's mom had gone when the pirate ship crashed into her at the beginning of the movie (another post ... why do ALL Disney movies have an absent parent??). She thinks the Mom mermaid is in Heaven, and is singing to Ariel at the end of the movie.

Then this:

Mom, are some Mermaids Mormon?

This is funny to me on so many levels. I just said "yes, Emma. I think some Mermaids probably are Mormon." Jarad came back with "nope. You have to be real to be a Mormon, and Mermaids aren't real." Nice. What's next. Santa??? I heard he's taking the discussions.

Remembering 9/11

Today I knew I would spend time remembering people who suffered during the 9/11 attacks on America seven years ago. I did. I knew I would say little prayers for people who lost loved ones and prayers of thanks for all of the day's heros. I did. I knew I'd probably watch some coverage of various local and national memorial ceremonies. I did.

What I did not know, and what I was TOTALLY unprepared for, was that I would be fighting to keep my composure in public as I watched MSNBC's coverage while I was on the treadmill at the gym! MSNBC didn't do the memorial thing. Didn't interview heros or survivors. They simply ran their coverage from that horrible day. All day long. I was so unexpectedly impacted by watching as the whole thing unfolded minute by minute. Even knowing the outcome as I do, I was still riveted to the TV trying to hold in the sobs. It was so raw, even after seven years. It brought me back to that day when Emma was just a teeny baby and all I wanted to do was sit and hold her. What a surreal day that was, and what a surreal way to start my day today.

I just feel bad for the guy on the treadmill next to me. He probably thought I was having a heart attack or something the way my chest was convulsing and I kept covering my face in my towel to try to hide my tears.

My thoughts, prayers and heart go out today to everyone who lost loved ones, who risked their lives heroically, who survived. But we all lost something that day, didn't we? We're all survivors too.

God Bless America today.

Got a rock in my pocket. Make that 144 rocks.

Fisher came home from school yesterday with his shorts sagging down around the middle of his fanny, holding them up for dear life. He said "I got some more rocks for my collection." I thought nothing of it until a few minutes later when he was still in his room taking rocks out of his pockets. Maybe his pockets are just too small and they're hard to get stuff out of. Nope. Not the case.

The truth is, the pockets were BIG. Too big.

The kid had collected, over three recesses throughout the day, 144 rocks, and carried them all home in his pockets.

We put them in a bag for him to return to the playground today (these are landscaping rocks, mind you, not naturally occurring resources). But not before I snapped a quick pic of rock-obsessed Fisher and his prizes.

All politics aside...

Well, not really. I've never been one to be able to put politics aside. I have two things to say here.

1. I think Sarah Palin rocked it last night in her speech at the GOP convention. I'm probably a teensy bit biased, being a small town girl from Alaska myself, and perhaps I got caught up in it all. BUT she has such appeal to someone like me. Of course, I didn't get to hear the whole speech, between cleaning up dinner, putting kids to bed, etc. But ya know what? I bet Mrs. Palin has experienced that before... the whole balancing act of being a parent. She's one of us. And don't you go telling me that someone like me couldn't hang in the vice-president's mansion. Her humor was spot on and she came across as very genuine. Alaska breeds strong, opinionated and tenacious women (if I do say so myself). When I first heard of McCain's pick for his veep, I thought it was absolutely a kiss of death. Now, a week later, I'm not so sure. I sincerely hope my girl goes all the way (oh, and McCain too).

2. In Arizona, our November ballot will contain an issue that I feel strongly about: whether same-sex marriages should be sanctioned in our state. Neighbors, friends, family have all been talking about it lately. Anyone who knows me knows where I stand on this, so I'm not going to soapbox about that. What I AM going to soapbox about, however, is that we can talk about an issue until we're blue in the face. We can rally and hold signs and blog about it. BUT something we absolutely cannot fail to do, when it comes right down to it, is VOTE! It's the easiest thing in the world to do. Register. Request a mail-in ballot. Study out the issues and the candidates (so much information out there!). Make your decisions, mark your ballot and mail it in. No lines at the polls. We have to make our voices heard in the way that it counts, whether we're talking about candidates or issues.

If you click on the link above it will take you to Rock the Vote. Or find the Web site of your state's Secretary of State.

OK stepping down off my soapbox (gingerly, I did squats with Alli and Tami earlier this week and I'm still sore!).