I Love the Smell of an Election in the Autumn

As Labor Day nears, I can't help but think about what the fall season brings. The evenings are already growing cooler, and the kids are going back to school. College football started today, and fantasy football leagues all across America are setting up for the pro season. Soon the leaves will turn brilliant colors, fall from the trees, and the season will officially change.

Over the past week or so I have also been thinking a lot about another change that is on the horizon, one which will be ignited by the world of politics. A presidential election always brings much excitement for me, because it makes people start talking about issues, and forces them to think about what's important to them. I hate the campaign ads, but I love the political banter and the education that takes place among the masses. People start to care. The election is a catalyst for passionate debates and hopeful optimism. It's what America is about; this freedom to speak our minds, to exercise our democratic rights and choose who we think is best.

My political alliances for 2008 have already been formed, and have only been reinforced by recent political activities (likely more on that later). This week the Republicans come to St. Paul, and rest assured I will be watching them very closely.

I welcome this fall with open arms.

Why Dogs Should Not Go Unsupervised

So yesterday I spent my vacation day completely sick. Due to the alternating nasal dripping and nasal stuffiness, I was required to keep tissues with me at all times. I was downstairs and we didn't have any tissues down here, so I grabbed a roll of toilet paper.

Every time I picked up that roll (which was a lot), the dog snapped to attention and stared me down. What was the fascination with the TP? Then I remembered this:

This is why we hide the TP.

Highs and Lows

This weekend was a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows, and chock full of activity. Friday morning I traveled back to my hometown of Storm Lake, with Buddy in tow. This was his first long roadtrip, and I have to say he did very well! I was worried he would be whiney the whole time, but he seemed to find some comfortable spots and minded his own business. Upon arrival in SL I spent some time with my brother Justin, and then visited my old high school buddy Jason and his family. It was a lovely evening with a clear, bright sky, and I enjoyed sitting on their deck by the lake and catching up.

Saturday was a busy day as we prepared for the weekend's main event - the wedding of my cousin Doug to the beautiful Allison. It was a wonderful wedding, held at the same church in which our grandparents were married. Doug is the only remaining male in this White line, and I sure was thinking about my grandpa Lyle and how much he would have enjoyed being there. I'm positive he was watching over us all day long.

Sunday morning I left very early so I could make it back in time for another family event of a different sort. We celebrated the life Husband's cousin Jay, who died suddenly at the age of 39. With no prior medical issues, his death is still a bit of a mystery, but he died doing what he loved - fishing with his dad. We are sure Jay is catching the big ones in heaven. It certainly has made the rest of us think twice about how lucky we are to be here, and to hold close the ones we love.

So here I am, Sunday evening...exhausted. I'm all stuffed up from allergies and/or some kind of cold, and completely spent from a limited amount of sleep and the emotionality of the whole weekend. But through it all, I am reminded that this life, whatever it throws at me, is a good life. Though it seems unfair at times that people are taken from us too soon, life barrels forward and we must take time to remember the good times, and rejoice in the new memories and new beginnings. So I am content, and filled with love and gratitude for this life that has been given to me, and the people I share it with.

Peace.

On the DL

Husband left to play his first night of fall softball yesterday, and came back 3 hours later with this on his arm:

He backhanded a grounder while playing 3rd base and somehow lost his balance, leaving just his thumb to hold him up. Needless to say, it didn't hold very well. Dislocated, and possibly a torn ligament. His usual pain tolerance is pretty high - around 7 or 8. He said this pain was a 9. No fun. And no more softball or volleyball for the rest of the season!

Good Times

Well, I'm back from my trip to Des Moines and still recovering. This weekend took a lot out of me for a number of reasons - not all of which I will elaborate on here - but overall it was a good trip. Everyone made it our little annual reunion, and it was fun to see how big all of the kids are getting, and to meet the newest addition, Sydney. She's only 7 1/2 weeks old, and such a little cutie! All but one of us made it out to the Iowa State Fair that night, and a good time was had by all, footloose and kiddie-free. Here's a rambling list of the night's events:

Big pig - bigger bull - Butter (doesn't look much like) Shawn Johnson - huge dahlias - baby animals - Varied Industries Building - touch Floyd of Rosedale - pork chop on a stick - Coke with cherry syrup - help lost little girl - Kristy shows up - bite of gyro - learn some friends won't eat lamb - Bud Tent - Beer #1- pose for this photo:

- spill half of beer on Laura's back - back to Varied Industries Building - split cup of warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies - Bud Tent - Beer #2 - find table in Wellmark Olympic Pavilion - marathons are long - discussions about the German flag - watch Michael Phelps win #8 - join crowd in collective roar - seek Grilled Pineapple on a Stick - run into old college friend - wait in line - try Grilled Pineapple on a Stick while walking back to pavilion - SO GOOD! - leave Pavilion seeking Hot Pepper Cheese on a Stick for Amy - Kristy goes home - fresh out of Hot Pepper Cheese on a Stick - approach Grandstand and hear Def Leppard in concert - sing Def Leppard songs while walking to Skyride - try to take picture of guy wearing "Boobies Make Me Smile" shirt - get on Skyride - sing Def Leppard songs on Skyride - get off Skyride - watch Grandstand fireworks - wait for Amy to buy treat for her hubby - catch the bus to our cars. Drive to Amy's. Sleep.

For those of you keeping tabs, the mullet count was surprisingly low, in fact downright disappointing. I figured considering the Grandstand act there would probably be some real winners, but I didn't really see anything that could even touch "Achy Breaky" status. Then again, we left basically right at the end of the concert, so we probably didn't seen the full flood of Def Leppard wannabes seeking to squeeze one last beer out of their big evening out.

There's no place like the State Fair.

Off to Where the Tall Corn Grows

I'm off to Iowa today for my annual trip to catch up with my girlfriends and go to the Iowa State Fair. Here's me last year trying a "Monkey Tail" (frozen chocolate covered banana). I predict trying a new concoction on a stick for this year. Any suggestions?

As If the Name Doesn't Say it All

Couldn't resist sharing this one, via UpNorthica. I think I especially enjoy the graphic on the side of the box. As if the name doesn't say it all...I guess we need a turd visual, and a turd name.

Yes, I said turd. And it still makes me giggle.

Contortionist

Play hard, sleep hard. Anywhere, anytime.

Big Sandy

Husband and I just got back from a two-night stay at Big Sandy Lodge and Resort in McGregor, MN. It's about 2 hours north of the Twin Cities. The lodge was fine, although by Friday it was getting a little too full of overly-tanned cocky teenagers in speedboats, overly-tanned dads walking around with their Hawaiian shirts open, and overly-tanned moms stumbling around in their swimsuit wraps after a few too many margaritas. For this trip, it just wasn't quite our scene. We'd go back, but will definitely try the off-season, or at the very least go in the middle of the week. It would be a fun place to go with a group of people.

The main objective of the trip was to fish, and Big Sandy is a beautiful lake in which to do it. The lodge had large dock and access basically right out the door, so that was convenient. Unfortunately the fishing (at least for us) wasn't that great. We caught several of what Husband called "stinky baby Northerns," none of which were keepers. Our first time out I did hook into a nice perch, but didn't set the hook right and failed to get it in the boat. We saw no panfish and no walleye, which is typically what we're after. Despite no fish for the freezer, it was relaxing to sit in the boat, watch the birds, and get some sun. I'd say that's much better than sitting at work!

(More pics on my Flickr page - link to the right)

My Prize

Husband: "So what are you doing Friday night?"

Me: "I'm staying at Big Sandy Lodge, with you. Are you asking me on a date?"

H: "No."

M: [deflated] "Oh."

H: [pause] "Are you going to watch the Vikings game?" [grins]

M: [eyeroll] "Oh, gawd. Are you serious?"

H: "We only have to watch like, 3 quarters."

M: "The entire game is 4 quarters!"

H: "OK, it's preseason. Maybe only one quarter."

M: "I guess it will be on in the bar, I can drink."

H: "Sure."

M: "Here I thought you were going to do something romantic."

H: "Me?!"

M: "Yes, you. I know it's in there somewhere. Did you just do it when we were dating to woo me?"

H: "Pretty much."

M: "Sweet. Something to look forward to for years to come."

Like A Kid In A Flop Cake Store

Today is Husband's birthday.

On birthdays around here, I taking baking requests - whatever dessert you want. Seems like the one request I always get is for "Flop Cake," and this time was no different, even though I'd made it the week before for Brandon's birthday. This highly requested cake is nothing more than a butter yellow cake mix with chocolate chips mixed in. The one twist, however, is that I make it in a bundt pan. The first time I ever made it, Brandon was amazed. Never mind the kid had never seen a bundt before, but even more earth-shattering was that the chocolate chips all floated to the "top". It's like two cakes in one...yellow on the bottom, and all chocolate-chippy on the top.

Anyway, this deliciousness got coined "flop cake" because I could never get it to come out of the pan right. It always stuck somewhere, so it never popped out all pretty. Until yesterday.

OH YES. I don't mind sharing my secret - it's Pam baking spray with flour.

Husband noticed the perfect roundness, but I think he had already spent all his true excitement on his gift. He had been saving some gift cards to Best Buy and was trying to collect the rest of the money to buy a new surround sound system. I took the cards and paid off the rest as my gift to him. I haven't seen him so excited in a long time. He couldn't wait to get it open.Happy Birthday, Dear!

Happy Blogiversary, Livin' Laabs!

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of my blog! Just like last year, I'm asking you all to check in and post a comment; let me know you're out there. Remember you don't have to log in to leave a comment - just click on comments below, write a little note, and select "other" and type in your name (or remain anonymous if you must). As always, I'd love to hear from you!

I'm an avid reader of other blogs, and I'm always amazed at how creative people are, how well they write, and how put together their blogs seem to be. I've thought a lot about what my blog is, what it should be...should I have a theme? Should I stick to one thing, and not jump around from movie reviews, to environmental thoughts, to girls' night out, to family vacations, to our dog? The thing is, all of those crazy things are my life. So I write what I feel, and feel what I write. I connect with others, I give myself a writing outlet, and I document some of the "little things" that happen in life. It is what it is.

I love to keep in touch with all of you this way. I hope that every once in awhile I inspire you to think a little differently about something, or give you a good chuckle. Enjoy!