Pinterest.

I absolutely love Pinterest. I'm pretty sure this makes me infinitely unhip, but I'm extremely ok with that. It was once implied that I was a hipster after I used the term "intuitive eating" and I found myself getting offended, as visions of berets and dickish glasses danced in my head. Or is that the French?

It took me a bit to get into Pinterest. At first I only pinned things I found from around the web, but then I was introduced to the true glory of pinning! You can repin other people's pins! Holy shit!

On Sunday I made these two crafts with tutorials found, of course, on Pinterest. I want to make an entire family of sock snowmen!

Thanksgiving & Black Friday.

Here are a few pictures from Thanksgiving & Black Friday. I work today, so the Christmas tree is on my desk.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Updates.

I have so many things to update about but because I only write my posts during my commute to or from work, I either forget or get distracted.  I need to start keeping a list.

In place of an actual, well thought-out update, I give you my favorite trend: boots and knee socks. And in one picture, just knee socks as worn by me while I cuddled on the couch with the husband, watching Die Hard 4.

Rejected.

Red Cross rejected me. I have to say, this wasn't wholly unexpected. Last time I tried to give blood, nearly three years ago, I was 47 pounds heavier and eating total crap at every meal. My hemoglobin read at 11 something at that time.

Since then I've made some serious lifestyle changes. I decided to give it another go and signed up to donate again. Surely my healthier diet, vitamin (ok, so it's Target's daily multivitamin but it has to be better than nothing) and month old exercise regimen has helped my cause.

Nope! Hemoglobin read at 10.7. I was better off eating crap! Ok, not really. But man, de-nied.

I made a wreath!

Pinterest is trying to kill me.

On the upside, I made this wreath. I love it! Had I been thinking, I would've covered the foam in burlap before I began. Instead I covered the back after finishing. Gross. But I still love it!

Tomorrow, I'm making a different burlap wreath. With fabric flowers! That I'm also making! Hey Pinterest, wth are you doing to me?

Issue 2.

Ohio rejected Issue 2.

The numbers from my county were terrifyingly close:
YES (Approve law) 28854 46.86%
NO (Reject the law) 32717 53.14%

That's why voting is so important, friends that don't read my blog!

Voting Day.

In Ohio, the big issue is 2. Or as it was commonly known when it surprisingly passed, Senate Bill 5. There are other issues on the ballot and city seats up for election, too, but all eyes are on Issue 2.

If I was a betting woman, I'd put my money on no. Not just because that's my personal feeling on the subject, but aside from the top 10% of the working class, I've yet to encounter a true backer of 2. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

Texting.

Last night we went to see Bill Burr. During his act, he berated a guy for texting throughout the show. Then he said, "Texting is the new heckling."  I get that.

We recently had someone over who played on their phone the majority of the visit. At one point during the visit, Shawn went so far as to text them in an attempt to recapture their attention.

That being said, I am not without fault. I text. But not during visits with people I haven't seen in a month.  We are by no means entertainers, but Bill Burr's point remains valid.

"This generation is going to die of thumb cancer," as he joked last night.

Injured.

I'm injured, I suppose. I woke up in pain, which means I probably got hurt while sleeping. This makes me awesome.

My left shoulder blade hurts. It's painful to breathe in deeply, and I'm pretty sure if I googled it, I'd find that my rib has punctured my lung and I have 12 hours to live.

I may have hurt something while stretching last night, but that's almost sadder. Because I was stretching while standing at the stove making dinner. "Working mothers have it all together," says nobody.

Carving Pumpkins

I have, for at least the entire time my children have been alive, allowed Shawn to operate under the assumption that I am completely inept in the pumpkin carving department. Every year my dad would invite us over for carving fun, and my mom and I would leave the room as the men carved.

This year, though, my dad sent his professional carving tools and two massive pumpkins to our house. Shawn offered to carve them both, mentioning that I'm "tiny" and "not strong enough." (Maybe don't marry Tiny Tim Cratchit. God bless us, everyone.) But I knew from my teen years that I was fully capable of carving a pumpkin.

Shawn carved his first, deciding on Super Meat Boy at our eight year old's request. I went next with a slightly more traditional design. We sat on a tarp, in front of the fireplace, while Shaun of the Dead played and thus a new tradition was born.

Clowns

Updated picture uploads here!

When we picked our costumes, we knew there would be a chance that children would be afraid of us. Turns out adults are scared of clowns, too. Genuinely afraid, rendered speechless, forced to avert their eyes. Who knew?

Also, late night runs to Steak n Shake are more enjoyable with 8 hour old clown makeup smeared all over your face (and friends there to photograph the experience).

Police Blotter

I like to read the Police Blotter. Not for the city in which I live, as nothing noteworthy seems to happen there, but for the metro area.

Today's gem:

Police responded to Corky’s Place, 13302 Detroit Ave., after receiving a call stating a black male was holding a gun to the head of a white male at around 5:41 p.m. Oct. 23. Turns out the two were shooting a movie, and the handgun was a prop.

Awesome.

Pumpkin Pie Shots

Saturday we have a costume party to attend. More on our costumes after Saturday...

Last night, I made pumpkin pie shots from this recipe to take.  I used a whole smaller pumpkin pie, 1.5 c whipped cream flavored vodka, 3 tsp cinnamon, 1.5 Tbsp sugar. I'll be serving it, as you can see, with the vanilla flavored Cream (alcohol infused whipped cream). Although I'm sure it would be awesome with the caramel flavored Cream, if I had any on hand.

I licked the bowl, after canning (jarring?) it, and OH MY! Yes, please!

Stretching

I'm out of shape. I'm not overweight; I actually flirt with being underweight after bouts of the flu. However, I can't touch my toes or run....for any length of time.

I decided to start small. Ten days ago, I started doing hamstring stretches. Those bitches hurt! I think that means I'm doing it right. I can now touch my toes (if I bend my knees).

After the third day of stretching, I was frustrated with how slow I was progressing. Why, after 30 years of sitting totally immobile, was I not a limber gymnast after 72 hours of stretches? Logic would dictate...

So I Googled. Did you know it could take months, MONTHS! to fix what I've done? Doesn't really seem worth it, I thought to myself. But then I also thought to myself that in a few months, I would be pissed knowing that I COULD be limber but instead I gave up. So, onward.