Fullness of Friends

I have two goals for today. One is to update my blog. I haven't for at least a month, I think--I can't remember without looking. 

The other is to carve our garden-grown pumpkins (there are three--perfect!) with some of our closest friends. 

I hope to work these things in between the usual Saturday routine of doing laundry, trying to pick up after the kids, and generally making sure everyone has at least one clean pair of underwear for each day of next week. (Saturday is the one and only day I have to get caught up on the house. It's also the only full day I have to spend with my kids, unless we skip church on Sunday.) Chores are relegated to a lower priority than my kids and are reduced to the bare minimum, the least work by which to sort of maintain a little bit of space to move around in each room and make sure most things are put close to away.  

I confess that my home sometimes is an embarrassment. I do not welcome unannounced visitors, with few exceptions, and there are people we don't invite over because of their meticulous habits. I'm afraid they would be grossed out and uncomfortable. 

But. I digress.

I am very, very much looking forward to carving pumpkins. There will be six (count them--SIX) children ages 2-9, each with their own pumpkin. (Thank goodness there is an equal number of adults, even though the liklihood of us behaving as adults is slim to none.) It's sure to be a mess. No one is wearing anything I will be sad about throwing away. 

These friends are the kind you find, and can't imagine how you got through life before you knew them. These are the people you call in the middle of the night and know you can lean on. These are the people you aren't afraid to talk about the annoying habits of each other, because you know they will understand without judging. These are the people with whom you aren't afraid to laugh so hard you snort, cry, be vulnerable, share your dreams, skeletons, joys, fears and your children with. (Isn't it amazing how many friendships change when you add children in to the mix? That could be a whole different blog.) These are people I'm comfortable having in my house.

Gracie & Brek

My kids don't even realize that we aren't actually related to them, and that they could, theoretically, marry each other. They think they are all cousins, and I hope it stays that way. 

I'll try to remember to post pictures of the Great Pumpkin Carving. If nothing else, you can probably see them on FaceBook, between mine and Clay's page.       

Ferris Wheel & Garden

I rode a ferris wheel last weekend. I got on and tried to remember when the last time I did it was. I know I have, but it's been so long ago I can't remember anything except doing it. I don't remember where I was, or whom I was with, or what I saw.

I was like a kid at Christmas. Look at my face!! And we hadn't even had a glass of wine yet! I usually dislike amusement parks because they're so very overstimulating. But, lesson learned: do the ferris wheel first.

Tonight, we completely picked our garden clean in anticipation of a frost tonight. It was hard to believe that it could get that cold when it was nearly 80 out this afternoon, but even as we picked the wind started.

Our tomatillos conveniently forgot that we live around 6000 feet and are well north of Mexico; the rest of the garden followed suit and I had to look up whether or not green peppers can be frozen (yes, blanched first).

(While we picked, Gracie discovered that sand doesn't taste like brown sugar even though it looks the same, and the boys played 'Killer Zombie Apocalypse' tag like good Mennonite boys.)

It'll be several months before weather is nice enough to consider a carnival again. But I'll wrap my sweater tight around me tomorrow and look forward to drying basil and freezing peppers and green tomatoes tomorrow.