A Big Bite = A Big Scare

Yesterday I was feeding Josefine her pureed split peas...which she likes. Very much. And because she doesn't quite have the timing down on when to swallow, and I gave her a wee bit of a big bite, we kind of ran into a bit of a scare.

She was happily gumming at her pasty peas when she started gagging, like she was going to puke. I wasn't worried at that point, I just held her bib up to catch whatever was coming out. But, she didn't puke. She only kept half-gagging, like whatever was lodged in her throat, wasn't coming out. It was the biggest scare of my life, people. I did exactly what I know I'm NOT supposed to do and started smacking her on the back. Then, I shoved my finger down her throat. I figured, if she wasn't going to get this out of her throat by puking, then I was going to make her puke. Just as I put my finger in her mouth (and I only felt a little bit of mushed up -really mushed up- peas) she started whimpering. THE most beautiful sound on earth. And of course, that happened to be when all of my First Aid training came back to my mind. Of course. I hugged on her so much after we cleaned up, I think she might have been wondering what in the world was up with Mama!

The whole thing lasted about 5 seconds, but it was the longest 5 seconds of my life and I probably had a bajillion thoughts pass through my mind in that 5 seconds. What do I do? How can I help? Is she beyond help? and so on.

Anyway...a BIG scare. I'm sure it was just some thicker pea paste that got to the back of her throat and her body reacted. I took a bite of the meal myself, and noticed that it disintegrates pretty much as soon as it enters the mouth. But, if she had a bigger bite than normal (and she IS still learning how to eat), I could see how it would cause a problem. So...I do think I'll be adding a bit of formula/water to her next meal. Just to thin it out...we don't want another big scare.

Stockings!

Oh, wow. I haven't written a post in for-ev-er...and I feel like a loser. Well, only KIND OF like a loser. A little bit...

I mean, seriously - it's been so C-R-A-Z-Y busy. I can't even begin to tell you.

But, I'll try.

First, we went on a road trip to Colorado for some meeting and to see the fam. Fun times, I tell you. FUN times. :)

I have lotsa pictures - none of which I have prepared to share. Because I am...so...busy.

Anyway - THEN, we got stuck in a blizzard on my birthday. So, I call it the Birthday Blizzard of '09. Pretty Snazzy, huh? So, the Hubs, Josefine and I stayed at a hotel on my birthday...with an indoor waterpark, which happened to be closed down because of the fa-reezing water temps. Se, we just hung out in the hotel pool, which was awesome enough, for sure. Josefine had the time of her life...I swear...this girl is a fish!

And, we finally got home last Thursday. And EvErY night (and day) since...has been BUSY. The night we got back, I had a party...Friday, Jim took me out *sigh*, Saturday we had one amazing Sunday School Christmas party with a fabulous (and hilarious) White Elephant Gift Exchage. Sunday - church, of course. Monday - a visit with our Germany-Bound friends. Tuesday was a Sign Language Class and Test, which I don't even think I've mentioned to you that I've recently taken up (and fallen in love with) Sign Language. Holy Cow...I totally don't need to bore you with my EVERY day of the WEEK busy-ness. BUT, it's just a little taste of how busy it's been.

Today, I had a wedding shoot. Beautiful and busy day for sure...I always adore weddings. I never cease to shed at least one tear out of happiness for the lovely couple. And here, I'm supposed to be taking pictures! Anyway - I've got tons of photos to update my photography blog with, too. See what I mean? Is your head spinning with MY schedule yet? I wouldn't be surprised. Mine is. ;)

And here, I've titled my post "Stockings." Oh, rabbit trail.

This is one thing that I've been spending all of my free time on...stockings! :) I have to make mine yet, but I was too excited not to show you Jim's and Josefine's! :)

This is where I got the pattern!

A Flashback

Sooo, I was reading my friend Sarah's blog today...and it totally reminded me of the time Jim's truck caught fire on the Hwy. He coasted into town (How he did without completely freaking out, I don't know) and parked in the Best Western's parking lot. (I'm sure they were just THRILLED.) Jim called 911 - he thought the beast was going to go up into flames. We were blessed...THIS TIME. The truck, whom I have affectionately named "Vulcan"...look it up...survived the ordeal. Shortly after Jim's call, an officer decided to come to the rescue. Well, he totally drove by the truck and into the OTHER half of the parking lot. The smoke apparently didn't give enough of an indication that it was on fire. When the officer finally did pull up to the truck he said, "It's on fire? Now???" Jim was SO lucky I wasn't there to reply. I may have stuck my foot in my mouth with something like. "No, we just called 911 BEFORE we started it on fire..." I get in trouble with my sarcasm sometimes.

Anyway, Officer Obvious WAS heroic and used his handy-dandy fire extinguisher to salvage our truck (it's been salvaged a few other times...it's in the business). Whew. And now, we can continue to transport various and asundry large things to our house, which is STILL under construction.

Also, big thanks to our dear friend, Dan'l for supporting his missionaries and helping tend to(and pay for) Vulcans injuries...we couldn't say THANK YOU enough.

And thanks, Sarah for letting me bounce this post off of yours...I give you credit for the idea. Otherwise, I'd just be posting ANOTHER "photography blog update." I need to write more.

Just the Two of Us

A Facebook Questionnaire: I just couldn't resist.

♥ What are your middle names?

Douglas and Elizabeth

♥ How long have you been together?

Married 2 years on Dec. 30...Engaged about 5 mos prior, July 14...Started dating May 7...you do the math.

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?

3 years

♥ Who asked whom out?

Jim asked me to go to a soccer game at Grandview with his mom...our first date was chaperoned...how sweet! ;)

♥ How old are each of you?

Jim is 36 and I'm 27

♥ Whose siblings do/did you see the most?

I have step-siblings in Iowa, but the rest are in CO and CA and we only see them once or twice a year. Jim's youngest brother is in MI so we see him whenever we're out there (which is more often than CO and CA) and his middle brother is in Germany w/ the Marines...our time there might overlap and I'll finally get to meet my BIL!

♥ Do you have any children together?

Yup - about 20 weeks along! We love the prospect of seeing our family grow...we'll be the Tri-Engle family soon! Haha...I crack myself up.

♥ What about pets?

We LOVE animals...we can't wait to have a big ole cuddly dog (I want a Newfoundland and Jim wants a Doberman Pinscher) Look 'em up, they're BIG, BEAUTIFUL dogs...though I'm not as partial to the Pinscher as I would be to, say, a Rottweiler. Oh, but right now we have two Oranda Goldfish, named Laurel and Hardy.

♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?

We have a goal of being in Germany someday as church-planting missionaries. We're really eager to be there, but the time of waiting (and deputation) can be trying, but Faith-strengthening - which is the thought that bears us through it all...and of course, God's amazing faithfulness!

♥ Did you go to the same school?

Well, sorta. I went to FBBC and Jim attended FBTS - which is on the same campus. That's where we met.

♥ Are you from the same home town?

Jim is from Downriver Detroit, I am from hmmm...Vancouver, WA; Eglin AFB, FL; and (basically) Southwest IA.

♥ Who is the smartest?

Who is the smartest: Jim

Who is the smart alek: Sarah

Ok, but seriously though - we both have different kinds of "smarts" and we're constantly learning from eachother! Oh, but he does have to ask me how to spell stuff...does that make me less not-the-smartest?

♥ Who is the most sensitive?

Oh, boy...hands down...me. I guess it depends on what kind of "sensitive" but, I probably won't go a week (or two) without shedding a tear about something or other. Jim tells me I balance him out in this area - but I guess it takes a spaz to do that...because I am a spaz. Jim is sensitive in really important ways though...he gets teary or thoughtful when he sees a precious father/son relationship or when someone gets saved. I may be sensitive about that, but I'm also sensitive about shopping...or whatever. Stupid stuff like that. ;)

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?

IHOP - Jim likes his "all you can eat" pancakes...and I like my hashbrowns. Village Inn is a close second b/c Jim can eat breakfast for every meal of the day.

♥ Who has the worst temper?

Haha...me. Jim is seriously the most patient person I've EVER met...hence, marrying me and creating the PERFECT balance. I'm serious, we're polar opposites!

♥ Who does the cooking?

We tag team it. Jim LOVES to cook. In fact, he's in the process of baking his famous chocolate chip cookies right now. He also loves to cook meat and such. I like to experiment w/ new things and he's never averse to trying them!

♥ Who is more social?

Um, me. Did you NEED to ask that? :) Actually, Jim can be pretty social in the right context - he's more of an observer, which is probably one thing that makes him the smarter of the two of us.

♥ Who is the neat-freak?

Jim, but he gives in to my "laid back" way of life sometimes! I like to keep things fairly neat, but I'm not a freak by any means. He's pretty relaxed, too...I like that. In fact, I need that.

♥ Who is the more stubborn?

Well, well, well...looks like I have to fess up to another wonderful, wifely trait. I'm most definitely the most stubborn of the the two of us. But we both have our areas of stubborn expertise. Jim is stubborn about things that count like doctrine and stuff. ;) I'd put up a fight about that, too...but I'm more likely to be stubborn about stupid stuff like yeilding at yeild signs correctly and using my turn-signal...or if a word really counts in Scrabble.

♥ Who hogs the bed?

Niether of us really - okay, okay, fine. I'll admit it. Me. I like to sleep right in the middle...therefore skirting Jim off to the very edge until his arms and legs are dangling off. Well, that might be an exaggeration...or not.

♥ Who wakes up earlier?

Oh, this is where Jim rocks. He's the Early Bird and I'm the Night Owl...though, again, we've developed a balance...

♥ Where was your first date?

Grandview Park Baptist High School Soccer Game and Scrabble at the Worsham's.

♥ Who has the bigger family?

If you mean siblings - me. I have 4 younger sisters, all of which have children (save for the 10 year old) and Jim has 2 younger brothers, one of which has 5 kids. If you're talking cousins 'n stuff...well, Jim's dad is the oldest of 7 boys...and two of those boys (his uncles) have, like, 10 kids. He can't even count his cousins!

♥ Do you get flowers often?

I'm all about flowers...hand-picked, store-bought, borrowed from the neighbors yard...and when Jim spends the money on something like flowers - which I agree, can be a bit impractical - I feel like he's treating me like royalty...giving me something I don't need or deserve...I enjoy a bit of superfluity at times. I guess that's just the romantic in me! I'd say if he thinks I'm worth the extra expense...bring it on baby.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?

Traveling.

♥ Who is more jealous?

Song of Solomon 8:6-7. This was the passage used in the challenge at our wedding. "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, Jealously as cruel as the grave; It's flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house it would be utterly despised."

Out with the Guido, In with the February

It was mid-January. Our church was hosting a "Sportsmen's Adventure" in Huxley and our job was to bring 5 live goldfish. I was perplexed as to WHY. Were we going to eat them? Give them away as prizes? Well, I was wrong on both accounts - they were table decorations, centerpieces.

When the event was over there were several leftover goldfish (feeder fish, if you will) and they were just going to be thrown out if no one wanted to take them home. Being the animal lover that I am, I just couldn't let that happen. So we brought home 7 goldfish, 6 of which died during the next 3 days. The 7th though, was a hardy little fishy. He was orange with a black stripe down his back and a little black moustache. So, we called him Guido because he looked like he could be a part of the Italian Mafia.

Guido died on Sunday. We think he was overfed, a common cause of death for goldfish. We were sad that he died because he was entertaining and fun to watch. We got a small bubbler stone to put in his bowl and he would play in the bubbles for hours on end. And on the day of his death, he was escorted to Fishy Eternity by means of flushing and now his carcass has probably been eaten by a sewer rat. Nice.

Anyway, on to better things. Jim and I decided we quite enjoyed the little fish experience we acquired in a few weeks time and voted "yes" to starting our very own aquarium. We purchased a really-on-sale-good-deal 10 gallon aquarium at PetSmart and all the fixin's (gravel, bubbler, plants, food, water conditioner, etc). Of course, it took some studying up to know exactly what an aquarium needs to be successful...and so far, so good. We also decided against feeder fish...they're not all that healthy to begin with and will likely die within a few weeks. So, we opted for the fancy-type goldfish. I got an Oranda...and named him February. Jim will get his later this week (it's safer to stock your aquarium one fish at a time).

I'm REALLY hoping I don't kill these guys...

Thanksgiving Surprise

And no, I don't mean there was peanut butter in my Turkey sandwich. That's a whole different story altogether.

This Thanksgiving Jim and I made a last-minute decision to drive up to MI to surprise his mom and brother for Turkey Day. And that we did. She was surprised alright. We popped in just after midnight (only minutes after she'd gotten off of work) and she greeted us with a surprised motherly squeal and hugs. Ben, Jim's brother, somehow slept through the whole thing.

So, needless to say, I'm thankful for surprises and that Mom Engle squealed with delight at our arrival. It feels good to be welcomed at such short notice!

Anyhoo...the turkey was delish and the fellowship sweet. It was the snowstorm we drove through on the way home that presented the little challenge of the weekend...and now, I must add, I am thankful for a husband who is an awesome driver. We saw 4 dozen plus 7 cars in the ditch in Iowa alone. That number includes a semi, which I think should count for two.

Happy post-Thanksgiving!

A-

That's the grade I give the Gymnastics Tour of Superstars...do I call it something different everytime? Either way. It was superstar fantastic. We got to see all the 08 Olympic gymnasts including the Iowa-famous Shawn Johnson, the ever graceful Nastia Liuken and the always-a-winner, Shannon Miller. Jim indicated his favorite part of the whole thing was seeing the Hamm brothers in action. Sweet action.

You might be asking why I give it an A- instead of an A++. Well, I think I could have done w/o the Girl Band and Jordan Pruitt - who happened to be a favorite of many a little girl. We got super great seats. RIGHT in front of the balance beam. Sweetness. But, also RIGHT in front (or beside) the speakers. Talk about feeling the vibration of the bass! For serious!

Anyway, I've got some sweet action pictures I'll be posting soon. We couldn't use a flash (even though lots of people did), but they were decent pics. I set my camera on sports mode and got some crazy en motion shots. Stay tuned, you'll see.

Also, for those of you who may have been the least bit concerned about my dizzy spell....it was just that. A spell. I think my office chair was set on the highest level and I had a case of the vertigos. Maybe. But, the funny tasting water was due to (in my opinion) the fact that I'd had that bottle of water for nearly 2 days...and soon the water began to taste a little plasticky. Gross. I was going to throw it away, but Jim insisted on drinking the plastic. Hey, whatever floats your bottle.

A Little Side Note -

We're going to the Gymnastics Tour of Superstars tonight. Jim's Birthday Present to me - which isn't until December, but I can handle an early gift. Yes. I think I can.

The ticket said that certain "personalities" are subject to change. I hope that doesn't mean they'll replace all the real gymnasts with clowns and bearded ladies. I'm a little nervous about that. Otherwise, it should be a fun time.

Look for future posts revealing every detail. Ok, maybe not EVERY detail. But, don't worry, I'll tell ya all about it.

Punkins!

One of my favorite parts of Fall is the punkins...

Click the pic to see some of our Fun Fall-y Punkin Pics...

Help!

Ugh. The funniest thing just happened. It was slightly embarrassing, but not really. I don't embarrass easily. But, just for kicks - I'll tell you anyway. It's rather quite funny.

---

I really have to go. I mean, bad. I hold it all through lunch and am pretty sure that, as soon as I walk through the Library doors, I am making a bee-line to the Ladies Restroom. And so I do.

And I am happy.

Until I realize there is no, absolutely NO toiletpaper. DANGER! Options fly through my mind. I can yell "HELP!" over and over and bang on the walls until someone hears me like I did that other time I had no toiletpaper (I was without a roomate and the guy from upstairs happened to be the only one who heard me "Sarah? Are you...okay?" Why me? "Uh, yeah...can you get a girl...please?" He did). Or, call Jim. He always knows what to do. Then, it hits me. Call the school, have them transfer me to Megan (the Library Staff) and quickly murmur. "I'm in the bathroom and there's no toiletpaper...Help!"

I opt for option #3 although option #1 was quite tempting.

The phone rings. The receptionist answers. I feel kind of sheepish talking on the phone in the John. But, what else is a girl to do? As I speak, I'm sure the receptionist is aware of the strange echo on my end of the line. But, she never asks about it. For that, I am glad.

Megan answers her phone. Phew. "Megan! This is Sarah...I'm in the bathroom."

"I thought I heard an echo..."

"Yeah...I know. There's no toiletpaper!" Laughter follows. Well, it's more like the Girly Giggles. I have them, too.

Seconds later, Megan approaches the door to my stall and tosses two rolls over the top. I have a difficult time trying to catch them, not dropping my phone in the you-know-what.

Another lesson: Look before you land.

Why did the Cow Cross the Road?

Last night wasn't my only experience with a State Trooper on Hwy 65.

Yesterday morning was just the beginning of my very eventful day. First, we were running late. Second, there was a traffic hold up because there were cows on the road. Oh, Iowa - gotta love it. (Hey, that was this years State Fair theme!)

I was about the 5th car from the cows, Jim was right behind me. Unfortunately there was a semi in front of me, so I actually didn't even know about the cows until I saw them saunter up the hill to the other side of the road.

What I DID see though, was a little more entertaining. The State Trooper (hat and all) comes running down the ditch that separates the highway, then, all of a sudden he runs - really runs - like his feet are on fire back up the hill to his car. Comical, but confusing.

I call Jim on his cell. "What's happening?" He, with a better view of the drama, explains that one of the bulls in the herd charged at the Trooper (hence the running like his feet were on fire). When the Trooper retreated, so did the bull and all his lady friends alike (that's when they sauntered up the hill). So, traffic resumed normal flow and all were happy.

About 2 minutes later, I heard the tail end of Brad Erlick's traffic report on WHO radio. "Cows loose on Hwy 65 near Bondurant...be careful, you don't want to his one of those Bison."

I called Jim again. "Did you hear that? Since when do we call cows Bison?" I figured The Hubby would know being that he worked on a Buffalo Ranch for awhile (and he looked really good in his BuffaloBoy hat).

"Uh, since never." he answered. He heard Brad's Cow faux pas, too and suggested that maybe he meant to say Bovine.

Then I began to daydream the scariness of Bison loose on the Hwy. Cows, I can handle. Buffalo...only in the confines of the Dreesman Buffalo Ranch (where Jim used to sport his ranching skills). I'll use the opportunity to make a plug for the ranch. Go to their website...if you like good buffalo burgers, brats etc. - they got'em.

We have Gas

Not something most people admit...but, it's true....we have gas. BAD gas. So, bad we had to leave our house.

Okay, okay. I know what you're thinking. And no, I didn't make an experimental dinner then night before. I'm not that brave.

BUT, when Jim and I walked into our house after work, we there was a faint smell that seemed to be wafting through our house and became a very distinct rotten egg smell after we turned the furnace on.

"Why does it smell like something is cooking?" I asked Jim. "Something not good."

Jim explained that those kinds of smells happen when you turn on the furnace for the first time after the summer season.

I waited it out...and it only got worse. Jim and I both became highly suspicious of this strange odor.

The Mid-American guys were galavanting around our little town telling people that they put too much smelly stuff in the gas and not to use the range or furnace. Well, we didn't have a gas stove - so, no worries there, but our furnace was gas, so we turned that connection off.

We opened the windows and for a few short minutes the odor seemed to dissipate. No for long though. After about an hour or so, Jim started getting a headache and I felt like puking.

That was the end of that...we called up some dear friends and found a place to sleep without feeling like the room is spinning.

The Mid-American guys came back, though. They verified that we did, indeed, have a gas leak. And boy, was it a smelly one.

New Jobs and other Random Bits.

So, I started this New Job on Monday. It's part-time...and I like my Hubby Time and Friend Time, too. So, that seems to leave little time for posting. So, excuse my absence, but I must adjust to my new schedule and hopefully, I'll be a more faithful blogger.

By the way, my ICL Prof like my story...except she didn't call it a story. It doesn't count for a story. It's more a of a vignette, she said. True, true. Most stories have a plot. Mine was, well...it just was.

Jim and I went to the Iowa State Fair yesterday (for free). It was completely awesome. Fifteen straigt HOURS of complete awesomeness, to be exact. More on that later.

And did you know that in British/English French Fries are called "Chips" and Chips are called "Crisps?"

And that today is "Sneak some Zucchini onto your Neighbors Porch Night?" We don't have Zucchini, so we can't participate. *sigh*

BUT, it's also "Dollar Day" - the day the US dollar was created. Hmm...how can I celebrate that?

Fear not, though. It's "Admit you're Happy Day", too...and that's free.

And for the girls...it's "Girls Night Out." So, go out and do something crazy. (Legal Crazy, and Moral Crazy that is.)

;)

I ♥ Schnitzel

Jim and I are dog lovers. But, for now, we can't have one.

Jim and I are puppet lovers, too. And we can have one of those.

So, we opted for a Puppy Puppet. And his name is Schnitzel.

We hope Schnitzel can be used in our ministry to children someday. Already he's brought smiles to the faces of little tots....and a few looks of distrust and fear (Hey, puppets can be a little scary, if you're not used to inanimate objects becoming animate).

I've been asked if Schnitzel speaks German yet...the answer is "no." But, he'll be learning right along with us. I've also been asked if he's easy to care for...the answer is "yes." No walks, no potty-training, no feeding. Easy. (Co-worker Todd Daily also mentioned these lovely benefits of having a puppet for a pet.) I've also been warned not to eat him. Don't worry about that one. I know his name is Schnitzel, but he won't be the main course anytime soon.

So, let me introduce you to the newest and cutest and furriest member of our family. Schnitzel.

Aw...they're bonding!

Group Shot!

Schnitzel gave 'em a big wet one!

He's a very happy puppy in this picture!

He set up the camera with the self timer and didn't make it into the picture in time...we're trying to train him to be faster when it comes to those things...crazy dog.

He likes to cuddle!

He loves Jim!

And he's very playful!

Now, you have officially been introduced to Schnitzel.

Super Fast Trucks.

Jim won free tickets to the Iowa Speedway in Newton. He played his trombone for Van & Bonnie on the 4th of July (on the air...and live even...the harmony to Silent Night) so he won some Sweet Action Tickets. Well, he thought they were more Sweet Action than I did. I'm not much into racing.

We went last Sunday afternoon, and to my surprise, it was fun! I enjoyed watching #7 pretty much walk all over rest of the drivers. He started out last and after 24 laps caught up to the front and held his place the rest of the race (which was 50 laps in all). So, it was fun to see...

...but, not so much fun to hear. So, we brought ear plugs. Go #7.

Oh, and they were trucks...not cars.

No, Jim is not trying to eat that ladies head, though every evidence from the picturs says so. He's yawning because we had to wait a whole HOUR before the race actually started...

So Bored...but, cleary making it more fun w/ our dramatic, uh...drama.

I think it's super cool that you can see the reflection of the cars in Jim's sunglasses.

And I included these pictures to prove that we actually did go to a race...and I wasn't just making up this post.

I ♥ U & Kisses, too.

Mail Call comes twice a day at Whispering Cedars Baptist Camp. After lunch and after dinner.

The tradition goes like this: You get three pieces of mail, you kiss "The Dirty Bird."

Meet "The Dirty Bird."

Being the devious and romantic wife that I am (yes, you can be both at once) I decided to give Jim the Whispering Cedars Mail Call experience of his lifetime and send him three pieces of mail.


A big "I"


A big "♥"


and


A big "U."

(That's Pastor Hayes from Grand Island, NE on the right.)

Then, of course, Jim had the wonderful privilege of kissing The Dirty Bird.

As the kids were chanting "Kiss - The -Dirty - Bird!" Jim puckered up and "SMACK." I made him hold the pose long enough for the picture below. What a sport.

And again for this one...

Jimster, I really do ♥ you!

Jim The One-Hit Wonder

We had a contest at the beinning of the week. It was called a Nail-Driving contest and we had to see how fast we could drive a nail. I thought I did pretty ok with 5 seconds. Then, Jim womped on me with a one-hitter. Yeah. He drove the nail in with one swing. The funny part is that he was using Michael Lewis' hammer and he showed Michael up, too. Poor guy...got showed up with his own hammer. Being that I know next to nothing about hammers, I'd say Michael's hammer was pretty sweet. It was magnetic on the top so you didn't have to hold the nail and then bust your hand with the hammer. So, in case you're asking yourself what the point of this post is. Basically, it's to brag on Jim. Jim the One-Hit Wonder. (Oh, and for you Crestonites out there who might be reading, that's Amanda Carr in the red.)

We Were Camels

Night before last Jim and I joined the cabin leaders for the Cabin Leader Hunt...the game where the cabin leaders hide and the campers try to find them. It's a fun one.

Well, we were worth a super lot of points so we hid in a super good hiding spot. In the end, I did get found out, but Jim didn't.

Anyhoo.

Sweet 5 year old Alyssa was quite excited about the whole event. She said, "The Cabin Leaders are going to be camels!"

"Really?" I asked "How's that?"

"They are going to dress so no one can see them!"

Ahh, yes. Camo.

I've never been a Camel before, so I was up to it.

Jim Made a Funny

We were at Pizza Hut ordering their new P'zone, which is by the way, a 4 on a scale of 1-10. The guy at the cash register rings up the bill and says, "$6.47. Is that ok?"

Jim casually replies, "If it's not, will you make it less?"

I completely cracked up, pretty much right there in the store, in front of other customers and the cashier dude. How hilarious...and a very appropriate response to his question. "Is it o.k. if I charge you x-amount?" Haha!

I thought the cashier guy would laugh with me...he did. A little. But mostly he blushed. Poor guy, I guess it's a habit to ask if the price is o.k. And it's a good question to ask. It's letting us know that if they made a mistake with the bill, we can let him know. It's a totally fine question to ask. It was Jim that made the funny.

Eeek!

Last night was our first night here at camp.  I love camp.  Really, I do.  But, there is one thing that I'm not too terribly fond of when it comes to the great outdoors.  I don't mind bugs in general so much...just one or two specifically that give me the eebie-jeebies.  That would be the dreaded earwig and the cockroach. 

One of these two icky specimen happened to be one that I saw last night.  

*GASP*  was about all I could say.  Jim turned to see what I was frantically pointing at.

"On the wall, on the wall, on the wall," was all I was able to manage.

He started chasing the fast little bugger around and I started screaming at the prospect of him running into my purse, which was dangerously close to him.  If I was a cockroach, I'd think it was a pretty good hiding place, so I wouldn't blame him really.

Well, he avoided the purse and kept skittering around Jim's feet.  My feet were firmly planted on the bed, which was a safe 2 feet from the ground the cockroach was dancing around on.  He seemed to be laughing at Jim for missing him almost EVERY time he tried!

Finally, the bug had a slow moment and Jim caught him.  I felt sick to my stomach and nearly lost my lunch...blegh.

BUT, I'm not expecting the rest of the week to be so eventful...at least in the area of bugs.