It’s good, seriously. Kevin will even drink it. This is saying a lot because I always have him test my drinks to make sure they are sugar-free (since I am no longer capable of telling the difference) and he always cringes and says “yes” except for with this, he’ll drink it.

Oh, and Mom or any other family that is still looking for gift ideas for me (people are not happy that I’m saying “get me something from my wedding registry”)–I WANT THIS:

Yes, an AeroGarden. Go ahead and laugh if you want, but when you have a belly full of my delicious food you will be glad you bought it.

Yesterday, I put up my little white tree.

She knows she’s gorgeous.

This weekend has really been one of thanksgiving. There are a lot of reasons to be thankful, but one in particular for me was getting a letter in the mail on Wednesday that I wasn’t expecting for another month. It was from the Oklahoma State Department of Education and it was my acceptance letter into the Alternative Teacher Certification program. Basically what that means is that I already have a regular degree and that I will be working toward finishing a few courses and exams so that I will have full certification to teach in Oklahoma. I cannot tell you what a blessing it was to get this news in the mail on that day. I am struggling in some areas and that is just what I needed to hear.

And on that note I would also like to say that if you don’t have something positive or supportive to say about me teaching, shut your face. I heard enough of it this weekend from someone and I am done with that.

Now, some links for this Sunday!

• I hope to have a household like this someday.
• “Next we’ll find out that Martha Wayne, Bruce’s mom, didn’t die either, and she sent herself forward in time to become Selina Kyle, the Catwoman. On the other hand, forget I said that. Morrison may go back to writing the title someday and it now seems likely he wouldn’t understand it’s a joke.”
• iProd: The kind of fun country kids have with PawPaw’s cattle prod. You didn’t hear that from me.
• Kevin! Look! Chicken coop!
• If you weren’t already aware, most people are jerks.
• “There’s the belief*, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell…That’s just not part of my religious makeup.” - Barack H. Obama. Good to know.
• He isn’t running a country, he’s hiding in a closet.
• Fried pies, yum. Next to donuts, that would be the first thing I’d go for on a high-carb day.

*Romans 10:13 & 14 - for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

Hope you enjoy my little link roundup here. Still working on my Pumpkin Spice blend coffee. I love low-carbing. Why? Two words: WHIPPED. CREAM.

Kevin and I are off to look at couches this evening at *cue organ music that makes you think of death and hades* Mathis Brothers. I have a reason for the music and I will tell you later. Suffice to say the ONLY reason I am going back is because I harassed no less than 15 people at that store until I got a $100 gift card.

THEN. We’re going to the mall and I’m going to spend a Sephora gift card. And honestly? Probably another hundred dollars of my own. Gah. I’m hopeless in there. And THEN we’re eating at The Cheesecake Factory for my belated birthday date.

And somewhere in there we’re picking up our engagement photos!

• This is a hilarious idea for a wedding. And only slightly creepy for my brother who was always scared to death by my dad whenever he made a change to his facial hair. Now, myself, I was scared of Granny’s wise men in the living room. The one with the black beard and crazy eyes freaked me out.
• I don’t about you, but that’s what I did on my birthday.
• My hometown (Elmore City, Oklahoma) has been experiencing a rash in cattle shootings. That raises some concern for me, but, I’m sorry, not quite as much as when the local devil worshipers were cutting one leg off a cow and leaving it to bleed to death. I dunno. Something about that doesn’t set well with me.
• Speaking of sawed off limbs…”7th Human Foot Washes Ashore on Canadian Coast.” I have watched enough crime dramas on TV to know that you have to study the tides before throwing stuff like that in the ocean. Seriously. So either this dude (statistics say it’s probably a dude*) knows what he’s doing and wants people to find these feet OR he’s an idiot.
• Please press charges. She could be your grandmother, folks.
• Note to self: hold your breath when you visit California. But seriously, there’s probably more than one reason to do that.
• “Rino Season Is Now Open“–Obey the spirit of the wild. I think (if it’s still on the air) Ted Nugent’s show on the Outdoor Network (?) is probably the only one my dad refuses to watch. It doesn’t matter how entertaining it may be, Dad can spot crazy from a mile away. Through a Leupold scope, most likely.
• If you aren’t listening to The Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe, you should be. I’m not sure why I tune in, since I know next to nothing about comic books, wrestling, and half the stuff they talk about…but it’s great.
• Uhh…this is funny. “Yeah, I know gays have been treated like crap over the years - but they were never slaves - unless it was requested in a Craigslist ad.” *ducks behind couch*
• Kevin and I have already discussed this and we are going to have one in our own home whenever we have children. Thank you, Redneck Diva!
• Go buy some Christmas gifts! I link to this because it features something that makes me laugh, too: the “Nuddle” or “Snuggie” whatever you want to call it. The blanket with sleeves that makes you look like a monk.>
• The Friar looks to the future and tells us what the next four years will be like.
• You know what I have to say? Get over it. Like I told Nume over at Kick the Anthill, “I watched my dad bleed and clean turkeys hanging from my swingset outside my bedroom window by the light of the November moon.” And look how I turned out.
• Picking this up the next time I’m at the newstand! Yay, French Toast Girl!
• Oh my goodness…yes.
  

  Everytime I hear about the Twilight series it makes me want to edit the Wikipedia page on vampires and remove the word “blood”.

  “Although many different cultures have been found to have myths of vampirism, it seems one defining factor is that all vampires suck blood”

  But I am trying to have grace since some of my loved ones are OBSESSED. Sigh. This holiday season could be really difficult. Forget not talking politics, let’s not talk Twilight.

• It’s sweater weather!
• “It’s simple, really: the real purpose of this mass gathering is not to witness history–but to pick up co-eds. The fact is, there has never been a better wing man on the planet than Obama. With his amazing ability to unify everyone under a feel-good notion that you’re totally awesome and everything’s going to be peachy keen – he’s like a human version of an ecstasy pill. If you’re for Obama, suddenly making out with someone else whose for Obama is totally okay!”
• At least there is someone who is standing firm and not swaying like a reed. Good for you, Fr. Jay Scott Newman.
• Brits at their best–what the stones don’t say. Thank you to those who have gone before us.

*Statistics produced by my brain.

The Aftermath: “She’s worth fighting for.”

h/t The Anchoress

• “I seek and rely on a higher authority.” Could not agree more.
• Balding white boys, there is no need to fear. America has not forgotten you and you WILL be represented in this White House!
• “I’m not a fan of messengers–I’m a fan of messages.” And I’m a fan of Greg Gutfeld.
• Flip-flop.
• “Sarah Palin Frontrunner for 2012” - girl, I am with you all the way. And if she’s running in 2048, after I evaluate where she stands on some things, she may just have my vote as well.
• Hey, Nume? Remember that thing I told you about? TRUE.
• Clearly, disagreeing with you means that they were not thinking, right, Nancy?
• This is one of the sweetest, heartbreaking Post Secrets I’ve ever read.
• An open message to the GOP leaders: “Be the orchestra.“
• Sometimes you need a nice day outside. This weekend was an inside one for me, but one full of rest that did me good.
• You, my dear, are gorgeous and classy. Stay that way. I think we would be pals, Miss Meghan McCain.
• I don’t trust people who take shots at elderly women.
• It’s really nice to have people do everything for you and get you through a tough time. He should try getting his wisdom teeth removed!
• She’s a doll. And kinda like my blogging mom, only younger
• Sexy TV shows linked to teen pregnancy. Duh.
• You can always count on Nume to let everyone know what’s worth seeing in the theater, in fact, Fireproof was one that was suggested a while back. Now Ed Morrissey of Hot Air says, “Those who want to see theaters featuring Christian values and uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness, and love should support Fireproof before it disappears from the big screen.”
• Chinese dragon tattoos–we were 14 at the same time and I am trying to remember if these were cool then, Leah…? And stay tuned. I found some poetry I wrote in 8th grade.
• Since I wasn’t around, I’ll leave it to Jay Tea to show us the similarities between when Carter went into office and our current situation as Obama takes his seat behind the desk. I wonder if presidents have desk toys?
• Cindy has got some FREE FOOD for you! And some that isn’t quite free, but close enough.

Aside: Whenever I was on the painkillers and still coming down off the anesthesia, I starred some random links on my Google Reader. For the life of me I cannot figure out why I thought some of these things (that I am not including) were worth blogging about.

And finally, I would rather be hated for something I did, than loved for something that I would have no part of.

It’s freezing in here. Going to turn up the heat.

All right, that’s better. Coffee is brewing and I’m wide-awake, looking outside at the extraordinary cloud of fog that has gathered in my backyard, and likely the rest of Norman this morning. Clare has been sitting on the back step staring out into the soupy white abyss all morning. I think this is the first fog she’s seen. Also, this appears to be the morning that the leaves in my trees decided they were going to fall. At least the tree closest to the house. So many of them are falling from the top limbs that it sounds like it’s sprinkling outside.

As you know, Kevin and I dressed as McCain and Palin for Halloween this year. I will admit right now that I have nothing on this girl, but that I plan to produce a few of these in the future:

• McDonald’s stops offering free cups of water. Isn’t this against the law in some places? Once when I was at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, everyone was getting water for free because not long before a woman had died after they had refused to give her water during a heat stroke or something. Hmm. I just always thought you couldn’t get away with refusing someone a cup of water.
• Go vote on Tuesday and then get yourself some free coffee. But please go listen to Cindy before you do. I’m going to wait until the evening to get mine, because I know I’ll be up all night.
• What it’s like to be a woman. Unless you’ve never struggled with your weight. Then…psh. About to share something that is probably TMI (that’s “Too Much Information”, Mom)–Heather, remember that time I wore that tank top to bed that had the built in sports bra and thought I was going to choke to death in my sleep? Yeah, that was funny. And similar.
• The 10 Cannots by William J. H. Boetcker. “You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.”
• My fellow Republicans, the time is NOW. “If you decide upon a third party in protest, you are casting a vote for Barack Obama.”
• I don’t really mind modern versions of Christmas songs, but seriously, that “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan needs to be put down in the back pasture and left on the hill to attract flies and dry out.
• Obama’s coronation outfit. And how his followers are like people stumbling around in basement in a horror flick, saying, “who’s there?” and moving toward the sound instead of RUNNING AWAY AND SAVING THEIR FAMILY.
• Jeremiah Wright planted a “seed of faith” in Barack Obama.
• “Go ahead and call me racist. I don’t care. I’m not voting Barack.”
• Making the world a weirder place. Starting with my eBay package.
• Forget getting answers before Wednesday. Barack Obama won’t be answering questions until after the election. Score.
• Pay attention:

And on one last, bitter note this Sunday morning…I do not expect to change anyone’s mind at this point. Not at all. But you bet your sweet buttons I will be blaming you for the next four years.

If you’re fine selling American to the highest bidder, you are a fool.
If you’re fine with voting for someone with shady (at best) associations, let it be on your head. (If a homegrown terrorist had killed one of your family members, where would you stand?)
If you’re fine with voting for someone who has no qualms with letting a baby, born alive, die, let their final whimpers echo in your mind when you dream. (Tell me, when does your child or grandchild become a person? The moment they emerge into open air? Or the moment you find out that, miraculously, a minute speck of endless possibility–a HUMAN BEING–is thriving inside your body or that of a family member?)

Well, good ol’ Bill Kristol called this and I posted something about it back in August: Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama.

Moving on.

This morning the coffee is “Holiday Peppermint.” Over the past week I have been mixing that with “Chocolate Velvet” to create a mint-chocolatey cup of delight. Since I won’t be able to partake in Starbucks’ annual offering of Peppermint Mochas, I am glad to have found a tasty alternative.

Digging through my closet to pick out an outfit for church this morning, I found a tan wool skirt that I haven’t put on since my senior year of high school. It hasn’t fit since then. Today when I put it on it was almost too big. That to me is progress and a very encouraging sign, even if I haven’t lost weight in over a month (and have, actually, been retaining a lot of water–up to 8 lbs in one day. I have been cutting back on the sodium to try and remedy this).

Is it just me or is there anyone else out there who wanted Little Joe to end up happy with a girl at least once? My goodness. I watched Bonanza as a child and was smitten with the brunette baby brother of the clan and as a young, unaware child I assumed with each episode that this would be the one. It never was. And this morning as I flip through the channels, Little Joe is still unlucky in love.

Here are some links for today. Some of them are older because I meant to include them weeks ago, but still good!

• The Redneck Diva starts figuring things out
• Nume at KtA reminds us that October is Pastor Appreciation Month–remember your clergyman!
• Over at The Activity Pit (A Virtual Basement for Red Eye Junkies), ManBearPig challenges Obama supporters to justify Obama as president. So far no one has taken him up on the offer. Go tell him, folks!
• Scratch that. One response. Steven333 tell us why he wants Obama to win. And I wholeheartedly agree!

Enjoy!

Also, have any questions or topics you’d like me to address here? While traffic at my blog is at one of its highest points, most people are cruising on by, looking for pictures of Sarah Palin lookalikes (just wait ’til Halloween, baby). To those of you who stick around more than 2.5 seconds, what would you like to know?

In an effort to reduce the amount of “stuff” in my house, I’m still on the same bag of coffee. It’s good, but I’m eager for the day that I find it empty and have to buy another variety. Hmm…reason to drink more?

A few things for you this morning.

Norman residents:

• The Norman Public Library is looking for donations for their annual book sale. They are accepting good quality used books, audio and video tapes, CDs, DVDs, records, computer programs, and prints. You can drop off your donations at the circulation desk at 225 N. Webster. The sale will be held Oct. 25-27.

Other things:

• Chris at My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy covers the local fair (not my local fair, but one of the many wonderful ones going on this time of the year)
• Cindy over at Maternal Maddness gives us some tips on a few free samples (I love ‘em!)
• Numenorean weaves the wonderful tale of How the Tiny Conservative Elves Bestowed Beautiful Gifts on Her Lawn…or how she got her free Inhofe yard sign. Woohoo! I got mine, too!