I do enjoy the holiday. As unpopular as it may be with some of my family and friends who feel it does more harm than good, having never celebrated until college made it quite the treat for me. Dressing up as a fictional character? I am so there.

To keep in the spirit of things. I thought I would share some photos from Halloweens past. It’s really a rather significant night in the evolution of my relationship with Mr. Crumpler. You see, at my second Halloween party, Kevin showed up. Invited of course, but still, I barely knew him. At that point I thought he was interested in me, but…little did I know the wheels that were turning in that man’s brain. It was that evening, just 3 years ago, that I caught him looking at me and quickly glancing away. All evening long.

Smooth, Kevin. Reeeal smooth.

The food is one of the most important parts of these parties. But when is it not if I’m hosting it.

This was the year that I was Dorothy Gale at the dayschool and Kevin and I were Alfalfa and Darla that evening at the party.

And of course, last year Kevin and I were John McCain and Sarah Palin.

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.

This morning I woke up to a few pieces of hate mail, comments, and texts from people that were nothing less than rude and inflammatory. Honestly, aren’t you supposed to be happy today instead of accusing me of being WRONG to express my opinions, unChristian, and rich (umm…what?)?

Most of it came from high school friends and people I don’t see on a regular basis, but who I had still considered somewhat close. Well, you know, they are making their own decisions. I might think that they are foolish to continue hurling insults at someone who would never do that to them, but whatev. They are adults and they can make up their minds about how they will behave.

I am going to leave you with what I posted on my Myspace blog this morning, right after I was bombarded with these lovely messages that were sent overnight, and right before I called my mom and cried, because people who I had considered some of my closest friends were writing me off because I am a conservative.

Over the past few days, and overnight, I have had people I thought were friends attack me for how I voted, what I believe, and APPARENTLY for being rich.

Last time I checked, it was a free country and I have the right to vote and talk about who I am voting for, whenever and however I please.

IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING about me (your friend, right?) you know that I am a Christian, that there are some issues that are very important to me and that I follow what the Word of God has to say on them. Not my freaking pocket book. Oh, you think you’sa gon’ getchoo some money now, honey? Have fun!

And about the rich thing–I live on my own, BELOW the poverty line for the state of Oklahoma. Want to know what that means? LOOK IT UP. I am about to marry a man who is going to be a teacher and I am going to be a teacher. Not exactly rolling in it over here. So you need to zip it on that front.

If you are going to judge, take it elsewhere. I decided what I did based on facts, my belief in Christ, and prayer. I DIDN’T decide who I was voting for based on the color of someone’s skin, what the mainstream media was telling me, how much money someone said that I’d receive if I voted for them, and certainly not because the only reason I could find not to vote for someone is because I “hate” them or because their VP candidate has “less experience” — which still equaled more than what your candidate for PRESIDENT had.

I am done. If you are choosing to burn bridges, I will let you. You have hurt me deeply and if you are going to choose to let this be the thing that ends your friendship with me, go right ahead. If this is the way you choose to operate, you are a petty, little person, who does not know their own mind and instead follows the masses into an orgy for a man.

Stop it with the hate mail. If your problem with me is that big you need to go ahead and remove me from your friends.

I’ll be praying for you, because I love you, you are my friends, and I don’t really understand why you are insisting on treating me in this manner. But I want you to understand that I am not going to beg or fight for your friendship. There are a couple of you who have already chosen to walk away. GO. I don’t need this.

And so I leave you with a lesson I learned on the street.

However…

“We do not apologize for our beliefs. We do not re-brand them, re-form them, or relinquish them. We defend them.”

But I meant it.

Every year in school I was a class officer and involved in student government. Eventually I was elected to serve as Student Council president my senior year. I went on to be chosen to represent my school at Girls State, a mock government program (a week-long camp) that teaches young women about how various roles in the government work. What that made me see was that there was no way I had the patience to sit through hours and hours of legislation (I won my race and was elected state representative for my district), especially whenever the stinking governor (a “Sooner”—the equivalent of a Democrat at the Oklahoma Girls State…“Boomers” were the Republicans) would veto all of our bills except for the one about picking up dog poop. Anyway. More importantly, it sparked a fire in me that lives to this day. I remember leaning over to a friend during an evening full of speeches by some state politicians and saying, “I think I’m a Republican.” (Look out world…)

November does something to me. It is the culmination of years of work for a lot of people and the air is electric with hope—real hope. Not just some campaign slogan. The hope that your candidate will carry this election and go on to lead our country into the next few years.

We’ve established that I am passionate about it, right? Good. Something else I should say is that while I am loud, proud, and very Right here on my blog, I am not some rub-it-in-your-face loud-mouth in real life. Yes, I will get into it and talk for hours with fellow conservatives, but I am in no mood for a debate, ever. Honestly, if you are a liberal, I know where you stand. I have liberal friends and family. I don’t talk politics with them because I believe so deeply in what I believe, that it would be impossible for me to keep things separate and peaceful. Plain as that. Close-minded? No. Made-up-my-mind, “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus (No Turning Back, No Turning Back)”? YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

Point: I am not confrontational. There is not a bone in my body, not even the tiny ones that make up my pretty little fist, that likes to confront anyone.

This election cycle has brought me to my knees with an onslaught of verbal and emotional attacks, with even a bit of vandalism. The worst of which happened last week.

I would rather not go into great detail, because if the person who did this to me happened to read my blog, the last thing I would want would be to offend them further than I (apparently) already have.

A long-time friend of mine chose to step out of my life and a very important part of it, because I am not voting for Barack Obama. This person could not explain to me why they were voting for Sen. Obama, nor why I should. I am at a loss. Honestly, I chalk it up to ignorance. This person literally knows nothing about Obama’s stances on any issue, only that he’s made it sound as if they will receive substantial tax breaks if he is in office.

Now, dear, you get to find out.

And now, sir, you get the chance. Go out. Do well. I am patient and will be waiting right here in four years.

h/t Hot Air and The Anchoress

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?)

Halloween party in two days. I’m dressing as Sarah Palin. Kevin is going to be John McCain. And yes, it was totally my idea and he loves me. But this is a fun, easy Halloween costume. Even easier than the year that I threw on some cutoff overalls, an orange t-shirt, drew some freckles, and put my hair in braids to be a fan of Oklahoma State University.

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?

The following is the original account that I wrote on September 24th, just three weeks after my NObama sign had been stomped on, when someone on the left took the dirty tricks to another level. Since then my red elephant “Vote Republican” sign has been stolen and my Jim Inhofe sign has been bashed in. Without further ado…

September 24, 2008
Someone defecated on my lawn the night before last. In front of my NObama sign. To answer all the questions that have been asked of me so far:

1) Yes, I am sure it wasn’t a dog.
2) Yes, I know that there are big dogs that produce big poops.
3) Let me stress to you — THIS WEREN’T NO DOG. I know dog poop. Whatever it was, it wasn’t canine.
4) It was strategically placed. In front of my sign. Either they did it at the scene, or brought it from home. Talk about brown-bagging it.

After about 10 seconds of “What?! That is poop. That is POOP. Someone pooped on my lawn. In front of my sign. Liberals. Dirty liberals.” I just kicked the dried excrement into the street. It was dry and solid, so I’m sure it was done overnight. Then I went in the house and died laughing.

Someone pooped on my lawn. Laugh, people, that is downright hilarious. Barry is so “moving” that they can’t control their bowels.

(Cross-posted to Kick the Anthill)