costumes

Last year we were the dynamic duo. We had a fabulous time as Batman & Robin. As Halloween is Chris' favorite holiday & I tend to generate fifty costume ideas a year, this was a great time for us.

This year we've been pretty busy with everything going on at church. We wanted to have some quality costumes with a creative flair. We tossed out several ideas & decided on being The Wicked Witch of (south)West and a Flying Monkey. This may not seem too creative to you so please let me unpack a little more of this idea for you:

• Southwest Airlines corporate headquarters shuts down on Halloween (or the Friday before pending on the day) for a huge party. Different departments decorate hq, put on shows, and even have a haunted maze. (fyi: Chris' mom works for southwest)
  
• By being the wicked witch of the southwest, I'm decorating my broom with Southwest Air colors (ribbons tied around the handle) & will put planes in the brush. I'm also wearing southewest wings pinned to my collar.
• Chris will wear a pear of costume wings and have a carry on bag...since bags fly free at Southwest.

Our church is having Trunk or Treat after service on Saturday and I won't be dressed as a witch. I thought I would be Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz is my all time favorite movie). This afternoon I took a little time out from the office, grabbed a pumpkin spice latte, and decided to look for my Dorothy shoes. I have a pair of red peep toe mini wedges but didn't think this was very ruby red slipper-y. I went to the mall & looked for red shoes. I found an amazing pair of 3 inch stilettos that aren't sparkly but are certainly fierce. I decided these would work just fine for Dorothy....and I could wear them multiple times (especially during conference season).

When we left church tonight we decided to hit up Party City. I found a very modest Dorothy costume (hard to believe but true! the skirt went to the knees & it wasn't skin tight!!!). I waited in line to try it on and I was beaming. I had on my new red shoes & couldn't wait to try on the costume. I knew this would be great!

A lady and her middle school aged daughter were in front of me. They also had a Dorothy costume but it wasn't modest...it was probably the playboy take on Dorothy. The mother took the costume out of the package and held it up to her daughter. The mother voiced a couple of concerns on the length & low cut parts of the costume. The daughter convinced her it would be ok.

The mother, who seemed still a little unsure, asked if there were any other Dorothy costumes. I politely held up my costume and mentioned there was another Dorothy style costume. The mother gets this disgusted look on her face, evaluates both costumes, then says, 'Yeah but this one is cute,' and points at the costume her daughter has.

So that was a bit awkward...

I tried on my costume & it looked AWFUL. I decided I couldn't do this to someone as beloved as Dorothy Gale. We left Party City & headed to a Halloween store in another part of town. I wasn't able to find a Dorothy costume but I did find my witch costume that looks EXTREMELY similar to the movie version. I also scored an AMAZING broom for a mere $5.

All I need to pick up now for Friday's party is black lipstick & black fingernail polish. I still need to think of a costume idea for Saturday. I could always were what I wore in our promo video...but it's a little heavy. What do you think?

Star Wars in Concert: a picture post

Thanks so much to Chris' amazingly generous uncle Brandon for the tickets. It was a blast!

dinosaurar!!!!

Yes I misspelled dinosaur...and yes it was on purpose.

Tonight Chris & I had a lovely date night courtesy of the BBC & the aac. We went "Walking with the Dinosaurs". It was incredible! I can't believe how far puppeteering/robotics have come. I think I enjoyed it even more than I thought.

Growing up I played with a dinosaur play set. I had a dinosaur blanket. I love dinosaurs. Chris also has loved dinosaurs for his lifetime too. I think the two of us enjoyed it more than the kids in attendance.

Up next: date challenge: watch 2 movies in theaters then off to Star Wars in Concert.

Date Nights

Tomorrow Chris & I will be at Walking with Dinosaurs or as I spelled it on his calendar "Walk with Dinosaurars!". This is very exciting as both of us were fascinated by dinosaurs as children. I can't wait to see it & even more I can't wait to see Chris watch it.

Friday night Chris & I will be at Star Wars in Concert courtesy of his very generous uncle Brandon. We're also going to try to work in a matinee of "Where the Wild Things Are"...we're feeling pretty ambitious.

I can't believe we get to do both of these and right after each other. What an unexpected blessing!

work (another view)

Judges 2:6-13 (The Message)

^6-9 After Joshua had dismissed them, the People of Israel went off to claim their allotted territories and take possession of the land. The people worshiped God throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the time of the leaders who survived him, leaders who had been in on all of God's great work that he had done for Israel. Then Joshua son of Nun, the servant of God, died. He was 110 years old. They buried him in his allotted inheritance at Timnath Heres in the hills of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

¹⁰ Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.

^11-15 The People of Israel did evil in God's sight: they served Baal-gods; they deserted God, the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them! And oh, how they angered God as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte! God's anger was hot against Israel: He handed them off to plunderers who stripped them; he sold them cheap to enemies on all sides. They were helpless before their enemies. Every time they walked out the door God was with them—but for evil, just as God had said, just as he had sworn he would do. They were in a bad way.

I love the way the Message puts this: 'they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them!' This passage of scripture is sobering. To think one generation grew up not knowing God & to see how it put them 'in a bad way' is heartbreaking. This is why I take my job seriously.

Show kids God's love. Help kids love church. That's what I get to do. So yeah, sometimes I do something silly and other times I am able to see kids hold onto the fact that God's way is the best. It's humbling & exciting!

work

A recap of my work day:

9:30 arrive to work
10 Volunteer Wade comes to help out & brings us all candy
10:30 study, study, study
11 email details of my program to another church
11:30 birthday lunch for Jenny R
1 costume selection for video shoot
1:30 trunk or treat promo video for children's services
2 music video shoot for Elevate series
2:30 prep for service tonight
4 email volunteers info for the weekend & study, study, study
6 check in for services
7:30 teach about trusting God to a group of k-5 students
8:30 head home

I can't believe I get to do this!

Hello again bloggy world! How are you? It's been a bit since my last post. I've been reading but not posting. I've been trying to decide what to do with this blog. Do I make it all serious? Do I use it to just update on the happenings of my world (ie adventures with Chris)? Do I start making it encouraging and challenging? No clue. I think a mixture of the three would be ideal so that's my plan...we'll see if it comes to fruition.

In case you haven't noticed, it's officially fall. I'm wearing a sweater dress & a pair of boots (that I got at a steal of a deal thanks to Kohls). Since it's fall, that means football, pies, and warm colors. I went to LD Bell's homecoming last night. It was the 50th anniversary of the Raiderette dance team. Chris' mom was a Raiderette so she performed with other alumni at the half time show. It was so cold! I sat on my quilo (throw your hands up if you own one--they are fantastic, aren't they?) while covering up with my lambie (also fantastic). We left in the 3rd quarter since Aimee & I decided we were not made for the cold. Sidenote: the LD Bell band is incredible.

Today we didn't have a football game as it's Columbus Day weekend. I slept in, had a big breakfast (breakfast is much too underrated), and am leisurely getting ready to head up to the church. My goal is to arrive between 2-3. I love Saturday night service. My room is open up 3:30 for volunteer & staff kids. At 5:40, however, I take all of the students to their age appropriate worship rooms. Then I head to service. I love going on Saturday so on Sunday I can fill in my volunteers & hear their thoughts on the service.

Speaking of volunteers, I need to finish getting ready so I can write some cards. Don't you just love cards?