Eating Cookies

I did end up making a batch of chocolate chip cookies yesterday, and I knew I shouldn't have done it because, as I'd imagined, I've eaten almost nothing but chocolate chip cookies today. And I've been feeding them to Anja! I'm such a bad influence! Okay, it's just microscopic crumbs I'm giving her, but still.

I'm finished with all my sewing, all costumes are in order, and we are ready for the weekend! Last night Martin and John loaded the truck and the four of us (Mrs. Schap, John Mooney, Martin and myself) went out to the Fort and set up the booth. Except we didn't really do much setting up, it was more like just dropping everything off, walking the grounds a little bit and then going out to dinner. Haha! Anja had taken a very late nap so I figured she'd be fine to stay out a little later than usual. And it was perfect! The only trouble we had was that she got VERY hungry by the time we were at the restaurant. I got chicken and dumplings with applesauce and mashed potatoes, and Anja gorged herself on potatoes and applesauce, then slept for four hours once we were home. That might not sound too impressive, but trust me, a four hour stretch is a miracle these days! I've never been to Cracker Barrell when we haven't had to wait in line for two or three years, but last night the place was almost empty. It was a really nice time. And Anja took water from a straw--something I'd never even thought to try--and it was sooooo much easier than drinking from a cup!

Today we all woke up super duper early for Martin to get to work in time for a special breakfast they were having. It felt like winter leaving the house while it was still dark outside. I drove him down and he'll bring a college car home because his traveling starts back up on Sunday evening. (*sniffle!*) I'm glad it worked that way though because I got to drive home as the sun was coming up and it was a GORGEOUS morning! The fields were all covered in a thick, fallish fog and the sunrise was soooo pretty. It was perfectly autumn and I loved it. Plus, I had some great music to listen to. The other day (Wednesday) was a sort of anniversary for Martin and me--it was three years since we decided we were "more than just friends"; it was the day we became manfriend and ladyfriend. So Martin celebrated by telling me he was staying late at work but actually coming home at the regular time and stopping by Von's on the way to buy the newest James McMurtry CD!! Track 6 ("Hurricane Party") is incredible and there are some other really good ones on there too. So it was a very enjoyable drive!

The only problem with having gone out to dinner last night is that Martin and I had already eaten when he got home, and we knew we'd be going out to dinner with the Schaps but we thought it was going to be on Friday, so that means we ate two nights of dinners yesterday and I don't have anything to make tonight!! I guess we'll just have to have eggs and toast.

Have I mentioned that my jerk of a sister gave me her cold?!? Ugh!! I've been sneezing and hacking my lungs out for the past two days. Martin seemed to be coming down with it last night too. Oh, but there is something kinda funny about it...

So when I was little my mom would constantly be having these "sneezing fits." They miraculously went away when she quit smoking (when I was 15), but they were a very large part of my childhood. And, oh my gosh, they were SOOOOOOO annoying. You'd be having a normal conversation with her and all of a sudden she'd sneeze, and you knew, there went your conversation right out the window. She'd be sneezing uncontrollably for the next ten minutes and by the time she stopped neither of you could remember what you'd been talking about. Plus, she'd be all puffy and snotty afterward and that's a little bit gross. Well, last night in the car I was telling Martin a story and all of a sudden I sneezed--and couldn't stop!!!! I sneezed almost the whole way home from Cracker Barrell to our house!!!! And it must have been SO ANNOYING because I kept trying to tell my story, but I also had all these sneezes coming on so it was really difficult. And all Martin could do was keep laughing and telling me I was turning into my mother!!! Wow. So, I guess it really does happen to everyone. It's inevitable that even in the weirdest of ways, you will become your parents.

Oh, I forgot to talk about the rest of my day. So after the gorgeous drive home, Anja and I ate some breakfast then went over to the Cook's house and ended up staying awhile. I don't think it's ever happened that just Kenna (the youngest Cook) and Anja have gotten to play together, so it was really nice to let them be together. When we got home we were to get dressed in our outfits and go out to the Fort because Mrs. Schap and one of her CC classes was running the soap booth for all the 4th graders today. I hadn't planned on going out until it was mentioned last night; I used to go with the Dulcimers and play my guitar. However, Anja suddenly decided she was going to throw fits whenever I tried to do anything that didn't involve holding her, and even then sometimes if she faced the wrong way she lost it. So finally I decided we just wouldn't be able to go, and I took her upstairs for a nap. Well, we both fell asleep and slept for an hour and when she woke up she was in an incredibly good mood and it still wasn't noon yet, so I went ahead and got dressed and went out there anyway! And I'm really glad I did. we didn't stay very long because an hour nap doesn't take her very far, but it was really nice to be out there when it wasn't incredibly crowded. The class she brought was SO GREAT. They are a short story class made up of mostly boys (I think there are only three girls in the class, eleven kids total) and they were so enthusiastic about being there! Out of all the groups of fourth graders that came by the tent, I only heard Mrs. Schap giving the presentation once. Other than that, the kids all jumped up to do it, and they were so good at it!! It was so fun to be around such a nice group of kids, and they all loved Anja, AND they shared their pizza with me, so of course they were instant friends of mine. But it was really fun! They all got really into their costumes and everything. That's how I remember high school. A bunch of really fun, nice people doing fun, nice things.

Oh, and the other day we saw a baby deer pooping in a field. How often do you get to see that!?