Tori's Blog

I just wanted to let everyone know that our daughter, Tori, has joined the world of bloggers. She has alot going on in her noggin' and she is a really great writer. She's also a pretty busy girl these days so her posts may not be as frequent as she (or I) would like but they are insightful and a good read so go check it out.

Tori's Blog or http://tstunz.blogspot.com/

Taft Street Art Market

Mark your calenders for next Saturday, December 6th, 10-5, for a fun-filled day of shopping for handmade gifts, painting your own ornaments and live Christmas music!

It's at 2115 Taft Street in Houston. Here's the link to the church (Ecclesia Houston), Taft Street Coffee House (great coffee and teas!) and art gallery where the art market will be at.

10% of the proceeds go to Advent Conspiracy.org which funds wells being built to bring clean water to those who need it all over the world. (Living Water International)

I'm Thankful For Fruit

Below is this week’s update from some friends of ours, Nate & Barbie. They are missionaries in South Asia. I’ve asked their permission to share and kept the content just as they wrote it. The abbreviations and misspellings are on purpose so as to not draw attention to themselves for security purposes. It was very humbling to me when I read this. Once again, I am moved to ponder all that God has so graciously given us. So, I’m thankful for fruit. I have three bunches of beautiful bananas and a bag of apples and oranges in my kitchen right now. We are having some friends over for breakfast in the morning so some of them will be eaten. But there are only five of us in our family and chances are some of it will be thrown out if we don’t eat it quickly enough or use it to bake with. We are blessed and will probably never have to go without fruit.

“Went to the next-door slum/garbage-picker colony to share fruit with the kids and songs about JC again...

Our family enjoys going out to the community next door each month. We try to give them something nice, and sing to the crowd about JC. It’s just hard to try to make sure each child gets just one piece of fruit - and then to realize there is not near enough to go around anyway!.. The grimy mass of arms and hands reach up, grasping, straining, each one connected to a dirty little face, with bright expectant eyes. You can imagine any one of them thinking...,

"Something different! These strangers came again, and are giving fruit today. Maybe I'll get one. I hope there'll be enough! This is fun. We don't understand these people very well, but they sing to us, too. I understand some words. But, I hope I get one of those fruits. Most of my day is spent running around our colony, in and out of the rows of huts made out of trash. We play games. I also spend a lot of time sorting through bags, peeling labels off of plastic bottles, and helping pile the stuff that's no good in the corner. Its pretty dirty here, but we're ok. And, I hope I get some fruit. My head itches a lot. And sometimes my stomach hurts - bad. But, I always eat my rice. We don't get much else. Hardly ever get fruit. And my clothes are too big - and dirty. I hope to get some other clothes to change into soon. But, good clothes don't come along very often. People just don't throw 'em away. But, maybe I'll get a piece of fruit! None of us can read - but we can find the good stuff in the trash. That's what we do, and mom and dad don't think we can do anything else. We don't get to go to school - mom and dad never did. So, they don't care whether we go or not. If we had the money to go, the school might not let us in anyway. Most people treat us like animals. But, I like fruit! There are a lot of us kids here. Some will get two fruits, if they can. There's not always enough. And sometimes I don't... Well, not this time, either. Maybe next time. Maybe, next time..."

Be thankful this week. Be thankful!”


This is a prayer that they have asked us to pray for the children of South Asia. Before you click the “x”, please pray for our friends, for their safety and the work they are doing and for the children of South Asia.

"Pr that every child in [south Asia] will soon hear about a Saveur who wants to carry them."

"HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH"

Can you hear it? The Hallelujah Chorus??? Come on, sing along with me.... "HA llelujah, HA llelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hal lehe lu jah!" Ok, now refer back to this post from last week to get a clue as to why I am singing.

Tommy and I returned from our WONDERFUL trip to Santa Fe, NM last night. We left NM at 3:45AM, drove to Dallas to pick up Anna and then arrived home at around 8:30PM. Really long day in the car and it was sooo good to be home. Tori and Jakeb had stayed home because they are working kiddos now. They purchased our Christmas tree yesterday and had it all set up and smellin' awesome! They rearranged the furniture and everything, got the decorations out and even set a few up. Great kids!!! We all love Christmas time! Sure wish it was cold!!

So I get settled in after a long day, we bring all the stuff in, I visit with the kids a bit and ooh and aah over the tree and then go upstairs to change into my pj's. I turn and look into my bathroom and something incredible was sitting on my toilet. My toilet, you say? Yes, my toilet. It was this..... my very own.....


Tori said that one day this week she came home to find it sitting on our front porch. She didn't quite know what to do with it until we got home so she put it on my toilet assuming I would pee my pants when I saw it. I was pretty darn excited!! I refrained from peeing my pants, though, even though we had been in the car for quite some time and I really did have to go. TMI, I know, sorry...

So, to whomever reads this blog, one of the twelve :), I thank you. H0pefully I can thank you in person one day if I find out who you are but even more than that, I hope I get to bring it over to your house full of something yummy and liquidy (it won't leak!) to share with you. I'll be watching to see who has that telling smirk on their face when I see you next, so if you don't want me to find out you'd better practice up on your lying face.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We really have sooooo much to be thankful for. And now, I'm thankful to have a new crockpot that won't leak!

Randomness

Tommy sent these quotes to me the other day from one of his favorite authors. I can’t tell you which one because some of the others on the list are not really appropriate for a family blog. Not bad, just inappropriate for this venue. If you want to know where they came from, you’ll have to ask Tommy. :)


Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

In the '60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

Hint Hint Wink Wink...

Last night we were sitting around watching mindless tv, Home Improvement, I think. A commercial came on and they might as well have just shown the picture and played the Hallelujah Chorus in the background. The commercial would have been cheaper and it would have worked for me. I gasped in delight and one of the kids elbowed Tommy and said "hint, hint, wink, wink". :)

It's a sealing crock pot! OH MY GOODNESS!!!! How many times have I spilled soup or chili or bean or wassail in my car or on ME??? I thought it was awesome when I got the crock pot that had a carrying bag. There's not too many things that I MUST have but this is something I really think I must have one day! It definitely falls in line with some of the most ingenious creations ever!! Can you tell I'm excited about this!

Well, I pretty much know I won't be getting that from Tommy for Christmas because he doesn't usually like getting me appliances for Christmas and that probably wouldn't really fall in line with thoughtful gifts. But, I am going to plan on getting one before we move next year. Heck, I could pack it full of soup and it wouldn't spill!

20 Years of "I Do's", "I Still Do's" and a few bad "do's"!

November 19th was on a Saturday 20 years ago but today, this Wednesday, November 19, 2008, marks mine and Tommy's 20th wedding anniversary. What an achievement!! We are pretty proud of ourselves in an unprideful kind of way. I've said it before that I can't believe that we are old enough to have been married for 20 years.

Someone asked me a few years ago how you know when you've met the one you're supposed to marry. Is there a way? My answer to her was that if you can't imagine your future, your life, everything you do from this point forward without him then that is a really good indicator. There are other factors, of course, but that's a pretty good test. I knew Tommy for a year before I was even attracted to him, we were friends, and really good ones. But there came a point where I knew I couldn't imagine my life without him in it. Thankfully, he came to the same conclusion about me. :) I still feel this way and am so grateful for what we've shared over the last 20+ years. We have been incredibly blessed by God.

We wouldn't be here, in this place, 20 years later, without our parents, our children, our siblings, extended family members, mentors, and friends who have helped shape who we are and challenged us to be better at whatever we do.

We knew each other for 3 years before we got married, about 2 of those were dating and engagement. Tommy attended his last college class on Friday morning, drove home that afternoon, and we got married the next day. We were 21 and thought we knew it all. Boy, did we get a clue real fast! The last 20 years have brought good times, tough times, adventures, victories and even failures but through all of that, we have learned to love each other more deeply and honestly. Our choice to a lifelong committment is definitely what has seen us through.

The next 20 years and hopefully more will hopefully bring good times, fewer tough times, adventures, victories and even fewer failures. Bring it on! We want to be that old couple that still holds hands and the love we share is honest and apparent - the old couple that young couples look at hoping that's what they will look like one day.

So... I've put together a photo documentary of our "I Do's" and a few bad "do's" that we have sported over the last 20 years for you to enjoy, laugh at, tease us about, etc. Man, what were we thinking in some of those? We've come a long way, I think. We're proud of our family, our accomplishments, our committment and our life we've made together. We've learned from our strengths and our weaknesses. We've grown and we know we're not done. We're proud of where we've come from, where we've been and where we're headed.

The song in the photo album is an old Cindy Morgan song called "How Could I Ask For More". It's "our song" so to speak and just makes me cry every time I hear it. It's so perfect for us. Enjoy the pics and the journey through time. Turn your speakers up and tell the kids the be quiet.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I hope the world can see how much we love each other cause "We Still Do!" and we always will.

Anna's Harvest Feast Project Was A Success!

Anna hosted her first harvest feast last Saturday for her school project. She worked so hard on this and it went over quite well. She easily made a 100!

She chose several people who came over on the Mayflower and settled in Plymouth and also a few Indians who were at that first harvest feast hosted by the Pilgrims. She researched and wrote up a bio of each person and everyone that came on Saturday read about who they were. We learned alot, ate alot and had a great time. She planned games like hopscotch, marbles and hide & seek but there were very few children and the adults ate too much so no one really felt like playing. I'm pretty sure that's how it would have been in 1621 too.

Tommy's parents came with cornbread. My parents and sister and neices came with their version of Indian head pieces with turkey feathers and had made up names for themselves. Names like "Woman Hollering", "Runs With Idiots", "Forgets Name" (she's almost 50!) and "Poke A Hole In Head" (she just had her wisdom teeth removed). Another sister came later, the one who is directionally challenged, her name was "Sakaga Which We'". I have such a weirdly creative family, eh?

Anna chose for my dad to "play" the part of Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoag tribe that joined the Pilgrims at the feast. The Wampanoag brought 5 or 6 deer to share at the original feast so my dad brought deer jerky that he made from his own deer meat.

Great job, Anna!!!


When you play the slideshow, you can click on any picture to zoom in. Also, the pics are repeated so I could fill up the album. Haven't quite mastered Smilebox yet. It sure beats posting individuals in blogger, though!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

In case you're interested, here is a website that we found a ton of helpful and interesting information about the Wampanoag, the Mayflower, the Pilgrims and Plymouth.

I Love My Kids!!!

It seems like just the other day when Tori came into our lives and then just a few days later came Jakeb and then maybe a week or two later came Anna. In only one week, Tommy & I will celebrate our 20th anniversary and it's been almost 18 years since we started this parenting thing. Can we really be that old??? I don't think so. I'm not real sure how this happened. We must have time warped or something.....

Our kids are growing up - quite nicely I might add. I don't think I could be any more proud of them. (Is that correct grammar?)

Anna, being in 4th grade now, went back to her Kindergarten teacher's class last week and read to those precious little5 yr. olds. Could Anna really have been that little just a few years ago? It was so sweet to see her sitting in that big rocking chair reading to them.


Jakeb started his first job last Tuesday at DJ's BBQ. He turned in his application and was hired on the spot. Since we homeschool, he gets to work during the day then he does his school in the afternoon. He got his first paycheck yesterday. Pretty impressive! We are planning his 16th birthday party (it's not till March but we have to start planning now because of what he wants to do). 16 years... man, time flies!

Tori starts at Kohl's tonight for her first "real" job. She goes for orientation and then will start working for real next week. I'm thinking she's going to like her first paycheck too. She and Jakeb are both saving for the next mission trip back to Kenya so the bulk of their paychecks are going in the bank for that. Tori graduates just a few short months from now and is gearing up for a full schedule at our junior college this Spring. She was accepted at UNT and will start there in the fall of '09 as a sophomore.

Major change is in the air for the Stunz family. It's just the way it was designed to be but there will be lots of tender, tearful moments ahead for mom, I'm afraid. I love my kids!!

The History of Holidays

Anna and I are busy planning a Pilgrim's feast for her history project that compares the similarities and differences in how the Pilgrim's celebrated their first harvest feast and how we celebrate today. We'll have Captain Myles Standish, Elder Brewster, Samoset, Squanto, Chief Massosoit, Governor William Bradford and several others in attendance. It's been a very interesting project and should be alot of fun for our family.


I came across this on the The History Channel. I'm posting it, mostly so I can keep track of it but I thought I'd share it with you as well.

Go check it out for some interesting and fun historical facts that you and your kids can read, watch and listen to about your favorite holiday.

Smart Aleck Test Answers

I'm a smart aleck. Pretty much our whole family is when it is not disrespectful, even though sometimes that line is crossed.

Here are some actual test answers (although I didn't check snopes) from some smart aleck students. I think some of these really should have deserved extra credit but my kids better not get any ideas! I'm sure these answers weren't from home school students! And my kids would never....... :)

Consider Christmas Part 4 - What the Kids Had to Say

If you're just joining in on this string of posts, start here and read up.

I asked the kids to describe what they thought about Christmas last year in a sentence or two. Here's what they said:

Anna (9) I did not like at first but I liked it after.

Jakeb (15) I liked it because I felt good afterwards that we had done that but it was still hard to find something good to give. The joy of receiving wasn't as great but the joy of giving was way better and I still got some good gifts.

Tori (17) It was worthwhile overall. It was not something you decide you're gonna do the week before. It takes too much time to plan the gifts and make them meaningful, especially for someone like me who waits to the last minute.

Here is Anna's recipe for Ice Cream Sandwiches. Life happened and we haven't made them yet but we're going to this week! Man time flies!!! She found the recipe on Food Network and wrote it out for me to make it more personal and like I said before, put all of the ingredients together in a gift bag with the recipe - minus the ice cream which was in the freezer. We ate the ice cream a long time ago.

This is probably the last post on this unless something else profound comes to mind. As if this has all been profound in the first place...

Have a meaningful and merry Christmas!

2007 Letter - Consider Christmas Part 3

This is the 3rd post in this Consider Christmas series. There's at least one more, maybe two to go on this topic. Go down a bit or click here and start at the beginning if you're just tuning in.


Below is the letter that we sent to our close family last year. Since this was so involved and we knew it would take time to plan, we sent it out pretty early - in October. We sent it out on nice green linen paper with a few Christmas designs on it and we all signed each one.

Like Tommy said in Part 2, we're not trying to "toot our own horn", although he didn't quite say it that way. I think he used a more intellectual term. :) We've been asked about how we did this so we thought putting it out here would be the best way to explain it.

October 2007

Well, Merry Christmas Family! Yes, this is a bit early but we figure the stores are getting ready so we should get a jump on things as well. We are planning something for this Christmas that we wanted to make you aware of as soon as possible. Mostly because we’re really excited about it but also because it will affect the gifts we will be giving. We also thought that it might influence the way you decide to spend, purchase and give your gifts this year.

Over the past year+, several experiences have raised our awareness of our desire to purchase and consume when the simple need for clean water in Africa and other countries is so critical. We have so much while people around the world are dying from malnutrition and disease due to the lack of clean drinking water. Tori will be going on a mission trip to Kenya in July 2008 to help build water wells. Jakeb, Tori and Andrea have been involved with our Student Ministry’s water project called H2O4K (water for Kenya) and we as a family have decided to make this need a focus for our Christmas giving this year. Christ, and His birth will remain our main focus, of course. We feel, though, that by taking some of the excessive consumerism we typically participate in out of this year’s festivities and focusing on real giving (giving water, giving life) that we can make a real difference. We think we can do this while still enjoying our favorite traditions and the good feelings we get when we share gifts. …more about this later in the letter.

To make a long story not quite so long… We have committed as a family to give a set dollar amount to an organization called Living Water International. You can check out this organization at www.water.cc.

What we’ve chosen to do this Christmas comes from an idea we’ve been following called “Advent Conspiracy”, www.adventconspiracy.org. This idea encourages us to “worship more, spend less, give more and love all”. The statement at the top of their website is, “Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption.”

Since the bulk of what we normally spend on Christmas will be given to providing water, we will be spending less on gifts so we can give more and in turn love all as a part of our worship for Christ who did the same thing for us. This simply means that instead of giving a toaster to those on our Christmas list, we’ll give something that costs little or nothing but is given from the heart with the one we’re giving to specifically in mind. Who knows, these gifts may even be better than some of the stuff we’ve given in the past.

We are not trying to change what you do for Christmas. The traditions we all love, giving gifts, enjoying family time and celebrating, are all part of God’s design for celebration. We believe this! For this year, and maybe just for this year, we have felt convicted to do things differently. We know that this may be a little “out there”. We’d love for you to understand that this is not something we’re forcing our kids to do. In fact, they were involved in making the decision to do this from the start. We think that through the process of creative planning, the gifts we give will be a lot of fun. We also have special things planned for our Christmas morning that might just make it the most memorable Christmas we’ve ever had. We are excited about doing this as a family!

Are we canceling Christmas? No. Will we still have a Christmas tree? Emphatically, YES! This was one of the mandates from all three kids! :) Will we eliminate all excess in our celebrations? Probably not. Will we judge others for how they choose to celebrate Christmas? Absolutely not. We all enjoy giving and receiving gifts. We’d like to ask you, though, to consider this when you plan your Christmas shopping trip - spend less, or none at all, on the gift you would give to us and give either all cash or a small gift and the rest in cash. Should you decide to “spend less and give more”, we’ll add your money to ours and it will all go to Living Water International.

This may all sound a little forward but we’ve always been told that it never hurts to ask and we really believe in this project and want to make a difference. We know we can’t fix the problem, we just want to help. Each time you take a drink of clean water from the sink in your kitchen that is only steps away, first, be thankful. And second, be thoughtful of how you might join us in this effort. We are looking forward to spending this holiday season with you!

Merry MasCHRIST!! Merry CHRISTmore!! Merry Christmas!!

If it were easy ... Consider Christmas Part 2

You’ve heard of the five love languages right? There are basically five ways that people feel loved and one of the ways I feel love from people is when they spend time with me. So the way we did Christmas last year appealed to me because I got to show people love in the way I feel loved – how selfish is that?

I gave Anna a day at the zoo and it was an amazing day. I gave Tori a concert ticket of her choice and we went and saw Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michelson and others. We had a good time listened to good music. I signed Jakeb and I up for the Hog’s Hunt 25k and we had an awesome time training for and running a race through Huntsville State Park together.

I think the kids enjoyed their gifts from me but I have a feeling I probably got more from my presents to them than they did.

My favorite gift given to me was a Bible. Andrea bought a journal and she and the kids hand wrote some of my favorite passages in it. To know that they took the time to write some of the words I love so much and to know that they know me well enough to know what to write was very meaningful.

It is so easy to break out the credit card or spend some cash to buy those on my Christmas list the latest gadget or a cheese slicer or something. And like Andrea said that is not always wrong. In fact this year we are doing a version of Christmas that looks like what we have always done while being mindful of what we learned last year.

To do Christmas the way we did it last year was hard work but it is a Christmas we will never forget. And even though it seems a bit self-righteous for us to tell you about it, we hope we can help inspire others to do the same and experience Christmas at a different level. It is like someone told us about moving overseas – “if it were easy everyone would be doing it.” It is worth the work.

Consider Christmas

Last year we approached Christmas drastically different than we ever had before. For several years, Tommy and I had been increasingly convicted that what we did for Christmas should be different, less consumeristic and materialistic and more thoughtful, but we never really quite knew what to do with that conviction and how to apply it to us until last year.

We came across Advent Conspiracy and it intrigued us so we dug in. We got the kids together, showed them videos (below) and explained what we'd like to do this year (last year). We wanted to make sure that they were okay with it and wouldn't get to the other side of Christmas and feel like we'd taken Christmas away from them but we wanted to teach them that Christmas can be less focused on "me" and that is the way it should be. We wanted it to be balanced and not just yank the tree skirt out from under them. Our goal was to help us all realize how greedy we are and how all the money we normally spend on often cheesy Christmas gifts could actually help others live - not just have stuff they don't have but to LIVE, survive, breathe another day.

We sought out an organization that we wanted to give to, we made thoughtful gifts or bought them, spending less, some of our gifts involved no money at all but involved lots of thought and time. We sent a letter to our closest family members that we exchange gifts with and asked if they wanted to participate as well. It was honestly the most challenging way we've ever celebrated giving at Christmas but definitely the most fulfilling. I weaved a basket! Tori gave Tommy a breakfast date and me a coffee date, Jakeb painted something for Anna's room, Anna gave me a recipe for ice cream sandwiches (one of her favorites) and all the ingredients along with it so we could make them together. I gave Jakeb a driving trip to Pearland (him driving since he got his permit) with a stop at Starbucks, of course. Tommy made my dad some rockin' glazed and seasoned pecans that we got from our huge Texan-sized pecan trees in our yard. We had such a good time thinking, planning and giving. With what we saved and what family members gave, we were able to give a substantial donation to water projects through Living Water International. We gave the donation online on Christmas morning together as a family. It was pretty cool.

Giving as we did last year opened all of our eyes to how consumeristic we are and honestly, how greedy we are. But it also opened our eyes to how thoughtful we can be and how fun and fulfilling giving can be. It was a great Christmas. We've tweeked it a little for this year but we are still focusing heavily on giving or making gifts that are meaningful. No one is getting a toaster or waffle iron this year. :)

Consider Christmas with us this year as to how you will buy and give. Let me encourage you to plan your budget, write it all down, it's amazing how much money we spend this time of year and most of us don't even know what we've spent until the dust settles. It's not wrong to spend money, we have been blessed and there's nothing wrong with spending but as you consider this over the next few weeks, my guess is that while you're out shopping, you'll see a few things that turn your stomach. We are generally a greedy and materialistic society.

Consider buying meaningful gifts or making them. Even though making a gift often costs the same if not more than buying something, and it takes alot of time, it is a way better gift. Consider buying gifts that help others around the world. Or consider matching what you've budgeted for Christmas with a gift to an organization of your choice.

More than anything, consider Christ this Christmas. I believe He'd say give of yourself everytime. Spend time with those you love. Give memories that won't end up in a storage building or a garage sale next spring.

WOOHOO, WHAT A RIDE!

God gave me several things this morning that made me smile as I started out my day. This was one of those. Thought you might could use a smile today too. I pictured me skidding sideways into Heaven with my arms stretched out in an attempt to balance myself and a big smile on my face. I slide up to meet my Jesus and say, "Hey! I'm here!" :)

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely and in an attractive and well preserved body but rather to skid in sideways - Mocha Latte in one hand, chocolate in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOOHOO, WHAT A RIDE!"

(Thanks, Laurie!)

Real Teachers Have Big Sonic Drinks

Today we had a few interuptions so Anna was finishing up a Science paper at about 5pm while a friend patiently waited and curiously looked around our school room/office. She was pretty impressed that Anna was getting to do school with her skates on and a pixie stix shoved in her mouth. How's that for a couple of homeschool perks?

Anna's friend told me that I should have a big Sonic cup. It puzzled me. She meant that I needed one because that's what all the teachers at her school have on their desks.

Definitely tomorrow! Cause I'm a real teacher too.... the large drink on my desk will finally make it official. It's like I've found the missing link, the last piece to the puzzle!

What a mouthful!

Crunchy, Peanuty, Perfectly Yummy Mouthful!

I LOVE baking over the holiday's!! When it starts to get cold out, I just want to be in the kitchen and forget that anything else exists. I love to bake. Over the past several years, I've sold goodies to help pay for Christmas but this year, I just don't have time this year. I'm narrowing the choices and I'm only going to make peanut brittle this year. I make it the old-fashioned way, no candy thermometer and about 30 minutes of constant stirring. It's my Granny's recipe and I remember her and my mom making it when I was growing up. It's probably my favorite thing to make. While I'm stirring, I get lost in stories and memories and just feel so good when the batch turns out. I'm 2 for 3 so far this season.

Soft, Incredibly Delicious Gingerbread Mouthful!

These cookies are not homemade but they are one of my holiday favorites. I discovered them years ago but I have had trouble finding them over the last couple of years. When I saw them yesterday in Houston, we bought two bags. I was nice and shared a couple with Tommy. They are a soft, mildly flavored gingerbread cookie with a thin, crunchy coating of icing or glaze. Oh my goodness, they are soooo yummy! Perfect with a strong cup of coffee.

A mouthful of Anna!

A friend's dog got a mouthful of Anna's face last night! It's more like a bunch of scratches and her jaw is sore but the prognosis is good. Our friends felt horrible. She was at their Halloween/fall party and they were grilling hot dogs and wings. Anna was trying to hug him while he was working on a bone. Not a good idea. They think the dog was probably a little on edge due to the chaos of kids playing and the smell of meat cooking. Sensory overload, I guess.

I hope your holidays are filled with all sorts of yummy mouthfuls! Try not to eat anyone's face, though, because "that would be canibalism and it is frowned upon in most societies". (Johnny Depp from Charlie & The Chocolate Factory)