It's Like Halloween Around Here!

The best part about Jeff getting home safe and sound Sunday night was seeing our youngest son's delight at finally getting to see his daddy again. Four days without your daddy is a long time when you're 2 1/2!

I was also considerably relieved that all the worst-case-scenarios I had conjured up in my stuffed up head were all for naught, and that his plane did not crash leaving me a young widow with two children to raise on my own.

But the next best thing was when Jeff dumped out all of the loot he brought home with him from the conference all over our round kitchen table. And there was a lot. The boys went berserk. Jericho and Judah were in the thick of things snatching items for themselves um, generously dividing up the goods.

Now this stuff that might not seem like much to some, but it was all free, most of it useful, and the reps from various educational organizations kept shoving it at my husband, so he kept taking it. And did I mention it was all free?

Among the spoils:

• Several highlighter pens in every available color (always useful for Bible study)


• A black tote bag (can you ever have enough of these with children?)


• A bright red backpack, which Judah laid claim to immediately (after playing with the highlighters)

• Lots of pens in various shapes and sizes, enough to fill a gallon ziploc bag.

• Three bright red foam apples. My first thought after seeing these was that they had to take the cake for being the stupidest gimmick from the conference. However, one minute later I quickly changed my mind, because being somewhat 'Nerf-like', it was discovered they can be used to safely play catch indoors. But Jericho found the best use of all for them:

• Some novelty light-up LED necklaces


• Several picture books of animals and a book about the State Capitol


• Enough note pads for even my compulsive list-making needs for the next year.


• A beautiful stainless steel insulated coffee mug that will fit in my console in the car.

But my favorite items of all?

A ginormous stack of Post It Notes!

I kid you not, if Jeff would have offered me my choice between a box of fine French truffles or a stack of Post It note pads, I'd have taken the latter. And that's saying something, because I do love fine French truffles. Thank you, Jeff!

And now, with a nearly endless supply...I don't have to resort to rationing them any more. I can use them for whatever my heart desires! Woo hoo!

Ahem, I know that perhaps this might seem a bit weird to you all, so I won't even get started on my collection of bread bag tabs.

Or the fact that my friend Chrissy even saves hers for me. Because one day...one day I'm going to make a magnificent work of art, my magnum opus, entirely out of these recyclables. (I'm hoping that will, you know, help to relieve some of the guilt caused by the numerous trees that were sacrificed to support my copious Post It Note habit)...but that's a post for another day.