In other news...

So here is the news of our lives in a list, to save time on my part and yours:

1. Today is Josh's 38th birthday. I am thankful to celebrate another year with him.

2. Josh is still working, despite the government shutdown. And it seems that he will be able to continue working for now. We are thankful that he still gets a paycheck, but it has been stressful for him to be working with so many off. Since he is a contractor, he would not get paid if he wasn't working. I feel bad for all those who work in the retail stores and restaurants who live paycheck-to-paycheck who are losing hours or being laid off from lack of sales. They will not be receiving any back pay.

3. There have been break ins all over our town. Over 30 houses have been burglarized within a 5 mile radius, 3 in our neighborhood alone. All of these burglaries occurred during the day.  I am more concerned about having them walk in on me or me on them then what they could steal. So last weekend, Josh installed a security system. It only took me two days to accidentally set it off!

4. My sisters and I are planning a 50th wedding anniversary party for my parents. Because the facility where we want to have it was booked up for every date in November and December, except November 9th. So we are having it on November 9th, even though their anniversary is actually on December 23rd. We have less than one month to get it together, but I know my parents will appreciate it in the end. Fifty years of marriage, through good and bad, is definitely something to celebrate.

5. Soccer season is almost over and then Elias will begin basketball. This year, he is moving up to the school league, so he is really excited. He wants to try baseball in the Spring, which we are not looking forward to much, but we want him to have the opportunity if he wants to try it. But Bella wants to take the Spring off of dance and try soccer again - or at least she says she does now. I guess we will see.

6. My favorite show is Psych and we have been trying to wait patiently for the latest season to be put on Netflix. We are beginning to consider buying the season. In the meantime, I have been rewatching the old episodes. (I feel a little sorry for myself that this actually made it into my "news of my life" list!)

7. Elias and Bella are having a pretty good school year. Homework is still painful for everyone involved, but we are managing. Elias is really learning a lot this year and I feel better about where he will be academically when he goes to middle school next year. Bella is trying to appear not as smart as we know she is. We haven't been able to pinpoint why exactly, but it has been a new hurdle this year.

8. We have a bazillion little flies in our house. I have poured boiling water and vinegar and baking soda down my drains to kill their eggs. We have set out vinegar traps. We have swatted them with fly swatters. Still they are buzzing around and landing on any food we leave out on the counters for even a minute. One just flew up my nose and I accidentally sucked it in. It was stuck in that area between my nose and my throat. I tried to blow it out, but it wouldn't come out. The only choice I had was to swallow it the rest of the way down. The sad part is, this is the second time this has happened. These flies must think I have something really inviting up there! Forget stink bugs! These little flies are about to put me in the loony bin!

Wow, that is really the only real news I really have! Of course,15 minutes after I post this, I will think of 20 other things I could have added. But I have to get ready to go have lunch with my birthday boy!