a “what’s” sort of day

with the scale tipping towards the “what’s not” lately, it is great to be able to share my “what’s” sort of day.  it started early, as my youngest and i headed out for morning haircuts and breakfast.  i can’t remember exactly when i changed, and began frequenting dan’s barber shop, but it has been a gift from God since.  i love the whole barber shop experience, but i love ms. cindy even more.  she is a bright and beautiful soul that has been heaven sent.

after we finished at dan’s, connor chose bob evans as our breakfast destination.  i love spending time with my little guy.  he is 100% genuine, 100% of the time, and we have such a great time running around town.  i decided while we sat and talked, that i was going to finally follow through on my promise to kristyn so many moons ago, and finish off the door opening to her craft room, and trim the basement facing side of her basement office door.  so after finishing our pancakes and sausage omelet, connor and i headed to home depot.

we returned home around 10:30, and i got to work ripping and cross cutting, and nailing.  first the 1X6 pine boards were ripped to the correct width, cut and nailed into place to trim the craft door opening.  then the pre-primed door casing was cut and affixed, using the second love of my life, my air powered brad nailer.  God was very gracious, as i encountered no hiccups or unforeseen issues, and completed the job right on schedule.  i say schedule, because i had another major job to complete today before the sun went down … carve halloween pumpkins.  trick-or-treat starts at 6pm in these parts, and i needed some additional prep time to correctly arrange the pumpkins, electrify them, and accent the pumpkin arrangement with candy corn light strings.

after a full cleanup effort from my trim out project, i got to work scraping out and carving the four pumpkins we bought at the coolest pumpkin patch last weekend in ohio.  there was one special pumpkin, for a special little guy, that got a little extra special attention.  the title picture of this post is the pumpkin we call, “spookley”.  connor used some birthday money last weekend at target to buy a dvd, based on a children’s book called, “spookley, the square pumpkin”.  after watching the dvd on the way to the pumpkin patch, connor began the patch search looking for a “spookley” pumpkin.  it took a little extra time and effort, but i was able to find a close-to-perfect shaped “spookley”.  connor and i went internet searching this morning for an image that would give me the proper inspiration for an appropriate “spookley” carve.  it didn’t take long to find one, and with a little creative carving license and flair, i think i pulled it off.

i finished the four pumpkins right about on time, got them arranged, and then inside to get bundled up to take connor out trick-or-treating.  i have learned to love halloween.  i have such a good time carving, arranging and changing it up just a little every year.  and i love the fire pits, and myriad of carved designs, and walking with a group of neighbors.  it sounds odd to say, but this is one of the only times during the year that we are all out at the same time.

tonight was a prototypical michigan fall evening, and perfect for trick-or-treating.  cool, a little windy, and piles and piles of fallen leaves.  we were out for almost the full two hours, and had a great time walking, visiting and laughing.  when we got home, connor went in the house to take inventory of his sugary loot, and i sat out with kristyn.  what a great night, what a great day!

the gray lining on this otherwise golden day, was spencer having a fever.  it broke quick, and just in time to keep him from a much anticipated visit to a friends house to trick-or-treat with a big group, and then go back to that friends house for hot dogs, chili, nachos, donuts and games.  he was so looking forward to going, and wearing his perfect michael jackson costume.  i feel SO bad for him.  kristyn cared so well for him, and he is resting quietly now.  please pray for our big man, and for kristyn who feels a little warm now.

thanks for sharing in my “what’s” sort of day.