Friday Fave Five - October 22nd

Wow - it seems like forever since I've done a Friday Fave Five!  Glad to be back...  It's simply a way to set aside a few moments, think back over the week, and notice at least 5 things that made you smile.  If you'd like to join in the fun, simply visit Susanne's blog at Living To Tell The Story!

Here goes!

1)  A surprise gift from the hubby.  As we were getting ready to go out Friday night, I noticed a gift bag on our dresser...  When I took a closer look, I realized it was a birthday bag.  So, I was racking my brains to figure out who's birthday I had forgotten... and who the hubby would take the initiative to get a gift for AND put it in a gift bag...  Finally, as we were ready to leave I asked him about it.  He started laughing and said it was for me.  (It was the only gift bag he could find!)  I opened it to find the book, "Huck," about a poodle (I've grown up with poodles), named "Huck" (my maiden name).  The funny part is I told him all about the book based on a TV segment I saw earlier in the day - just moments before he put it on the dresser!  Ha!  Turns out, his mom called him at work, told him to go buy me the book, write a note in it (which he never does!), and take me out to dinner.  Mom and son both got big points that day!  I was smiling all night long!

(You bring me joy every day, too, Babe!)

2)  Going to the Farmers' Market on Saturday... which I haven't done in a few weeks.  Carrying our pumpkins around the market - much to the dismay of every parent of small children that was there.  All of the kids stared and said, "I wanna get a pumpkin!"  And then finding a new little greasy spoon diner for breakfast (The Grandview Grill on Grand Ave.).  A nice little treat on a Saturday morning!

3)  Dinner with Kelsey last Sunday evening.  She's a former youth group student of mine - now in college.  We made the drive to see her dorm room and treat her to dinner while we got caught up on what's going on in her life.  We always have fun with Kelsey - she's funny, smart, caring, and beautiful (inside and out).  She had us go to a burger joint (Milwaukee Burger Co.) where I had my first ever "goober burger" - a hamburger topped with peanut butter, banana, and bacon.  It was actually pretty good!

(The hubby's cheese curd burger...)

(My goober burger...  looks gross, tastes good!)

(Miss Kelsey and I.  Too fun.)

4)  Picking my sister up to surprise my parents.  She got a ride part way home, 2 days earlier than they were expecting her.  So we met her at our favorite restuarant, brought her home to our house for the night, and then I took her to my parents' house the next morning - where my dad got a little surprise with 2 daughters showing up unannounced!  He was happy as can be (and I'm sure Mom was happy, too, when she got home from work and found Kayla at the dinner table)!  It's fun to be in on those surprises...

5)  A silly phone call from one of my best friends - asking if I was free on a Friday night, to come help her with her Halloween costume!  The hubby had left town for the weekend - so of course I was!  I got to play with my god-daughter, chat and laugh with Em, and try to get in touch with my old "artist" days...  I got to do some painting for her costume...  Oh boy.  When her hubby came home, he looked at what we did and said, "Megan, I didn't know you could paint?!"  And I said...  "I didn't either!"  Ha ha ha.  It was a fun night - I hope she wins her costume contest! 

(She has a perfectly round pregnant belly to wrap this artwork over...  She's still adding the animals and other parts - I think she's got this in the bag!)

(I think I can safely post this here - she's going as "Manifest Destiny."  She's a  social studies teacher - can you tell?  We were trying to recreate this painting...  She's going to be the lady-in-white - the rest will be on the apron.  Love it.)

I hope you all had - and have - a wonder-filled week this week!  Be sure to take some time to laugh! 

Things I am thankful for today:

1.  A lazy morning.  Man, did that feel good!
2.  I constantly type "god" when I mean to type "good".  It could be a "God" thing!   Ha ha ha.
3.  The hubby coming home for lunch before he left town.
4.  A little fall shopping - and great sales!
5.  Emptying my mailbox after two weeks of not getting the mail...  Oops.
6.  Getting my haircut - FINALLY!
7.  Playing kickball with Elly...  and her constantly telling me "almost!"
8.  Chocolate chip cookies with Em.
9.  Finally talking to my sister "from Alaska" - as she has started reminding me in her messages - on the phone.  Very nice to hear her voice!
10.  Watching a movie in bed as I snuggled in with the pup.  A nice way to end the day.
11.  Bailey decided to share her favorite place in the house with her favorite toy.  I came downstairs, and this is what I saw:

(Eeyore got the perfect sunspot, look-out spot, for the day.  How cute!)