My cousin and his wife, Megan, are expecting a baby in September. Anna and I were invited to the baby shower this weekend. However, Anna got a better offer -- a birthday party at the bowling alley. Her reaction?

"Tell Megan hi...and good luck!"

Out of the mouths of babes...

In other news, I am sooo close to buying a laptop. I have found one that seems to have everything I want and more, and it is a very reasonable price. While I have been researching this particular purchase for a while, I still didn't want to make a hasty purchase -- it wasn't a brand I had reviewed very often. Since this particular computer will be on sale a few more days and they have 3 or 4 in stock, I'm planning to return to the store to buy it either tomorrow or Saturday.

My two youngest are staying at the grandparents tonight, so because I miss my babies (it's very strange only having two self-sufficient children in the house):

Close friends and family will tell you there are not many candy bars I don't like. When D and I were playing our version of the newlywed game with the class of nearly newlyweds we were teaching at church, D was asked what kind of candy I like. He, of course, said any candy and got it right.

The exceptions are Three Musketeers, Mars Bar and Milky Way. I've got to have some crunch in my candy bar -- nuts, cookie center, wafer, butterfinger, etc. Today I have found a new fave. PayDay is a good go-to bar when you want something sweet but without chocolate (which is very rare in my life). However, there is the new and improved PayDay Chocolatey Avalanche -- chocolatey covered peanut caramel bar. I haven't eaten the entire bar yet, but I can already tell I will be disappointed if the makers of PayDay take it off the market after a while.

It obviously has all the necessary ingredients for a great candy bar -- nuts, caramel and chocolate. I'm not ready to replace Kit Kat, Snickers or Twix, but I'm more than happy to add PayDay Avalanche to the rotation.

I love most musical theatre. Tonight D and I went to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Honestly, I love the MGM version more, but I did enjoy the stage version. Plus, we went with another couple that have nothing to do with our kids.

At this stage in our lives, it's not often that we have the opportunity to socialize with people we did not meet through our childrens' activities or school. We visit with people in our class at church, but we're all so busy with other things that we don't get together often.

It reminds me of a Seinfeld monologue where he says as an adult you don't add any friends to your life -- you're not taking applications. This is very different from when you were a kid and anyone you find a very remote connection to can be your best friend.

The couple with had dinner with tonight shares an interest in theatre, although the woman is not a fan of musical theatre. Fortunately, she is interested in a musical show every now and then. We are already talking about hitting some of the major productions this fall, two of which run during her birthday and then during mine. Perfect timing.

I am having leftovers for lunch for the third consecutive day. For those who know me, they understand how amazing this is because I do not usually eat leftovers. What is even crazier is that it is the same thing -- remains of a pasta bake dish we had earlier this week. Just to clarify -- I'm not against leftovers. I'm just particular about what the food is. I will eat leftover soup, casseroles and sometimes pizza. Other than that, forget it, especially if the food is more than a few days old. Now to enjoy my pasta for the fourth time this week.

I hope to finally get that laptop I have wanted for so long. A former co-worker and her partner, who design Web sites, have asked me to do some freelance writing for a client. They have said that they expect to have more clients in need of a copywriter, so that will be some nice extra money coming in.

Now if D's work situation will get resolved so he is actually paid what he was promised, we might actually have a shot at putting a dent in our debt -- at least after we get the kids back in school. School supplies x 3, lunch money x 2, Spirit Day money x 2, one school t-shirt and one new backpack = a nice chunk of change. However, that's a small price to pay to put some structure back in the kids' lives.

As long as Anna keeps this perspective, we shouldn't have a lot of boyfriend problems. Last night at the store she and I had this little exchange:

Anna: I can see that guy's underwear! (There was no way you could miss it.)
Me: Don't look.
Anna: That is horrifying.

A week and a half since the last post? That's pretty pathetic. I don't really have any good excuses -- except I've had a few migraines lately. Actually, house hunting online and in person took up a lot of time last week. However, the most exciting news I have is that we found a house for my brother to buy, and the seller accepted our offer.

My parents and I spent Friday morning looking at several houses. One looked like a paint store exploded. I'm very surprised they have not painted at least some of the rooms since I'm pretty sure they really need to sell. But not only is the paint color an obstacle, but the price is strangely high. Yes, it's a four bedroom with good square footage, and yes, it has a huge backyard, but they are asking almost $20,000 more than comparable homes. It doesn't make sense.

Anyway, the second house we looked at was the one we made an offer on. It has four bedrooms, but all of the rooms except the master are pretty small. But the kitchen is very spacious with a nice wide bar that will be perfect for family dinners. Even better, the back patio is covered and faces the east, so the folks should be able to spend some quiet evenings enjoying the backyard.

I think the folks will use it as a part-time home for now. We'll see how well Dad can manage living even temporarily away from our hometown. Even though he retired a few years ago, he still works for the new owner. That seems to be common in that side of the family -- I've had several aunts and uncles who "retire" but still work in some capacity for their old employer. I plan to avoid that impulse.

House hunting has been very interesting. It has also given me a strong desire (even though I have no money) to update areas of the house. My plan is to make a list of things that need to be done, and try to complete one project each year as money permits.

Even though I've looked at a few homes that were very tempting to buy for my own family, at the end of the day, I still feel very confident that we are making the right decision to stay where we are. I know it will pay off in the long run.

I'm signing off for now. I should be able to post again soon since there are some other interesting developments in other areas of my life.