Mon-day Fun-Day

I am struggling with the American Red Cross online training website right now, so while I wait for it to work itself out and allow me to sign on, I thought I would do a little writing.
First of all, it's 45 degrees out right now. Sickeningly enough, I am delighted. It's almost October and I am ready for fall weather- crunchy leaves, sweatshirts and jeans, warm afternoons and chilly mornings and nights. It just puts me in a good mood. I really love summer too, but fall to me symbolizes school, good smells, and rosy cheeks. I have two tiny pumpkins sitting next to me on the kitchen table right now but I think I'm going to have to get a few big ones to carve and leave on the porch. I hope we get trick-or-treaters here!
Ok, now for a weekend re-cap (those are my favorite): Friday instead of indulging in wine on a date with myself, I wound up studying at Starbucks. I knew I would not enjoy relaxing if I wasn't feeling ready for my quiz on Saturday. So I cranked out some work for a few hours and then headed over to the mall to buy myself some new running shoes. This was a very big splurge, but I decided that since my feet felt like they were running on pancakes, it was time. I also bought myself an awesome new shirt that just says Man Up. on the front. When I told my mom and sisters about this, they teased me and said they were surprised I would buy such a sexist shirt. They know I am a raging feminist and love to give me a hard time about it. I half-jokingly said I should tape a (WO) in front of the Man. It might be hilarious... annnnnd I think I might do it. Why do people plant these ideas in my head???? Also, please insert note here: Ryan did offer another option for the me and myself date night which was to be the duster at his apartment while he and Amy cleaned. As fun as that sounded, I didn't want to intrude.
Moving right along to Saturday... OHHHH Saturday. It felt like a scene out of Julie and Julia. You know, the book/movie about the girl who tries to cook and just ends up cursing a lot?? Well, after studying all morning and taking my quiz, Chris and I decided to be fancy and try our new ice cream maker. Mer and Sam's housewarming party was Saturday night and we had high hopes of bringing homemade pie, ice cream, and guacamole to the house. There are two problems with Chris and I cooking/baking together under time constraints: 1) He is meticulous and I am impatient. This means that not only do we not make deadlines, things are also done incorrectly. 2) Both of us are perfectionists and want everything to come out perfectly even when we are slow, impatient, or not sure of what the hell it is we're doing. So I started off by throwing all the ingredients together and heating them in the saucepan.... then immediately transferred the mix to the semi-frozen bowl that goes inside the ice cream maker... then plopped said bowl in the freezer. Now, common sense suggests that the purpose of the ice cream maker is that you take the bowl and put it in the machine and turn it on. But apparently I'm too colonial to see that. Chris called me on it and I annoyingly told him he could finish because apparently I wasn't born to cook (this was also frustration inspired by remnants of an earlier conversation, not with Chris, which got me on a tirade... but that is not something I need to go into detail about here). So anyway, he worked on finishing our project while I worked on the apple pie. A few minutes later, we checked and the ice cream wasn't doing ANYTHING. It was just soup. I groaned and said, FORGET IT, whatever. And Chris tried to be nice and say it was OK... and then three minutes later, he looked at it again and ended up right there with me cursing in the kitchen. The pie got put in the oven and I showered and spent five minutes being pissed off at my hair because it's long and sheds and doesn't ever look nice like other people's... and this is not something I am normally mad about or care about but alas, I was in just the right mood to whine. I went back downstairs to check on the pie and of course the edges were starting to burn so I tried to finagle some tinfoil over the top (which is not easy and resulted in a few painful moments). Meanwhile, Chris started asking me questions about something else and I snapped and said, "I'm gonna burn myself! And I don't know what I'm doing anyway! So why are you asking me?" I shoved the pie back in the oven and we decided to get some dishes done. Three dishes in, Chris ended up with water all down the front of his pants and just stopped dead in his tracks. Well, that was all it took... I put my head on the counter and burst out laughing. I finally just looked at him, barely able to breathe and was like, "Ok. This is just comical now. Look at us." So he ran off to change his clothes, I finished the dishes extraordinarily half-assed and we jumped into the car JUST IN TIME. We drove to the house blasting Linkin Park. Enough said.
The house party was a blast... good food, good drinks, Sam running with a firey log that had to be lit inside because the wind was too strong.... you know, just another normal night in Noblesville (woah, alliteration). There was a great turn out and we ended up staying til about 1 in the morning.... what wild kids we are.
Sunday was... calmer? Hahah.... Yes, calmer. We went to Target for ingredients for baked mac and cheese (MMMMM) and re-did the ice cream (it came out AWESOME). We also did a little shopping at Old Navy ANNNNNNNNNND went to the Apple Store at Conner Prairie with Mer and Sam. We went in hungry and left with two cider donuts, a caramel apple, rock candy, tomato/basil bisque mix, and a biscuit mix. MMM MMM MMM (remember that healthy eating plan??? Yep, we will start fresh again today). Once home, we made the baked mac and cheese and oh my god, it was to DIE for. Then Chris studied, I attempted to learn more chords on the guitar, and we both spent a few hours watching House reruns. All in all a good weekend :)
Let's see anything else to report? You're probably totally done with reading right now. I am very long-winded, a pompous windbag as 5 year old Kristen would say. Off to master Stats (kill me), nanny, and run (yes, run, it will happen).
Lots of love!
xoxo