We had a *stack* of people over here on Sunday night. 25 or so. This get-together accomplished two purposes: 1) it was our 2nd annual pumpkin-carving extravaganza with the Gardners (and expanded to friends and family from all over), and 2) it was a great opportunity to show off our house, to give everyone the “tour” at once. =)

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, so I won’t spend time talking about the shindig. (I disagree with that saying, by the way.) Here are some photos:

The first bunch

 
Trogdor rage (he did a Trogdor pumpkin)

 
Racoon rage?  (she did a racoon pumpkin)

 
one of my favorite pictures.  this is one NEAT kid.

 
Robin’s yuck-this-is-gross face

 
mmm…  this was Rosita’s (left) first pumpkin carving experience.

 
Trogdor and Rather Dashing

 
my very favorite pumpkin design – James’ Zim and Gir.  isn’t this amazing?!

 
Most of us.  Check out James’ head (on the coffee table)!

There was a big earthquake on the Big Island of Hawaii today – my family felt it on O’ahu.  They’re staying at Bellows this weekend, which has cabins literally on the beach.  They were in their cabin when the earthquake hit – Mom said they all ran for the same doorway and had a collision.  =)  After the shake stopped, they ran out to the car…  their first thought was big earthquake = tsunami.

No tsunami actually came, but the quake shook some gas pipes loose on the base.  They can’t get back in to get their stuff – and they can’t get back in to have my Dad’s birthday party with their friends.  But hey – they’re all still alive, and no loss of life has been recorded as a result of this 6.6 quake!  Since they can’t get back onto the base, they’re going over to Debbie’s – Mom said she and her kids were a little shaken by the earthquake (who wouldn’t be, on an island after the 2004 tsunami in east Asia?).

No earthquakes here in Indy – just a long, long 24 hours.  =)  Our Saturday/Sunday schedule (this isn’t even much crazier than a typical day for us!):

SATURDAY
7:30am-8am – prayer meeting at church
8:15am-9:30am – breakfast with church folks
9:30am-11am – work day at church (we raked and raked and raked leaves and acorns)
11-12 – shower and dress
12-12:45 – drive to Anderson
12:45-2 – lunch with Dave’s family
2-5 – errands
5-5:45 – free time
5:45-6:45 – meeting with contractor who’s going to do some work on our house
6:45-7:00 – dinner
7:00-1:30am – chaperone youth lock-in at church (we left when they went to sleep)

SUNDAY
8am-8:15 – prayer meeting
8:15-8:45 – serve breakfast to the kids & clean kitchen
8:45-9:30 – shower & dress
9:30-12:30 – Sunday school and church
12:30-2 – prepare, serve and clean up after youth-hosted lunch for entire church
2-4 – crash HARD (2 hour nap)
4-5 – stumble around waking up
5-6:30 – choir practice
6:30-7 – wash dishes left over from church lunch

This kind of schedule is why we’ve been so exhausted.  =)  It was a good couple of days, though – I had a great time with the Mead kids at the lock-in, and I always enjoy the folks at church.  As hard a day as today was, it’s nice actually serving.  Sometimes I feel like I just exist – I go to church meetings, but that’s it.  Today, we were USEFUL.  =)

What a week! These past couple months might be the busiest I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something, considering my propensity to overcommit…

Even the weekends aren’t really relaxing. This Saturday, we spent the day driving to Shawn’s new place, helping him move into his new place, and driving back from his new place. We were exhausted when we got home, so we pretty much just crashed.

Yesterday, Sunday, I had to prepare communion during the first part of Sunday school, go to the quickie choir rehearsal before church started, put together two huge pans of baked beans for our after-church cookout (which I was in charge of organizing) and throw them in the oven during the beginning of the service, rush back in for the anthem (the choir part of the service), then leave the service right after communion to copy maps for folks driving to the cookout. Then I spent the afternoon being in charge of the cookout – setup, clean-up, what goes where, when things happened, etc. – and taking pictures for the website. I found time, though, to play a couple of rounds of Ultimate with the boys. =)

Today, I should be working. After all, I only get paid for the hours I work (unlike some other employed folk who get paid for being sick, for going on vacation, and for not working on federal holidays). I just can’t seem to get around to it, though. This morning, I’ve been doing things that need to get done – like dishes, fixing some things online, and updating the church website. I don’t really feel badly about it – I’ll get some work in, though not a whole day – and I get to relax a little. I’ve been feeling more and more like I need a break – there’s only so much doing and doing you can take before you have to rest.