The Pumpkin Workout?

OK, this is hysterical. I was searching for a clip from It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown to share for today and stumbled on this which I find to be very hilarious and quite seasonally appropriate. So for those of you that end up eating too much Halloween candy, here's the workout for you. Diggin' the cheesy music too! Ha!

Happy Haunting!

Happy haunting, baking, recovering, raking, trick or treating, and partaking this weekend!

New Amy's Favorite

We tried this new Amy's meal a short time ago and both Cop Dad and I really like it a lot. It's vegetarian but not vegan due to the cheese. I prefer to heat up one of these than many of the other frozen meals I see at the store since I have been cooking and baking less in these late days of pregnancy. Even "Meat and Potatoes" Cop Dad digs 'em. We were stuck on Amy's Black Bean Enchilada Meals for the longest time but now these are our favorite. It is always sure to perk some interest and skepticism in the lunchroom at the PD as well when I send them in Cop Dad's lunch. Then when the smell fills the lunchroom and Cop Dad starts eating, usually several other fellow cops are saying how good it smells and looks. These are lightly coated with a tomatillo verde sauce which has a slightly tangy taste. If you are not a fan of tomatillo's, then perhaps you'd like to try a different Amy's selection. Have any favorite Amy's meals?

From One LEO Wife To Another

This little pig flying pocket stone was just gifted to me from another LEO wife I know. Ever receive any "unique" gifts because you are a cop's wife?

FTO Training, Day Two

So Cop Dad made it to FTO training this week. This is day two and goes through Friday. Months ago he put in for FTO, then they gave him ET and DTI. He was flattered but then in the few months during and right before a new baby is coming from a high risk pregnancy, it has been a lot extra for him to stress about. So, he is traveling 40 miles each way every day for the training. Not a biggie but when your pregnant wife is about to pop and having lots of cramps and contractions, being an extra 40 miles away does not help. Anyway, we did not think we would make it this far. I have a very small, misshapen (bicornuate, or heart shaped) uterus that barely held a much smaller Little Buddy only 36 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours and 45 minutes last pregnancy. This baby is VERY, VERY BIG already passed up Little Buddy's size from the last pregnancy, weeks ago. This baby is also transverse (or completely sideways) and is already over seven pounds, so you can imagine how very comfortable I am. I'm literally ALL stomach. I am only 5' 3" and look like I'm carrying multiples or something. Really I think it looks pretty bizarre and wherever I go I get lots of stares and even some pointing too. Here comes the circus side show. lol Seriously though, getting tired of all the gawking wherever I go. Then add in the fact that I have to make several pathetic attempts to get up or bend over for things and you can imagine how hilarious I must look. We even went to the movie on date night and a group of obnoxious teenagers were pointing and laughing and walking past me with their arms hooped out in front of them and waddling. Honestly, were they born under a rock? I guess, it's just cause I'm otherwise so small and the stomach is so, N-E-V-E-R-E-N-D-I-N-G. I tried to explain to Cop dad the other day that it feels like someone surgically implanted a watermelon SIDEWAYS in me. Weird, I wonder what normal women feel like this late in pregnancy when the baby goes head down and drops into the pelvis. I try not to dwell on it but imagine how much more comfortable it must be than this.

OK, so we have pretty much everything ready: bags packed, stocked diaper/overnight bag for Little Buddy in case we have to dump him at Grandma's apartment, teeny diapers, everyone on standby too. AND yes, I keep getting house cleaned and ready every night so it is not a disaster for whoever comes here to watch Little Buddy and Psycho Dog during my 4-5 day hospital stay. Grandparents all have Little Buddy/Psycho Dog/House instructions. I am still under close observation with the Maternal Fetal Medicine Department at the hospital and also have been going to the OB weekly for the last several weeks for NST (non stress testing) as well as cervix check and regular OB appointment too. I'm truly glad for all the modern medicine and technology but so tired of all the appointments and poking and prodding and monitoring and running around. Really feeling grateful for all the very caring and helpful family and grandparents so close by and always willing to help. Thankful too for a very involved Cop Dad who has been very with me to nearly every single appointment even though it gets him all worked up and stressed out when we have left some of the more questionable appointments. He has been there every step of the way and truly cares what's going on. PLUS, most of the time he has been very helpful around the house and with Little Buddy despite all his weird hours with training and work and side jobs. I talk to some women and well, I have it pretty good in that area from what I hear. This year has been though almost the breaking point in our marriage. Though I think it was a good thing in that our marriage is better now than it has been in years. It has been lots of work and counseling and fighting and figuring stuff out as far as what works and what must give and so on for it to work. I don't know if it's such a struggle for most cops to not be so angry, stressed, mean, detached and negative especially at home but it seems that I hear more LEOW's admit it more and more. It has been worlds better lately and that's what counts.

So FTO training ends on Friday and there is no more training (ET) until December which should conveniently sandwich Cop Dad's baby leave without missing a beat. OY! In the meantime, Cop Dad has been shopping around and researching flat screen TV's in his spare time. We HAVE a TV but it is old and humongous and "old school." So Cop Dad wants to spend his upcoming FTO check on it and as much as I think it's frivolous, so what. He has busted his ass this year for everything and we are not the keep up with the Jones's type of people at all and seldom if ever make big purchases like this unless something breaks. He has agreed to spend a lower amount so we can get a new railing for our front porch (the old one rusted through at the base and snapped off), a new larger area rug for our living room (old one is falling apart and small), then use our income tax this spring for a new driveway which is all a crumble and cracked and sinking too. All without any credit or financing use, thank God.

Now we are just hoping to make it through the week for FTO training and also for Little Buddy's Halloween. Then whatever happens, happens cause I am so done, I'll need a wheelbarrow soon to cart this stomach around. Ha! We are anonymous on our blog but will gladly e-mail the birth announcement to any of you that I have your e-mails. Feel free to comment it and I will delete and not post so no trolls get it.

Yum, Have You Tried This Yet?

We are huge fans of Panera and eat there all the time. Even though it's a little bit pricier than other fast food restaurants it is more wholesome and healthy (for the most part). I have so many favorites there I could go one forever but recently, since conceiving, I found a new heavenly breakfast sandwich that is incredible. It is called the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Grilled Breakfast Sandwich. They use a crusty ciabatta and insert a slice of white cheddar, egg, and bacon. Then they put it on the panini press. Oh my. So good. If you like breakfast sandwiches, this is one you have to try. They also have other's to pick from as well. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to have one some mornings during this pregnancy. Deeeeee-lish!!!

Daily Funny

As a mother, I often find myself saying the oddest things. Like they aren't odd in meaning but they sound wrong. I am completely sure other mothers out there know what I mean when I say this. Today, I went to the grocery store alone (hallelujah!) to pick up a few things. Cop Dad and Little Buddy picked up dog food at the pet store and then ate lunch at home together. Upon returning home, Cop Dad assure me that Little Buddy ate and was not hungry anymore. Ha! Not sure what it is about mommy, but I always make the kid demand food the minute he sees me.

Little Buddy: Hiiiiiiiiiii! Mommy!

Me: Hi Little Buddy! I missed you, were you a good boy?

Little Buddy: Yes mommy.

Me: Were you a good boy for daddy?

Little Buddy: Yes, good boy. Cheese please mommy! Cheese please mommy! Cheese please mommy!

Me: You want cheese? Just a minute. (Then I headed to the sink to wash my grubby grocery store hands so I could get him some cheese).

Little Buddy: (He walks over to the sink and looks up at me and at my hands as I wash them). Mommy, what doing?

Me: I am washing my hands so that I can cut the cheese for you. (Chuckle quietly to myself).

I don't think it's hysterical really but some times the words just come out of my mouth and make complete sense but really sound either bad or funny. Sometimes, Little Buddy insists on me playing with him and I have something to do. Then he says, "Mommy play with me!" To which I have often remarked quite plainly, "No, you go play with yourself for a little while and I'll play with you later." Not sure if I many of you experience this often or it makes you laugh but when I have mentioned it to my mom friends they laugh and admit it happens to them all the time. Guess, it's all we moms have to amuse ourselves sometimes. Ain't motherhood grand?

Daily Inspiration

Car Collection

Cop Daddy had the idea the other day to get all of Little Buddy's cars (and things that go) together and set them all up. Then I thought of taking a picture of Little Buddy with his collection. I guess our local library had a little boys car collection which was a fraction of this one, and of course, Cop Dad said we could beat it with what we had. So a digging we went all over the house, into the car and through mommy's purse, into the diaper bag and then under all the furniture in the house with Cop Daddy's new special strobe flashlight. I can not believe how many cars we have! We even have some that are left at grandparents houses too! We are trying to have fun around the house before baby comes. H1N1 is rampant around us and we are trying to avoid indoor kid places (germ pits) so that we don't all get sick right before the baby comes plus it is cold and rainy here and we are kind of limited as far as activities.

Ooh, Mrs. Officer just gave me the idea to have a family movie night. So we will be renting Kung Fu Panda and ordering a large thin crust cheese pizza from a local pizza place. No side jobs for Cop Daddy tonight . . . . . . . . LIFE IS GOOD :)

Ode To Pregnancy

Egg releasing, sperm reaching,
Period missing, Daddy kissing,
Bosom swelling, tears welling,
Face glowing, vomit flowing,
Appetite increasing, coffee ceasing,
Breasts sinking, no drinking,
Cells splitting, clothes not-fitting,
Fetus tumbling, tummy rumbling,
Belly expanding, hard standing,
Belly button popping, bits dropping,
Lungs wheezing, stomach squeezing,
Ankles puffing, breath huffing,
Brain exploding, life imploding.
Thoughts wondering, mind wandering,
Name thinking, time shrinking,
Breasts dripping, scales tipping,
Blood racing, muscles bracing,
Clock ticking, baby kicking,
Baby urging, hormones surging,
Labor pending, pregnancy ending,
Heart drumming, contractions coming,
Pain searing, faces peering,
Mummy screaming, tears streaming,
Baby loading, bum exploding,
PUSH, PUSH, PUSH.

~ Karen Peradon-Alaga

Sending Goodies To Roll Call

I've been sending goodies to work for my husband and the guys (and girls) in roll call. Today I picked up a bag of Reese's Sticks. Last week I sent homemade pumpkin nut bread. The week before I sent zucchini bread. I have also sent brownies, chocolate chip bars, and peanut butter cookies. I enjoy baking and almost never buy junk food so when I want something, I make it but just eat some and send the rest to the station. Usually, the guys go nuts for the treats. Seems that most of the wives work or only send stuff once in a blue moon. Just curious if you ever send goodies to work for your hubby and the guys in roll call? Or does your wife make stuff for you to bring? Just curious. Figure that once the baby comes, there will be a treat drought for some time so I'm going nuts doing it now :)

Toyota Prius Commercial

I don't really know what it is about these Toyota Prius commercials but I am mesmorized by them whenever they are on. I love all the brightly colored costumes and all the people that make up the scenery. I think it kind of reminds me of scenes from The Wizard of Oz possibly? Anyway, I like to post creative or interesting commercials from time to time. There are alot of bad commercials out there both on tv and radio so when I spot a good one I like to share it. Do you have any favorite commercials or commercials that you can't stand?

Proud Of My Big Sister

Just wanted to mention how proud I am of my big sister in a post. My big sister and only sibling, started her family and got married right away. She was able to stay home with her kids and raise them and support her husband as he furthered his electrical career while she took care of the house/home/children. She stayed home for 17 years. In those same years, I wanted to do the opposite and so I went to college, partied, traveled, worked every place under the sun to put myself through college, etc. Then I met my now husband, we worked in our careers, bought a house, remodeled it from roof to foundation, got a dog (which WAS our baby until we had a baby), traveled some more and really enjoyed ourselves for awhile. All this time my sister was still taking care of her family. Then about the same time our lives took a total switch. My sisters kids were getting older and I was pregnant and about to become a stay-at-home-mom. She was taking classes in junior college and about to start the nursing program to become a nurse. Since that time, she finished her nursing degree, all while still taking care of her house and family and kids who were in middle and high school on the side. OY! I could not have done that. On one hand I was glad that I got all my schooling out of the way before starting my family, but on the other hand I was amazed that she was able to do hers with a husband/house and kids too! Not that it was a joyous cake walk for her, it made things so much harder BUT she did it. We just attended her graduation this spring just weeks before her daughter graduated from high school AND her son graduated from middle school!!!

With the current state of the economy, it was hard for most graduates to find a job. Pickings were slim if there were any. She did end up finding a job at a brand new assisted living place (a mansion) with less than 5 patients on the midnight shift. Needless to say, as the patients slept, she was bored out of her mind. She wanted to get into a hospital ER and experience all the action. Nobody was hiring and if they were, it was not new grads. THEN, one day she told me that she found a big hospital that had an opening on the med-surge floor. She interviewed and GOT THE JOB! She had some tests to take to get her RN before they officially hired her. Then she aced those (of course) and got hired. She loves it! There is so much to learn on the job even after all that schooling.

You know, I never doubted that she could do it but knew that it would be so hard for her to do with a family. I struggled going to college with no family. She did it though. And to be quite honest she did it well. She got really good grades, she was always VERY good in school. I never was unless it had to do with art. Oh, and there is no way I could ever be a nurse. Kudos to her for that. I cannot imagine taking care of people that were sick or dying. I am wayyyyyy too emotional. AND ooooooh, some of the things she has told me about that she has to deal with. Gross! Another reason she is the nurse of the family and I went to art school. I could never deal with all the blood and guts of that type of job. I am very proud of her and she amazes me. I really never knew if she would go back to school or what she would end up doing after staying home all those years. She did it and I love her!

Books, Baskets, & Boys Shirts

Just picked up these finds this morning at the local Salvation Army Store. I actually got to go by myself :) Hurrah! It is impossible to thrift shop with a 2-year-old, at least mine anyway. I snagged 5 very cute boys shirts, 3 baskets that I like to use for toys and books around the house, and 17 children's books (25 cents each, thank you very much) all for under $23. Ahhhh, I love thrifting! OK, must go eat and put my feet up :) Find any fabulous goodies lately? Thrifting, garage saling, clearance racks?

Paranormal Activity

If you like scary movies, this is a movie to see. We LOVE scary movies and Cop Dad and I went to see this after eating Japanese last night for our anniversary celebration. Whoa! There was no way I was going to let him stop holding my hand. I can honestly say that he was jumping as much if not more than I was. Also, I was squeezing his hand so hard that I could feel his finger tips pulsing from being squeezed too hard. Very, very, scary!

Take a whiff, officer, . . . . . .

An Award Post In Which I Share 7 Things About Moi

I just received this award from my pal Martha over at A Sense Of Humor Is Essential. She is a nurse out in Cali and is a very wise, kind, sweet, funny, and fabulous blogger I know. Guess she thinks I'm kreativ or something?

Before I get started with the facts about me (yawn), I would like to thank her for the award and always keeping up with my posts and keeping me laughing with her Loser Letters. Seriously CANNOT wait for the next Loser Letters post. They have nearly made me pee my pants a few times. Also, she is always going to the most interesting places and talks about some of the most hilarious and neat things. Really, I value her as a blog pal. Hope you know that Martha :)

Anyway, I guess I should now share 7 things about myself. OK, I think most of you are up to date with all that is current in my life so maybe I should make a list of 7 things you most likely do NOT know about me to keep you from falling asleep and hitting your head on the keyboard.

1) Before I became a stay at home mom and cops wife, I went to art school and received 2 degrees. Then I was in publishing for 6 years and worked as a graphic designer designing ads, page layout, marketing pieces and such for magazines, newspapers, special publications as well as the Internet.

2) Neither my husband or myself drink. Wayyyyyyy back in the good ol' days he had issues with it and I was not much of a drinker so when he gave it up, so did I. I really do not miss it, though I wish people were more accepting of it. Living a sober life can be a very lonely road. We don't mind hanging out with folks who like to partake occasionally. It bothers most people that we don't drink more than it bothers us. It is often a deal breaker for people when we want to be friends and they learn this about us. Sucky :(

3) I am kinda weird about harsh chemicals so I like to use a clean rag and really hot water to wipe most things. Then I also trust the good old gentle reliables like vinegar, baking soda, Murphy Soap, Bon Ami, etc. for most other cleaning. Don't use air fresheners, scented candles or sprays, really ever. Though once in a blue moon, I will burn a pumpkin or vanilla candle.

4) I was the very first person in all my family, even extended to go to college and receive my bachelors degree and paid for it by myself. There have been several since me but I was very proud of that, PLUS I went to school for art and my maternal grandmother was an artist too, a painter. Though I do not paint, I do love to do freelance design on the side. I also like to build, fix, make, refinish and repurpose things. Cook, bake, garden, and just create stuff whenever I can.

5) I LOVE ethnic foods. How could one go through life and live in the Chicago area and not find foods from so many different places to be fabulous? Life is too short. Eat well :) I enjoy Indian, Thai, Mediterranean, Mexican, Iranian, Italian, Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Pakistani, etc.

6) I am nutty about wasting. I will take home unused napkins, butters, plastic utensils, sealed salad dressings & sour creams, crayons, etc. rather than leave them behind at a restaurant to be tossed out. Then when I get home I stuff the napkins in the napkin bin, utensils in the box for parties, crayons in Little Buddy's crayon bin, and perishables in the fridge. Each item is one less thing that will be unused/wasted and that I have to buy. I know, nutty.

7) I was born in my house, in my bedroom, in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood back in 1973. My mother wanted to have me at home, naturally, breastfeed and stay home to raise us. My sister and I did all the same when it was our turn except we have/had our babies in a hospital.

I would now like to hand this award on to a few of the kreativ bloggers I know.

· Stacy at Squirrel Chatter is a graphic design blog pal. She has many of the same interests that I do such as being environmental, gardening, art & design, food, and doing all kinds of fun things.

· Meadowlark at Just Wandering Through is a LEOW (Law Enforcement Officer's Wife) blog pal. Though I have not known her for long I find her to be a fun and creative kind of gal. She often blogs about doing things or making things that I find to be very interesting and can appreciate such as landscaping, gardening, knitting, canning, hanging around and roasting at her fire pit.

· Dori at Simply Dori is another LEOW blog pal. She often writes about her family, fun things she does with her kids, gardening, poetry, humor, and her life both past and present, things she likes to make for parties and kids, and she often posts some very cute comics too.

· Monica at Loud and Proud is a new LEOW blogger I just discovered. Though I have not known her for long or had much of a chance to read many of her posts I can tell she is another creative soul. Just in the last week I have read about things she likes to do such as cooking (OMG, stop by and see what she's cooking, drool . . . . ), she has some fabulous quotes and sayings along the side of her blog, she is very family oriented and is always writing about her beloved family and has beautiful things to say about them all, she likes to jazz up her blog for the season right now it is all decked out with Halloween graphics and music, oh, and she is always keeping busy doing something fun, and she is very outspoken and has a great sense of humor as well.

Please enjoy your awards and do with them what you will.

My Life Right Now In Bullets

· I am huger than huge, EXCEEDING MAXIMUM CAPACITY actually. Baby is in 80th percentile and transverse too. They think I can go any time. Only 35 weeks as of yesterday, so I am just praying for a minimum of 2 more weeks so the little stinker can avoid having many problems of prematurity. Little Buddy was 3 weeks early and had several issues. I had to schedule my section the other day for the last 3 weekdays in the second week in November. Dr. Dickhead works the first two, so yes, I am scheduled to have my cesarean on Friday, November 13th. There's NO WAY, I'm making it that far.

· As much as the baby is my focus, I worry too about Little Buddy and the change and everything. He started to stutter 2 weeks ago, literally overnight. The nurse said that it could be from stress, or the upcoming change that's about to happen, OR it could just be happening cause it happens to many little boys as a phase. She said it happened to her son at the same age and came and went, they just ignored it. We are supposed to ignore it completely. It was almost gone a few days ago. Then it started up again.

· Cop Dad is scheduled to go to FTO training quite a distance away the week of October 26th. As much as I hope he does not miss it, it is on the last of my priority list. After all, when you are at the end of your life, will you reflect about your FTO status or about the children you shared your life with? He feels the same way but I know that he will still be bummed if it does not work out. I would be 37 weeks or term by the Sunday the day before training begins. Just hopeful that he is not far away when I go into labor and he misses it and also misses the end of training.

· Swelling up badly and quickly lately. Not doing a whole lot. Got most things done for baby. I feel kind of stifled. Wanting to do more at the end here but then again doing day trips is much harder and more exhausting and we are afraid about being too far from hospital. Inside I am itching to cook, bake, go do play dates with friends, travel, garden, do Thanksgiving for my third year. I took it on a few years ago when Little Buddy was big enough and I loved it and this year there's just no way. Oh, and truth be told, I just fantasize about not being pregnant anymore.

· Enjoying my Little Buddy. Despite his speech issue, he is going through a very fun and loving and sweet and funny phase. Not that he is not always like that but it seems extra cute and loving lately. Hoping he handles the transition well, when baby comes. He is the light of my life.

· With all the training that Cop Dad has been going through lately our stress-o-meter (as well as our schedule) is like a roller coaster. He put in for FTO, then they gave him DTI, and ET. Then they also sent him to driving class and verbal judo. Then he stresses about the baby and well you can imagine the stress level.

· I love this time of year. I love fall and the colors and yes, I love Halloween. I do not see it as an evil that must be endured. I see it for it's cute costumes, candy, caramel covered apples, hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkins, apple picking, beautiful leaves, oh and I love haunted houses and scary movies too even though they are "evil."

· Rolling up on our 6th wedding anniversary this week. Not sure what we are doing yet. Hope we will be eating something wonderful and not in the hospital yet. We have been together since the summer of 1998, but we both needed to finish college and start our careers, etc. Then we enjoyed each other and partied and traveled and had a great time first. So it's really been 11 years. Some people don't think it counts but those first 5 years were very significant for us. Not sure if we would still be together if we didn't have those first five years under our belts before getting married. Older bride, older momma, just how I wanted it :)

· It's cold here now. Yesterday night we had a hard freeze not just a frost. Usually we have a lengthy, warm fall but this year it's been a wet, cold and cloudy one. Great for hot pregnant women but a bummer if you like to bask in the warm sunny days of Indian summer.

· Every one's sleeping well and a lot lately. Thank God for that because we all need it.

Once You Realize That You Have Enough . . . . . .

You are truly rich.
~Wayne Dyer

Wordless Week: Saturday (Sorry, Late Due To Internet Outage)

Wordless Week: Friday

Wordless Week: Thursday

Wordless Week: Wednesday

Wordless Week: Tuesday

Wordless Week: Monday

Wordless Week: Sunday

Honesty Awards

So, as I have been blogging for over a year and commenting and reading others blogs too I have noticed that there is a need for much honesty for most bloggers (especially myself) as time goes on.

I have my own trials and tribulations and have reached out for some good honest comments and in turn have left VERY honest comments for those I know through blogworld that are also seeking honesty too.

I think there is a variety of reasons for people to blog. Some people want to scrapbook their lives for family and friends. Some people use their blog to journal (like myself) and ed up blogging about any old thing that comes to mind, sometimes sad, sometimes happy, sometimes nonsense. Lately I have used my blog to reach out to others at times when I feel lost or sad and have asked for honesty and advice or wisdom.

In seeking honesty from my blog pals, there have been a few select bloggers that have really come through for me. When you are looking for honesty and not candy coated words or flowery nonsense, you begin to rely on your honest commenter's.

Sooooooo, I decided to create an award just for these fabulous people. I call it the honesty award. The awards go to, in no particular order, (drum roll please), Meadowlark at Just Wandering Through, Martha at A Sense Of Humor Is Essential, Dori at Simply Dori, Natalie at Walking A Thin Blue Line, and Copswife at Married To The Law.

Thanks to all of you who have been very honest with me when I desperately needed it. I also know that I can always comment honestly on your blogs without hesitation so I am giving myself the award too. Cheesy I know, but I like to keep it real and hope that is an admirable trait to most bloggers I know. Please grab the award and proudly place it on your blog. Thanks!

Guilty Pleasures Of Fashion's Gone By

OK, I have decided to suck up my pride and start posting some of my "Oldy-But-Goody" fashions that I miss desperately. So many of us miss a certain fad or look or fit of clothing or shoes, etc. truly cannot find any place to admit it safely. Well, here you go.

I had a pair of duck boots in 5th grade. That was along time ago for me (as this February, I will be 37!!) I wore them to death and my feet were always dry and warm and I even wore them into the spring and summer til there was a hole in the bottom and I had to throw them away. The pair pictured here are a little more updated. Still, not at all in fashion really. Maybe by you but not here. Perhaps if I lived in the country up in Connecticut or something but not in the greater Chicago land area of the Midwest.

Not sure if I would wear this color combo, I am more of a neutrals kinda girl in footwear. Still I find them to be very sensible and comfy and even kinda cute.

How about you, ever have duck shoes? Have a kind of shoe that is completely out of style that you are hoping will return to fashions some day? I am not a slave to trends but will not wear something if it is REALLY gone, gone, gone. Ooh, any of you busting out your embroidered fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving sweaters/shirts yet? Or VESTS?