MONDAY, MONDAY: Omaha Version

Jones Brothers for lunch.

The Trifecta

an odd angle, I know...

JA and LE need an outing, so JA and I decide we'll go to Mangelsen's--a local version of Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

This is a big deal because they have free popcorn and balloons. We spend a bit of time deciding on what color of balloons--JA, of course needs blue and LE wants pink. But, there are decisions to make-- green for daddy, undecided on mommy's.

Halloween is big at Magelsen's. Very big and very scary. LE shrinks back from the flying bat, but wants to go into the monster room--admiring the Linda Blair Exorcist-like spinning head girl.

There are no free balloons because there's a shortage of helium. That's right, a shortage and hospitals get the current supply. We don't mind buying the balloons. Blue for JA, pink for LE, green for MA, purple for JE, and we remember baby LC needs one,too, so JA decides to get him a blue one, too. Just a darker shade than his own.

I negotiate with LE-- if she goes potty, I'll take them into the monster room. However, we're a bit too late for success, so we do some adjustments and head for the reward. Right inside the monster room door there's a red monster with blood dripping from his mouth eating life-sized rubber babies. We quickly departed before the two little ones saw.

It's time for lunch and I'm ready to take the kids home, but JL still wants to shop so I'll come back for her in about an hour.

Eventually we drive to Jones Brothers for lunch and cupcakes. The free cupcake today is pink and with a hint we're able to name it, bubble gum, so we each get a free one--which I eat immediately! Really good! Really. Better than you can imagine, it being bubble gum and all.

We have a wonderful lunch; JL has the trifecta--1/2 BLT, cup of soup, and a mini red velvet cupcake. I'm captivated by the Cobb salad. I'm craving veggies, and this is a great salad.

After a short spin through Wolner's (gourmet grocery goodies) for some cheeses and sour dough bread, we go across the street to check movie times for tonight and decide to stay for the 1:50pm viewing of I Don't Know How She Does It with Sarah Jessica Parker and Greg Kinnear. Far better than the critics claim. We really enjoy it. Predictable, but cute and entertaining. You gotta love SJP.

One more stop for groceries at HyVee--we're making salsa with D+HS's garden tomatoes. Nothing better! After cheese, bread, salsa, and chips we all decide we'll save the bacon-sirloin sliders for tomorrow. JL and I won't be around so there'll be more for the Smiths.

A very good day with the fun kids and the cuddly little guy. We need to hit the road first thing tomorrow as GJ is expecting JL for supper and my mother-in-law will be watching for me.