Fruit Roll-Ups

I used to love fruit roll-ups when I was a kid.  What kid didn't?  Relatively recently I said to Kyle, "Man, I wish I could get some fruit roll-ups.  Those things were so good.  Why don't they make an adult version?"

On my last trip to Target, I found these puppies.  No sugar added.  Just 50 calories of fruity deliciousness.



Wish granted!

View from our balcony

We never go out on our front balcony.  We're guessing there used to be a door to go out there, but now the only way out is through the window.  Recently I crawled out there to get a closer shot of the glorious tree in our front yard.  The view from up there was great.

This is our view of Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church down the street.  The building is spectacular, and is undergoing major renovation.  It boasts the tallest steeple in the city, and is the second largest church building, second to the Cathedral Basilica on the central west end.  It was built by German immigrants living in our neighborhood in the early 1900s.  It is a jewel in our city to be sure.

Saint Louis is nicknamed the "Rome of the West" because of its deeply Catholic heritage.  This carries over into today.  I marvel at the architecture of my own neighborhood and think often about the immigrant families who lived here.  Most of the houses around me are between 100-150 years old, and were built by friends and relatives who immigrated here together after the civil war in Germany.  Let me tell you, they just don't build them like this anymore, but oh, how I wish they did!

From my balcony, I got a better view of some of the architectural details of our building.  I am amazed by the craftsmanship, and I cannot fathom how they built such places without our modern technologies. 



I often wonder about the families who lived here originally.  Who were they?  Where did they come from?  Why did they come here? What did it look like back then?

 

I love old homes.  I believe in restoration.  I hope I always get to live somewhere that has such deep roots and such a rich history.  

Random Conversational Excerpt

Me: Oh my gosh! Google Streetview is just so cool.  I'm looking at the hotel I stayed at in Paris!

Kyle: That's cool. Today I was looking at the Dixie Barbecue in Jonesboro.

Me: *hysterical laughter followed by typing*

Kyle: You're tweeting about this aren't you?

Me: Blogging.

He knows me.  He makes me smile.

Be a friend.

My Poppy shared this poem with me a long time ago.  It really stuck with me and I think about it often.  Such a good reminder when I start to turn into a "Me Monster."

I went outside to find a friend

But could not find one there;

I went outside to be a friend,

And friends were everywhere!

Eight Halloweens

We here in the Bass household are big fans of Halloween.  Over the years, we've had a lot of fun making our own costumes and going to parties with friends.  Here's a quick rundown of our past costumes.

Year 1:

We were supposed to be hippies, but I don't think it worked out very well. On a brighter note, this was the first picture we ever took together. We had been dating for approximately 10 days. We have now been together for over 7 years, that's approximately 2,500+ days.

Year 2:

A little more creative this year, and far more time to plan. We were the Crocodile Hunter and a crocodile. This picture is awful, but it's the only one I have. It doesn't do the costumes justice. I also wish you could hear Kyle's Aussie accent and hear my croc roar. I slithered on the ground. He narrated. We were so cool.

Year 3:

(no picture available)

I swear I had a picture of this, but I cannot find one. That year we were The Lion (played by our friend), The Witch (me), and the Wardrobe (Kyle). We made costumes and made the wardrobe out of a cardboard box, painted and complete with opening doors.

Year 4:

We were newlyweds. Okay, that's not a costume. The truth is, we were new to Carbondale and no one that we knew of had a Halloween party, so we didn't dress up. I was sad, to say the least. I do seem to remember, however, that we went to Steak n' Shake that night with Team Abner and Team Billingsley. They are always a good time.

Year 5:

The Corpse Bride and her groom from Tim Burton's "The Corpse Bride." We thought it was cute, but no one knew who we were supposed to be, with the exception of Team Abner.  Unfortunately, it took me approximately four days to wash all that blue hairspray out of my hair.  Sometimes if I look down, I still think I see a little blue.

Year 6:



One of the most fun. Mario and Luigi. We threw fireballs and jumped around all night with fake Italian accents.  What's more fun than a fake mustache and some homemade hats? I don't know.

Year 7:

The title of our costume that year was "My Better Half." We tore our clothes apart and sewed them back together. Kyle wore makeup and leggings. Need I say more?



In year 7, Halloween also coincided with Kyle's aunt's wedding, in which he was part of the wedding party. As the wedding party entered the reception they all wore masks and danced to Werewolves of London. That mask was sexy, what can I say?

Year 8:

TBA!

This year, as always, we are keeping it a secret. It's nothing too fancy (read= grad school prevents elaborate costume work) but it should still be fun!

What will YOU be for Halloween? I hope it's a happy one for you!