Halloween Spread
Eight years ago I moved into a place whose streets were named after words found in the game of tennis. Except my street was named after a United States President. Anyhow, while living there I had my third baby and found myself with a lot of baby weight to loose.
I don’t even know how it happened, but I was invited to go walking with a group of ladies. While I walked I noticed a couple of wonderful women from my ward running while we were walking. I decided that maybe if I ran I could loose the weight twice as fast? I timidly approached these nice women (whom I had come to know only slightly) and asked if I could try it out. They were of course very gracious and we decided I would come on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5:30 am to give it a try…I must have been really desperate right? I went and it was humbling…I couldn’t run for very long before I really needed to walk and they slow down and walk with me, I’m sure it was a sacrifice to do that as I was trying to regain my breath. I don’t know how long it took me to be able to run 4 miles without getting winded, but I’m sure it was at least 2 or 3 months!
It was great running with someone/Darla because she could talk through all 4 miles and before I knew it – it was over! I loved the distraction and the one-way conversation – especially because I literally wouldn’t have been able to say much more than "ya" or "that is crazy". I began loosing the weight that I desired which was a huge relief and blessing, but what I gained was far better than the weight loss. I gained two amazing friends and mentors – Holly and Darla. I also gained an understanding that running is more for my emotional well being than my physical one. Holly and Darla were key players in helping me re-realize my personal worth and be able to cope with the hard life challenges I was facing. I would eagerly wake up ready to get through one more day with 3 young children and find ways to love it and enjoy it! We continued running together even though Darla and I both moved to a different sub division 5 miles away from the tennis one. I ran with these ladies up until the day I moved back to the ‘burg and let me tell you… I was very, very sad! – I mean really sad….and then I found a new running partner :).
Yesterday as I was running with my new partners – Stephen pointed out, because Diana is far too refined, that I was dominating the running conversation. Apparently I was making it hard for him to get a word in edgewise – I am sorry, but I had a really good teacher. It is hard for me to stop when I get excited. Once I took a personality quiz and I was told that I was a flippant chatterbox. I’m sure you can’t tell that from reading this blog? I think Darla and I are kindred spirits.
So that is how I met Darla and began to be trained from her. She is a woman who believed that being a stay at home mom and house wife could be very fulfilling. This lady did the most fun things with her family ever! Oh and how Darla loves Christmas! It makes me love it all the more because I think I how much she loves it. The traditions she established for her family are great and worthy to be repeated by someone like myself. Considering that she was NOT raised in a loving and caring home, and still finds the energy and time to do this, really impressed me. Did I mention that half of her kids are college and/or married and she only has 2 teenagers at home now – but still the traditions go on.
Darla has fancy Sunday dinners where she hosts her family and treats them like royalty. It is the only day that all of her busy children can eat together and she started a tradition of nice meals to be expected more than 8 years ago. This tradition I have NOT yet incorporated, because frankly it requires a lot of effort and I am just too tired for that fancy of treatment. I decided I should be treated like royalty and Stephen and my kids clean up every Sunday meal, while I go and take a nap…NOT so much Darla-like…
BUT I do love her holiday traditions which I DO try to incorporate if at all possible. This month it was our Halloween dinner. I will admit that I am a very mild version of my friend Darla who is not afraid of going the extra mile. We had so much fun last night eating bones & blood, Monster Brains with moldy cheese, Wicked Witches Parts and Pieces with mucus dressing, Ghoul Aide with Mummy Cubes, Jack ‘O Lantern Tongues, and Baby Ghosts. My children had lots of fun trying to figure out which Wicked Witch Pieces they were eating…they came up with eyes (circle cut carrots), tongues (red pepper), fingernails (purple onion), and wilted skin (lettuce). The creativity juices were really flowing. We ended the night by dancing to the monster mash as we cleared the table.
My children can thank Darla for any of the extra curricular family fun we get to have, because she taught me on many early morning runs that being a mom should be fun for me as well as my kids. I find that doing something really small (re-naming food) can really make my life (as well as my children’s lives) fun for one day!
I am calling all of this the Darla Syndrome.
 Jodi’s Diner Halloween Menu |
 Bones & Blood |
 Jack ‘O Lantern Tongues and Baby Ghosts for dessert. |
 Wicked Witches Parts and Pieces with Mucus Dressing. |
 Monster Brains with Moldy Cheese |
Comments:
Stephen said…
I love every minute of it, I love to hear you talk and share your thoughts as we run. These meals are a real treat to look forward to as well.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 10:23:11 AM
Paul said…
Thanks for the Jack o Lantern tongues they were tasty!!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 3:29:35 PM
michelle said…
Fun dinner-I think you are doing a great job as Darla (from what you said about her) Way to be a fun Mom.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 10:37:42 PM