Long Live Taco Bell

The weather is getting cold again. It's supposed to be freezing tonight, right in time to freeze Keith and Kade as they go on a father/son camp-out. Keith, who wears beanie on his head to bed in a heated house, packed nearly all of his clothes, and was still not sure whether or not he'd keep warm tonight. (He is, after all, missing his personal human incinerator -- as he likes to call me.)

Kade has been looking forward to Camp Kaleo for WEEKS now. He told me excitedly that his good buddy Carson is coming, too! It will also be a good opportunity for Keith to connect with some of the other men from church. It's been especially hard for him in our move, leaving his buddies. It takes men a lot longer to really get to know other guys, I think.

With two of the family missing, it feels like a huge gaping hole. It's always like that, even with just one kid is gone. It's the weirdest thing. You'd think two out of nine would not make that big of a difference, but it does!

I got KFC tonight for those of us "stranded" at home. I had to go by church and lock up Keith's truck that he'd left at the church parking lot. Keith called me on the way to Camp Kaleo from the church bus saying that I needed some time to myself away from the kids and would I please go and lock up his truck. What a thoughtful guy! Anyway, Kathleen wanted to come with me, so we went ahead and locked up to truck, got gas and then KFC. I was looking for an excuse to buy dinner anyway. Kathleen talked THE WHOLE TIME. It's amazing how much that kid can output. Not being a huge talker myself, all I had to do was throw in my two cents worth, and she was happy as could be.

Speaking of buying dinner, we've gone to Taco Bell twice this week in celebration of its grand reopening. Our Taco Bell -- the ONLY one in Newnan -- closed down after a grill caught fire and destroyed the restaurant. That was long long months ago, July 1, and finally reopened earlier this week. The local paper had a front page article stating that Taco Bell sold 11,000 tacos in its first three days! Whenever I've driven by, the drive-thru line wraps around the whole building. It's insane. At least we're not the only Taco Bell Devotees!

We've got our Taco Bell run down to a science. I can get dinner for all of us for under $20! Personally, I think this is sensational considering that my big kids are voracious eaters. Kathleen alone ate a tostada, a nachos supreme, and two bean burritos last time we got Taco Bell. Never are my kids as quiet as when the blessing has been said and the kids dig in. I think that our new Taco Bell ought to put up a plaque in our honor. I think part of the beauty of Taco Bell is that all of the kids like it. That's saying something with a big family. For instance, tonight, I knew that Keri Lynn would not be at all pleased with KFC, but that Kristofer would be ecstatic. That's the way of things, though. We don't always get what we want.