I’m so happy it’s finally here! We got about 20 robo-calls yesterday and probably about 5 from real people working for the campaigns. Today we have gotten about five calls total. I can’t wait for them to end! I have been answering my phone rudely for a while now. I apologize to the kids’ pediatrician’s office and for that one time my mom called. I can’t wait to begin to forget about all the belittling and rude things my friends have said (basically about ME) on Facebook. Apparently they think I need to WAKE UP and that I’m not very smart and that I “don’t get it”. They don’t know that they were saying these things about me, but they were. Luckily I don’t pick my friends based on their political or religious beliefs or I’d have so few.

Chad got up at 5:30 this morning (the same time I usually get up when planning to walk Mack to school) so that he could be in line at our polling location by 6:30. When he got there he was 7th in line. He said he was done by 7:20 and by then the line was almost to the end of the parking lot already. I’m glad that it seems like there has been a big turn-out this cycle. I’m also glad that I voted a couple of weeks ago by bike.

And now I’d like to ask for a round of applause please. I ate NO Halloween candy yesterday and I didn’t eat ice cream last night! I am very proud of myself.

Also, I went on the family evening walk last night. Mack said, “Take my picture mom!” as he did his best Ichabod Crane impression.

It was so dark on our evening walk thanks to the return to standard time.

Our little Sony does a great job of grabbing the light and taking a focused photo in the dark if I’m standing still. Not so much while I’m actually moving.

This morning I intended to walk Mack to school and enjoy the benefits of the time change. We usually leave the house at 6:30 and for the past few weeks it’s been so dark for almost the whole walk. But the weather channel showed a big line of storms coming on shore, so I decided to drive him instead. We haven’t walked to school in over a week! Hopefully tomorrow will be the day.

The boys wore their USA pride to school today in honor of Election Day.

Of course since I decided to drive, the rain held off and I probably could have made it if we had walked.

My breakfast and my latest pretty flowers from all my boys…miniature roses.

I also intended to go for a ten mile bike ride this morning but then those storms actually did arrive and I was thwarted again. I was going to clean the bathroom instead, but then the power went out. All my plans were curtailed this morning it seems. Instead, I cleaned off my desk by lantern light.

I also made a plan for our dinners this week.

The power came back on in time to save me from having to take a shower in the dark. I did use it as an excuse to go to school for my volunteering day with wet hair and no make-up, however.

I signed Mack and myself up for the Amazing Education Race, which is supposed to be a family competition with both academic and physical challenges. Sounds like fun. We were the first to sign up. It’s at the end of the month.

Then I met Mack in the courtyard for his lunch period.

In the third grade at Shore Acres Elementary today Obama won the election in a 59%/41% victory.

Florida is pretty much 50/50 according to the polls, so I’m surprised it wasn’t closer. Maybe name recognition wins out over third graders?

Despite all the rain all morning, it was really nice outside at lunch time.

Before heading to Mack’s classroom, I helped Mrs. P hang stars. Apparently today is the 53rd day of school this year. Mack took this photo:

In Mack’s class today I took a group of kids to the media center to do some math enrichment.

Did you know that in Florida schools they have to refer to dice as “number cubes”?

Ridiculous. Apparently dice are evil but number cubes are fine. Maybe I just “don’t get it” and need to WAKE UP! The kids were awesome working on their multiplication skills.

Dry erase markers suck. They may be easy to wipe off of shiny plastic surfaces, but they are extremely permanent on skin.

Once I left Mack’s class I stopped by the adult restroom in the office for my OOTVD (outfit of the volunteering day) photo:

The outfit goes with the no make-up and air-dried hair…soda t-shirt and yoga pants. It was a lazy mom day.

Sorry for the toilet shot, but I wanted to show the twinkle lights in the bathroom.

Kind of incongruous with the institutional toilet, huh? Still, nice effort office ladies. I appreciate their seasonal restroom decorations.

After I left the school I ran a couple of errands. First up was the post office to return something.

Next up was Publix. This is the Gateway Publix and locals will know what awesome parking karma this is at that location, where the parking is terrible:

By the time I got to Publix I was starving so I grabbed some fast food for lunch:

I just had time to put the groceries away and eat my sushi before I had to pick Mack up from school. Now it’s almost time to go get Cal.

Tonight is Run and Restore (1/2 hour run/walk and 1/2 hour Restore the Core) with Christie of Baby Boot Camp and Karna Fitness. Then after the boys are in bed Chad and I plan to watch election returns and probably stay up late to watch Jon Stewart’s coverage. I hope we know the outcome by the time we wake up tomorrow at least! I don’t want to hear about provisional ballots in Ohio. I just want it to be over. I’m not worried about this country, regardless of who wins. I have my preference, of course, but I’m confident we’ll be just fine either way. I realize that we are very privileged and don’t live on the fringe, so I know that this may not be the case for everyone.

I’m hoping that all the drama doesn’t drive me to the Halloween candy and ice cream. Fill you in on dinner and sugar-gate tomorrow.

Cya.