Hilarium

The boys and I went to HEB tonight for dog food and frozen blueberries and other essentials that never made it onto my Saturday night shopping list (I just love it when, the morning after a big shopping trip I hear, "Oh, by the way, we're out of____...").  The check-out person gave the boys helium balloons and when we got home, I carefully untied the balloons so the boys could inhale the helium and sound like chipmunks.  It was very funny.  Mosey said, "It's not helium, mom, it's hilarium!"  It was also a good opportunity for a little physics lesson on why helium makes your voice sound so funny.
There were tons of big black crickets hopping around the parking lot of HEB tonight.  Periodically these creatures will experience a surge in population around here, and apparently now is one of those times.  They were everywhere!  Joseph and Mosey got a plastic produce bag and caught several to take home to Spots.  They make me a little squeamish, personally (they're just too big and too black-- too reminiscent of cockroaches...), but Joseph was very excited.  He wants to drive to the HEB parking lot every night to catch more of them.  He is such a Dr. Doolittle.  He caught a frog taking a dip in the Anderson Mill pool this afternoon at swimming lessons!
Speaking of which, Joseph did great today!!  We had a little family devotional/lecture by mom and dad last night on "doing hard things," and Joseph really stepped up.  Of course, the promise of getting to go to HEB and pick up a donut of his choice also sweetened the deal a little.  :-)
The first cool front of the season came upon us sometime last night.  What a welcome relief!  It was in the 50's this morning, and only warmed up to the low 80's this afternoon.  I know it will warm up again before it cools down for good, but wow, was it ever nice to catch a whiff of fall around here.  My brother sent a video clip of his cute little boy hiking up a mountain in New Hampshire, in the midst of the New England fall foliage.  I was almost jealous until I remembered that their winter lasts until May.  I don't think so!  I sure would love to visit, though.  Ben and I are tentatively planning a New England trip next September.  We'll see if our budget allows for another big road trip this next year.  Those vacations are amazing, but not cheap.
Nothing much to report for today.  Lessons went well--I got good attitudes from the boys on just about everything!  Happy day.
I'm very annoyed with Adobe right now.  Photoshop was giving me issues (wouldn't open up my RAW files), so I uninstalled it, thinking that if I reinstalled it the problem would resolve itself.  Well, now my computer refuses to reinstall the program.  This is not good!  I waited all weekend to contact Adobe customer support which was closed for something or other until this morning.  Then when I finally got a hold of a real person, I was informed that they are "not trained" to help me with my problem, and I should take it to the user forums where maybe someone else would be able to help me.  That sucks, Adobe, it really does.  I paid big bucks for the program, and that is the customer support you offer?  I'm disgusted.  So I posted the question, but I have no answers yet.  I have no idea who even reads those things and answers them.  Not Adobe employees, anyhow.  So I can't edit any of my pictures which is really bugging me.  I took family pictures for some friends a few weeks ago and they're waiting for them, but I can't even open my RAW files, let alone edit them!  I'm very frustrated.
Other than that, however, it was a pretty good Monday.