Our First Par-tay

Kat is the president of - and I am a non-participating member of - the Inter-urban Runners' Club, a regional club of distance runners. They have an annual chili cookoff party that also incorporates their officer elections and the "Underwear Run," which is pretty much what it sounds like. Since we have both been wanting to throw a party at our house, we agreed to host this year's cookoff.

Now, this is my first experience with an IRC chili cookoff, but I am told they are normally loaded with chili selections and other good eats. I have to take this on faith. This year we had three chilis, one of which was Kat's, three appetizers, which were ours, two other chilis, two dishes of cornbread, a salad, and some slaw. Oh, and someone brought a box of chicken from Church's. Foodwise, it was a bit of a disappointment.

Other than that, our first party was a success. (Almost) everyone brought beer, there were almost enough chairs to go around, and much conversation was had. I did feel a little left out, since the two main topics of conversation were distance running and home ownership, of which the former I have very little experience, and the latter I have none.

Still, it was fun to have non-family adults over, and it was also a successful "election," in which everyone held their current posts.

Hopefully the next party is wilder, has more chilis, and is in celebration of the impending birth of our child.

 A bunch of runners. Not pictured: a fat guy with a Canon.

 Insert your own joke about five guys stripping in my den here:

 Yes, the women who ran in the Underwear Run wore tanks and boxers. No, that wasn't cool.

Can't speak for the guys, but the big grin on K's face is partially due to the better part of a bottle of Malibu and assorted bottles of pumpkin brews. And her belief in my statement that I would never, ever publish this photo on the web. Sucker. Drunk sucker.

Everything in its place...

After living in our rental house for almost three years, I have finally organized the storage closet in our family room (aka The Man Cave).

This seems like a small goal, and in the long term, it is. However, this room typically has items stuffed into it rather than placed into it. It was about time to get things straightened out.

Now, besides having everything organized and easy to grab, we have oodles of free space.