away in a manger

When you've shopped around and can't find a suitable manger/stable/creche, you must make your own. That's what I did, anyway.
This one happens to be made out of paint stir sticks and tree branch trimmings from our back yard. Hey-you do what you gotta do!


(and then the wreath above it falls off the wall and smashes it to smithereens. argh)

I need a little christmas!

For Christmas, I got myself the one thing that was on my wish/hit list last year but was never in stock. I wrote to corporate. I wrote to the manufacturer. No one cared. But this year it was in stock, baby, and I swooped it up. It's a giant, spinning, pre-lit Christmas tree. So American. So Christmas. So obnoxious. So me! And sooooo what I need right now.

I blame Bob for putting the Las Vegas Tree idea in my head. He has wonderful childhood memories of his Grandparent's real tree, flocked white and spinning on a homemade rotating tree stand. His Grandpa was very resourceful. Bob said he even had present-opening timed according to the spins of the tree after dinner. I think he said it was 7 rotations between dinner and gifts. Greedy boy.

All my glittery ornaments sparkle with Christmas cheer as they slowly pass by over...and over...and over again. Magical. If it didn't take up a third of my living room, I might consider leaving it up all year. Then again, it's the anticipation that makes Christmas great, isn't it?!? Ho Ho Ho!



cue the choir of angels...............

thankful

After a stressful start to the week...a wretched trainer at my new job, a few completely sleepless nights, and a full blown panic attack, it was soooo nice to dive into cooking and baking and having everyone over for Thanksgiving dinner.
Helped me remember what's REALLY important in my life!


you go, Julia!

you go, Mark!

That tryptophan is mighty powerful stuff!

Sophie and Julia enjoyed an evening snack on the front porch...little turkey croissant sandwiches, pumpkin pie, and their very own bottles...of water...under the Christmas lights on our house...a good end to the day.

a man and his dog

or...a dog on his man.
Hey-if he's not eating a fish...or trash...we just go with it.

Poetry Cafe

Here is a small sampling of the poetic talent on display at Julia's school Poetry Cafe!

Another girl and her dog

they're baaaaaaaack

That is a new baby lock for our kitchen cabinet. No, we are not making a special announcement. It is just the next step in our attempt to curb our dog's zest for trash...among other things.

You see, yesterday I was greeted at the door by a wet dog. Why was he wet and what does that have to do with trash, you ask? Well, as I entered the family room, I noticed that our lovely, talented dog had gotten the fish bowl (formerly occupied by Julia's beta fish) down from the shelf, devoured the fish, and set the empty bowl neatly upright by his dog bed...presumably so I wouldn't notice anything was amiss. Seems he's acquired a taste for seafood after snacking on the remains of Sophie's suicidal beta fish a few weeks ago.

As I prepared to launch his behind out the back door, I turned the corner into the kitchen and was confronted by more of the crime spree scene...the rubber band previously keeping the trash cabinets tightly closed, chewed up on the floor. Cabinet doors flung wide open. Trash strewn all over the kitchen floor.
What a day of adventure Mack had!
Sorry, God, but I hope he had a giant tummy ache. I know I did!

So, now we have reverted back to baby lock days. And I have to add an extra 5 minutes to my morning routine to make my kitchen like Fort Knox before I leave the house.
Not sure where to hide the last remaining fish...good luck little buddy.

Winter Park

We got to go visit Cindy's condo again over the weekend...we are soooo lucky! We drove up Friday thinking we'd beat the Saturday...(opening ski day)...rush. Boy did we ever beat the rush. The whole place from Winter Park to Grand Lake was like a ghost town...stores & restaurants were closed until winter, streets were empty, and snow was scarce. If you're looking for a nice, quiet, relaxing visit to a ski resort, the day before opening day is THE day to go!! But we found some fun, one place open for ice cream, and even some snow before we headed home. Success!

A girl and her dog

Resume for Job Julia

I've been talking so much about sending out my resume, Julia decided to make a resume of her own...for Job Julia. Sounds like a winning candidate to me!!!

I'd hire her. I'm always looking for someone with Africa experience!