I'm a full-time Business Development Specialist living in Northern California with my husband (JohnnyLogic), who is an IT Technician, and our son Cole (born 10/05).
To be honest, we knew it was snowing last night. It got REALLY quiet at one point, and I said to John "Is it snowing outside?" He said "I don't think so." But when he opened the blinds to look, it was! It never gets that quiet unless there's snow.
(I was RIGHT, suckah! I'm the snow sensing GODDESS!)
(What?)
Cole was VERY excited and kept hollering "It's NO-wing!" He wanted to throw it instead of getting into the car to go to school. I had to promise there's be snow at daycare before he'd budge.
I love living at this elevation. We occasionally get a couple of inches (and the last two years we've had a few freak dumps of a couple feet each), but it rarely impedes driving and it's usually gone before too long. It's so nice to have it but not have to live with it constantly, something we hated about winters in Pittsburgh. We can drive to nice, deep snow in less than an hour (and it's a GORGEOUS drive) and we pretty much never need to shovel. Perfect!
Speaking of nice, deep snow, we went sledding last weekend. Despite how apprehensive he looks in that picture with my dad, Cole had a great time.
My sister was there, too.
What, can't tell we're sisters? Here, how's this?: (Okay, even I think that's just weird. And creepy. But mostly weird. I mean, pictures with me without makeup? SCARY.)
He's WAY more delicious than Superman, anyway. So's chocolate.
Our Christmas was nice, though full of spoiled children. We had a great dinner last night with my family. Mom may be a bit disappointed to learn that my favorite part of it was the potatoes, no matter how good the prime rib was (and it was good, but I just don't like beef that much). The potatoes were twice-baked and amazing. Only the apple pie could top them.
I was FORCED to play Santa and eat all of the cookies. My mother and sister half-heartedly nibbled on the carrot and cauliflower for the Reindeer. I may now look like a fat cow, but at least I'm a jolly one!
I bitched and moaned so much about John not getting me a present that he went a little nuts and ordered me a present at the last minute. He had me totally fooled. He leaned over to me on Christmas morning and said "I'm sorry I didn't get you a Christmas present" and tried to give me a kiss. I ducked a little because I was trying to hide that I was choking up. Then he stuck a piece of paper in front of my face and said "except this." It was a photo of the mP3 player that I will be receiving tomorrow. He's redeemed.
(Really- it's not about getting stuff, it's just about showing the people you love that you thought of them and found something that you thought they would like. It could have been the cheesiest present in the world, as long as I could tell he put some thought into it, and I would have been happy. It was the thought that he hadn't done anything that got me choked up, not the thought that I wasn't getting more stuff. The fact that's it's something I really wanted and can use was just a total bonus!)
(Of course, I found out today that the ungrateful bum was disappointed with his presents. Not really sure what to do about that one...)
I also got official confirmation that we're all going to Hawaii (Kauai- WOOHOO!), some really awesome books from my sis, a very generous present from her boyfriend, the obligatory socks (not that I'm complaining!), and more fodder for cellulite than I'll ever know what to do with.
We did miss a few friends (ticknart! I'm looking at you! We had a present for you and everything!), but we somehow struggled through, though the pain was tremendous. Cookies helped.
I'm glad the holidays were here but I'm happy to see the back of them. For one more year, anyway.
Dude- there are rum balls (are they Schwety? Yes. But it is Goooood) and home-made, spiked eggnog in building C. Come on down! Party at my cubicle after!!
Last weekend, Cole got his first Christmas present:
He's in LOVE, and it's almost all he wants to do when we're at home. (That and watch every Pixar movie ever made about 50 Gazillion times)
He also got his second christmas present/early 3rd birthday present: Adorable hat from Hannah and Jonah, the loves, along with one of the best holiday cards I've ever seen- from the hand-drawn "By Hannah" cover to the awesome list inside, it was a FANTASTIC card. And, of course, this is the first thank you they've gotten from us. BECAUSE I'M AWFUL. (Hi, guys! Thank you SO much!! We miss you!)
And this will probably be the last post until after Christmas, so have a great break! And a happy holiday, if you're into that kind of thing.
A meme that I've seen all over the place, but first at Hotfessional's.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, unless the gift is just too awkward to wrap. This year I managed to use both wrapping paper and a bag on one gift! That's skill...
2. Real tree or artificial? Real at my house. I still love the smell more than I hate the mess.
3. When do you put up the tree? When we get around to buying one.
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Years
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but ONLY with whiskey. LOTS of whiskey.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember a train set that I liked quite a bit. There was also a chemistry set one year that I was really excited about until I tried to use it and was forbidden because I might hurt the carpet. Oh- and one year my grandma gave me a giant cookie-bouquet!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? HA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! No.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Ugh... My parents.
9. Easiest person to buy for? COLE!
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A wee, pink, plastic jewelry box complete with spinning ballerina... WHEN I WAS 17!
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? What's this? I'm supposed to send CARDS?!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Spinal Tap!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever I see something that I think a recipient will especially like.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Stuff that's free and full of fat and sugar. If I didn't buy it, the calories don't count.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We have colored on the tree, but clear outside.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Most anything by the Squirrel Nut Zippers.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home. Though that's easy since we just live across town from my parents.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? No, and I don't plan on learning.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? STAR!! I just got it for 50% off from WalMart!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? MORNING. I hate opening any the night before.
22. What's the most annoying thing this time of the year? Grinches.
23. What I love most about Christmas? Finding presents for my friends and family that I can't wait for them to open.
Ummmm... I drank this wine (the first one). Without knowing how much it was (it was from my company party- they hand out free wine from our customers' wineries to each guest). While we were already drunk. And we thought it was only kind of okay.
I feel like kind of an ass and, at the same time, I'm glad that I didn't know because it certainly dispelled the whole Emperor's New Clothes thing that may have happened had I realized.
We actually drank another bottle of something before this (which we thought was even worse) and I SO wish that I could remember the name so I could see how much THAT one was...
My (I thought long-lost until recently!) friend Whitney is an adjunct English professor up in Washington. She recently had to endure grading masses of portfolios (as I understand it). She wrote down and emailed me a few of the gems, a couple of which I thought I'd share with you:
If we want people to not eat eachother, we should give them food. _________________________________ Pirates of the Carribean: At Worlds End was long and filled to the brim with plot threads. Nevertheless I liked it. I could have liked it more though. _________________________________
Those plot threads are pesky little fuckers, aren't they? Give me a good p0rn0 anyday!
And people are worried about the future of this country...
So, I told you all that I was knitting a hat for Cole, right? Did I say I finished it? It was done WEEKS ago. Did I show you a picture? I don't think so... until now!
HO HO HO!
And I in my kerchief and Ma in her cap...
I'm pretty proud of it, particularly because it was my first successful attempt at knitting in the round (I tried before in elementary school with less than positive results and had been too scarred to try again until now). And it was fun! I may make some more next year!
And, finally, we have the first of many to come: a Christmas ornament made by Cole!
I love it and will cherish it forever.
(Oh- something funny/odd: My daycare provider gave me a "lucky money tree" two nights ago. It's a really lovely bamboo in a pretty, asian-inspired vase. As I was driving it home, it tipped over. I rushed the rest of the way home and (after parking, of course) dove into the back to see how much water had spilled. It was a good bit, BUT I just happened to have a bowl back there and, when the vase tipped, the water had spilled almost ENTIRELY into the bowl. What luck! THEN, last night when I picked up Cole I was handed his workbook from that day. He was still playing around so I looked at it. I read every page, including the back cover, where I came across a sentence that said "If you read this by 12/14 I owe you $20." I whipped my head up to find her husband standing there, holding out a $20 bill! SWEET! If only I could ALWAYS get paid for reading everything- I do it anyway! She told me that they had made bets with each other on which parents would read it, and that the two they guessed would (I was one) had and no one else (so far). I felt kind of bad taking the money until I remembered how much I pay them. Actually, they deserve it and I still feel kind of guilty. I guess it just means that I will have $20 more to spend on their christmas gift. But yeah- the "lucky money tree" wasn't lying!)
I have very strong opinions about dogs with histories of violence. Quite basically, I don't think they should be allowed to exist- I don't care how nice they are to the people they "know." They are animals, and generally stupid. Things like what happened to Bossy's daughter (and my co-worker's son, and my mother, and COUNTLESS OTHERS) should never be allowed to happen. This is not an area where I allow sentimentality.
We have concerns about Yoko. She doesn't have a history of biting, but she is an aggressive dog in certain circumstances (she is also a fat lump in most circumstances). But the other day she was growling at Cole when he got close to her chew-bone, so much that I held her and yelled for John to come take Cole away. I guess I still just don't totally trust her. I have concerns about when Cole becomes a shrieking, fast-running kid and all Yoko can see is PREY. It has kept me up at night.
I love Yoko, but if my concerns ever turn from Paranoia to something more substantial, she's outta here. She will never be one of "those dogs." I'd kill her myself first.
I just can't even begin to explain how much cuter they are in real life. The patent leather is really smooth (a pet-peeve of mine is wrinkly or wavy patent), the soles are leather, the insides are COMFY. I wore them all night and I think my walk back to the hotel room was more hindered by the copious amounts of wine and gin&tonics I consumed than discomfort from the shoes. That's shoe success, people.
I also loved the rest of my outfit. I had on long, flowy black pants, a b&w, polka-dot, low-v neck blouse from BCBG (though my mom bought it for me at TJMaxx!), and sparkly, black necklace, bracelet, and earrings that I got at 70% off. It was a night of glamor and good deals! I was comfortable, appropriate, and felt kinda hott- a great combination.
As a reference, here is my hair a couple of weekends ago:What is with ALL THIS HAIR?!
And here is from my company party last Saturday: Ok, I know it's dark (still LOVE that picture though!). Here's from this morning:
I think it looks a lot better in person, though I clearly still don't really know what to do with it. My new hair and me; we haven't quite hit our stride yet. But I like it. A lot. And I know we'll be best friends.
(Me and the stylist, too. She was awesome!)
And I think it shaved a good 5 minutes off of my shower this morning!
In other news, fantasies of creating the perfect, custom-fitted party dress have withered and died. Dress is no more. I will be furthering my descent into depression with a (most likely fruitless) shopping trip tonight. There is not enough scotch in the world...
But I have cute shoes. I bet if I cut my hair and wore those shoes I could go to the party naked and no one would notice. The shoes are really THAT cute.
This Saturday is my company's End of the Year party (as we covered last year all too extensively
...uh, sorry. I just realized that I sliced open the tip of my right pointer finger somehow and was bleeding all over everything. Delicious.
ANYWAY... What was I saying? Oh yes- that we can't call it a christmas party because we piss off the JWs.)
I had been stressing over what to wear and really not enjoying the idea of anything I had but not having the money to go out and get something new. I was whining about my horrible predicament to my friend (and costumer), the ever lovely Thalisha, when she invited me over to her house to rummage through vintage patterns (maybe just to shut me the hell up).
WELL! Six hours and a lot of her patience later (and she didn't even get handsy while she was fitting it!), and I have a custom-fitted pattern for a 50's dress that I think will look gorgeous when it's finished. Best of all, I already own the material I want to make it out of AND I am paying her for her unbelievably helpful time in massage. Which is a double bonus for me because I get to spend even more time with her that way.
So I will be sewing every night (mostly after Cole goes to sleep) for the rest of the week. I may not get any sleep before this party, but goddamit- I'm gonna look good!
