Thursday, December 07, 2006

Random Thursday

* My friend Girl J was saying that she hadn't figured out the perfect song for me on her cell phone. So I told her that I wanted my ring to be the theme song from Sesame Street.

* I called her to remind her that Friday was casual jean day and when she answered the phone she was laughing.

*When she calls me my phone sings out Cindy Lauper's "Girls just wanna have fun"

* Dad and I have already figured out when we can go to In & Out Burger during my stay with them.

* On Tuesday when the hubster picked me up he handed me "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" - I just love that man.

* Work has been insanely busy - but the day is over before I know it. So that's a good thing.

* My current project at work had me a little worried that I was in for several days of being yelled and sworn at. But be it because I am a girl in a man's industry, or that I am low grunt on the totem pole they have been incredibly nice to me and not venting their frustrations on me. Most of the time when it is their turn to talk they begin with "I know this wasn't your idea." and they stay calm from there.

*This entire mostly sleepless week makes me wonder why I even care so much about the job I do or how my clients feel about all the changes coming there way. Some days I wish I had thicker skin and less of a conscience.

*5 days till I go west.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Last night on the way to get gas I saw this:







I called my dad yesterday and told him that I wanted to help them decorate for Christmas if they didn’t mind waiting. He was surprised only in the fact that he and my mom had just been talking about that very thing that same morning. As Tink would say, “Not far from the tree”

I got my memory cards in the mail yesterday. Now you guys are REALLY in trouble. I went from 12 picture capacity to 900!

So of course to test it out:
Feeding Frenzy at Newt’s house













Notice that the cat needs to be a part of this.




All the hubster is doing is feeding them their dog food. They love getting it kibble by kibble from him WAY more than eating out of the stupid ol’ bowl.




I spent the morning hanging lights here at work. I attempted to do this while talking to someone on the phone. Not a good idea. I apparently can’t balance on my chair, lean way over my desk and tape up the string whilst setting up a conference call. In fact it proved downright impossible. I thought for sure I could open computer files with my toes.










6 days till I leave for the Left Coast!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Boozehounds and Meme's

My little boozehounds. Actually I was in the kitchen getting a cup of coffee this morning when I turned around and there was Lily happily licking at the cap of our bottle of Irish Cream. And I'm thinking to myself, "this is why I loved that dog." So I ran and got the camera and then just hoped that she might do it some more. Well, she did, and then the other dogs took interest. So basically I have a house full of booze hounds.


Playing with the camera last night I was trying to get a picture of Max. This one cracked me up. You can see Sophie's paw pushing him out of the way so she can be closer to mom.






Caleb and Lily both like to lay on the chair with their little rumps hanging off the front. Of course before I could grab the camera and take a picture Lily jumped off the chair but Caleb hung around so I could at least show you one of the two being cute.





And then he really turned into a ham and started thrashing around on his back for me.





And now for a little Chirstmas Spirit: A holiday Meme:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate – Swiss Miss came out with Chocolate Sensation – it’s a darker, richer chocolate flavor. I love hot chocolate with butterscotch schnapps and whipped cream on top. Yum.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
I am a very poor wrapper. But I try. The hubster usually runs around Christmas morning grabbing random boxes, bags, and towels to wrap up my gifts then presents them to me.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I switch back and forth. I find houses with white lights cozy and inviting, but some folks use green and or blue and I seem to find that very inviting too. Colored lights tend toward the more fun and playful feel. I currently have white lights but I just added little snowmen and though they use white lights their mittens are colored glass so I now have color in my yard.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No and since I am married to the original Grinch there really isn’t a point.

5. When do you put up your decorations?
After Thanksgiving. Or, since we are in Minnesota the closest warm weekend to Thanksgiving. If it’s going to be 70 the weekend before, damn straight I’m putting those lights up. I just won’t turn them on till after the holiday.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Ham – I love love love ham.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
My first real white Christmas. It was in New Jersey and it was magical.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What that Santa actually has more than just one night to deliver because the earth is so huge there are multiple time zones? You mean that truth? I think I was in high school when that dawned on me.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Let’s just say the hubster and I give each other a gift under the Christmas tree.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Colored lights, and eclectic ornaments dating back to my first Christmas 30+ years ago.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love love love it! Dread driving anywhere in it though.

12. Can you ice skate?
Haven’t done so since I was a wee lass. But since we have free skating here in the city I plan to do so during lunch as often as possible this winter. It’s just now finally cold enough for the ice to stay frozen.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I have to say it was my Ipod last year.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with my family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Chocolate Pecan Pie. Though it might be Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies but I haven’t tried those yet. I just hear they are great!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Listening to the Roger Whittaker Christmas Album. It’s just not Christmas without it. My family is so far away that the holidays aren’t as special for me anymore. But when I listen to this album it’s as if they are right there with me and I feel a little less alone.


17. What tops your tree?
An angel I picked up when I worked at Lenox. She holds a single light in her hand. She’s wearing an ivory gown and she has ivory wings. She’s just beautiful.
My parents have a little angel from Israel, his gown is the Israeli flag. When you blend two religions together things tend to get a little “untraditional” so the Christmas tree has always been referred to as the Chanukah bush.


18. Which do you prefer, Giving or Receiving presents?
Giving, I get so excited when I find the really great, perfect gifts for the ones I love.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Darcy the Dragon. It’s on the Roger Whittaker album. It’s about a dragon that lives near a town. He wants to buy his forest friends presents so he goes shopping. Only when he goes into the store and talks to the shop keepers he tends to start the building on fire. So the town sadly has to ban him from visiting. But then in his anguish he gets so upset that he inhales a lot of winter. And that puts the fire out. So now he can go visit the town again and buy gifts for his friends.

20. Candy Canes Yuck or Yum?
Yum, and they are really good crushed up into chocolate or cookies, or icecream, or, well, the list is long.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Weekend photos

Happy Monday!

If you didn't catch it yet, be sure to read the blog entry after the pictures - "Stranger than Fiction" You don't want to miss it, trust me.

Here's WWC plus a few extra for you.

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I had a craft show this weekend at a nature center, this was the view I had from my booth:
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My booth:
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Here are the little snowman lights I added to my yard:




Sunday, December 03, 2006

Stranger than Fiction

You can't make this shit up. We get a local little paper every couple of days. And in it they have the police activities:

I decided this latest batch was worth sharing.

Assaults- A 38-year-old employee was getting into her car after leaving work at the S--------- G-------, 411 Farwell Ave., when she was attacked by a woman. Witnesses said the assailant's daughter and cousin joined in the fray.
The suspect reportedly yelled, "You better stay away from my man" before attacking the victim, according to the report.
A security worker helped break up the assault. The victim suffered a bump to her forehead area.
Later on, the suspects allegedly went to the victim's home and broke a bunch of windows.

Assaults - A 10-year-old boy was assaulted by the aunt of a fellow classmate as he was walking home from Lincoln Center Elementary, on Nov. 17. Earlier that day, the victim got into an argument with a classmate (who is a year older than him) in which some minor pushing and shoving occurred.
After school, the boy's 17 year-old aunt drove up to him as he was walking home, questioned him about the assault and then slapped him in the face. A witness drove the boy back to school to report the incident.

Vandalism - A boy threw a hammer through a sleeping 18-year-old girl's bedroom window at a residence on the 400 block of 5th avenue at 9 a.m. Nov. 25th. The girl reportedly knows the suspect, who agreed to pay damages. No charges were pressed.

And saving the best for last:

Disturbances - Neighbors found a toddler wandering on a parking lot on the 1000 block of 8th ave. S at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 22. Upon returning the boy home, officers discovered a 36-year-old male babysitter asleep on the floor, high on meth. His head was in a bowl of noodles.
Police tracked down the boy's mother at a local bar. They later turned over the boy and a 1-year-old girl.
Neighbors reported a similar disturbance not too long ago, in which the boy wandered into the family's garage and became trapped when a door closed behind him. Neighbors heard him crying loudly and called the police.
A report of the latest incident was forwarded to Child Protective Services.

So which part of that story disturbed you the most? Cause Damn!

Friday, December 01, 2006

The 100 Meme

I stole this from Kell. And as a reward for suffering through all 100 there are pictures at the end of the pups and some random ones. Of course you are more than welcome to skip the 100 ( I wouldn’t be hurt) and go right to the cuteness.

100 things that you may not know about me:

1) Are you in a complicated relationship?
I prefer to think of it as adventurous. A lifetime spent discovering things about the world and each other – together, bravely, boldly, facing whatever life brings you.

2) Do you hate more than 3 people?:
Hate IS a strong world but I guess I do hate more than three people. They would be: child pornographers, child molesters, people who are cruel to animals.

3) How many houses have you lived in?
Let me think, Ontario, Southfield, Flemington, Los Angeles, Gilroy, San Jose, Gilroy again, Gilroy again, Minnesota. I guess it would be 9.

4) Favorite candy bar?
Scotchmellow bar from Sees

5)Do you dream in color?
Yes, I do.

6) Have you ever tripped someone?
Probably my brother.

7) Least favorite school subject?
We had to take an “office” class in high school. So that the “girls” were properly prepared for their gender appropriate job as secretary.

8) How many pairs of shoes do you own?
More than I will admit to.

9) Do you own a Britney Spears CD?:
Good lord no!

10) Have you ever thrown up in public?:
Yes, and the kindly gentleman sitting behind me on the plane sprinkled cologne all over the place and all over me so that I wouldn’t offend him with the smell.

11) Name one thing that is always on your mind:
My husbands very annoying driving and if it’s not that it’s if Lily will pee tonight.

12) Favorite genre of music?:
It’s mood dependant. For house cleaning, working, exercising it’s rock/pop. But for reading and relaxing it’s classical.

13) What is your zodiac sign?:
Leo – hear me roar.

14) What time were you born?:
I think at around 6 a.m.

15) Do you like beer?
Yes, Shiner and Belgian beer.

16) Have you made a prank phone call?:
Probably

17) What is the most embarrassing CD you own?
Meatloaf

18) Are you sarcastic?
Do I breathe?

19) What is your favorite color?
This is also mood related but I always like soft yellows, pinks, - and a blend of all colors in a sunset.

20) How many watches do you own?
“More than I can keep track of, and all of them need a new battery. I have a bit of a watch fetish.” (Kell said it better than I could)

21) Summer or winter?
Actually Spring.

22) Is anyone in love with you?
Yes, and it’s a little embarassing because Gerard Butler and Colin Firth keep fighting over me.

23) Favorite color to wear?
Black – it’s slimming. Pink if I want to feel girly.

24) Pepsi or Sprite?
Squirt.

25) Have you ever walked across a frozen lake?
Yes - and I had a panic attack about half way across.

26) Where is your second home?
Barnes and Noble

27) Have you ever slapped someone?
No – oh wait, no, that would be spanked……………..

28) What kind of animal would you be?
A koala or a cheetah

29) How many lamps are in your bedroom?:
Uh, one, why????

30) How many video games do you own?:
Too many that I don’t really play anymore. It’s all about the dogs and reading.

31) What was your first pet?:
A cockapoo named Muffin

32) Ever had braces?
Yes

33) Do looks matter?:
Yes, to say anything else would be lying.

34) Do you use chapstick?:
No, but I do use Neutrogena night lip repair.

35) Name 3 teachers from high school:
Wow, I can’t. Mr. Batz, that’s the only one I can remember.

36) American Eagle or Abercrombie?:
Both are too freak’n loud. – yes, I know, I’m old.

37) Are you too forgiving?:
Probably.

38) How many children do you want?
I have 8 - all have fur and four legs. I don’t want the two legged kind.

39) Do you own something from Hot Topic?:
What the hell is that?

40) Favorite breakfast meal?
Eggs Benedict

41) Do you own a gun?:
Depends, were you planning on breaking into my house?

42) Ever "thought" you were in love?:
Are you trying to say I am not?

43) When was the last time you cried?
Probably when I watched Love Actually the other day.

44) What did you do three nights ago?:
Chatted with friends on line.

45) Olive Garden?
Why would I do that when we have Mama Maria’s?

46) Have you ever called your teacher 'mommy'?
Yes because my mommy was a substitute teacher and she taught my class occasionally.

47) Have you ever been in a castle?:
Yes, in Germany. And Hurst Castle.

48) Nicknames?
Newt, tater-tot

49) Do you know anyone named Bertha?
Can’t says that I do. But my mom new a Hertha Bertha Kline

50) Ever been to Kentucky?:
I might have driven through it.

51) Do you own something from Banana Republic?:
Yes, a nice wool coat.

52) Are you thinking about somebody right now?
Yes, the hubster. And if you twist my arm to admit it, I am picturing in my head a shirtless fight between Gerard and Colin.

53) Ever called somebody 'boo'?
Maybe after watching Monster’s Inc. I might have called Sophie Boo for a while. And I think I told the hubster that if we ever had a little girl that would be her nickname.

54) Do you smoke?
No, I’ve had a few cigars but no regular habits.

55) Do you drink?
Yes, sidecars are my current drink of choice.

56) Are you happy with your life right now?
Of course.

57) Do you like your hair?:
Eh…………..I’m just thankful that I have hair.

58) Does anyone have a crush on you?
Hopefully my hubster. Oh, and as I mentioned before, Gerard Butler and Colin Firth keep fighting over me so I guess they also have a crush on me.

59) What were you doing in May of 1994?
Working at the outlet center in Gilroy, CA

60) Do you roller blade?
Yes - it's very fun. I like to have Max pull me. He's be a great sled dog, this is the closest I can come up with for him.

61) Do you own a Backstreet Boys CD?:
Hell NO!

62) McDonalds or Wendys?
I’m more of a DQ or Culvers girl.

63) Do you find yourself attractive?:
No, but I try to remember something a friend once said:
“If you could only see yourself through the eyes of your friends you would see how truly beautiful you are.”

64) Are you closer to your mother or father?:
I’m very close to both my parents but I think we have the typical Daddy’s little girl and Mommy’s little boy thing going in our family.

65) Favorite physical feature of the preferred sex?:
I like hands. I’m not sure what it is about them but I notice a man’s hands. Maybe because life boils down to finding someone whose hand you want to hold the rest of your life.

66) Are you afraid of the dark?:
Yes, every time I go out to our not yet electrified garage and have to go through the dark garage to lift up the garage door I get all spooked and start imaging horrible things. I think I am more afraid of what I don’t know and can not see than the dark itself. I’m also afraid of bodies of water I can’t see through.

67) Have you ever eaten paste?
No, yuck.

68) Do you own a webcam?:
No.

69) Have you ever stripped?
Not in public. Oh wait, there was that skinny dipping incident in college, so yes.

70) Ever broken a bone?:
Just my nose, does that count?

71) Are you religious?
I worship the power of nature and the universe. But I’m not sure if that means I am religious.

72) Have you ever had a kiss so good you really did see stars and hear music?
Hell yes!

73) Pringles or Lays?:
Pringles.

74) Have you ever broken someone’s heart?:
Yes, but I didn’t expect it. The person kept telling me that our dating was only casual and they planned to see other people. So when I broke it off I was a little surprised that they completely flipped out on me.

75) Do you like to go fishing?
I used to love to go with my Aunt and Uncle.

76) Full House or The Brady Bunch?:
The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie

77) Did you like your high school guidance counselor?
“I had a high school guidance counselor?” – again Kell said it best.

78) Has anyone ever called you a tease?
Flirt yes, tease no.

79) Do you have a birth mark?
On my left side rib cage.

80) Do you work?:
Yes, I work at a job, I work at potty training Lily, I work at rehabilitating Caleb, I work at having a happy marriage, I work at trying to keep the house just clean enough to not have it condemned……………..

81) Can you cook?:
Sort of.

82) Four things that annoy you:
1. Commercials on television
2. commercials in movie theaters
3. drivers that ride the closed lane till the very very end and then swerve into traffic
4. my dogs when they go on a barking spree for no reason.

83) Do you text message often?:
I don’t even know how to.

84) Money or love?
Both, I’m selfish.

85) Do you have any scars?
Yes, they help prove I have lived my life.

86) What do you want more than anything right now?:
A popover. Or maybe a cup of coffee, no, it’s a popover.

87) Do you enjoy scary movies?
I used to as a kid but not so much anymore.

88) Relationships or one night stands?:
They both have their uses in life.

89) Big Red or Juicy Fruit?
Orbits original flavor

90) Do you enjoy greasy food?
More than I should.

91) Have you seen all the Rocky movies?:
I don’t think I even watched 1 all the way through.

92) Do you own a box of crayons?
Yes.

93)What do you like in your sandwich?
There is this hot hoagie with assorted Italian meat, melted cheese and then shredded lettuce is added. Best sandwich ever!

94) Who was the last person you said 'I love you' to?
The hubster about one hour and 13 minutes ago.

95) Who was the last person that made you mad?
I don’t typically get mad. Annoyed, discouraged, but not usually mad.

96) Who was the last person that made you cry?:
Hugh Grant for his opening soliloquy in Love Actually.

97) Who was the last person that made you laugh?:
George Clooney and John Stewart in their interview last night on Daily Show.

98) Who was the last person to text you?
“Hello! I don’t know how to text. Aren’t you paying attention?” – once more Kell said it best.

99) Who was the last person that called you?
Dad. We talked about taking the puppies to the Weiner Wonderland parade. And some lady named Cindy that wanted product information but she only left me a voice mail. I didn’t hear my phone ring as I have my Ipod going and I’m working on the meme (don’t tell my boss)

100) Who's your cell phone provider?
This is the best question you can come up with for #100? You make people answer 100 questions, not to mention the poor people that are reading through my boring answers and this is the last question? This is the climax? PLEASE

Let’s try this again shall we:

100) Who is your 1 “get out of jail free card” (In other words, who can you have an affair with and it’s forgiven?)
I’m going to have to say Johnny Depp for this one. Though I had to think about it for a while which was kinda fun actually. Running through a long list of beautiful men, imagining them with their head on a pillow next to me. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Newt on the loose with the camera again









This is the napkin for a local coffee shop chain.
"Feel the Twinkle" ????









These are my matching set of babies waiting anxiously for us to open the door.











How cute are they?








"Can you guess which one is not like the others?"
Of course he's also the best trained, the best behaved, and he's my first love.








Newt being silly- you might see Max down in the bottom left corner.