Fishing for Christmas

It was a perfect Christmas this year.

To put it plainly, things haven't been the same since Annie passed away. For the first 27 years of my life, holidays consisted of: driving to my grandparents, having a massive delicious meal at Annie & Boppa's long dining table with china, silver, linens and such... with all my aunts, uncles and cousins running around. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, random Sundays to celebrate birthdays... always the same: lots of family, lots of activity, lots of food.

The past several holidays have been quite different and frankly, seemed kinda empty. Last year for Christmas, we partied with my family on Xmas eve, brunched together at our house and spent the day watching the triplets play with their new toys. This year was pretty much a repeat.

Maybe it is the creation of new traditions (in that it was a repeat year, not a first year), maybe it was the constant activity of the girls and their excitement for their new toys, rain gear or musical instruments (toys that make noise!!). Maybe it was Jackie's beautiful dinning table and all the delicious food. Whatever it was, it felt complete.



And who could possibly resist fishing from the play house pier with Uncle Joe? Somehow, all three flailing plastic fish (that would make quite the noise when 'caught' by the magnetic worm) broke by day's end... shocker.

Galoshes & nightgowns: just in case there is a torrential downpour in the middle of the night.

The Great Christmas Card Crisis of 2008

I was SOOOO proud of our Christmas card picture this year.... Made it into a lovely postcard on heavy card stock... created the messages and laid it all out. They were to say "Merry and Bright" on the front with this picture:



Flip it over, and on the left half of the card, the message "Wishing you and yours a 2009 filled with finding Joy in the little things --The Prices" (get it-- the little ornament, etc) was written in a red casual script over this picture (which was at 50% translucency so it was more of a faint imprint):

I already had the little mailing labels printed just the right size to fit-- with a green font and the nutcracker stamps all ready to go.

The post cards arrive in the mail and... much to my disappointment, the front was practically black. You could barely see the picture- even the lights on the tree barely showed. Boo. Who wants an ironic Xmas card? "Merry and Bright" ....yeah, right. So I call (took me several days to get anyone to answer when I called - i listened to LOTS of holiday music while on hold), finally get through and they say "oh, yeah, we had a dark run that day..." So we reprint them. arg.

The second batched arrived! It was Christmas Eve Eve (the 23rd). I was SOOO going to get the cards out by the next day. Woohoo-- open the box up... and BAM! they are bright red. WAYYYY too much red. Yes, even red in the green branches of the tree. =( Booooo. Hands-down, MUCH worse looking than the ironic dark cards.

So with that, folks, my Merry and Bright Christmas Card bubble had been popped. No card from the Prices in the mail this year... just this post. And likely an email with the picture attached. Not nearly the same.

Our Christmas Cards aside, ours was just perfect and we hope you had a Merry and Bright Christmas of your own!!

And thanks for the Christmas Card if you sent one!! I'll do better next year...

Me Permite?

The City of Austin said "yes." After a mere two days, two hundred dollars (and a bit of luck), we got our permit re-issued. Without getting into the sorted, rediculous details- it was an exercise in inefficiencies. Nonetheless, it is done thanks to Mr. Price.

Onward!

Framers/Carpenters come on Monday to move/install doors and add a door which will make last summer's breakthrough a reality. Woohoo!

Hello New Jersey!

To Jersey and back today... I have been actively, um, NOT looking forward to this trip for multile reasons(let your mind run wild on that one) but I must say: it wasn't too terrible. The weather wasn't too bad and the meetings were productive. Sucks that the meetings ran long--ousting our shot at driving through The City, waking up at 4:30 was miserble , and we are on track for a 5 hour flight home (as a reference point: this AM flight was 2.75 hours. Return flight has had the honor of an hour ground delay and headwinds blowing against us at 150mph resulting in 4 hours on the air. I'm pretty sure I could almost be to London...

Incidentally... There is no in-flight entertainment for the way home and my computer battery is dead. In case you were counting, that=3.5 more hours of sitting on a plane, worn out tired and staring at the seat in front of me (I've already flipped the airline magazine twice-before we took off)

Thank B'geezus for my iToy or someone (me) would be UBERcranky right about now. Other than typing this post, I'm trying to figure out if I'm already too dehydrated from the day.... Or if I should just say "eff" it, and bottoms-up.

Hmm....

Never a good sign....

*bing bong* (flight attendants' voice over PA)

"If there are any medical professionals on the plane, will you please hit your call button"

Cookiethon 2008

Another memorable Christmas cookie-thon came and went... dozens of cookies baked and the neighborhood was treated with ~5 hours of fresh cookie sented air.

The night was capped off with puffs of powdered sugar falling from the sky. And that MUST have been what it was, because we all know that it never snows in Austin-- and certainly not in December. But sure enough-- freezing rain, sleet- and yes, SNOW -- fell in the ATX that night.

Office Humor

One of the funnier random things I've seen posted in the office and I finally had to (momentarily, of course) snag it and scan it for your viewing & entertainment, dear blog friends.




Enjoy it's depth, honestly and the truth it reveals...

Scary, huh?

Happy Friday! =)

Jingle, Jingle...

Playlist updated to include my *favorite* Christmas songs now.... Woohoo!

Jingle jingle could also refer to the new roof we got today =(
I'd like to say we 'could have done without it' ...but we couldn't. Our year old roof was totaled by the insurance company from the hail storm last May. (booo!) BUT - they did finish in one quick day (YAY!) BUT, they realized that the roof of the cabana needed new decking (not covered by insurance, booo!!!) BUT... I picked a new color of shingle, much darker than the old one and i like it MUCH better (yay).

Merry & Bright

Mission Accomplished! I'm feelin' it (the Xmas Spirit, that is): the house is decorated, attended a Christmas party- in Christmas-y clothes- that turned into a late-night dance party (nice...) and I even took pictures for and designed our Christmas card. Woohoo. The Holidays have officially arrived.

Tomorrow night: Christmas Cookie-thon


(that is my tree in the background...)

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas.

Friendly Reminder: It is a Small World

...too small for road rage. (This is the "Airport Story" from Thanksgiving)

road rage (noun) uncontrollable aggressive behaviour by the driver of a road vehicle, especially when caused by stress or frustration

Road rage: Babylon English-English n. act of violence committed out of frustration about traffic or driving conditions.

Road rage is the behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle, which thus causes collisions or incidents on roadways. It can be thought of as an extreme case of aggressive driving.

So we were heading to the airport and decided to park in long term parking over Thanksgiving. YEA for the holidays starting!! Not being familiar with that lane at ABIA, I got into the far left lane which, as it continued on, turned out to be a shuttle lane. Opps- signaled to the right, started to cross the stripe to get over and ***honk*** WHOA- angry drive to the right. WHOA- he yelled something nasty and flipped us the bird (no, we were not inverted). Unnecessary! Mr. Price and I were shocked, but laughed anyway. Really, dude. So in our shock and hysteria of laughing at... let's call him Mr. Angry, shall we?...Mr. Angry, wouldn't you know- he cut us off! Jumped over into the left lane as he apparently decided to park in long term parking too. HAHA!! Mr. Angry who wasn't okay with a signal and a slow drift into his lane totally cut us off! So we laughed even harder then made faux-angry faces at him a the Quadruple-Flip-Off (which = all 4 hands *briefly* waving at him). Bouncin'' down the road.

Awww... he slowed to get his ticket to go into parking and we wondered if we would get a good look at Mr. Angry. Nope! Though we went into the lane next to him, he hurried on through.

As soon as we get into the parking lot, we notice that not only are many lots already full... there are flaggers every 50 yards or so, waving us on. Uh-oh... we are prolly gonna have to park next to Mr. Angry... as we weaved through the parking lots the flaggers got closer and closer together and sure enough- just like at a concert at The Backyard - we were flagged into a specific parking space **right next to Mr. Angry!!** A little uneasy that he might come out swinging- but we didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter.

Park. Engine off. Mr. Price hops out of the passenger side and with a big grin says "guess we didn't exactly get off on the right foot, huh?" ---Here is where Mr. Angry starts to realize it is a small world and maybe road rage isn't such a good idea--- "Oh, yeah" he mutters, "guess that wasn't exactly the best reaction."

"No worries!!" I beam, "we flipped you off too, when you cut us off a few moments later" and shrugged my shoulders.

Continuing to get our luggage out of the trunk, he had gathered his and was about to walk off when he stammered, "I guess I should have known you guys were going to get over. That shuttle lane it tricky and I've done the same thing before. " We double-"don't worry/no problem-ed" him and he walked off.

This could have been the end. Oh no, not done yet.

Another shuttle pulled up but one of the flaggers yelled to us "We've got more space on this one! You two can get on here..." Of course. So on the shuttle we go with our new friend, Mr. Angry.

Loaded up and headed to the terminal: still having a grand 'ol time and thrilled for a quick holiday, Mr. Price and I are laughing on the shuttle and have all but forgotten Mr. Angry when half way to the terminal.... Mr. Angry slides over into the seat next to us.

Got to give him full props. Maybe he should be called Mr. Not-So-Angry at this point. We received a heartfelt, tail-between-legs apology and something about how "it's easy to forget that it's real people in the car as you drive down the road." He really shouldn't have behaved that way and was embarrassed, etc, etc. Bless his heart. We accepted his apology, told him it was okay and not to worry about it, then to have a great holiday.

Smooth cruise through the airport and 30 minutes later, we're seated and ready to go. Sure enough... who walks onto the plane but: Mr. Angry! He apparently saw us first because by the time we saw him and smiled, he was already ready with "yes, I figured you would be on my flight. It's a small world..." as he was turning red.

I replied with a quick, "sometimes you can make friends in the most unlikely of fashions!"

Good times.

Lesson learned.

too busy for words

words on the blog that is. this is kind of ridiculous: blogging takes next-to-no-time to do, I enjoy doing it but my number of posts has totally tanked lately. this is bull.

another thing i love and has totally gone the way of the dodo: my THING is to decorate the day after thanksgiving. i love it. Friday morning and i'm blasting Burl Ives through the house and am decking the halls. anything that doesn't move gets holly, ornaments or those cute little PB cranberry wreaths. not this year. not yet this year, either.

it's like i'm in some weird kind of twilight zone where thanksgiving has already passed, Christmas-y things are going on and i'm not cursing them for being too early... but there is no sign of the event hitting my home.

sure we were out of town on for turkey day- but we came home that night and had entirely too much wine at my brother's house.... which left me extremely useless the next day.

while i'm griping about my own shortcomings: my midyear's resolutions... may as well get it this all out and over with now:
junk in the...

1. ...inbox: unopened emails has ballooned from 3,020 to 4,679. no credit on that one.
2. ...trunk: haven't worked out.
3. ...attic: haven't made any progress there, either
4. ...fridge: um..... (searching for something to qualify here....) i did clean out the fridge! but that wasn't the issue, it was being more organized about menus and i started the effort, but nope. no credit. big red "X."

So i guess i'm glad i don't 'do' new year's resolutions, because i clearly bombed my mid-year attempt.

In closing, I make this commitment: Tomorrow night, Me, a cup of hot chocolate (spiked with peppermint schnapps), and a ridonkulous amount of decorations.

It's on.

Reasons I was speeding

(written while waiting my turn at the downtown court house).

1) everyone else was
2) I was late for work
3) I didn't see the cop
4) it was a pretty day
5) It had been at least 5 years since my last speeding ticket
6) I had never waited around @ muni before....
7) I needed to take defensive driving anyway to lower my car insurance bill

They called 419!! That's me!

Christmas Cards from Aunt Emmie

I've been taking some pics for (other people's) Christmas cards lately and took three of my absolute *favorites* yesterday, so I thought I'd share some Christmas spirit.

And let me just say this: people who think there is 'economies of scale' in having multiples-- are mistaken.

That and: damn they're cute:







Faith (whispers) "I'm ready for my picture... cheese."


Ava hollas "I'm part of a group? I'm Part of a GROUP!"


Claire asks wide-eyed "Aunt Em-lee, can I have candy now?"


Little Madeleine-lou-who from Whoville:

iPost

About to go to sleep here in Maryville,MO, but so excited because I just downloaded an app that will let me blog on the go. WOOHOO!

It's scary how much I heart my new electronic device. It is Super fun. Not sure if I'll actually use it for posting or not - for all the happiness my new little toy has brought me in the past couple weeks, I am really annoyed that the keyboard won't turn sideways/horizontal.

Can't wait to post about arriving at the airport in Austin. But for now: good night and happy thanksgiving from me&my new toy.

Trying to figure out how to post from my phone...

spicey obsession

ah- the temperature finally dipped to 50 degrees. running errands this afternoon and at each place i was told 'stay warm!' as I left. With this cold front, the Texas seasons are changing. Winds are blowing, leaves are falling and the gorgeous sunsets we are so accustom to are that much more vibrant and crisp.

okay- so 50 degrees REALLY doesn't merit all this 'stay warm!' business, but i'm celebrating the season change nonetheless.

And just how am I commemorating this occasion? Glad you asked! since you can't step into my home, you'll just have to stop by your nearest Williams-Sonoma and pick up your own little 'pumpkin spice' kit. Mmmmm.... hand soap, lotion, candles, cleaning fluid, dish soap... it's incredible how much this stuff makes the whole casa smell delicious. I can't stop sniffing the stuff. seriously, it is divine. put a pumpkin pie in front of me and i'll pass (it's just never been my thing) but this stuff.. wow.

Spinning

Fantastic conversation last night with some 'ol dizelta friends - the ones i credit for pledging me to that fine group of ladies well over a decade ago, in fact. SO happy for another girls' night! (and thanks for not judging when i poured myself a martini...)

A theme of conversation seemed to be 'spinning' and it's many definitions from severe to silly: too much on someone's plate, life changes, the *literal* physical sensation or the hands-down-favorite 'spinning' reference... (thanks, Leigh!)

My spinning continued throughout the day today, but surely things will settle down soon. Holidays around the corner-- that should calm things down, right? Oh, wait...

Any who~ Definitely looking forward to the next get together, team! I can't believe I didn't bust my camera out?? (wow, I am out-of-sorts! ) And sorry I don't have a view of the downtown skyline from my pool. Speaking of - some pics from last summers' Slumber Party Girls' Night (because those don't come around nearly as often as they used to - or should!)

in a minute

it rained the whole time i was here... in my clean but less than desirable hotel in the middle of times square, i worked away. it took 90 minutes to get to the airport. my flight is delayed yet again, meaning i won't get home until 1am at best. i ruined my heels stepping in grates and rainy puddles. i got food poisoning and woke up sick one night. i didn't get to see my friends jess or lottie. =(

i wondered how i would feel in this city, being here in such a different setting, with such a different purpose and agenda. it was less than perfect- to say the least. Regardless, the answer is a resounding: yes, i love this city. Given the chance, i would move here in a minute. oh... make that "a new york minute."

New Kind of New York

Heading to NY and a bit weirded out. Not my usual trip. For starters: flying into JFK (boo). La Guardia feels like home. Second: staying at DoubleTree Times Square. REALLY? That just sounds so stereotypical or bland/glitz. I dunno how to describe exactly- but it certainly is no "Williamsburg Bridge to the West Village, driver"

My time will be spotted with business meetings and other commitments that does not lend itself to say: strolling along Bleecker, stopping in for cupcakes, stopping in for cocktails, making a run to union square or trader joe's. No mani/pedis, likely no shopping.

It's not that I'm complaining about NYC as the destination for this business trip (at least I'm not heading to Battle Creek, Michigan!) it's just that I don't feel like I'm heading to the town that I feel so comfortable and at ease with... It's more like a hurried trip to a landmark and back. No 'grit' of the city that I adore. Just flashy times square, rubber stamp hotel room, sterile meeting spaces and agendas.

Surely I'll love it just the same, anyway... right? Okay, maybe not just the same, but just as much... just in a different way? I suppose it is nice that I don't have to pay for it... So maybe I can get used to this after all. --silver lining found.

Productivity Propagation

PART 1
I am sure there is a business case or ten on the subject, but I have recently been reminded that inflicting large amounts of stress and insecurity on employees does wonders for productivity.

And when I say "does wonders" I means tanks.

And when I say "large amounts of stress and insecurity" I mean things like offering to large groups parachutes for taking a package and a hike, delivered along with the message that involuntary separation is pending if enough people don't take the parachute.

Fascinating.

That noted, I am otherwise completely occupied working like the proverbial one-legged-man* trying to catch up from 4 days of travel and the days leading up to it, where I was preparing to be out of town for the aforementioned travel. (note the lack of blog posts last week)

Sister is exhausted. As if the 4 draining days weren't enough.... my legs are so redonkulously sore I can't begin to explain. You'd just have to see me walk (or try to walk) and if you did, I assure you, you would giggle. And I wouldn't blame you. I really wouldn't. Anyway, I think I got tricked into working out.

PART 2
The truth is....while photographing a wedding: there are a million things rushing simultaneously through your head. Things like: do I have the right aperture setting/shutter speed/White balance/lens/flash settings? Wide angle or close-up? What about the battery and memory card-- should I change those out or go a little longer? How do I keep things moving along as to not hold up the celebration? How do I ensure that we take enough time to get the right pictures that become the only lasting memory of the day? How the hell to I toe the line of assertiveness and 'nicey'-ness to handle crowd control of tipsy and otherwise occupied wedding-goers (who would MUCH prefer move on to the next cocktail hour than stand around and smile for the camera)? And most notably - unfortunately for my calf muscles, quads, hamstrings and glutes (really - just about any other muscle group between my hips and ankles, it seems): How do I get a shot of the happy couple that doesn't also include the nasty grey storm clouds on the horizon? --AND minimize the shadows and generally unpleasant lighting??

The answer to the last question --in case you were wondering-- was to take many many shots (the kind with the camera, NOT from a bar, unfortunately) at an upward angle which resulted in much time of squatting, lunging and quickly getting up and down from the ground while carrying an extra 10 lbs of camera equipment - just for good measure.

...And I just realized this story would have likely been MUCH more entertaining if the 'shots' I was referring to were from the bar and not the camera...

I think I'm going to bed now.


*you remember: the one in the a$$ kicking contest??

Halloween Stinker

For her second Halloween, Madeleine was a Woopie Cushion. It was awesome. Clearly it was just as funny to her as it was to us:

What else do 13-month-old Woopie Cushions do? They're not just all laughs! Oh, no. Turns out they spread all kinds of happiness....

They hug their cousins, (she *may* have been trying her newest wrestling move here)

they feed their sandwiches to hungry (and friendly) puppies:

they make new friends with monkeys they encounter...

They also give speeches about very important things in foreign languages (details of aforementioned speech pending...)

This little toot isn't talking just yet, but her animal sounds are brilliant. She can do impressive impersonations of a monkey, lion and horse. She also knows the difference between her aunt and uncle's noses and can find her belly button in a flash.

Oh, the fun you can have with a one year old.

Footnote: I'm going with the spelling of "Woopie" that matches Maddie's costume.

The funniest invite in ages

So... big football game this weekend (isn't that the case every weekend this fall??) and you know I love me a bit of wit. The following is an email I received this week and can't seem to stop replaying it in my head. We'll be there, and I don't mind saying that part of my excitement for going is based on the pure entertainment value of the invite:

Subject: TX vs. Technical

My fellow Americans,

Four scores and thirty beers ago our Longhorns brought forth on this campus another victory. Conceived in Belmont, and dedicated to the proposition that all schools were not created equal. Now we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing whether this University, or another on the South Plains (that accepts lower test scores) can long endure. The world will little note, nor long remember this directional school from Lubbock. However, they can never forget that the Run and Shoot offense only works in the Astro Dome and Mike Leach's Wild Turkey addled dreams.

We here highly resolve that this game shall not be watched in vain -- that this University, under DeLoss, shall have another National Championship -- and that the coaching prowess of Mack, by Major, and for Colt, shall not perish from the BCS.

Crockett High School Football Rules!

...okay, so we would like all of you to come over for a game watching party on Saturday at our house. We will have bbq and various forms of intoxication, so only bring yourselves. Also, some of you may be headed to Halloween related parties, so feel free to drop by in costume. Ladies, remember less is more and naked is the new black. The game starts at 7:00 but come by anytime...I think Stump said he was coming at 5:00.

Let me know if you can't make it so I can take you off my Christmas card list.

Our address: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thomas & Meredith et al


Mike Leach = Elvis and Vince Gill's love
child.

_____________


Go ahead, re-read it. You'll find something new to laugh about.

My TexMex Star-Crossed Love

Jalapeno ranch dip,
Why are you so mean?
You know I LOVE to eat you
And lick the bowl clean.

I choose you over Queso!
But my Chuy's lunch will remain
To bring me twenty minutes later
Into a world of stomach pain.

Celebrations in the City

Pics!
Here are some snaps from the weekend in New York. I have some artsy ones that I'm really digging, but I'm thinking the sugar high has me a bit hyperactive in choosing pictures to post (note: way to many pictures posted already)

Maybe I'll try reading a book. THAT should put me right to sleep!



Thursday

Jess and Mr. Nelson, the afianced ~Em & NatMay

Ladies~ The Striebys are SOOO Manhattan


Friday

Catherine: a few weeks to go before meeting the twins!
Jess, bride to be!

Magnolia Cupcakes: a little bit of heaven

AJ's bachelorette night 1: after dinner at Supper

Saturday

Watching the Horns with the Striebbehusens ~ Jess's bike on Bleeker

in line for cupcakes ~ and later that night


Sunday

clementine 'pimpin'