Mimi just sent over these fine pics of Maddie and I spinning last Sunday. She asks for "More" at the second I start to slow down from the spin and happily follows it up with pieeesssse ('please') 
we had family dinner last night at our place and I realized that forgot to mention this tidbit.
Upon returning from Asia and not seeing poopsie for over a month (she was in Jackson Hole the week before I left):
A month is a long time when you're a mere 16 months old; but sure enough, that little baby remembered me!!
I walked in the door at my parents and Kim looked over at Madeleine and said "who's that!?!" she looked up, smiled and yelled, "Oh, oh, oh!" before flapping her hands at me.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS........
Sure, I spent 3 weeks in Asia. Sure, can point to $17MM of earnings and three teams now opererating proactively and efficiently. Sure, a couple execs now know me personally and apparently been telling others what a 'great job' I did while I was over there.
But that is NOTHING compared to the accomplishment realized tonight.
While on an 8pm call with Asia, my Swedish co-worker and new friend who was the recipient of the bulk of my time, insight and grammatical corrections (he was asking, I wasn't volunteering the corrections!! ) ... said... in perfect context... "Bless his heart" (if only you could hear it with the thick Sveeee-desh accent.
Ah - Sweet Fulfillment.
...That would be 'the seat of our pants'
So, we spontaneously booked a trip to France last week. Wild hair and all, searched some flights, considered some countries and other far away places and then *BAM* we're going to Paris.
The 7 hour flight used to be a tad of a deterrent, and the jet lag of 7 time zones. Last summer we opted for Mexico because it just seemed so far.
But admittedly, that 7 hour flight feels a bit trivial after the 30+ hours (one way) and 12/13 time zone differences I traipsed through last month. 7 hours? Hump! I did that in an afternoon going from Tokyo to Singapore... and then back as a morning jaunt a week later. This will be nothin' Proving again... that perspective is everything.
Really, i think this might be mostly a 'because we can' kinda trip. Don't get me wrong: we both love Paris and are really excited about it. In fact, we were there once before together - though we were 'just friends' back then and he slept on the floor of my flat (seriously). It will be nice to relive those moments, but this time around without that esprit très frais (ou froid!). But I think we are appreciating the fact that we can just pick up and go to another continent with a couple weeks notice with little care or concern in the world. Our neighbor already happily (and eagerly) offered watch after Tyler and the kitty girl. Done.
After getting back into the office last week, my manager asked me "what can I do for you?" and I instantly responded with a quick "oh, not freak out when i'm gone a week next month" to my delight, he nodded and said "ok. you got it. i will not freak out." Humph! Done.
Wow- that's all we had to clear? Really? Cool.
No pending litigation, no judge's calendar. No Partner going berserk. No class schedule. Nothing complicating us picking up and being gone for a week.
So for 7 nights, in Paris we shall be: on our 4th anniversary; to celebrate Mr. Price's MBA graduation; to toast to river banks of Seine and the Champ du Mars; to wander the streets of la Rive Gauche; and to appreciate the simple fact that we could.
I worked out yesterday AND today. That makes three times since
returning stateside and I intend to continue.
Mr. Price's favorite thing to say when I do is: "she little but she
Str-ong!" which hasn't failed to make me giggle.
Sent from my iPhone
One of the things I was most excited about coming home... was to see the girls and give them their sussies. I was spoiled with too much jewelry as a little girl and it only seems fit to continue the tradition. So, I bought each of my darling nieces a pearl necklace, long enough to later be made into a double strand bracelet. But for now, they look stunning.
Even at 1 1/2 and 4 years old, these little dolls were thrilled about their pretty little things.
Madeleine laughed and smiled and tugged on her necklace as we looked in the mirror. she had tried to pull it on over her head and then patiently waited with her arms sticking straight out to the sides as if to balance herself as I put it on her. In appreciation she gave Aunt Emmie a kiss. (melt)
We joined the TriPrices at Westwood for an Easter afternoon swim, which was lovely. Faith, while wet and curled up in my lap, asked me why I had a necklace (the girls often ask about my necklace or play with it). After a series of very funny "whys" she concluded that I must have gotten the necklace for my birthday and she didn't get a necklace for her bday.
I later used the 'ol "Girls... I have a surprise for you..." trick to distract Ava & Faith from hopping back in the pool (which at this point was quite cold). It worked! =)
So it was about time to leave and we started all walking out together when Ava said "but what about our surprise?" Ah, yes... I assure you I hadn't forgotten. Good to know they were eager.
Claire had wandered off so Faith and Ava got theirs first and were so thrilled - Ava immediately requested Uncle Joe take her picture. Faith because very content and pensive... resting her hand and thumb on her chest, over her new pearls, for the rest of the day. Funny how that reaction is so natural for a girl. Claire on the other hand, was having a rough time with leaving the pool, who was going to be the 'leader' and otherwise. She wanted her necklace on but then promptly wanted it back off so she could see it.
As we said our final goodbyes, I was tackled by A&F with a sweet, digging in kind of hug - complete with their wet little swimsuits and all.
Totally made my day. 
Are you sitting down? Don't fall off tour chair or anything... But while in Asia, it seems I picked up a shocking habit. Let's go with: I has some 'stressful experiences' which lead to... (are you ready?) ...me working out. Not just once! No, my friend, Five (5!) times!! Yes, you heard that right. We shall see if this dirty little habit continues Stateside.
There you have it. Shocking, I know.
Totally late- but supa-props to Kelley for the heads-up on 'cowbell' on TV with the Will Ferell special, prolly almost 2 months ago now...
I still smile when the thought of the text msg pops into my mind. Didn't see the text until after I got home that night; but I was, in fact, watching with Mimi at my parents house during SNFD (Sunday Night Family Dinner).
You rule.
Xxoo - me
Somewhere over the Pacifc right now... Got to appreciate the Japanese and their suberb germophobia. It is like a haven for, say, germophob-international travellers like myself. Especially travellers who may have just been in one of those top-ranked 'emerging infectious deseases' countries...like oh, I don't know, China? :)
I loved my hotel. It was very fung shui with suburb attention to design detail, just as you might expect. Upon my arrival, I couldn't help but think that this place was given to me for recovery.
I have to say that Japan easily has the nicest toilets of anywhere on the world. I am not to proud to say that indeed, I am going to miss the heated-seat toilets and motion sensor sound machines in every bathroom. It's such an unexpected surprise. :)
Mimi B: remember those fancy Toto washlets you found during your remodel? Well, I found their market and let me assure you that they do some Big Business in Japan.
Mon April 4, ~6:30 pm local time,(2:30am Mon in Austin)
Just because you know something might happen doesn't mean you loose the option to be disappointed should it end up happening.
For example: it might rain today-or any day-, but you chi'ed you're hair this morning and were looking forward to dinner plans. When it does rain and you get caught in it, your hair gets messed up, you're gonna new sad. If someone flippantly told you, "well, the weatherman said there was a 10% chance of rain this week" make you feel better, or (after you thought about it for a minute) make you want to punch them in the mouth?
Similarly, if your scoop of ice cream fell off your cone and onto the ground. Does a cool, "yeah, it happens" help.
Or if your flight was cancelled, does "hmmm... Maybe if you checked in a little earlier, it wouldn't have happened that way..." make you feel any better, or possibly just enrage you a bit? There is no connection between the two things! It is still upsetting that your flight was cancelled, your plans have now been forced to change, and you are disappointed.
I understand that human nature makes us instinctively want to answer the question "why" when something bad happens. But what makes us lose sight of how to me (even coordially) sympathetic?
I'm typing in this tiny little screen here, and not sure if this post makes my point; so I'll try one last analogy. This one a bit darker...
I believe the saying goes: "only two things in life are certain: death and taxes". So we know it could (will) happen eventually to all of us, surely no one would find it acceptable (let alone appropriate or compassionate) to say to a distraught young widower, "well, it happens sometime. Do you think it was something you did?"
Sun April 4
