End of the Holiday Weekend Wrap Up

The past week has been crazy busy, and full of eating. I'm still trying to load video to share, but I do have some images to put up.

Christmas was extended for 3 days this year - Christmas Eve was spent at The Dude's Aunt's house for an open house where I discovered Peppadew stuffed with a mix of cream cheese and creme fraise. Heaven in a bite, and like potato chips, I could not eat just one! We started a new tradition this year at the request of The Oldest, to open one present Christmas Eve, only I got to pick what present it was, and I borrowed my Sister-In-Law's idea to make it Christmas pajamas. The Youngest was pissed off because he was thinking it would be a toy, and kept asking if he'd be allowed to stay up late to play with it.
Christmas morning was thankfully a bit later this year (7:00) than last year (4:48). Both sets of In-Laws were over at 7:30 for bacon, cinnabon, and english muffins, oh, and gifts. The Boys had fun opening all of their gifts, and got a Wii from Oma and Opa. They've been playing and fighting about it since, and it was taken away all day yesterday after breakfast and an unfortunate choking incident. Today is a bit smoother, with only words exchanged. The oldest likes Rabid Rabbits, and The Youngest likes Lego Indiana Jones, and Star Wars, so that is what they argue about. I think I'll be adding a timer to what they play, and of course they will be really upset when school is back in session and they can't play during the week, because it goes with no screen time on school nights. The Oldest got his video camera from Santa and has taped at least 24 hours of mundane household things. The Youngest got the Lego Star Wars Battle of Endor set (890 pieces), which I finally finished helping him put together last night!
Christmas dinner was at my folks with sis and the nephews, and an aunt. My uncle has been in the hospital since early last week. He went in for some tests in preparation for a kidney transplant, but they found he had to have a triple by-pass. That happened on the 26th, and he's recovering well. That is the uncle who was a body builder in the 70's, lifted with Arnold, and fashions himself as Uncle Buck. We don't agree politically, but our conversations are always lively, and he always challenges me to have well thought out arguments, and all of my facts before we talk.
The 26th was dinner with The Dude's family, more nephews, and another great meal. We ended up playing Wii ski, and it was hysterically funny to play and to watch as the 3 bros hit the slopes! While the cousins were playing they would ski up to one another at the lifts and visit - as if they weren't standing next to each other the entire time - it had me laughing! That and one of the nephews was saying the others should slow down and look at the beautiful scenery!
Yesterday I took The Boys to Toys R Us to use their Christmas money and we ended up with a couple of Wii games, another Nerf Gun, that is insanely huge and automatic, and I bought myself Brain Age for DS. We also picked up batteries for the Nerf gun and a Slot Car track which is now on the floor of their room. Oh, and I have an eye twitch from too much screen time. And I'm sore from Wii boxing, skiing and Rabid Rabbit dancing.
Here is a slide show which includes the result of adding room temperature water to a 400 degree pyrex dish.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

My annual putting hats on anything that isn't nailed down post

So last year I adopted the tradition of my dear friend and started putting hats on the pictures around my house. This year I added several portraits, and even made mouse ear hats for in-laws who love Disney.

Scuba Santas:

The Boys getting into the holiday spirit:

Even Parrots get into the act:

Cousins looking festive:

An Old Family Photo, updated:

Dear friends:

The Dude and I:

And if you can name this image, you win a WHATZIT prize, no fair if you were with me when I bought it, or at the event where it was purchased - really this is more for Gordon, and a little bit for Bagman...

More to come on the aftermath of Christmas :-)

A funeral for a friend

The weekend (yes last weekend) soared by in a blur of Fudge and Irish Cream making, A Birthday Party for The Oldest and his best friend, which was really fun for almost all attendees, and will be shared more as I get my shit together. For those of you who know me IRL, you can stop laughing now...

Monday I was considering not attending the funeral. AJ was not a particularly close friend of mine, though I did think of her often, and she was one of the most kind hearted and generous people I've known. She was at one time, a very high powered executive in Silicon Valley, and also very down to earth. She'd had cancer, and been dying of it for the entire time I'd known her, and at age 47, lost that battle on December 12th. Her funeral mass was at St. Joseph's Cathedral in San Jose, and well attended. I was unable to stay for the reception, and on one hand was glad for that, but on the other I wish I could have stayed.
You see, AJ was a friend in a group that I've kind of fallen away from due to several factors, most of which could have been avoided or mended by me. It is my level of maturity (or lack there of) that has caused much of the falling away. I fairly sure all of our common friends would likely welcome my friendship again (and some have stuck with me despite all of the shit), but I really don't know if that is true. I also don't know if I am ready to open myself up to all of it again, revisit old wounds that are still painful, and risk losing dear, dear friends again. I am so scared in fact, that just typing this has me crying into my keyboard. Sometimes it takes the death of a loved one to open such doorways of opportunity. Do I let it shut quietly, or do I throw it open wide and just grow up already? I can't lick my wounds indefinitely, nor hide in the background. I think it's time for some New Year's reaching out and apologizing. Some of these relationships may restart, some may not, but none will if I just sit on my hands.
AJ wrote a poem that was printed in the memorial, as well as read at the service:

Something Good

Wouldn't this old world be better
If the folks we meet would say:
"I know something good about you,"
and then treat us just that way?
Wouldn't life be lots more sunny
If we praise good we see;
For there's such a lot of goodness
In the worst of you and me
Wouldn't it be nice to practice
Just this way of thinking, too;
"You know something good about me
I know something good about You."

I think she was on to something, and I'm here to say I know something good about you.
Merry Christmas to all!

My Town Shoot Out - My Town Dressed for Christmas

This week's shoot out theme is courtesy of the My Town Blogger Team "The idea for this week’s topic came from the need to fit our Town-Shoot-Out to how busy we are this month and what we are busy doing. There is not any of us that don’t admire how our town celebrates the Christmas Season – it becomes just a matter of carrying our cameras in our back pocket so while we go about shopping or to tree lighting ceremonies or going to school plays or pageants, or watching our children and grandchildren participate in the church choir, we can snap some photos to share. GingerV"
I encourage you to go and see everyone's contributions here or here.

I drove around looking at the usual places that have good diplays and usually their neighbors also have really nice lights. What I found out, is that a week before Christmas, and not many people are decorating, or if so, not as extensively. I think it might be due to the economy, and being a target for theft. Last week my neighbor across the street has his garage broken into, and there has been a rash of thefts at the office. However, I did find some lights ablaze in my neighborhood:

The inflatable yard decor is very popular around here, where it is likely to rain a bit, but not snow at Christmas.

The Tree in front of the Dublin Public Library:

The Dublin City Tree - In Front of Civic Center.

Then I took a short drive to Pleasanton, where I grew up, and the home of Bob's World 1, which is down the street from my folks:

Bob's Garage:

Another nearby home:

This is Bob's World 2, also in Pleasanton, and the home of a 9 hole miniature golf course, turned into a Winter Wonderland:

Trees in synch with Christmas music:

Out buildings full of train sets:

Lighted Penguins in bikini tops and hula skirts:

An Angel to bid you safe journey:

And I couldn't resist a self portrait on my way out:

Happy weekend all!

Sherpa Mom

Mark of The Butler and Bagman Chronicles inspired me with his post yesterday and so I am going to relate the tales of my own Sherpa life. The Boys affectionately call me Sherpa Mom because I always end up juggling backpacks, jackets, science projects, permission slips, hats, gloves, lunch boxes, books and sharing items on our walk to and from school. Plus I usually have a cup of coffee in the morning and a bottle of water in the afternoon (just kidding, it's really a margarita ;-)).
This is my laptop case for when I drive to work. It holds lots of other suff too, like magazines, files, notebooks and all cords for connectivity, including an inverter just in case I'm stranded in my car during the 5 mile drive to the office...

This is my bike, on which I commute, loaded down with both paniers stuffed - laptop in one and clothes in the other. capping it off is my ice chest for lunch and snacks. I also take the ice chest when I drive.

No day at the office is complete without a cup of coffee, and even when I ride my bike, I have it when I get there!

My current camera back pack - behind it is my secondary bag, both of which I need to carry everywhere for those shots I keep missing. It holds Dramamine for those windy roads, Model release forms, extra battery packs, motrin, lenses, filters, cleaners, flashes and memory, sharpies and business cards. The secondary bag holds my other camera body and other lenses, etc.

Of course, I'm really coveting this bag:

And my single consession to being a mom- a purse. Of course when I'm on the bike, or out on a shoot, I just throw my wallet in another bag.

What all of this allows for is:

1 - Really strong legs from peddling all this weight around.

2 - The ability to carry 10 bags of groceries at a time, plus an 8 pack of bathroom tissue, and a 12 pack of soda.

3 - I can pack efficiently nearly anything, no matter the shape or size.

4 - Wrapping weird size/shaped presents is a snap!

5 - No matter how efficient I think I am, there is almost always something left behind, neccessitating a trip back to the house or office.

Just found this, and it seriously made my night!

So much so, that I had to call The Dude in from the other room to watch it!

Laugh of today and maybe a bit of weekend wrap up

Today's laugh is courtesy of This is Why Your Hold Time is So Long. Some of my favorites are lambasted, but I get the point, and my favorite paragraph/rant on a Christmas song, "Yes, they know its Christmas. You can’t avoid it. Agnostic Eskimo tribes living on Pluto who’ve only seen Earth in a telescope know it’s Christmas, and even they think it’s stupid that you put the Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving, or as they call it, SpardleFeast."

The weekend raced by yet again with working in The Boy's classroom, mid-day Dentist appointments and watching a play on Friday Afternoon.

Saturday was start of laundry, grocery shopping, picking up my Nephews, bringing all four boys to my folks for their Christmas Party with friends, and driving around to look at Christmas lights, which was really fun.
Sunday was finishing laundry and doing nearly ALL of my Christmas shopping. I woke up this morning feeling like I'd been hit by a truck! I actually did about 30 more minutes today of shopping, but part of that was for the tour shirts (more to come).
I only really have The Dude and a few relations to shop for. I also have 150 Christmas cards to address and mail. GAH! Oh, and I need to get all four of us together on a day that isn't POURING and take a family portrait. To do that, I have to also pick out what everyone will wear. Last year's was ok, but I looked like a Polar Bear with red on top. I made a batch of Hot Cocoa Mix, and still need to make my Irish Cream and Fudge... At least I have all of the containers for all of the goodies. OK, off to print mailing labels for the cards so I can address them tomorrow while in a live training class - wheee!
Since I'm taking the final 2 weeks off of work, I also have a BUTTLOAD of things to get caught up on before Friday, which explains why I am still sitting at a computer this late at night, having just completed something I'd scheduled for noon today.  :-P

And now for a new classic on my Christmas show list: