New Years Eve 2011

12:00AM-1:20AM-Sleep
1:20AM-2:20AM-Sydney get sick again and we contemplate ER trip
2:45AM-Arrive at ER
4:30AM-Get ER bed at Huntington
7:15AM-Leave ER with Antibiotics
7:30AM-Arrive Home
7:45AM-Go to Sleep
9:45AM-Brooke wakes up (thank you for sleeping in baby girl!!!)
10:15AM-Leave for Costco
10:30AM-11:15AM-Shop for New Years at Costco
11:45AM-Brooke and Mom get a Starbucks
12:00PM-Arrive Home
12:30PM-Grandma Arrives to see Sydney
12:45PM-1:30PM-Chat with Mom over our Starbucks
1:30PM-4:30PM-Work around the house
4:30PM-Get ready for Dinner
5:30PM-Pick up dinner for mom and dad
6:00PM-Drop kids off at Moms
6:45PM-Dinner at Toro Tora
8:15PM-Pick up kids
10:00PM-Go to bed

Address of Crazy Parking Lot

Oh Dear

Return To The Crazy Parking Lot

I returned to the parking lot with the ridiculous signage the other day and was once again completely overwhelmed. Note the One Way signs in the first picture, I think they are trying to tell us not to exit in the second picture.

Calling Quality Control at Hallmark

The other day when I was taking my tree down I was once again reminded on how much I am dislike the ornament packaging from Hallmark. The one that sent me over the edge (and prompted this blog) was the bubble wrapped "Visit from Santa" ornament. Look at this super tiny ornament with well over 2 square feet of bubble wrap!

In addition to the ridiculous amount of bubble wrap, Hallmark also uses plastic "fitted" inserts into their boxes or plain old tissue paper. What I want to know is what determines what type of wrap they use? I don't envision a great assembly line for packaging instead I envision 1000's of Hallmark elves in this huge disorganized warehouse and they just grab the thing closest to them for packaging.

Sick Girl, Crazy Hair

What The Daughter Does, The Mother Did

So, I have completley turned into my mother. We have redone our breakfast nook for Christmas and turned it into a gingerbread house. I absolutely love it and as you can see from the pics the girls love it too. It was so fun to put up and I am already looking forward to next year (I am sure it will expand somehow) Thanks, Mom!!!

The Girls Love Their Chai (& Their Mama)

Thanks For The New Markers Uncle James

Christmas Is Tiring

Full recap tomorrow, for now, I am going to make like Brooke and go to bed.

Sydney Took First Pass At Setting the Table

Mint Chip Ice Cream Cake

I have one every year for my birthday but somehow this year we forgot it. On the 23rd Sydney Sydney said to me "Mom is today still your birthday" and when I said "No" she said "But Mom we didn't get you a cake" (She was really upset about it and I got to thinking where the heck is my ice cream cake?) I told her, "This year I am going to share my cake with Jesus for his birthday too". She seemed satisfied with that answer and today when the first candle wouldn't light we stated that "Jesus was blowing his out", then we let Sydney share (after all, sharing is a good thing) and she blew out one candle and then I blew out the last one. Everyone was amused, Sydney was satisfied and I got my mint chip cake.

Christmas Eve 2011

On The Menu: Baby Romaine Salads, Prime Rib, Asparagus, & Loaded Baked Potatoes, Ice Cream Cake

On The Guest List: Grandma, Grandpa, Andrew, Grace and James

On The Agenda: Dinner, Desert, Andrew reads the kids Christmas story, Family Picture, Gift for mom, Girls get first present (From DP!), Cookies, Water and Carrots for Santa and Reindeer (Sydney decided Santa wanted water)

The Christmas Tree at the Americana

The wind storm blew off the top of the Christmas Tree at the Americana and I snapped a picture of the tree on the next day while the girls and I were visiting. A week or so later I returned and discovered that they had affixed a Christmas Tree to the top of the original Christmas tree.

Most folks wouldn't notice but given my frequent trips and that I had caught it before it was "fixed" it was pretty easy to spot what they did. Wished I had seen that repair in progress.

Andrea Braun I Heart You

We Made The Big Time!!! (Will RO Be Next?)

Oh Dear, 38

Starbucks with mom, long overdue pedicure, a new bluetooth headsets, birkenstocks (coming), a beautiful "mom" necklace, new pj's, cookie jar, and ipad keyboard/case, a trip to the Americana which included dinner with Becca, Jason, Mom, James, David and the kids. Finished it all off with the Peppermint Milkshake. (since Cheesecake is blech)

The 22 Rules

David had two AOL screen names that he used regularly, the first was dthomas668 and the second was The94Rules. (94 was his favorite number at the time). I always loved The94Rules and I thought the perfect name for this "Happy Birthday to Me" post was "The 22 Rules". Here are the 22's from my life today:

Love The Joy and the Wonder

Yes, My Husbands Hand Is Larger Than Life

We didn't get a picture at our usual holiday spot this year but did manage to get one in front of the Christmas Tree. Unfortunately I find David's hand so distracting that I can't consider this as our annual holiday Disneyland photo. I guess we'll have to get back there the first week of the new year to get a picture that will suffice. (Seriously, how funny is this picture? Could that hand be any bigger? It almost looks fake)

We can't properly hold our children for photos, this is why we do the famous Thomas sqaut.

Getting Ready For The Parade

And it's 12 days until the parade comes by our house (As Sydney likes to say)

New Starbucks Cup

I have been eyeing this new Starbucks mug for awhile with the full intention of purchasing it when it went on sale. After seeing a number of them on Saturday, yesterday morning when I walked into my usual Starbucks I noticed they were all gone and I started to get concerned that I had waited too long. Luckily, last night, I spotted it at one of the Starbucks in San Diego so I decided it was time to make it mine. Super cool cup (or is it a mug)?

I Work For Dell!

Sydney's First NFL Game

I think "Sydney's First NFL Game" is a better title than "Merry Christmas, David". The Ravens played terrible and it was a miserable loss.

Sydney had a good time though, lots of popcorn, lots of peanuts and special time with mom and dad.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this game possible.

P.S. That Sydney is so cute. When I explained that she needed to root for the purple and white team she said "No Mom, I like the blue"

Merry Christmas Lester Family!

Today we had our annual Christmas party with the Lester side of the family. I am so glad that 8 years after Grandma left us we are still having an annual Christmas gathering with the Lester family.

This year it was at Uncle Dave's and Aunt Tammy's. The company was great, the food was great and a special visit from Santa was fantastic for everyone. Thanks Aunt Tammy and Uncle Dave-we had a great time!