Happy New Year! (Thomas Style)

When January 1st is on Sunday the Rose Parade is held on Monday, the second. The reason being is that the Tournament of Roses didn't want the horses to be spooked by the Church bells on Sunday so in 1893 they declared that if the 1st was on a Sunday the parade would be on Monday.

I was very amused by the WikiAnswers Question here on the subject. For those that don't click on it the question is "If the Rose Parade is celebrated on a Monday when it falls on a Sunday then why isn't Halloween celebrated on Saturday when it falls on a Sunday?" The obvious answer: There is no corelation between the Rose Parade and Halloween.

Anyhow, today we had the pleasure of celebrating New Years on the Parade route (as we did in 2006) and we had a great time! Looking forward to the Parade tomorrow.

Hot Chocolate Bar

The first year I had this planned I got terribly sick. Last year it was ok but this year it rocked!

Happy New Year! (Starbucks Pasadena Style)

On Thursday I was at the Starbucks on Bonnie/Colorado (We refer to this as the PCC Starbucks) and I took a picture of the cool Rose Parade welcome board. I was surprised the next day when I walked into the Starbucks on Washington (We refer to this as the Mafia Starbucks due to the large number of men that hang out outside all the time-however this has improved over the last year or so) and saw a similar sign. I took another picture. When I walked into the Starbucks on Foothill and Madre I knew immediately that their sign was the best-by far. (In case you are interested I refer to this Starbucks as either "The Best Buy Starbucks" or "My Home Starbucks". Also depicted here is the sign at the Starbucks on Hill between Walnut and Colorado (reffered to as the Hill Starbucks) and the Hastings Ranch Starbucks (Which we actually call the Hastings Ranch Starbucks)


I was informed that Lindsay drew the winning entry in the unofficial contest (that I started)-Great job, Lindsay-You win!! (I think Anne should give you a raise or at least some type of prize-LOL)

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)