Thursday, December 30, 2010

I can hold a dog and blog

Day whatever of winter break...


I was really hoping to be more productive this week.  Instead I've slept in, had fun lunch dates every day, then I come home to nap.  Every Christmas decoration is still up...and I'll turn the lights on to the house every night until Saturday probably.  I just don't want to pick up the beautiful mess of Christmas I made.  Where did the people go that helped me do all of this?!


Just to be clear...I can hold a dog and blog!  Beau feels obliged to sit with me every moment I'm on the computer.  Not just in my lap, but with his head on my shoulder, which requires me to lean back and pull the keyboard closer.  Basically every task takes me twice as long because half of the time I'm typing one-handed.  Thank goodness for the wireless keyboard & mouse.  I kicked him out and shut the door, but he only stays out there crying!  So for both our sakes...he stays with me.



Without going into a ton of detail, I just want to tell all of my friends with babies & expectant moms how lucky you are.  I hope that my turn will be soon.  I'm so happy for everyone.  Seeing all of your beautiful babies is so exciting.  Hearing all of your blogs about motherhood is fantastic.  I'm not jealous, I just want the same. But when you don't seem get what you want, it always makes it a little harder.  Here's to hoping that it'll eventually happen.  I know there's a plan for us, but if you know me...I like to make my own plans and I want it my way.  I've learned to have more patience and to let life lead me where it will.  If life could cut us a break though & have a little less heartache in the future I'd appreciate it...and just in case there's a woman who didn't already know...HORMONES SUCK!  They make you fat...they make you cry...they make you lose your mind sometimes...I would like some results please from all of the hormones!

And finally...I'm dreading going back to work.  Why?  I don't know.  Although this has been my best year in a while, I just want it to be over.  Change of path might be eminent.  I mostly feel exhausted from my clientele.  A change in atmosphere might just be what I need.  But where to go & how to get there...hmmm.  Trust this...If the Travel Channel called tomorrow and asked if I'd be Anthony Bourdain's B*^*^, I'd do it!

*Please take note of sarcasm where you will.  I never intentionally try to be a ____.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Holiday Season

After loading my pics to Facebook, I realized that I've hardly taken any photos since this summer.  Maybe I'm too busy?  Maybe there's not much going on?  I'm going to try harder from here on out because life is so much better when it's captured on camera.

Christmas has come and gone.  Vacation hasn't been the least bit relaxing until today.  As soon as I got out of school for break, it's been crazy.  We adopted a family for Christmas and I took on the task of shopping for them.  It actually was much easier than buying for my own family.  I got all their clothes & toys purchased in two days.  At the same time I got family shopping done too, so it all worked out.  Then I had to get Mitch's office staff gifts together.  Not a big deal, except he usually does it.  

Poor guy has been so busy it's scary.  I'm talking around 50 patients a day!  and at least 4-5 surgeries a week.  It's a Catch 22.  It's good because he'll make more money...It's bad because he's at work after hours typing notes he doesn't have time in the day to get done.  Here's my beef with podiatry DPM vs MD.  They can't have/afford PAs, so there's no one to do a lot of the work for him.  He has MAs and they do a lot of work, but he needs more.  The only reason I'm complaining is because poor Dr. H is out & Mitch is doing all the work around there.  I keep telling myself that it'll be worth it next summer when she's back, but right now it sucks!  Dr. H is going to be on bedrest until forever...the baby is due in May I think (I hope she makes it that long for both mom & baby's sake).  But geesh!!! Mitch doesn't want to work 80 hours a week.  I don't want him to work that much either.  When the drama settles and things are back to normal, I truly hope he has a consistent schedule that doesn't stress him out and make him go to the office at 4 in the morning because he wanted to come home the night before to see me.  A person can only last so long with half the amount of sleep they should be getting.  I'm praying that his health holds up and patients are fewer in 2011.  At least in the beginning anyway.  My man needs a break.

Positive note - Dr. H had only finished out half of her building originally...Now...they are almost complete with the other side...Mitch's side!  I know he's excited...I'm just happy that I get to decorate his office.

Back to Christmas
My mom, sister, Mitch & I delivered presents to family in need on Christmas Eve.  I knew she would be overwhelmed, but nothing beats the happy tears we saw from this mom of three beautiful children.  Ayron (5) & LaMondre (18mo) where the cutest, most excited kiddos I have ever seen.  Jafarie (9) wasn't there, so I can only imagine his reaction when he got home.  I called the mom that morning to let her know we were coming, but the boys didn't know.  Her little apartment with hardly anything turned into a wonderland of presents.  There was a tiny Christmas tree in the corner...it was only about 2ft tall.  Had I known, I would have brought a tree and decorations to complete the scene.  She was quiet.  The boys all smiles.  The four of us each brought in a couple of presents...then we went back out to the car for more.  Tears were flowing by the end of it.  We didn't stay long.  I wonder if they waited until Christmas day to open their gifts or if the excitement was too much and they opened them that night.  Either way, I hope our small contribution made it a little easier on her this year.  I hope that the boys always remember this time of giving and do the same for others.

For Ayron
For Jafarie
For LaMondre
Side note - I will have to remember next time to give the family a disposable camera, so they can capture the memories of Christmas.  Mom got gifts too.  They just aren't pictured.

I think every family that can afford it should do something like this every year.  Each couple in our small family gave between $100-$200.  When it all added up, we had about $700 to spend on another family.  Get an angel from the tree.  Adopt a family.  Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen.  Remember that you are more fortunate than so many people and your contribution goes a long way.  It's the season of giving.

After delivering gifts to our family, we headed to Fort Worth for our traditional Christmas festivities at my grandmother's.  It seems we've turned it into Mexican themed everything.  Mexican food, Mexican  desserts, & Mexican games.  Ok, so some of it isn't traditional Mexican, but we have opted not to have turkey, ham and the other traditional Christmas stuff anymore.  Katie & Wade did all the cooking.  We opened gifts & played Mexican Train Dominoes...It's my new favorite thing to do!!  

Mexican Limon Popsicles...could be dipped in tequila for a margarita popsicle maybe?!
About to play Mexican Train Dominoes

What one might see if they drank all of these beers...I did not.
Dominoes that lasted well into the night & had me making strata at 2 in the morning
Christmas Day was spent at our house.  I made strata for brunch, we relaxed all day, played games, watched Christmas movies...It couldn't have been better.  I don't think I got out of my PJs all day.  I will give all credit in the world to Leslie for showing us Liverpool Rummy.  We played several times in two days...each resulting in ME WINNING!!!  Mitch got a 15 game set of traditional games like checkers, chess, Chinese checkers, etc...We played lots of those too.   After snacking on yummy goodness all day, no one was hungry for dinner, so no Christmas dinner was had.  Is that bad? I guess I can't force people to eat if they don't want to.  I'm so glad that we finally had Christmas at our house.  I'm hoping it becomes tradition.




Cute new scrub caps for mom
Sleepy bunny
Could our fireplace be anymore 1985?  I wouldn't complain if it was from 1921.
Eww...gross kisses from Rox


Cruiser makes my dogs so happy!! He played king that day :)
How did my dad manage to steer clear of the camera?!


Here's some other stuff from this season...
Do you see what I see?  All of the Christmas lights at Deer Field & Highland Park were beautiful.  Really, in HP, I think it's the homes, not the lights so much :)
Our house - Thanks Wade, Mitch, Mom, & Katie...I didn't lift a finger...ok...I did put the garland & lights around the door & hung the wreath.
Tacky Christmas Sweater Day at work...Won't wear it again...got too many compliments.  Will have to find something worse for next year.
He couldn't be sweeter

This post is dedicated to Angie & Dave's sweet boxer Colt who passed away on Christmas day.  I can't imagine how hard it was for them.  We loved him like he was our own.  What a good guy!

Love you Colt!


Friday, December 3, 2010

Winter Is Here!!

I'm loving this gorgeous cool weather!!! High's in the 60s or cooler...YES PLEASE!!!  I can't get enough of Pandora Michael Buble Holiday.  Thanksgiving went off without a hitch.  Everyone came to my house...all 8 of us. (We've got ten, but my fabulous aunts live all the way in sunny St. Pete & can't come for every holiday).  My family is so small it seems these days.  We're working on that though ;0


I could hardly wait to put up our Christmas lights and tree.  We haven't done either since we got married because we are always gone around the holidays.  I just never thought it was worth the time and effort if I wasn't going to be able to enjoy it on actual Christmas day.  I kind of told everyone if they wanted to see us on Christmas, they'd have to come to our house.  I still need to put our wreath and decorations around the door, so I don't have pics of outside yet.  Our tree is all I can offer right now...Which I'm in LOVE with.  Happy Holidays to all :)

Turquoise, Silver, & Peacocks


Looks like a Zeta themed tree to me :)

These drink holders are fantastic!!  A lovely GJ friend made them...She's so creative!  I was saving them for gifts, but too many people wanted to one, so I just gave them out...Thanks Jess!!
This has nothing to do with the holidays...Katie spent hours working on this Henna design on my hand.  My kids loved it...Probably not a good idea, but whoevencares!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

New York



Being in New York makes me so happy (although now I'm exhausted).  I hadn't been in over 5 years, so I was super pumped to go.  Mitch had a conference and I just tagged along.  Main Idea of the story - I walked for 3 days straight.


Recap:
Friday - Took the train from New Jersey into the city.  Dropped Mitch off at the hotel & I hit the streets shopping.  Wasn't impressed at all with H&M's current selection, but hit up a few other stores (sad to say it's probably not anything I couldn't have gotten at home).  Chilled at Madison Square Park and saw a cool light installation that was probably pretty awesome at night...but I thought it was awesome in daylight. Walked all day in gorgeous 50 degree weather and finally made it back just in time to check into our room & get ready for cocktails and dinner with some other Texas folks.





Couldn't take the heels any longer...switched to ultra classy flip-flops

Saturday - Subwayed or walked it all day!!  Went down to the Village to do a little flea market browsing.  Found several things I really wanted, but didn't want to hassle with trying to find a FedEx to ship the items home.  Did find some interesting things that I'm still trying to figure out why someone would purchase at all!!! You'll see...

random cool setup outside a bistro
Flea Market in Chelsea
Loved the colors
No explanation...just WTF!!!!  They were life size or larger
for my sewing peeps

Headed over to Chelsea Market for a late lunch...Lobster Roll & Oysters (didn't have Blue Points, but these did just fine).  This was the highlight of the day.  Also, I ate lunch with a complete stranger and her two-year old who couldn't find a table, so they sat with me.



Mitch got done early, so I begged him to travel WAY Uptown to see The Cloisters.  I was totally not impressed.  Maybe it was the rerouting of trains all the way there...off, then on, then switch, then back down, then up again.  We hightailed it through Fort Tyron Park thinking we would be really late and not get to see much of the Cloisters.  Got there, refused to pay full price b/c they closed in 45 minutes & wouldn't be able to make it to the Met that day anyway.  It was all Medieval art from Europe.  Oh, wait!  I saw tons of that when I was actually in Europe.  We did see a judge from Chopped though.  By then, I had lost it...I guess I was exhausted & disappointed that it wasn't way cooler, so I cried.  Then we started to take the bus back down (which would go right by our hotel)...40 minutes later we were still not to Central Park...so we walked 6 blocks back to catch the train.  Cried with my sunglasses on in the train.  Got to the hotel, cried because who even knows why....then the Rangers were on and they sang the Star Spangled Banner...and I CRIED!!! I cried it all out, then I was good.

Fort Tyron Park
The Gardens at the Cloisters



After all that...I got what I wanted...Sammy's Noodle Shop in Greenwich Village (with my husband and no other company).  I can't be in NYC and not eat there.  Nothing fancy...just a little Chinese place that serves awesome chilled spicy noodles. (And I didn't have to eat with the rep or Mitch's boss...which normally I wouldn't care about, but she said the restaurant we had reservations at sucked).  We walked around that evening, saw Washington Square Arch and went to bed before midnight b/c we still wanted to do more before leaving.  We did enjoy a delightful display of amazing and not so amazing Halloween costumes.

Sammy's
               
                   Washington Square Arch
Photos below should be self-explanitory :)  and Yes, I know I'm mean



Trying not to get involved with my meanness
 Sunday - Went to the Met...started with everything, then decided I just needed to see the European Paintings.  I love art, but I how can you even begin to fit it all in?!  Walked through Central Park before heading to the Guggenheim...Admitted to ourselves that we were so tired we could barely walk, then went back to rest before catching our flight.  Sadly, the Guggenheim didn't see our faces.






So glad I was in New York, but it wore me out.  I think I would've had way more fun if I had more company.  I'll remember that next time.