On The Twelve Days of Christmas, My True Love Gave To Me!

Okay, seriously you could fit all of this into that song pretty much and it would make sense. The reason I'm becoming thrilled that 2009 is about to beat it is because I'm so busy with my last-minute doctors and I want it all to stop. At any given time I have the following open on my desktop:

Inbox

approx 7 emails

approx 3 new messages I have created and am working on simultaneously

2 Databases

Excel Spreadsheet for people not in my database

Online I have 3 windows open so I can flop between applications. If I close one out, then I might forget to do something. I don't even get a second to jot down a note and I just continue opening more until I get a breather (yea, right...a breather) to get all the work entered and saved before closing the app.

I also have open a window for our Data entry site for Key Cases and am constantly flipping between screens that are excruciatingly slow to load.

Archive files on all 1500 doctors I single-handedly track for Board Re-Certification.

I'll be on the phone with a doctor begging and pleading to make an exception to the rule, while another is on hold waiting to present me with his contention for the same. 4 or 5 Messages will begin piling up waiting my return phone call.

And lastly...gmail so I can see when my love emails me just to say hi and that Oliver peed on the floor. It just makes my day and feels like a total escape into normalcy.

Thanks you and back to the grind!

ChristMAS!

I say "MAS" because we had two Christmases this year! Gammy is great with her traditions, so thankfully I stayed out of view for nearly all of these shots! You wake up promptly at 7 and run out in your jammies to see what Santa put out (i mean stayed up until 1am arranging!). It's not the lack of make-up, it's my wild hair and half open eyes that don't paint the best picture. I dig the candid shots of the kids though. Total Hams!













Christmas at our house was so relaxing. I felt like I had a longer vacation since we weren't fighting traffic on the road. Kiran got movies: Labyrinth, The Never Ending Story, and Up. She got a ring and other little things...and both kids got bikes! You can't just buy one of them a bike, do you know what trouble we'd be in?! Anyways, they loved them and Kiran is already doing great on hers. They were a real pleasure to put together, let me tell you. Or let Dally tell you! <3 Thanks Dally!

Our Christmas Dinner, which we shared with my brother Jason and his two kids Trinity (aka Monkey) and Trason (aka Tacoon) was abounding in flavor and I'm craving it every single day now.
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Lemon, Leek, and Mushroom Risotto
Hazelnut and Chard Ravioli Salad
Warm Red Cabbage Salad (w/brown sugar, raisins, toasted sesame seeds and spices)
Green Beans flavored with dill and other things
Delicious Rolls

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm



1 of my gifts from Dally. It's a vintage owl votive holder that opens at the mouth and has glowing amber eyes. I also got two amazing vintage purses and even some antique rings from my brother. They're awesome and all I got him was a Tegan and Sarah CD. :-/



If only you could see this with all the presents we took to Dallas added to it!!!

too cute for words

Eve of Christmas

Well I don't have any of the really rad pictures of Dallas Christmas to share with you just yet, but I do have something to hold you over.

I have to work today, yes on Christmas Eve! And I'll actually be about 8 times busier than any normal day.I haven't decided if this is a good or bad thing. I can tell you that I've gone off on a couple of doctors this week and I have no regrets. :-)

"Dally" is home with the kids today (cleaning house, ahem! - joke)and finally kiki rolls outta bed. The first thing she asked was "where's mom?" because perhaps I forgot to announce that i'd be working on Christmas Eve. Dally took the oppertunity to mess with her a little bit in his response, "Who's mom? What are you talking about?". Remember folks, not only are the perceptions of a 5 year old a little skewed, but she also just woke up and was attempting to use her foggy, distorted little brain that was definitly still in bed. "You know, mom, who dries our hair every day?"

Thats my koops at her best. I say that because I just laughed out loud so hard at work. Oh but wait, it doesn't matter, I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE. Why do I get the bad end of the stick when it comes to this job? :-/

Merry Christmas Everyone!

We aren't so late with this one!

after the snow

Thanksgiving in Dallas

It's nearly Christmas and as usual I'm just getting up pictures from the previous holiday. sorry about that folks!

tofurkey

We started our celebration early last night because I guess we have a lot to be thankful for. I forgot how good the tofurkey is because I haven't been going to Gilberts house for the Vegetarian Thanksgiving in years. Well, we cooked one last night along with their mushroom gravy and I was in heaven. To put us over the edge, daddy through in some awesomeness: collard greens with red pepper and parmesan, asparagus.
Tofurkey comes with a sort of nut stuffing that is incredible. I kind of want to make another one tonight....

Weekend of firsts

I forgot to add in my previous post that Little Miss Thang had another big life event over the weekend. Her very first art opening was on Saturday and I had the best time searching through all of the names under the pieces just hunting for hers. I literally didn't even look at the art from the other kids until i found her names! I didn't care about any until I could check out her stuff. Once I got to see them, we went from room to room checking them all out. There was one bird painting that Kiran did and it was so great....very Mo Willems!

starting early

here, she must have definitely found some source of power in her hands. my goodness, I love it!




Kiran had her first rock show over the weekend, and let me just tell you...she was great. I was just happy she didn't run off the stage crying once she realized that about 100 pairs of eyes were fixed upon her face. She had about 12 hours notice so that's not much time to rehearse and shake off the nerves.
There was some fidgiting on stage where there would normally be wild dancing, but I think she also has feelings for the singer. <3 Anyways, the sour notes (www.myspace.com/sournotes) played a great set as usual and basically kiran just made them that much cooler by taking the stage for the first song. For those of you who don't live here, this weekend was the Westheimer block party. There were tons of bands on at least 5 stages for Saturday and Sunday.

One of my favorite things that I realized last minute was that I also played my very first show at this venue (just on the inside stage). I had just turned 14 and my brother and I sat on our stools with our guitars, as Treehugger, and rocked it out. Kiran will be in much bigger places in 9 years I suspect....

NEW glimpse of OLD ORLEANS

I've excused myself already for the lens troubles I've run into with my camera. It began in New Orleans so the frustration turned into some pretty careless shots. I wanted portraits, but after begging my camera for 'decent', I was left with this.