Happy Birthday Uncle Joe!

Growing up I was fortunate enough to live close to my Uncles.

I know you're not supposed to have favorites....

But Uncle Joe was my favorite.

I absolutely adored him.  

(I still do)

He was so much fun when I was a kid.  He would play with us, and take me places and hang out. 

Joe and I are close in age.  He was only 12 when I was born. 

So he did do his share of torturing me...but that's just his way.... 

(I'm pretty sure I thought my name was Moron for the first years of my life....)

But he out grew me being an annoying toddler, and grew to love me as his niece.

He was the coolest.

He always had the latest and greatest tennis shoes, and rode a motorcycle, and was in the NAVY -Which I thought was awesome-(but that was pre-Clay and I was soon taught that there really is only one branch of the military Ooh Rah!) He had the most adorable friends (some of which I had crushes on until I got married). He had the nicest Girlfriend, who became his wife, which made her the coolest too.

Now I'm older, and I can talk to him about life and marriage and kids and mortgages, he'll listen and give me honest advice and I love that. 

When my territory for work backed up to Mountain View, I could ditch out for the afternoon and hang with Uncle Joe.  He would wash my car and we would talk.  I miss those afternoons.

It was an easy decision for Joe to be Jacks Godfather. I wanted a good role model, someone I had the utmost respect for, and who I knew would do an amazing job being there for my Son.

Today, Uncle Joe, I want you to know how much you mean to me.  You are the best Uncle a girl could ask for.  Thank you for being the wonderful person you are. 

Love you Uncle Joe!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

In addition to all our fun last week, in keeping with tradition, we put up our Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend.

(Daddy had lots of help)

Six years ago we bought a fake tree.  Sometimes I miss going to Apple Hill and cutting our tree down, or the smell of pine in our living room, but I don't miss the sick cat, or the mess or the tree dying mid month. So, I try and make myself feel better by thinking of the money we are saving...or that it's very "Green" of us to have a fake tree, but the truth is, it's just easier.  So it's fake for us, and we love it.

Clay pulled out all the holiday decorations.

I love going through the ornaments every year.  

Growing up, we were both given ornaments every Christmas.

Both Clay's Mom and my Mom kept all our ornaments for us and gave them to us when we got married.

  

We are still given one every year.

When we first were married, all we had were our childhood ornaments. I noticed immediately that some years we were given the same ornaments.

In 1982 we both received these:

And in 1981 these:

Personally I think it's fate.

  

Like they were forever meant to be together in our Christmas Bin.

I make sure to place them by each other on the tree.

:)

When I was pregnant with Jack, the tradition continued.

Mom bought Baby TBA this:

We kept both our children's name a secret, and announced them when they were born.

Mom didn't like this at all. 

 So when I was newly pregnant Mom began calling my belly "Herbie"

It stuck.

(Through Christmas at least.)

And that is how Jack received Herbie the Love Bug as his first ornament.

(it used to drive me crazy when I was pregnant and she would call him Herbie...but now I laugh when I look back on it, and I have to admit...it's probably my favorite ornament on the tree.)

This is the first year that Jack really understands Christmas.

He was so excited to decorate and put his first ornament on the tree.

Dad helped him reach the high spots

For Madeline's first ornament last Christmas GiGi gave her these:

Little did I know how perfect they were.

She wanted to put them on....

But reluctantly helped hang them on the tree.

I just love our tree!

I also broke out the Holiday bedding

I love my Christmas quilt.....

(All I need is a certain throw pillow to complete my set....I wonder if Santa will leave it under my tree.....)

Jack loves his fuzzy snowman sheets...He says "They're so cozy Mom" (so cute!).

Clay and I love the holidays.  

Especially Christmas.

Here's a little flashback from our first tree- 14 years ago....

I'd say we've come a loooong way......

All Aboard!

Last night we took a ride on the Polar Express!

Madeline is still too small, and it was waaaaaay past her bedtime, so it was a night for just Jack and his Mom and Dad

The California Railroad Museum in Sacramento offers rides on the Polar Express from 

Thanksgiving to Christmas.

This was our first year!

Thank god we had a veteran with us!

Bo and Vin were there to show us the ropes!

Ben and Brit joined us too!

We were VERY excited when we boarded.

Everyone wears their pajamas just as they do in the book.

The Conductor takes your ticket

and autographs your book!

Chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate are served

such a cutie!

 Servers tap dance through the aisles!

The book is read for all to follow along on our ride to...

To where you ask???

The North Pole!

Complete with Santa, Elves, Sleigh and presents..

We were very lucky that Santa was on our side of the train....

others weren't as fortunate....

Poor Ben and Brit....

We waved good-bye to Santa and his elves and headed back to the station...

On our way back there were some impostors

That's not Santa!!

You have to REALLY Believe....

And if you do....

Santa may just appear!

Santa gave everyone a silver bell.

We were very excited!

 So much fun!

We are already looking forward to next year!

Happy Birthday Lindsey!

Today is Lindsey’s Birthday.

I met Lindsey briefly at a party at Roseanne and Kim’s apartment in Sacramento in 1998.

Our friendship started to blossom in 2002.  Today I consider her one of my closest and dearest friends.

She is my favorite shopping buddy.

She is my favorite travel buddy.

She is my favorite drinking buddy.

She is my favorite hang around and do nothing while watching Friends (and other shows….) and eating pizza buddy.

The list goes on.

Recently one of my best friends turned to me at a get together and said….”I know you love me…But you don’t love me like you love Lindsey….”

Which to clarify is not true. 

 I love all my friends equally but in different ways.  Especially my Girls.  I love ALL my Girls, and all of their wonderful qualities.

But sometimes…


Lindsey just gets me like nobody else does.


  She doesn’t care that I have to use the bathroom one million times when we travel. She doesn’t care if I want to try on 50 pairs of jeans to see which one looks best on my rear end.  She doesn't mind if we have to share a bed on a girls weekend and I take up half of the bed and steal all the covers.  She doesn’t care if I have a little too much to drink and call her Linley.  She doesn’t care if we watch the same episode of Friends for the 732^nd time. 

She is breezy and fun and patient and kind, and even though the dynamics of our friendship have changed.  And I’m a Mom…and I may not be as much fun as I used to be..... 

She is still there for me. 

And I know, always will be.

Here are some of my favorite times with you:

Love you Linds.


So Much.

Black Friday

It is no secret that I love to shop.

Black Friday is like my Olympics.

I love everything about the day after Thanksgiving.

I look forward to it all year.

I love going through the Ads.

I love making my plan of attack.

I love getting up early.

I love the fight of the crowd.

I love finding the perfect gift, at the perfect price.

I do have a few "musts" for my day to go well.

I must have a buddy.

I must have more than one "hot" item I'm in search of.

I must have lots of caffeine.

I must listen to Christmas music as I drive from store to store.

Today I was completely prepared.

I had a list, with coordinating Ad.

I had my Mom and Brit.

I had Diet Cokes.

and 

96.5 on the Radio. 

I was ready.

The only difference to my experience this year, is Thanksgiving and Black Friday became one this year.

Please note time on dash. 

(and the station on the stereo......I love this time of year and that KOIT plays Christmas music for the ENTIRE season.)

Black Friday started THURSDAY at 10pm.

The line for Toys R Us was longer then you could ever imagine.  

It was even too much for me....

And I was prepared for the worst.

But we made the best of it.

and finally made it in.

Just when I thought we had made it through the worst....

We arrived at Target

I told Brit to stay focused

And keep her eye on the prize

We were in and out in 34 minutes with everything from our list.

We definitely brought our "A" game.

Here is the list of stores that we made it to.

Toys R Us

Walmart

Kmart

Target

Starbucks

GameStop

Toys R Us Express

Old Navy

Both Levels of Sun Valley Mall

And

 Country Waffles

Mmmmmm Fries for Breakfast.

(Brit and I were both falling asleep at the table.  10pm to 8:30am was rough.  Mom outlasted us both!)

Here is the Loot!

Well...most of the loot....

(We can only show you what my "non-readers" are receiving...)

Black Friday to me means the beginning of my favorite Season.

And I'm ready!

Bring on Christmas!