This'd Make Even a Grinch Laugh

Hope you enjoy - I worked hard on this Christmas present for y'all!

Merry Christmas to All

We had a visit from Santa (my nephew-in-law Robert in a very good costume) tonight. Lea Anna was scared at first, and buried her head under a blanket until he pulled out a present for her. She sure hopped up on his lap awfully quick then! I suppose little Miss Priss is finally over her Santa phobia. He also chatted with Daniel and told him "You were on my naughty list a few times". I could barely keep myself from falling down laughing. Daniel still got a present though, as He was "not on the naughty list tonight". So anyway, the kids promised they would be in bed at 8:30 so he can come back and deliver the rest of the presents and that they would leave milk & cookies for Santa and some food for his reindeer. I have plenty of milk, but I really don't feel like baking cookies right now. Perhaps I can interest them in a batch of Chicken in a Biscuit crackers or some cappuccino jelly bellies?

Merry Christmas Y'all!

No Fiestasmas for Us :(

As it turns out, our on-again-off again New Years plans have been scrubbed for good. Jazzmin's plane is leaving an hour (and a day) earlier than I thought so there's just no way we'll make it back to the airport in time. I'll miss you all and I hope you'll have a margarita or two for me.

Holidaze '06

My Christmas has got off to a great start. Adrian arrived late Tuesday and his checked luggage didn't make the trip with him so the poor guy didn't get to change his clothes until last night. We picked up Gary's daughter Mandy last night as a suprise to him. I'm sure he was wondering what took us so long to run to "Krogers". Boy was he shocked when he saw her walking past our patio! To bad She's only staying until Sunday. We are just waiting for Jazzmin to arrive Tuesday and everything will be perfect.

Merry Happy Fiestamas

I'm hoping to see as many of you as possible as we usher in 2007. I know the Goodlettsville Gang is trying to sort out transportation issues (anyone got a ride that'll accommodate six, plus gear?) - sure hope we can get y'all down here. Wouldn't be as fun without you. Anyway...

We were at a Mexican restaurant chowing down on some decent fajitas a couple of weekends ago, but Brian and Michelle said they weren't nearly as good as his. Since I've perfected my margarita recipe it's been hard for me to get a margarita at a restaurant that I'm satisfied with, but the margarita I had with my fajitas was better than most restaurant renditions. Brian said "Yours are better" (thank you, B!). I said we ought to get together and make his fantastic fajitas and my fabulous margaritas and then he asked if I knew how to make good beans. "Suzanne makes some awesome refried beans!" It was then that the idea for a Merry Happy Fiestamas for our New Year's Day feast was born. How does that sound? Lisa, how about some of your chicken tortilla soup to accompany it all?

Clarification on the "Chinese" Gift Exchange:
Only bring one gift per person participating.
It should be something new or something handmade or homemade.
It should be worth around $15.

Various ages will be participating so anyone could wind up with anything. I have a feeling it will all sort itself out in a fun way, but I suppose there is that chance Daniel could wind up with a kitchen gadget and I could be the recipent of some cool Hot Wheels. In those situations, someone else usually wants what you have and will "steal" from you, enabling you to get something you'd like better. That is, unless it's something odd or undesirable that no one else wants to steal. Like the pink pig cookie jar Brian wound up with at my company Christmas party. Ah, well...I thought it was cute.

Live from Iraq

Got to chat with David for a little while today. He brought a webcam in so I could actually see his mug. Kinda pixelated and jerky but very cool.

When I think about soldiers who were deployed just 10 years ago, and how difficult it was then to stay in touch with family and loved ones, it makes me appreciate things like this even more. It's got to be tough being so far away, regardless, but e-mail, chat and phone calls are a big help.

What YOU know about some HAM HOCKS???!!!???

Stopped by the Publix on Cascade Road in Atlanta last night. It's the only grocery store on my way home, but I shop there a lot mainly because I like it better than most of the others closer to my house. The selection is a lot better - probably because it's in a more affluent area than the stores near me - and I rarely leave there missing a critical ingredient for a recipe I'd planned to prepare. The population in the area surrounding the store is predominantly black, and I'm often the only white person in the store when I visit.

So I'm going to make this Lentil-Red Pepper soup recipe I found in one of my crock pot cookbooks, and it calls for a ham hock. I head back to the
meat department, grab a package of ham hocks, and get in the checkout line. The cashier finishes with the gentleman in front of me, greets me, looks down at the conveyor belt and my ham hocks, and exclaims, "What YOU know about some HAM HOCKS???!!!???" I cracked up laughing, as did the guy in front of me, at the obvious inference (white girl buying ham hocks). I said I didn't feel well and needed them for soup - THAT'S what I know about some ham hocks. I probably completely blew her mind when I told her I liked eating greens, too.

For the Young Whippersnappers

I'm sure HIM and Handzel und Gretyl are fine, but if you want to see a REAL artist in action check this out:


http://www.satriani.com/webcast/2005-11-02/

Pet Me!

Janet was petting Grayson (for some time, as I recall) and when she stopped he put his paw on her leg to get her attention and - hopefully - more pets!

YO!!!!!

Yay! It's Jazzmin gain...

Here's what's goin' on!!!

*Adrian FINALLY moved to Studio CLub, so now we both live in Hollywood.

*Our holiday leaves were approved so we're going to TN!

*Got in contact with Ryan and I'm trying to set up a hangout date, but the butt-head hasn't gotten back to me.

*I've pretty much finished Job Corps Winter graduation programs... I'm just waiting for them to give me a bajillion more names to add and remove at the last minute. They're paying me $150 instead of just $100, which is kinda cool (even though I deserve TWICE that... I'm not bitter).

*Next Wednesday we get double-pay, so Adrian and I will get a new phone (SKROO U CINGULAR!!!). I was looking at T-Mobile's plans and they don't have roamin charges, so I'll be able to bring it to TN with me and use it without racking up an extra $50 on my bill without knowing it...YAY!!!

*I TOTALLY AND UTTERLY drained ALL the power from my laptop. It's not the battery itself, it's some other battery (aka power-thingy or whatever... I have the proper name for it writen down somewhere) INSIDE my laptop. I talked to the tech support guy and he said once I replaced it, it would work fine and my memory wouldn't be wiped or anything...

Oddly, I feel like burning the power source (or whatever) was a slap by the right hand of God becuase (TECHNICALLY) I was bootlegging episodes of Metalocalypse that I burned from Limewire... It takes AT LEAST 14 hours to write DVDs (encoding and all that crap!), so I guess my poor little laptop couldn't take it. *sigh*

*I've just about finished dealing with all my Christmas crud... I've never done so much damn painting!!! (You'll know why soon...)

*Lastly, I've come to accept the fact that I am not getting Doc Martend for Christmas (*tear*)... I was going to just buy them myself, but then my laptop had to FORK up, so I shall just put it off longer. NE-WAYZ...

I will be happy with movies and music just as well!!! (YAY! Jazzmin's WISHLIST!!!!!)
There are some horror and b-movies that I've had my eye and heart set on, but they are hard to find.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/ref=yourlists_pop_1/105-8208885-6214017

ALSO, if anyone can locate KANEKALON SYNTHETIC BRAIDING HAIR in REALLY NIFTY colors, that would be a GREAT stocking stuffer (as the packs usually sell 2 for $5). I'm running out of colors to do my hair because the hair shops are so limited.

I would likehair in the following colors!: forest green, navy blue, magenta, teal, turqouise, a really dark purple, emerald green, and a rainbow mix containing a variety of colors...because colors are fun.

<3
Jazzy!

Lea Anna's Letter to Santa (as dictated to Mom)

I thought this was cute:

Dear Santa,
Can I please have a toy for Christmas? Can I have a very big toy? Can I have a big Hop and Bounce ball, the ones without a handle that you throw and play catch with? I also want a Care Bear watch. I would like my big ball to be pink. I want a new broom to play dump truck with, with all the colors in the world on it and a broom with just one color to sweep with. Oh - and those animal flashlights that they have at Dollar General. Can I have a suitcase with hearts on it?

Love,
Lea Anna

The only thing on her list that has me stumped is how she plans to play dump truck with a broom, but of course it makes perfect sense to her.

Men are STUBBORN Creatures

Gary apparently has gout. I say "apparently" because this supremely stubborn man has every symptom under the sun and is barely able to walk, yet is lying in extreme pain instead to calling the doctor. And I have insurance . This happens every time he is sick or injured. No wonder the life expectancy for men is so much shorter than women!

How to get what you want for Christmas

Just kidding! But kissing Santa Claus was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Brian and I volunteered last weekend for the Petsmart Pictures with Santa to raise money for Southeastern Greyhound Adoption. We met some sweet - and not-so-sweet - doggies, as well as some "Best In Show"-type owners who had dressed their dogs up for the occasion. Some of the dogs were not happy about the situation and freaked out when they were handed to Santa Brian. Others were really excited. One was so excited he peed on the fur trim on Santa's suit!