For Mom & Amy

Here are pictures of you both looking quite pleasant at Christmas.

Amy, seeming pleased with her new portrait of Paul and me:

Amy, reading the new Christmas book to Benjamin. I think this is about as far as you got because Abigail had already wandered off and Benjamin wasn't too far behind her. But still, you look quite pleasant.
For Mom. I'm not sure why Paul couldn't get a picture of you smiling but I believe you were smiling when you opened this up. Or confused. We can't tell since we can only see your forehead. But your eyes are open.
Oh, not only were in you the kitchen, Mom, you were smiling while in there. And we managed to get the back of Donna's head but she is standing beside me so I do have that elusive shot of us together.
I was trying to just sit and look pleasant while we were in Kansas. I'm not sure how Paul does it but I do believe this look is hereditary.

The favorites

So, the calendar is almost through January and I'm just now sharing pictures from Christmas. Better late than never, as the cliched saying goes. As is always the case when Paul has the camera, this is a small sampling of all the pictures that were taken over the holiday.

I'm beginning to wonder about my sister Donna's existence because I never seem to actually capture her in a photo. Perhaps she's a vampire. Maybe she has no soul. I dunno. But one of these years, I'll actually have photographic proof that she was, indeed, at the same holiday with me.

From the neighborhood holiday party. Yes, they were all standing in the kitchen and dining room, even though I'd tried to coax them into the living room by placing food on the coffee table. No luck. I have no idea what I'm doing (I'm under the dining room light) but I seem to have the attention of several neighbors.
Christmas for Paul and me. Paul finds a Ben & Jerry's gift card in his stocking. He has yet to share it with me, the bum.
And then we were off to Amarillo. I have no idea what Amy was doing and I'm sure she's less than thrilled that I shared this one. I did have other pictures of her to choose from but I liked this one. She's very animated.
To fully appreciate this picture of Paul and everyone else, click on it to enlarge it. He hears his own drummer so much of the time. Abigail, in tutu and bunny slippers. I tried to think of something clever to caption this picture but I couldn't think of anything. It was one of my favorite shots.
Benjamin tears into his package from Aunt Carrie and Uncle Paul. Amy had suggested we get him a new tent that could go with the tunnel we gave Abigail when she was about this age. Easy enough to do--I remembered where I'd purchased the tunnel and after a few clicks on the Internet, the package was winging it's way to ABQ.
OK, so I'd envisioned something a little less involved. I'd read the dimensions so I wasn't surprised by the size but I thought it would be a pop-up thing. Apparently, that would be too easy. The set up for this contraption is similar to pitching a full-size tent. But it seemed to be a hit with the children if not the parents. (I'm explaining to Amy there there is a hole on the other side for the tunnel and Mom is drunk. Or blinking.)
Later that evening, the brothers and their families came along with my step-grandparents. Here, Dad, Granddad, and Leta visit while Granny eavedrops in from other side of the room.
Holliday, Melissa, Leta, and Gene. Since Leta is still smiling, this was probably before Gene started explaining how he cleans his gun in the shower. Yes, Gene is naked and armed. Thankfully, he does understand the danger. Not that he's going to stop since he's determined it to be the most efficient method.And if the above story hadn't confirmed your assumption about the family, here's further proof. Yep. We're rednecks. The baby got a package in a beer box.
The next day at Gran & Granddad's house, playing Wits and Wagers. Granddad just looks harmless--he plays the pitiful old man who doesn't know anything while cleaning up. (Hey, look! There's Donna!)
So, Paul went through a phase where everything had to be tried on as a hat--bowls, platters, shoes. Whatever. Stick it on your head or you'll never hear the end of it. I thought he'd outgrown it but when I opened up a new candleholder, I was instructed to do this:
Same day? Next day? It all seems to run together. At least I know we were still in Amarillo. We didn't get many pictures at Uncle Jammie's house--I think the battery on the camera was dying. But thankfully, we do have pictures of Grandmother and Granddad. (And Grandmother also played the "Oh, I don't know anything" role while cleaning up at Wits and Wagers at this house. She correctly guessed the number of Starbucks franchises in the U.S. in 1995. Whatever, lady. Next time, we're not being so nice.)

We drove back to ABQ the next day (the 26th) so we could fly to Kansas the morning of the 27th to visit Paul's family there. It was a good trip--bittersweet since we knew we were saying goodbye to Reva--but it was still pleasant to see the family there. There weren't many photo opportunities on this trip. A snap of Owen:
Paul and I hadn't thrown in enough extra layers for the Kansas winter-- I glanced over one evening and noticed that Paul had utilized his new gloves from Gran and Granddad as slippers.
Back home, we were finally able to celebrate Christmas with Paul's parents on New Year's Day. Jubjub decides he wants to go home with the inlaws. This was even before he knew about the whole teeth-cleaning thing. Traitor.

I promise I haven't forgotten about this place

I don't know if it's a case of the don't wannas or what that's keeping me from writing. I've been busy but not *that* busy in the evenings. I have had a case of the sniffles but it's not been too bad--it's mostly made me have an overwhelming desire to determine the comfiest napping position on the new couch. After a short disagreement with Paul on Sunday, the cat has decided to start speaking to us again and he's right there with me in determining the coziness factor of the couch.

Paul is traveling quite a bit again. Currently, he's in Nashville for a contract review on what is his second trip of this very new year. Next week, he'll be at Berkeley for testing. I believe he has mentioned a fourth trip in early February. I think he's got the same cold I have but unfortunately, he's not able to join me and the kitty in our supreme laziness. We've discussed taking a short trips in the next couple of months but if he's traveling this much, I doubt we'll take those trips. We are planning a two-week trip to the U.K. in June, God-willing and the creek don't rise. I'll settle for just that trip if Paul's able to make it. I've told him that he has to let me know before the first part of April if he plans to bail so we'll be able to change the name on the ticket to someone else. I don't think he will bail but I've already had several offers for stand-ins--I've debated making it an essay contest to determine who would be Paul's stand-in should the occasion arise.

I have finally uploaded all the Christmas pictures--I'm always impressed/amazed with the volume of pictures Paul takes. But that is what photographers say to do--snap away and get rid of the ones that aren't good. The problem is Paul thinks all his pictures are good. . . I'll put some of my favorites up soon--there are some fun ones from our get-togethers with our families. Here's a teaser of what's to come:

In Jub's stocking this year, there was a little mouse that can be filled with catnip (woo!) and this mouse on a string. Because we're classy like that, we twist-tied the end of the string to the back of a dining room chair. Jub's method of attack is to lay in the other chair and whack at the mouse as it swings by. My cat is incredibly lazy with his playing. He's definitely not a mouser--that would require too much energy. (And in another classy decorating touch, we have old towels on the dining room chairs and upholstered chairs to try to save them from Jub and his fur. I try to remember to remove them before we have guests over.)

And I also finally got a frame for our portrait from our photography session in October (which also produced our Christmas card and several Christmas present portraits). It's an odd size portrait--10x10--and I was feeling cheap about how much it would cost to have it framed here in town. Using The Google, I found several places that do custom-sized frames for much, much less than what I'd pay here in town. I love a good bargain and was thrilled that it was only $50-ish with shipping for the mat, frame, mounting board, and UV-protected acrylic, all archival gallery quality. Go Me! (and go framedestination.com). Even though I can hang the picture, I'll probably keep it on the mantel with an easel. I've posted our wedding picture on this place before--it's one of my favorites from our wedding. My absolute favorite wedding picture is the one of us snapped as we were walking back down the aisle and we're both grinning from ear to ear. We didn't get the cropping quite right on this portrait--it was supposed to be more middle of my forehead and less of Paul's chin. While we were talking with the photographer, she showed us several different cropping ideas and we didn't get it back to the original one. I think this one is still good, though.

Finally, four days in Kansas in December and this week's cold weather has once again convinced me that I can never live where it's really cold for extended periods of time. Say, for example, Winter. I get whiny when the temperature dips to 65 degrees, cranky at 45 degrees, and down-right mean at 25 degrees. I just don't do cold--I need between 65 and 85 degrees with a moderate humidity level, say 40%. Then I'm a happy camper. Unfortunately, the temperature will be hanging at that mean mark for the rest of this week. If the meteorologists get it right, it is supposed to be about 12 when I leave for work tomorrow with wind chill in the single digits. I would like a Cold Day--just let me stay home until it warms up so I don't have to go outside at all. Just stay in my comfy spot on the couch with my slippers and blanket until mid-March or so. Basically, I need to hibernate.

Have a seat!

Here are pictures of our new couch and recliner. We haven't gotten the accent chair and ottoman and with the craziness of the book fair, I haven't had a chance to call to arrange delivery which probably won't be until after the new year. Our friend Kristina, to whom we gave our old couch and love seat to, was so appreciative. She'd been to the house several times but as one is apt to do, hadn't paid much attention to the furniture even while sitting on it. So when we pulled up in the pickup last weekend to put everything in her storage room, she exclaimed "Oh, I like it!" She clarified that she didn't think I would have bad taste, just that she wasn't sure what she was getting. My friend Devlyn later told me that Kristina kept talking about how great the couch was and oh, they are from La-z-boy and wow, I'll be able to have them forever. She's 24 and very excitable.

Here's our new stuff that makes me excitable. Looking into the living room from the front door at the new couch.
Paul was sitting in the recliner the other night and he looked like such an adult. Probably a good thing since he's 35. Then again he wasn't reclining, he'd just stuck his feet up on the coffee table so he needs a little work on the grown-up part. (And I really should remember to clean up the stuff in the background of pictures. Eh, well. There's how we live, people.)
Looking into the living room from the dining room. The accent chair will probably go where the rocking chair is sitting.
Nothing new here. This picture was for Mom's benefit to show her where I hung my birthday present. But that wall really is E. I told Paul we should get an N, W, and S to go with it. On the wall in the hall is my photo project. I've gotten so far as to hang the frames--3 months ago but who's in a rush. My idea is to do some old pictures of our families, us as kids, and a few newer pictures. I want to copy them in B&W but Paul keeps insisting that now we have color and the pictures should be in color. So, I've gotten so far as to hang the frames.
And that's pretty much all there is to my living room. It's definitely got "cozy" down if by cozy one means "impossibly small." But it's home and I like it.

Filling in a blue funk

I'm in a bit of a blue funk right now--still not feeling 100%, tired of the multitude of meetings at work, tired of work, etc., etc. It's nothing big--just a bunch of little things compounded by the fact that I'm not sleeping well because I don't feel well. I've debated taking a mental health day but between meetings I should be attending at work and professional development days when I won't be in school at least one day a week between now and Nov. 9, I don't feel like I should take the time to myself. :::sigh::: So, instead I'm going to wallow here for a bit.

We had a meeting today of the monthly professional development group that I facilitate. The principal has asked that I call to report who isn't in attendance at the meeting so the people who should be at a professional development day actually are or are charged appropriately for the time. When I called to say that one of the people wasn't at the meeting, the secretary asked me about coworker #1 (from last week) because the principal had overheard #1 saying she wouldn't be at the meeting in the morning. She wasn't at the meeting at that time and when asked if I knew why, I told the secretary I'd heard #1 had a doctor's appointment. I offered no other explanation but yet, I still find myself second-guessing my actions. I don't want to cause #1 any more hurt but there are expectations in my position as group leader. Which would include reporting staff absences from this meeting time. I didn't spill any beans but I'm still feeling crummy about the possiblity of it. Or maybe I'm just feeling crummy.

I'm also questioning my ability to lead this group. Maybe I'm really stepping too far outside of my comfort zone to do this. Or maybe it's not my comfort zone--it's more my ability zone. I don't know if I have the right temperament or personality to continue to do this. I sometimes feel like my ass is just flapping in the wind out there. I don't think I've communicated with the group what my expectations of the members are--what, exactly, it is that they should be doing as group members. And that really is my fault because as the group leader, I should have done that. But this can't be a successful group without the active participation of each member. It isn't possible to be passive and be in this group but too many just seem to be hanging out, taking it all in. We had a really good day today--I just don't know if it's what I should be doing. I just don't think I command (or demand) the respect that is necessary in a position like this.

But while I figure that all out, here are a few more favorites from Amy and her family's visit last weekend. Abigail had the camera in the car on the way home from the balloons. Those are her feet, a picture of the sky, and her positioning of her bear in front of the balloons Abigail and Benjamin got at the Balloon Fiesta from one of the booths. I think she has a future in photography. If nothing else, she's probably already met/surpassed my own skills as a photographer.


Last year at Christmas, much to Abigail's delight, "Silly Uncle Paul" went down the stairs. ON HIS BOTTOM. It was, apparently, the craziest thing Abigail had seen up to that point in her life. Now, Uncle Paul is still expected to ALWAYS go down the stairs on his bottom. Again and again and again. (And while he wasn't thrilled about repeatedly going up and down the stairs with the kids, I love this picture of them.)
Watching pizzas be made at Dion's. Abigail was very impressed that they throw the dough up in the air.
Benjamin plays with the building planks at Explora! Children's Museum.
I know this contraption has a name beyond the "air tube thingy blowing up balls thingy" but I can't think of it.
More in the air/wind portion of Explora. There were pegs that went into holes and air was blowing up through them and the air-pressure increased. Um, yeah. Abigail wasn't that interested either. She did enjoy using the magnet to pull out the metal pegs.
Well, if he wasn't going to sleep in his bed (which he wasn't doing), this would work too.
See how Jub is favoring his left paw? That's the limping paw. He'll start to favor it and limp when he feels like he's been mistreated, embarrassed, etc. He limped quite a bit during the Balloon Fiesta week.

Further Proof

Most people just smile. Yep. Not Paul. Because according to him, "the water was cold and they were splashing me." And I get this fabulous souvenir picture:
When I opened the folder to look at the picture on the shuttle bus, the people *behind* us started laughing at his expression.

Finally found the cable to upload pictures

Paul had the camera for the most of the weekend. That explains how we ended up with almost as many pictures in one afternoon as were taken in 10 days in Hawaii. One thing can definitely be said for my husband--Paul never saw a picture he didn't take. But he definitely chronicles our trips. Every. Single. Part. of the trip.

At the stop on the way to Ocho Rios. Gotta love the wind at the beach--I have similar hairdos in pictures from Hawaii.
My mom and me (just a slight resemblance there--and I'm mid-blink not mid-drunk). Note my husband the ham in the back.
I really like this picture of my mom and dad.
Further hamming by Paul. We didn't intend to match--he got dressed in the bedroom at the same time I was dressing in the bathroom. When we walked out of the room on the way to breakfast, we noticed how "cute" we were. So he had to put on that face when Mom took our picture. Yep--more hamming. I don't know why he felt the need to wrap up in a towel when I started to take his picture.
An "arty" picture by Paul. He also took quite a few pictures of trees during his arty phase.
The gazebo where the wedding was held. I'm not sure anyone actually sat down--personally, I was standing to the left in the shade. The small table to the left of the picture is where Matt and Myrna had to sign the wedding license immediately after the ceremony. The main event of the weekend.
The happy couple.
With our parents. I never noticed how much Matt looks like his dad. Maybe it's just the squinting into the sun.
From the reception site looking back at the Manor House (main part of the resort). Our room was the second from the right in the middle.
The swimming pool view from our room. The reception was held in the gazebo over the swim-up bar (area with the white railing around it)
We actually have quite a few pictures throughout the years where I'm making this face. It's my "stop taking pictures of me, Paul" pose. It doesn't deter him yet I keep trying.
Have I mentioned that he's a ham? I asked for a bandaid as my shoe was rubbing my heel (why I'm barefoot in the above picture). This is the face I get when he produced the requested item.
After the reception. Please note my dad's attire. Apparently, he was overheating and felt the need to pull his pants up to his knees and take off his shoes. I guess we should be thankful he left his shirt on and buttoned.
My two main drinks of choice--Coca-Cola Light (which really didn't taste like Diet Coke) and Wata.
The next few photos were taken on the shuttle bus back to the airport. The first is the Jamaican DMV.
A shopping area including the supermarket.
Jamaican building project. We saw quite a few houses in this state of construction. As it was explained to us, they build as they get money for rooms.
The roads were *really* narrow. We were on a 3-lane section of road, passing a slow-moving truck on the right and meeting this other shuttle bus. The driver laughed because pretty much everyone on our shuttle bus gasped at this point. There don't seem to be many rules to driving in Jamaica. Just honk and do whatever.
Not sure how much money that translates into in U.S. dollars/gallon.
Back at the airport for our flight back home. We found it mildly amusing that the airport was missing quite a few letters in it's sign. Not sure which hurricane blew them off.



So, that is a wee glimpse into our trip to Jamaica. Really--that's only about 10% of the photos that were taken. I know part of his reasoning for so many pictures was to have lots for Matt and Myrna to have as well as Mike and Michelle (Myrna's brother and SIL who were the attendants).