Christmas wrap-up

The holiday has come and gone in a flurry. Here is a quick recap of our days...

Here I was wrapping gifts with two very lazy helpers! Look at the beard on Bailey! He is going to be five in a few months, but no worries he is still very much a puppy at heart. He has a clean bill of health since his surgery in September. For those of you who don't know he had cancer in his tail.

Once the family arrived we were ready for the festivities. Unfortunately, my mom missed the trip to The Tavern on The Green. The decorations were amazing, but the people eating dinner around us were equally entertaining.

Notice the length of mine and JAW's hair. We are "harvesting" the hair for Lock of Love. I came up with this bright idea a while back and still have a long way to go! Hopefully, by summer I will have a new chic do!

We originally took this photo in front of the wreath, but we had a suggestion that seemed like much more fun!
The kids were so happy on Christmas! They received plenty of gifts, but their favorites they could eat right away! We tried to box Sam and Bailey out of the small living room area, but Sam took it upon herself to leap over furniture to be the center of attention. She laid down, paws crossed, and was on her best behavior - just so she could be in the room. Bailey sat in exile hoping that when treats were given out he would not be forgotten!
Sam - the center of attention. Just the way she likes it!And our dopey little lab...

Seriously, Who Couldn't love this face?

I hope everyone had a nice holiday!

New day new post new theme

I planned to wait until after Christmas to change my color scheme, but I felt a strong desire to change it today. It has been unseasonably warm here for some time and this morning was a surprise when I got in my car and realized it was a brisk 30 and windy. Right now it is apparently warmer, but I would not know since I am stuck in the middle of a building.

I had been thinking about what color scheme will come next and when Chapter 2 will begin. The color scheme has changed, but there is no update on Chapter 2. I guess I am not sure if the chapter is similar to a novel where I will transition through chapters or if I am the 1st Chapter of many different Wanish run blogs. Since no Wanish's have followed suit I am beginning to think that I may need to consider entering chapter 2 sometime in 2007.

2007 is knocking on the door! I have a Christmas letter all ready to post since I failed at the mailing thing. I just haven't decided if I should wait and mail cards after the holiday with the letter. Such decisions.

The family begins arriving in just two days. There is lots of prep. I will try and take the camera along for the ride. I tried to photograph a girl, actually a grown woman, last night with a power rangers jacket on and bright red moon boots. Unfortunately, the camera on the phone only captured a blurry shot. Maybe Santa will bring me a small enough camera to take with me on my travels.

Wishing you all the best- safe travels and a Merry Christmas

Frosty is Down!

Thanks to RDB I have hard news to report about Christmas blow up decorations. Take a minute to read about one families poor Frosty.

http://wcpo.com/news/2006/local/12/18/snowman.html

Dogs for Sale

Two not so innocent furry loving dogs!


For Sale: Two bubbly energetic fun loving dogs with one major flaw! They are thieves! So, the gold dog, aka pretty princess, is probably available for free while the cost of brown dog is negotiable. The gold dog is the ring leader who is able to open doors with one quick jump. Her recent criminal record includes theft of a pumpkin loaf, apple pie, a loaf of bread, and most recently...MY GINGERBREAD HOUSE! This is all in addition to the theft of cake, steak, and cheese (definite sweet tooth). The dog is out of control! She can open doors, unwrap packaging and then manage to look so innocent after.

So we came home one evening recently to the gingerbread house missing a few gumballs and the spree covered walkway was licked so much that there was no color left in the candy never mind that the gingerbread man and tree that were in the front "yard" were missing completely. That was almost humorous to see although I was angered that I no longer felt as though I could eat the house since the dog had clearly licked the front half. Well, on Sunday afternoon the house came crashing down and I know exactly which dog did it!



There was frosting and candy smeared into the floor and two dogs that were trying very hard to get out of the house.

After the dogs were "punished" Sam rebounded quickly, but brown dog appeared to feel some remorse. He did not receive as severe of punishment since we knew that the true culprit was gold dog. Anyway, brown dog hid by the garage door for some time. When we called him he didn't even come (which is unheard of for him). He feared his mistake (or Sams) and its consequences. Later in the day we went out for a while and the dogs were placed safely in the garage, but when we came home Sam greeted us at the door. We must have forgotten to lock them in the garage and Sam opened the door and let herself in- Clearly over any punishment that took place earlier in the day, but Bailey on the other hand was still a little fearful of his pending sale and stayed despite the open door in the garage. He did not come out of the garage until we came and told him it was ok.

I find Bailey's behavior very sweet while miss Sam later in the day found some pretzels and helped herself... Zero control over her cravings...

stories to tell

I do have photos to post and stories to tell, but I don't have the resouces available to do this right now. I will try and get online tonight and do this, but I do have dinner plans with co-workers.

The best pizza in the world

You know when you see something in passing and then want to go back and can't remember where you saw it. That is exactly what happened to me with this pizza place. I usually walk randomly through the blocks to work in the morning eventually passing virtually everything within a mile radius. One night walking home I noticed this pizza place with the most amazing pizza in the window and thought I have to go back. So today I decided was the day. I figured it was between 5th and 6th on either 44th or 45th. I set out on foot at 12:30 which is never a good time to try and get anywhere quick. I rushed down the streets passing all the people i could. I rounded Madison onto 44th and walked, and walked, and then I was at 6th ave and I knew this was not right. I quickly jumped over to 45th in hopes of finding this place that i don't even know the name of and realized - this is not right either. What to do- I had no plan B and a co-worker waiting for pizza when suddenly I looked up and saw: "The worlds best pizza." Who can pass that up? (Remember in Elf the "worlds best cup of coffee?" That is in NYC too! We are so lucky to have the worlds best right here.) I walked in and it was as busy as grand central station. I waited, I was shoved, and then I got my pizza. It was great...maybe even the world's greatest.

Happy FRIDAY!!!!

One more week down! Yes. Congratulations everyone we made it through another week.

My uneventful life has proven no change this week - which I guess is a good thing. We do have company coming to town this weekend. RB and SB are traveling in from Wisconsin to visit the big apple for the first time. We have not seen them since we left Germany. We are going to visit the statue of liberty since (ashamed to admit this) I have never been. We are heading in to Hoboken for a private rooftop bar party this weekend as well. We should have a great view of the city from there. Sam and Bailey will be thrilled to get the extra love from their long lost friends. I can't wait to see their reaction since they seem to have incredible memories for people.

Today is MW's Birthday! and he is not letting me forget. It has been announced many times today and reminder announcements went out all day yesterday. I find it funny that someone turning 31 : ) is so happy to announce their birthday. Hehehe. Although he will tell you he is 26.

We are going to Houston's to celebrate this evening. This place is legendary in MW's book and dates back to his days at Ft. Campbell. There is one about 20 minutes from our house, so we are going to get "the best ribs in the world." Sorry SGT Cortez

Aside from the upcoming plans we had a pretty exciting Thursday evening. I got home from work just before eight to MW carrying a kitchen cabinet up the stairs. He announced he needed my help. So, my famished self helped guide three kitchen cabinets up two flights of stairs to the laundry room. We then proceeded to install them. The best part of it all was that my job was to hold up the 42" cabinets while MW drilled them in. I definitely was not pleased about this. Hungry and tired and holding up cabinets- just what I want to do when I get home from work. Well, after a little bitterness and complaining the cabinets got installed and they look great. Once I find my camera I will photograph the new laundry room and the newly decorated den. We have finally gotten the pictures on the walls and the glass doors fully installed.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Funny house funny people

So MW had his dates confused and the Brazilian BBQ is tonight not last night. So, we ended up making our gingerbread house. Unfortunately, I can’t for the life of me figure out what I did with my camera. That may not be such a bad thing since our house is experiencing roofing issues and by now the interior is most likely flooded with icing. We knew we had a sliding roof last night, but this morning when we woke up we realized we had a huge skylight in the house. Other than that the decorations are fun and we had a great time making a mess. We laughed that the house did not come out better since we are not children decorating a gingerbread house. We obviously need some practice. As soon as I find my camera I will send a photo of the house with a roof slide.

I have not reported recently on the interesting people on the street. I saw a great one two nights ago that I wish I could have photographed. Use your imagination with this one. I saw a guy riding a small BMX kind of bike wrapped in tape. He was riding with a backpack on- not that exciting, but wait! You know when you buy something fragile how it comes with Styrofoam to protect it? Imagine you just purchased a new monitor for your computer. It has a square piece of Styrofoam attached to the front of it to protect the screen from breaking. Now imagine that same piece of Styrofoam placed over someone’s face framing it in and secured with rubber bands around the head. There was a perfect cut out around the face. I literally laughed out loud. What an interesting alternative to a helmet.

My other interesting man is the security guy downstairs who stands by the turn styles as everyone leaves the building. I see him almost every night, but it was not until recently that I realized he is very quietly, nearly whispering to each person who walks by, “goodnight.” Once I realized this I started to say goodnight back, and he always replies with a quiet, “thank you.” It is so funny in a sweet kind of way. I wonder how many people realize that he is whispering good night to them as they walk out. Even more interesting is that he is thankful when someone says goodnight back as if finally someone is paying attention.

The city is filled with interesting people…

I did not like the guy who was playing chicken with his bike as he flew past me trying to cross the street yelling “wake up ahhahahaha” That was frightening. I also did not like the guy who last night was screaming and cursing into his cell phone and flailing around last night. That is a little much to be entertaining.

I am sure I will encounter new people to report soon.

Quick Quote to make you smile

"Wine is proof god loves us."
- Benjamin Franklin

I am going through the motions of another day. I made sure I knew where my keys were last night to make sure I did not have another morning like yesterday. I never leave the office during the day, but today I decided I needed an afternoon treat. So, I walked across the street to Starbucks and got my favorite: hot chocolate with skim milk and a marshmallow square. Of course I paid top dollar since I am in Manhattan. I love how all of the commercials around here say: "prices slightly higher in Manhattan" and the coupon books give the prices for NYC separately. What is 99 cents in Jersey is $1.49 in NYC. That is part of the reason I never go out at lunch.

Now that I have finished my snack...I hadn't when I first started writing. The marshmallow square and hot chocolate together are enough to put you in a sugar coma. Not feeling so well. It was glorious for a moment, but now I am rather ill. Lesson Learned.

Tonight MW and I are going to a Brazilian BBQ for dinner. I had never been to one before moving here. They are all you can eat places that have servers come around to your table with all kinds of meet BBQ'd on a stick. For a meat lover it is perfect. I enjoy it, but not like MW. This is like heaven for him. Between this place and Houston's MW is in heaven here. Personally, I miss the Luwenzahn. I am not sure if I spelled that right.

Tomorrow night we are supposed to get take out and make our gingerbread house. This will not be the project KBG described in her blog, but should be a good time. I have this really neat kit that has every candy imaginable in it to decorate with. I will post photos once this finally happens. I never thought it was odd until now that I am making a gingerbread house at twenty something years old. I like crafts...do I need a kid to do this? Hmmm. NO

I think I have babbled enough for one day. Need to get back to the grind. Have a great day everyone.

Corporate Christmas Parties

Corporate Christmas parties. These are what we would refer to in the military as, "mandatory fun." We had MW's last week and as you can see from the photo I did a really good job of playing off my misery (or so I thought until I saw the photo). If that is not a fake face, then what is! MW looks genuine - but that may be because I was the DD, or he just has more experience at these things.
My party is next week, but spouses are not invited. It is just the same people we spend too much time with during the week now overflowing into an evening out. It is at a nice place here in the city, but I really wish I could skip it. Speaking of skipping it, I was invited when I first started in this department a few months ago, to a holiday luncheon for a big client of ours. This was at the request of my boss. So, I am in and my boss has now backed out. I am a little uncomfortable about the idea of this since I don't work with the groups whose client it is etc., but I am certain it would be a good move to be there and network. I have tried the graceful way of backing out, so we will see what happens. (the graceful way being: if you have too tight of a group you can bump me and i will not be offended. you know the "take one for the team attitude.") If I am in, I will have to find my nicest suit and prep for the social to strangers seen. I find the best thing to do in those situation is act very interested in the other person. Just keep asking questions and act like the answer is important to you. (I am so bad)

On a similar, but different note: I wondered today as I walked down the hall back to my desk if I will not like every job I ever have. Something for me to ponder. Maybe the grass is not greener anywhere else, maybe it is slightly brown everywhere.

Have a great day

A Santa Claus Convention

This morning was the typical hectic morning trying to get out the door and completely unprepared. You would think I would learn my lesson, but no matter how organized I think I am when morning arrives I have nothing to wear, my bag is a mess, and I can't find my car keys. Today was no different, so I left the house in a frenzy - angry at the world. I got on the bus and we hit all kinds of traffic, so I new I was going to be late. I was walking as quickly as I could...As I rounded the corner to enter Times Square I saw a sea of red and white. There was no mistaking it, it was hundreds of Santa's! As I got closer they were yelling (and I noticed that Mrs. Claus is lending a hand this year and dressing up as her other half. We must have a shortage of helpers) but I could not make out what it was. Finally, as I was in the sea of red I realized they were yelling many phrases, chanting, but one of them was YAHOO SANTA CLAUS! This went along with the little Yahoo flags they were holding. I have no idea what they were going to do, but I am guessing they will be all over the city today...

Looking back...

I left the blogging world momentarily, but I have returned.
The temperature dropped significantly in NJ / NY so the once pleasant walk to work is slightly painful. We have been below freezing before considering the windchill. I am not sure how the windchill is factored, I even recall a friend saying it does not exist, but regardless it is freezing cold. It is the kind of cold where any skin that is exposed is instantly in pain when outside. My hands look like an eighty year old womans right now.

On a more positive note, I made my second sale on craigslist.com! If you have never visited craigslist you are absoulutely missing out. I sold our desk a few months ago- some of you may remember the large desk and hutch we used to have...Well, this week i got rid of the home gym that was keeping my car out of the garage. We have a small one car garage that when we first moved in was packed to the ceiling with stuff. Our downsizing has been quite extensive and slightly painful, but I think we finally have cleaned out enough...The car is going in the garage! I got rid of so much in Germany before we left - all of the stuff we never use, and then when we got here furniture had to go like crazy nevermind a bunch more "stuff." We definitely had too much for this house. Having no basement is a challenge. Anyway, we are happy to be in our new home and it is really starting to feel like "home." So, it must be time to move again. : ) We have moved four times in under five years together. That is a pretty impressive track record.

Here are some photos of past Christmas' around the world...We have never spent Christmas at the same place twice!

2001 - Disney World and our Engagement!

December 2002 - In the Attic of Askren Manor and then travels onward to Edar Oberstein.

2003 - Massbach, Germany - Experienced Weinacht Marks shoppers- MW is nuts for those nuts!

2004 - Tikrit, Iraq
2005 Altamont, TN

Please don't leave me this Christmas!!! Our puppy, actually in 2002, did not trust us to take him with us on Christmas- Just days after that dreadful airplane ride.
Sorry No photos available at the moment from Altamont

2006 - NJ

The tasteful decrations in the area are so festive.

Photos to appear in 18 days! Merry Christmas all.

Amazing and Who are these people?

How often do we find things amazing? Here are some of my amazing moments in the past 24 hours:

I was amazed when my boss seriously asked me to fix his stapler...that just had a minor problem...the staples were not in properly.

I was amazed last night when Sam managed to take an entire loaf of bread off of the counter, open it and eat it in less than 30 minutes. I was even more amazed when she later begged for my dinner.

I was amazed to find that Bailey acted out yesterday as well by chewing my eyeliner pencil into many pieces while I was at work. ( I also began to think they really hate us)

This morning the amazement continued when the man behind me on the bus with the cough did not find it necessary to cover his mouth. (I managed to sit in the coughing section this morning)

And most recently, a floor of 250 people has a copier without toner, why? Because there was no back up for when the only one we had ran out.

Other mysteries that have occurred that may very well be amazing is the disappearance of the lid to our trash barrel on a not windy day. Or the development who put out trash cans for "picking up after your dog," but do not empty them, and the list goes on...

Who are these people with all of these genius thoughts? Do you ever notice that in a public restroom it is never clean, but it is never any one's fault? At work, everyone complains, but someone has to be contributing to the mess. We can't all be innocent here!

One more thing that truly amazes me: How much trash the people next door accumulate. What the heck are they doing? And why don't they recycle! Ughhh. I seriously considered picking up their bucket of "recyclables" that were out on regular trash day yesterday and saving them to recycle on the right day. It is so easy. Why can't they do it?

Humans...an interesting breed.

Our Saturday

Saturday, we had just left our house and were heading south to the Army v Navy game when we drove by the house of blow up things. I had my camera in the car, so we pulled over and went back just to share this amazing site! The yard had so many blow up items that I could not even fit them all in the photograph. And the kicker...this is much more tasteful than the original house I had referred to when I started this discussion of distasteful Christmas displays! Within a mile radius of our house there are multiple photo worthy homes. Is this a Jersey thing? or is it everywhere? See for yourself the horror.
I bet the owners of the house are proud! Especially since we like this display so much we photographed it. Little do they know....

Just in case you can't make out the items I want you to be aware that there is a Santa on a motorcycle...a reindeer dancing with Santa as he goes down the chimney, a Grinch, and a Santa hanging from the house on a latter with Mickey looking out the window as all of this goes on...

We did make it down to the game. It was great seeing friends who live so far away. We had a good time tailgating, watching the game and dinner after.

TK I know will thank me for this shot...

Love you guys!!!

The perfect gift

How many people are left on your Christmas list? How many of them are left because you don't know what to get them? A few years ago I was given a gift that I still think about. A goat. The goat was not given to me, but to a family in need in my name. You may remember the corny AFN commercial that said, "give me a fish and I have a meal, but teach me to fish..." Anyway, that is the concept. The link to one of the sites that sponsors this initiative is here: http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/k.9430/Gift_Catalog.htm?msource=kw821&gclid=CPnsjNPE-YgCFRgfUAoduwUBvQ I don't know how to disguise the link to this site to make it not so long, but basically if you click here you can give a gift of bees or chicks for a mere $20.00, or you can give a pig or a sheep for $120.00. Check it out. I think it is a great thing to give a child to teach them about giving. I have not decided who is getting a farm animal this year yet, but I had to share this great concept. Even better is you can do this from online! No mall required.

The silver fox strikes back

So if you really want to get someone fired up just accuse someone who has salt and pepper hair of being a white head! Wow, silver fox you sure are feisty! I have to admit I was a bit nervous as I read the response thinking who is this - the silver fox or his protective den mate? I didn't think the den mate had it in her to be so defensive, and sure enough I was right. The silver fox is the true culprit. (Read comments in previous post if confused)

The weekend seems to have been busy for most. I do have photos to post of our eventful weekend. They should show up this evening. Congrats to the littlest bro who had his first hunting trip with a prize winning buck to take home!

Devastating announcement...with a silver lining

I am very upset. This morning I found a sparkling silver hair on my head. I spotted it from a distance while getting ready this morning. I leaned in closer for a better look and it was true- a bright white, sparkling silver hair. It was a new spiky hair that stood out in my ponytail. I immediately pulled it out and inspected it further. Oh the agony. I know I am doomed. My dad and both of his parents have full heads of white hair. This year I am not dreaming of a white Christmas! Chestnut brown suits me just fine.

The latest headlines

I read the news online everday and today my question is will today be as exciting of a news day as yesterday? Some of yesterday's headlines:

Shammoo could not play nice in the tank and attacked a trainer
Sea Lions attacked humans
60 Buildings in Amsterdam's red light district will close their "windows" by order of the gov't (this is in efforts to cut down on crime, however the concern is that this will put women on the streets where STD's cannot be as easily controlled.)
A VP of Citigroup in NYC was caught making meth in his NYC apartment
Britney Spears does not wear underwear nor does she care if everyone sees her
Cab fairs in NYC went up!!!

Anyone else have interesting "news?"