We did manage to walk down to Ron and Cindy’s
last night for a little Holiday Cheer but
I knew that this cold was inevitable.
I didn’t sleep well and by morning I was sunk.

I beat a cold the last time by not taking
anything (NyQuil one night). It seemed to run
it’s course much quicker. Try it sometime!

This go ’round, however, I have to go to my
sister’s and sit with her girls tonight as
they are in Arizona visiting friends and
attending the Cardinals/Vikings game at the
very cool Glendale stadium!
Anne’s never seen it. It’s pretty cool!

It’s raining here today. Niiiiiice.
It feels like March. Strange weather.
No matter, the bottom will fall out soon.

I have a really big week coming up and I really
would rather be feeling well but I guess we’ve
all been there, right? I’ll just walk around
with Purell in my pocket and Kleenex in the car.

enjoy your Sunday!

I’m officially done Christmas shopping as
of today. YAY! Well, that doesn’t necessarily
mean that I won’t shop more, I’m just done with
all the required gift buying!
Now it’s onto the fun stuff..ME!

Let’s see, I already got myself the flip video
camera which I am aDORing! But I think that’s
what everyone should do, just go out and get
themsELVES a little somthin’ somthin’ and call
it a day…I think that’s why the word “elves”
is in “themselves”..hmmmmmmmmm~ good one!

I’m posting a video that I shot with my flip.
It’s Boo and his first Christmas tree experience.

Later today my entire family and some of
our friends will gather at my sister’s
to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday (which is
actually tomorrow). My sister makes a totally
KILLER lasagna and I can’t wait to get over
there! We were assigned cake & wine. HA! shocker!

Oh, say, speaking of food, I want to give a
glowing review of “Cosi”. It’s fast food, in
a cosi atmosphere. Here in Eden Prairie next
to Pei Wei is this really great sandwich place.
Like Pei Wei, you step up to the counter and
order, they give you a # to place on your table
and they bring it over to you. So basically it’s
fast food with tipping, really. But my mom and I
stopped in there yesterday for a late lunch
and I had the Sesame Ginger Chicken and my mom
had the Pulled Pork. Both really good. I had
driven by a hundred times and always wondered
about it and now I know. A little spendy but worth it.

Okay..on to the homecoming dance.
J picked out a FABulous cocktail dress.
Albeit a short one, the color looked so good on her!
All the girls looked great! When exactly did
homecoming get to be as big a deal as prom anyway?
I remember going to the football game and then
Hadder’s band, “Purple Haze”, played (loudly) in the
high school gym and everyone just kinda stood around.
NO dresses, no suits, no boutonnieres, NO corsages,
no paparazzi line of of parents trying to capture
the innocence on ANY kind of camera. Well, I was
glad to be there to get in on the action and get
some fun shots of J & her date, Scott.

I hate you Jacquie!!! This is your punishment!

owen stopped by yesterday to help bake
cookies with anne & i. he even brought
along his chef hat and apron!
then i had him sneak in and wake anne up.
i knew she would LOVE that!!

anne said “it was the best wake-up, ever!”

then we got serious and got to work.
owe can not only tell you how to crack eggs,
he can demonstrate too (check out the tongue!).

turns out, he’s pretty handy in the kitchen!

we did a lot of handwashing so no worries!

here’s owen helping roll out the peanut
butter blossoms. he now knows to space them
out on the cookie sheet!

every year anne & i “hit the wall” and have
a gutt busting, pee your pants laugh attack.
we never know when it’s going to strike but
last night at about 1, it’ happened..i can’t
even remember what it was but we were just
pathetic…gary slept through it..thank goodness!
i love you anne!

ron & cindy arrived home last night and
i ran (literally) some cookies down to them.
it was so great to see and hug them both!
they are exhausted and drained but happy
to be home for the time beeing.
please take some time to pray for ron &
his family as his father continues on his
path to rehab and recovery from his stroke
nearly a week ago. ron’s mom is with him and
needs your prayers for strength and resolve.

we’ll finish up the cookies to day and start
delivery tomorrow….

met up with greg and mary at their home
last night. we had to push the time a little
but everything worked out perfect. thanks!

big news….my brother, mike and his wife
kindra are having a baby in early february.
i found out last night that they are having
a GIRL! yay!!
soon i’ll be photographing kiki’s belly!

more cool news, actually a cool opportunity…
my very good friend jacquie got involved with
urban ventures a little over a year ago and is
now a board member (this is going somewhere, really)…
well she usually brings her camera and covers
events but this time (next thursday), because they
want her to be at the table and not running around,
she has recommended that i be the one photographing
this event. therefore, i am going to be given the
fabulously fantastic opportunity to do this for her
and at the same time meet colin powell!! i am so
jazzed about this!! thank you jacquie!!!
here’s what i’ll be covering on october 4th.
(oh…and i already went over and let lucius and
reggie out today!)
here they are!

lucius…

and ron & cindy’s dog, reggie…

oh, here’s a cool thing.
go to citykidjava and get some yummy
coffee and support a great cause…i got the
“urban renewal” gift box!!

bye