Christmas 2010 (Part 1)

Christmas morning started at mom's parents house. Grandma's fanciful Christmas tree decorated in nothing but cat ornaments certainly made me smile. It was a good thing I had brought my own kitties! The beautiful thing about being an only-granddaughter is that you get to have grandparents ALL TO YOURSELF!!!! Lucky, lucky me!!!
I had gotten Grandpa a Big Band CD, a car washing kit, and a bunch of pictures.

My parents, in the mean time, fulfilled my wish to have literature related to Florence Nightingale. After all, what nurse should go without reading stuff pioneered by that lady with the lamp? Well, I never had, but it sure is great stuff! You would think that things had changed since 1890's. Not so much.

Her "Notes on Nursing" really were delightful. Hilarious, and entirely practical and applicable today.

Then there is Grandma's present. She is a fan of my heart-throb, so naturally, I got her a framed picture I had taken of Philip Rivers' butt!!! Merry Christmas!!!!

What does she do?

She kisses it!!!! Completely unprompted!!!

I guess the apples don't fall too far from the tree, eh?

She has good taste in men!!! (Lucky her, though, she got a keeper. 64 years and counting, right Grandma?)

My parents had sent an arrangement for the table, which arrived just minutes before we sat down to eat a delicious lamb dinner.

Nothing could be finer than to have happy kitties, happy grandparents, and presents on Christmas morning! It certainly was good to be me on Christmas!

Merry Christmas 2010!!!

3 little girls

I think I may have mentioned that 9 of my friends just had babies this year;

all but one of whom were girls. Yes, 2010 was the year of the baby girl.
To honor these little pink darlings, I got ornaments made. Ones which little ones can drop, play with, and drool on without parents worrying. Or so I hope.

I realize this is the last time these little booties will be together again. Sad, but sweet.

I hope their mommas like them! I enjoyed getting them put together. The bottom of the shoe had the little princess's name and birthdate. The little charm says "baby's first Christmas" and the heart at the top, where the ribbon is, says 2010. Very cute!!!

Tamale Making Party!!!

Crystal, and her dietician friend Crystal, and I had a tamale making party!!! Crystal (my friend Crystal, not the other dietician Crystal) hosted at her home in Murrietta.
I think we made about 80 of them: beef, chicken, and potato.

Each one was hand tied with corn husks, and then popped into the pot to steam.

I wore my grandmother's apron (Thanks Grandma S!!!) and let Crystal borrow my hawaiian apron.

The other Crystal brought her own apron. Crystal (my friend Crystal, not Crystal's friend Crystal) does not own an apron. How does a modern girl not own an apron?!?!?!

(psst! Guess what I'm getting Crystal for Christmas???? snicker, snicker!)

At long last they were done, and boy were they yummy! Served with a side of refried beans, I could barely eat 4. Thank you Crystal for hosting!!!

Chargers VS Chiefs 2010

I got a ticket to go to another Chargers game, hoping this time to not be defeated. The stadium was hoping for a win too.
Looking good!!! TOUCHDOWN!!! Chargers: 20 Chiefs, uh, 0.

Best part: Philip Rivers butt!!!

What a nice tight end. I mean "quarterback."

Action shot coming up:

That led to a TOUCHDOWN!!! CHARGERS!!!!

Besides Rivers, uh, quarterback, I simply LOOOOVVVVEEEE watching him talk smack. He is so good at it!

Chargers won it that time!

Yes, it was definately good to be me when the Chargers win!!!!!

whud i hab been up to

Lots ob rest ad fluids. Pardon me while i blow by dose. ***Hooonk*** Thaks.

School Christmas Party

This year, our class, AKA Cohort 9.0, decided to have a Christmas party to finally get to know each other! Despite the rain, 6 of us made it up to Carlsbad to Tracee's house, where caroling and white-elephant-gifting had us in an uproar.

These little robot dancers were the favorite toy out of all of the gifts!

So Merry Christmas, from a few of the Class of 2012 (hopefully!) Cohort 9.0 of PLNU!

(Left to right: Me, Melvin, Tracee, Sandra, Lizza, Mario, and Lucy)

Below, video of our rockin' robot dancers! Enjoy!

Parents visit (Thanksgiving, part 2)

Had to get some calamari before heading out for a hike, of course.
Dad, well, I don't remember what he had...

Mom loves her new camera. Click, click, click!

And then off to Torrey Pines for a hike! 32 years I have lived here, and never went up to the reserve. Go figure.

Georgous cliffs!

I love this shot of my momma.

She looks so dainty compared to the majestic strength of the cliffs.

(I meant to post this on my parents' Anniversary. I guess it's the thought that counts though, right?)

Happy delayed 34th Anniversary Mom and Dad!!!

Fun and games

My parents came to town. 1st night: Quelf! For those of you who have never heard of it, it is a boardgame. Above are 3 of the characters. Mom was "Mrs. Picklefeather", Dad was The platypus. I was the bat guy.
Hensley looked on with his eyes glowing as my father and mother and I followed the directions. 1 card made dad talk with a "-izll" at the end of every sentence when it wasn't his turn. Another one required holding a pencil over another's head and proclaiming "Oh look! Mistletoe!" and then kissing them.

Dad drew a card that required him to talk with his cheeks pinched in, knees "glued" together, arms flailing and to try to explain how he got himself covered in molasses and brown sugar. In rap form.

You can see they were pleased. Believe it or not, we had a great time. I will spare them by not posting the video of mom doing ballet. Or dad doing the can-can. You are welcome!

About to bloom!

I had planted some paperwhites as bulbs a few months ago, and wasn't sure if they would actually do anything. But here they are, almost 2 feet tall, ready to pop!

It's the little things in life that bring me joy! (side note; in the bottom right side of this picture is a picture of my parents at their engagement party sooooo many years ago. So cute!)

Thanksgiving Part 2

The second Thanksgiving was chicken with a cranberry/raspberry/cherry demi-glaze, mashed sweet potatoes, carrots, and rolls. I also made a gravy, but we won't discuss that as it ended up tasting worse than wallpaper paste. And I even like poi!

Grandma baked a lemon meringue pie, which was scrumptious!!!

Dad carved the chicken, which was nice and juicy.

I was very, very happy at how it turned out! Beautiful and delicious!

Behold, the Spriggs Family!

Lots and lots to be thankful for, if I do say so myself!