Tummy Bust Day is Over

I can still smell the turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean cassarole and yes, the pumpkin pie! And I can also still smell the day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast of french toast, chili egg pie, and potato cassarole! Thanksgiving was a time to forget about work and deadlines and just be thankful for everything and everyone in my life! So today it's back to reality, i.e. work. I always say that re-entry is tough, and this year proved no different. Tomorrow will be a less headache than today, and the next day I'll almost be back to normal (we won't define normal here in this post)! Well, I figure that if Marie Osmond can dance and flip her way to the finals, I can surely get myself to/from the office for a week! Yep, tummy buster day is over and I'm a thankful girl full of turkey and pumpkin pie and french toast.

The Eve of Surgery

This woman is having surgery tomorrow on her right shoulder. She will be one-armed for at least three months following surgery. She plays on a world renowned senior softball league. She plays Rook pretty darn well. She makes a mean pot of beans & cornbread. But most importantly, she is my fun sister-in-law Connie. Here are a few surgery tips from your loving family:

1. Wake up from surgery smiling! The nurses will like you better.

2. Do NOT tell the doctor you have gas, even if you do. Exercise the "silent but deadly" rule!

3. An hour after surgery, scream bloody murder and page the doctor to find out why your leg is in a cast instead of your arm?!

4. Don't pay any attention to the nurses chattering about you. Just yell out "What do you mean, you want a divorce?" and that will scatter the crowd.

5. When a nurse asks "How is your pain?" say: "Quick, go to surgery.com, scroll down and click on PAIN and let me know what you get!"

6. For goodness sake, keep the back end of your hospital gown closed!

7. Ask a nurse if you can see the "jello menu" for today's dinner selection.

8. Finally, and most importantly, remember to bring home the piece of glass in your arm as a souvenir from this surgery party.

GET WELL SOON!

Sunday Face

Today's Sunday Face is .... drum roll please ... none other than The Indianapolis Colts! I'm doing my part today to bring a W-I-N for the team. I have a brand new pair of lucky socks (the old ones apparently did not work last week against the Patriots). Today I plan to root my team to victory with a pair of pink/white horse shoe socks. Yes, I know it's not a real "picture" of a real "someone" for a real "Sunday Face" ... but it's MY blog and MY team and MY socks. Let's do it for the team! GO COLTS!

Atypical Monday-Erin

Erin Photographer is shown here, doing her version of a cool jump, on an Atypical Monday at home-home. It is also blog-worthy. I agree with me on that. Upon further reflection, I intend to do Erin's cool jump instead of Brandt's cool jump the next time I visit their home-home. (Note - cancel ambulance)

Atypical Monday-Brandt

Brandt was just home/here. He crashed here for the night, now on his way home home. He just "happened" to be in the neighborhood. He was on his way from DC to St. Louis to Indy to St. Louis to Indy to DC when he stopped by. Good thing he has cell phone service in a place called

"WashLoueyInLoueypolisWashDC".

We survived a FUN visit from Brandt & Art, who attended the Colts Game. Art cannot come back if he jinxed the Colts (only kidding)! I'll just have to find a new pair of lucky socks that works better for a team win! Anyway, this pic was taken by photographer Erin on Atypical Monday in DC, and Brandt thought it blog-worthy. I agree. Cool pic. Cool jump. I could do that. Next time I'm at Brandt's home home, I will do that. (Warning: have ambulance standing by)

Sunday Face - Trick or Treat - Smell my Feet

This week's Sunday Face is a cutie paTOOTie named Rosalie Helene Ritz who just happens to be my adorable neice. Rosalie is sporting a CATS costume for Halloween which also makes me think we should file this picture in the "future auditions" category for Broadway Shows, like maybe CATS?! Since we don't live close, I have had the privilege of talking with Rosalie on the telephone. Well, that might be a bit of a s-t-r-e-t-c-h but I have heard her laugh a lot so that counts! Can you even believe that I'm on the phone with Grandma Joyce almost everytime you laugh?! (I can't help but wonder if she got any snack size snickers for trick-or-treat, cuz I would trade 3 smarties for 1 of those! What do you say, deal or no deal?) Rosalie, the world is a happier place with you in it!

Parents: Dan & Laura (Dan, you are the man)

Siblings: a BIG dog named Maxx

Kay: DO you know how to blow your nose?

Rosalie: No, Grandma is trying to teach me but I just don't get it.

Kay: What is your favorite food right now?

Rosalie: Carrots, Ravioli, Watermelon, Oh Baby Yogurt (who knew?!)

Kay: Can you dance? What is your favorite song?

Rosalie: I sway to the music. The wheels on the bus go round and round, Grandma and I like to patty cake.

Kay: What does a bunny do?

Rosalie: HOp, hOp, HoP

Kay: What do you do at bedtime?

Rosalie: SLEEP!! Mommy, Daddy, or Grandma reads me a book, I drink my bottle of milk, play in my crib for awhile, then I go to sleep.

Kay: Do you play games with Maxx?

Rosalie: NO, he's too BIG (or I'm too little).

Kay: Are you Mommy's girl or Daddy's girl?

Rosalie: Neither, I'm Grandma's girl !!

Kay: Who does your hair, it's so beautiful.

Rosalie: Only my hairdresser knows for sure. I have natural curl just like Mommy so, I guess she does it!

Kay: Do you know what "shhh" means?

Rosalie: NO (I guess we can safely assume it is only quiet when Rosalie is sleeping!)

Kay: Can you say "Aunt Kay Rocks"?

Rosalie: Yes, yes, yes!!