Let the Revolving Door Revolve

I am excited about having 11 days off work. There are two Christmas presents upstairs. They are still sleeping but will soon be up for French Toast & Cheese Muffins! We enjoyed a fun dinner at Belle Vita last night with these two Christmas presents. Then the two Christmas presents came home and worked a puzzle and we made Christmas cookies. Keaton & Erin are SO much fun and we are SO glad they are home! Erin is delightful! She is originally from Canada and she loves chocolate. She can be cranky when she is hungry. She values family and enjoys life! (Note to DC Erin: You will enjoy meeting KY Erin-originally from Canada. It will be a kodack moment!)

Kevin is already out picking up two more little Christmas presents, and he'll be home with Clayton & Rhegan soon! We have a fun day planned at the Childrens Museum with ALL our Christmas present people. Did I mention I am excited about having 11 days off work?

It's Festive 'Round Here!

The Disney Boy is home - yay! HE is Santa's Elf because HE put the Christmas Tree up and decorated the whole house and HE is awesome! (Will HE come back in January/February and put it all away or will the house remain festive until next Christmas?) Thanks Keaton, love your guts!

Do you remember a favorite gift? I would have to say that my most favorite gift ever as an adult was the diamond ring that Kevin gave me many years ago. I've worn it every day since and love it. It means the world to me! As a child, my most favorite gift was a play kitchen and a chalkboard easel. On Christmas morning, I remember looking in the living room and seeing everything set up. I couldn't have been happier. I'll never forget that Christmas morning... among my annual new package of "day of the week" underwear (always a popular gift)!

You know, if we could find a retro silver aluminum christmas tree and a colored wheel to shine reds, blues, greens, and yellows on the tree -- I might actually do the decorating! It would be just like when I was a kid -- only mom & dad did the decorating then.

I'm SO looking forward to church this weekend and on Christmas Eve! It puts all of Christmas into perspective. And the people said - AMEN!

Countdown to Christmas

How many days is it before Christmas? It depends. Well, you can't count today because it's already here, and you can't count Christmas day because that's the day, and you can't count Christmas Eve because that's the day before. So ... technically it's just 7 days before Christmas!

7 Things I did Yesterday:

1. Talked on the phone half the day, while cooking
2. Watched Kevin shovel snow with the bobcat
3. Hosted our annual family gathering for "Santa Nite"
4. 3 loads of laundry
5. Changed my grandson's diaper
6. Played Balderdash with family, and lost
7. Rhegan & I watched Santa come/go ... from the front porch

6 Things I Need to do Today:

1. Write Christmas cards and prepare for mailing
2. Pray for Keaton's safe travel home in the blizzard
3. Upload photos and organize online
4. Tell Kevin that I love him
5. Go to Andrea's church for kids Christmas play
6. Wrap christmas gifts

5 Things I am Thankful for:

1. Amazing friends, like Eleanore who surprised me with a Colts wrist watch (which guarantees them into the finals)
2. My friendship and love for my daughter, Andrea
3. The safe return of Nosey the Neighbor from a year away
4. That Kevin is so kind, generous, & caring to family and friends
5. That the Walden/Stewart cousins got to spend a fun fun fun evening together

4 "fires" left before Company Starts Arriving:

1. A few scrapbook christmas projects
2. Year-end details at the law firm, and a discovery deadline this week
3. Think through & prepare for CTI payroll for my time off during Christmas
4. Prepare my guest bedrooms

3 Things I'm most Excited about right now:

1. Keaton & Brandt coming home
2. Church on Christmas Eve
3. The Squires Family Gathering

2 Things I'm Stressing over right now:

1. Keeping things simple so my health issues stay in check
2. Will my Ebay order really get here in time?!?

1 Thing that I know for sure:

1. No matter how many fires, how much or little I worry or stress or fret, Christmas will come and it will be wonderful regardless because we are all together and when it comes right down to it, that's all that really matters.

Hello Hello Hello

Hi. My name is Kay Busy. I remember Turkey Day, but then I went into a tail spin and oops, it's almost Christmas! So - let's put up a tree and get into the Christmas spirit. I like this tree. It will be "my" tree this year because "my" other tree is still in the attic.

Happy Holiday Season!

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!!