Green, a Day late...

Green is one of my favorite colors, so you can imagine my frustration when my camera decided not to play along with Imposter color week yesterday. It's on its last legs, and until I can get my dream camera, I'm just going to have to coax it along.

Here is green, a day late - which is better than never I suppose-

When I was a kid, I would make up stories about pencil families -I'm sure these rulers would have been a happy family too..

Tready's legos- now Rees' favorite plaything.


At the end of the day, Green defeats blue in a battle of the ray guns.

If you haven't already, please check out Mary T.'s blog for green photos featuring The Snapper herself, and Chrissy and Sonnie's fab green day shots too!

Polka Dotty Day

Clear-ly polka dots are everywhere!

Our dotty dog, Jingo!

Nature's polka dots- nandina berries

A Target find.

For more Color Week posts, Check out Mary T., Chrissy, and Zay.

Red-dy for the week

Mary T. has coordinated color week for us. Expect a colorful post each day. Today's color is red. While my kitchen is primarily pink, I think it secretly wants to be red.

Enjoy!

We bought this bib for Rees before we even knew she was coming!

This little guy is both a bit scary and jolly.

Did you know that Scott and Nick collect "rare" candy? Now you do!

Ch-Ch-Change

Why is it that all that is on at 11:45 p.m. is a Ziggy Stardust concert, Spaceballs, and Heavy Metal 2000? It's like all of the cable stations wore themselves out with Inauguration coverage. I just heard that the Obama girls are watching Bolt and High School Musical III- thank goodness for them they aren't flipping channels while their parents are out dancing the night away.

I was happy that most media outlets offered streaming online coverage, since I was BACK TO WORK today.. I know I know, I had a lot longer vacation than most, still its hard to get back. Thankfully we stopped our faculty meeting and watched it on a video projection screen. For some reason I was in charge of keeping the darn thing running, which was no small feat, given the fact that a ka-gillion people were all crowding the Internet trying to get a glimpse of history.

I could totally identify with the various students that were interviewed along the Washington Mall today. Many expressed a desire to see something of this importance for themselves. People, old and young, were giddy with excitement and anticipation. I recalled a simialr feeling in the air back in January 1993 when Bill Clinton was inaugurated. I was a second semester freshman at UT, and I watched the inauguration on a small television in the University Co-op bookstore where I had been buying books for the coming semester. People crowded around the tv and stood silent as President Clinton was sworn in. It was a defining moment and one that echoed today's air of anticipation. I had campaigned for Clinton, was working for a yellow-dog democrat at the Texas Capitol and felt totally invested in the government. Shoot- I was only 18...

While I am not sad to see him go, I did scan President Bush's face as President Obama gave his speech. I can't help but think that he never thought it would all turn out this way.I supported Bush as governor of Texas, attended both his inaugurations and even two inaugural balls. (the balls were something else- long gloves, long dress...) I interviewed Laura Bush one-on-one in her small office at the state capitol when she was first lady. She was gracious and kind and didn't rush me a bit. When he was inaugurated as President, I was hopeful for a return to Texas prominence on the national scale. But, the rest of the story, as we now know, was something quite different. Bush surrounded himself with complete idiots or worse, malicious people hoping to further their own agenda. Instead of national prominence, Texas was reduced to the butt of jokes and most of Bush's Texas confidantes left his inner circle long ago.

So it is with a happy heart that we move on into something that has promise and hope. I'm heartened to hear that the Consumer Protection Act is going to be reviewed and was chosen by Change.org as an issue with immediate importance. And I'm also excited that when I got home from work today, Reesie was excitedly pointing to the t.v saying "Barrrk, Barrrk"

Lazy Day

This is the life!

Soup yourself

A Haiku to soup:

Soup.. comfort food, simple

warm and inviting rich broth

makes your tummy smile

So I had this cauliflower. And the Pioneer Woman had this recipe. So I had a dream of recreating her fabulous soup to round out a fabulous weekend. The cauliflower was perfect and local - straight from Millard's farm via the Farmer's Market. While I had the majority of the ingredients, I was lacking onion, parsley, and half and half. Off to the store went Scotty.

chicken broth - check, cauliflower - check, soup tureen- double check.

Up the ladder went Scotty to retrieve my soup tureen. I'd never used it before, somehow it seemed too precious. I bought it from the estate of my dear friend's mother, Miss Dot. Miss Dot out-Martha-ed Martha with her complex and unbeliveable holiday meals. There would always be at least three or four soups, served in beautiful tureens. After she died, I felt so lucky to get one of her tureens.

While getting the tureen, he realized that the shelf it was sitting on was precariously teetering on a broken peg. Back to the store went Scott to get new pegs AND more butter. He not only fixed the shelf, but re-organized too. I should make soup more often.

The soup was really good, and it looked good too. Miss Dot would be proud.

Thankful

Okay, so I know Thanksgiving is over.. it really is just a bleep in the calendar compared to the huge holidays of Halloween and Christmas. And while the turkey (and the corresponding leftovers) has been eaten, I'm still thinking about everything I'm thankful for. So indulge me if you will in a re-counting of recent blessings:

• warm mochas on a cold day. Today Mary T came to my door with a wonderful mocha to fuel our trip to the beauty shop. It was a very welcome surprise.
• Far away friends who took the time to show me the sights. It was so wonderful seeing Kealy earlier in November. She is really the most wonderful hostess. I find myself thinking of Portland often, and wanting to get back.
• Festive pals ringing in the Christmas season. It was great to see a bunch of friends at the Nine Flags lighted Chritmas parade. The best part? Watching Rees watch the floats, watching Pat play Santa, watching our very own doll Ruby the whistler go through 2 costume changes, and eating!
• Living vicariously. Thanks to Sonnie for sharing pics of her recent cruise. Her description of the dolphin swin was awesome.
• Winding down the school semester. Even though I've got a lot left to do, the end is in sight!