so right thanksgiving was last week

the babies, the games, the master chef, the siblings. ahhhh. so nice. and on to christmas. this year (for quite possibly the first time ever, er, since i was a child?) i am attempting to be excited for the holiday season. my first step in the right direction is to watch the tree lighting (on tv) at rock-a-fella center in nyc. i also have been dreaming up christmas card ideas and making christmas lists. karl and i are planning on getting a tree (only our second ever in our christmas history)(we'll see if it happens!) and i might try and (gasp) bake something this year. like cookies. TAKE THAT ST. NICK.

we saw snow flurries!

just got back from the holiday in stl. the drive back was LONG and MISERABLE. it was raining when we left st. louis and it raining all the way to little rock and it is still raining now! we left early to make sure we could get the dogs on time but weather and accidents delayed us - many thanks to eric for getting the doggies from the hotel. now we are cuddled up with some pizza and the amazing race. i have turkey day pictures - but they are still on my camera and i am too lazy to get them right now. i CAN say the food was DELICIOUS. i ate like a champ! food and family makes a delicious holiday. more to come.

thanksgiving makes me happy

How to make a turkey:
1. you get a gun
2. you shoot a turkey
3. you pull out the feathers
4. and put it in the microwave for four hours

(excerpts from an old class of my aunt jayne - recipes by 5 years olds).

Kat's Mashed Potatoes - exact science
1. get you some big brown potatoes (no red; too wet)
2. peel them
3. cube them
4. boil them (a lot till they are mushy; maybe 40-45 for a big batch)
(THESE THINGS DON't TAKE THAT LONG and you can actually make homemade mash more than once a year at thanksgiving)
5. drain them
6. put a lot of butter(real and salted), salt, and milk (2% or above preferably)
7. use a machine or mixer to whip the crap out of them. (periodically checking for more salt, butter, or milk)
8. when there are no more lumps and they are smooth and fluffy and you just know they are finished, you are ready to eat (though in my case, i have been taste testing the whole time).
9. serve (with or without gravy)
10. eat (at least one helping!)

karl and i got in a potato product arguement (it was very exciting). i just don't think thanksgiving is for any other potatoes other than mashed and sweet potato casserole. he says cheesy potatoes or other potato-ey casseroles are ok. (they are so not okay). what kind of taters do you have on turkey day?!

tailgating and resting

low key weekend. i slept till 11 and made sunday stew. i just ate said stew so i am kind of in a stew coma and my thoughts are all full and hazy and i want to sleep more. who is with me?

easing into the cold weather. need new clothes. excited for turkey and taters. eyes closing. can't form complete sentences. goooooooood night.

back to life, back to reality

so. being off for a week. well, it's great, but coming back? yea, that kind of sucks. i think that is the first week long vacation from a job i have ever taken (look ma i'm all growed up!). Things are crazy at work. I can't seem to catch up. Boo Peeka. (this too shall pass, right?). is it awful that i am already looking forward to the turkey day holiday?!!? (probably not). karl is in san fran all week for work (he will be out of the office for two weeks!!) for a conference and i am bored at home and browsing the internet. the internet is not interesting today. not so much. anyone have any good sites they have stumbled upon lately? i need entertainment and laughter (i just cried thru the entire hour and a half of the biggest loser - STUPID SHOW GETS ME EVERY TIME!).

what does one do when ones significant other is out of town?

• eats buttered noodles with lots of garlic salt and parmesean for dinner three nights in a row
• lets arlo sleep in the bed with me (also going on three nights in a row)
• accidentally on purpose forgets to take out the trash so i have something for him to do when he comes back (though it is starting to smell a bit so i might have to give in on this one!)
• turns the heat up at night (just a little! like i even need it anyway it was freaking 80 degrees here today!)
• watches all kinds of girly movies on the tube (like 'because i said so' - a movie featuring mandy moore and lorelie gilmore)
• breaks the husbands computer several times (curse it, fix it, don't ever tell) (WHAT? he stole my mac book!)
• sleeps with the lights (and maybe the tv) on.
• goes in a little late to work (normally karl and i carpool and he is a stickler for being there at 8; my office is like a freaking mourge at 8)
• gets ready for work in complete and utter silence. the way the morning time should be. ah, the joy. no tv, no lights, no doggies, no cereal crunching heard for miles, no cover ripping offing, no singing made up annoying good morning songs.
• and maybe miss him. and even those dang good morning songs. just a little.

on the homefront

i am so happy to announce a safe delivery of the cronin clan's newest addition: bridget and brian (and joe and isabel) welcome mylee jayne (making her first blog apperance here via camera phone! happy sigh!)

additionally i would like to extend special congratulations to our friends, elizabeth and jeremy, who just got engaged!! so happy for those two.

i don't think i can go to work tomorrow. seriously.

casa de angela and the gang

at the aeropuerto leaving mexico...
i don't want to leave (and look possibly like an anorexic orphan)... jenny and jeff's wedding present from us: dinner at le kliff (literally built into a cliff overlooking the water. quite possibly the coolest dining atmosphere EVA. )
the bride and groom dance the dance.
luke looking cool with his shades and cigar - TAKING MORE PHOTOS!
the sun is setting - the sun saved the most beautiful set of our trip for the wedding night.
little island people lounging in the pool
the first group toast: TO MEXICO!!
we told karl to "suck it in"
the aforementioned mosquito netting on the beds! the whole villa was open air - showers, toilets, bedrooms, common areas, all of it!! i looooved showering with a view! the view from our bathroom shown below.... the only time i have ever enjoyed my small bladder! HA!

our first meal in puerto vallarta - karl blew us a little tune. un pacifico por favor.
so the trip was awesome as i am sure you have seen some of the pics already on both melissa and brooke's blogs!! they both did a much better picture taking job than me. oh well! the villa was, as stated, awesome on all accounts. we decided we are so spoiled now that we can never travel again with out a staff (the villa had a chef, TIMO whose food was AMAZING, our house man SAUL (sa-oool who took care of us on so many levels), and his assistant ONOFRE. they seriously took care of everything. food, drinks, problems, everything. the open air concept was awesome... no air conditioning or real private spots, just an amazing amount of fresh air, sunshine, and happy smiles. cabs were cheap! (like $4 to get from the villa to downtown where we did some shopping!) it was an experience like no other and karl and i still can't get over it or thank jenny and jeff and her family enough for including us.

sleeping in mosquito netting is as cool as it looks

the internet at the villa is pretty slow and it is taking too long to upload images so i think you are going to have to wait until we get back for more pics!

we miss you all. er.

today was an amazing day in PV!!

i took this picture with my camera!

hola como estas? Esta aqui.