Happy Birthday to My Twinkie

Birthday Blogging continues. I enjoy the birthday blog - it is a great way to get to write a little something about the people i know and to let them know that they are special. Most of us may be beyond the age at which we are allowed to throw crazy princess parties and make a huge deal out of our birthdays, but a little specialness is OK.

Happy Birthday Amanda!

Amanda young is one of my work friends, but she is so much more than that. Amanda started working at ERDC a little over two years ago. When she started out she was doing graphic design and video-ography. That made her different from the other women I work with! We hit it off from the get go. I'm not sure why we became such good friends, although the fact that she was in the office directly next door probably didn't hurt. The reason doesn’t matter - but we were fast friends and great friends!

It is hard to summarize my favorite things about Amanda, because she is such a good friend and a good person. One of my favorite things is that she is a really kinds, and extremely nice person. Whenever I'm down she is able to bring me up, be it through telling me it will get better, empathizing with a similar story to show me how it will get better, or just plain listening! More importantly, Amanda is a computer person. As well as being a graphics person, she knows computers. As a result, she knows computer humor. She loves geek humor, and is forever sending me great forwards and links to crazy gadgets! She is also one of the few people who truly loves the despair.com de-motivators as much as I do.

Amanda is always able to crack me up. Some of my favorite stories about her actually involve the crazy punishments her mom cooked up when she was little. Now that we are adults these things are funny to us. She slammed her door one time too many and angered her mom. Her mom's solution was taking the door off of the hinges for several weeks. THAT is the way to teach a lesson. You know she doesn't slam doors any more. I have to admit that another favorite thing about Amanda is her daughter - Virginia turned 1 year old in October, and she is as cute as a button! Amanda and her husband are huge animal lovers - they have a handful of cats and a big "kitty kat" known as Allie the rescued greyhound.

Another favorite story comes from a few months back. I had been unpacking some stuff and came across some class pictures from grade school. I was showing them to her, and she pointed to one of the girls and said: That girl is me. You know she was pointing at a younger Sarah! We are scarily similar in too many ways!

Happy Birthday Amanda, I'm happy to be back in Vicksburg to hang out with you this year!

Man Up your Tree

Today was our Christmas party for my branch at work. I always enjoy the work party because my coworkers are so great. Since I'm not going to Fox Lake for Christmas, all of these parties are sort of my "Christmas". We had some YUMMY food as usual. We always worry about there not being enough, and somehow there is always a ton. Terry and Mike, two of our technicians, fry up turkeys in the morning, and the bossmen donated a ham. Then, everyone brought a ton of food. I tried two new recipes, both of which made me happy. Some peach glazed sweet potatoes with a praline topping and an cranberry apple walnut stuffing. Just thinking about them makes me hungry again. We always have so much food that the desert table barely gets touched, and it is always full of good stuff. You hate to see it go home uneaten.

The best part of the Christmas party is the gift giving. We used to just have a party and eat and socialize with one antoher and with our families. A few years back we decided to liven things up wtih a gift exchange. Anyone who wants to puts their name in the hat, and we draw names. There are no rules - except that everyone is encouraged to remember that it is a family affair and there may be young children present. In years past we have had some great gifts - people are always making fun of one another!

This year, I drew Haley Bell's name. Haley is two doors down, and the littlest, cutest thing there is is! She is also sweet as can be. A few months back she and her husband took their puppy to get her hair cut. The groomer accidentaly gota little friendly with the sciessors - Wrigley came back shaved nearly naked! Haley and Matt were definitely traumatized by this! She was not the prettiest looking dog at that time. I got Haley some Rogaine for Women to Wrigley get back to normal next time!

Oddly enough, Haley drew my name! I had been telling her how girly my trees were, so she helped me to man up my tree. I am now the owner of a Merman Hottie for my tree! It is too funny!!! Good times were had by all.

The best gift by far was Jeb's princess kit for Lucy's new castle. Lucy and her husband just bought a HUGE house. Jeb decided that all girls want to be princesses, and she HAD just bought a castle, so he bought her a bunch of princess sutff! Good Stuff. There was also a great Yoda Poem and light Saber for Lora (a huge star wars fan), and big buck hunting kit for Tim Rushing (who shot a tiny tiny one this year), a non-blonde kit to help Gail get some respect around the office, and the traditional gifts that are re-gifted every year!

All in all, an A+ party!

oh Christmas Tree Part Deux

I finally remembered my Christmas tree for my desk. Now the hall is really decked!

(and yes, my office really that messy)

oh Christmas Tree!

It has been a while since I updated the blog. here are some highlights. I cleaned out the trunck, and bit the bullet. i went and got a Christmas tree. I had to get the real deal, because I'm one of THOSE people. I wound up getting an 8 footer, and paying an arm and a leg for it. The Home Depot had nasty trees, and I refuse to buy mine from Walley WOrld. I wound up buying it from the Optimist Club. IT was definitely more expensive, but defintiely worth it. The money goes to charity - they support the youth and other local charitable organization. Plus, they trimmed the tree, helped me tie it up in my car, and if I had brought my stand they would have put it in the stand. Yes, somehow I fit an 8 ft. tree into my camry.
I spent last week putting the tree up and cleaning hosue and cooking for the big Housewarming/Christmas/Late Birthday party. I don't know the last time my house looked that good. It probably didn't even look that good when i moved in. I spent Friday night baking and putting ornaments on the tree. Thus far we haven't had any puppy-tree issues. keep your fingers crossed!

The tree is very girly. I have a ton of girly ornaments. There are three or four different shoe ornaments, a number of dressed up girls, a tutu, and any number of other girly things. I love it! It is quite ME,

The party Saturday went well. We had about the right sized crowd. The food was yummy. THe menu was:
Lasagne
Rigatoni and Sausage with a Pumpkin Cream Sauce
Salad
Breadsticks
Tomato, Spinache, and Potato Soup
Spinach Dip and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus for Snacking.
and Christmas Cookies for desert!
Folks brought a ton of drinks as well as some yummies to add to the pile of food. I've now got enough drinks to have three more parties, so come on over folks!

I've posted a picture of the christmas tree. You can sort of see part of the Thanksgiving paint job too! Soon I'll get back on the painting band wagon and get more done.

Congratulations Abby Palko, ABD

Major Congrats go out to my cousin Abby Palko, ABD. Abby is a graduate student in comparitive literature (i think) at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. She is also the mother of a beautiful 6 mo. old baby girl. This week Abby passed her oral defense of her dissertation proposal. So, she has passed her classes and written her proposal, giving her the official designation of "All But Dissertation" (ABD). Let's have a big round of applause for her - it is not exactly easy to do in the first place, let alone when there is an adoreable!

This picture is from Nora's Christening this summer. Mommy and Aunt Jen did a great job of matching but Nora doesn't seem as interested in the camera as they do.

Let's go Bowling

Excellent news - the Illini earned a bid to the Rose Bowl. I'm jealous. I want to go. If anyone wants to head to CA for New Years - My grandparents live in San Diego. Free Rose Bowl Housing!!!


Today, big Kudos go to Ernest. I work with Ernest, and he recently finished up her PhD from Purdue. He came by my office this morning with a can of rose scented air freshner that he bought and used around the office last time Purdue went to the Rose BOwl. He thought I might want to make sure all of theMS State fans knew who was Rose Bowl Bound! Ernest you are cool!

You Say it's your Birthday

IT"S MY BIRTHDAY TOO.

Happy Birthday me and a bunch of other people.

TOday is Julie Kelley's Birthday. I work with Julie here in Mississippi. She is an amazing woman. She started out her life as a nurse, and althought I did not know her then, I imagine she was a great nurse. SHe has a great personality - just as sweet as can be. I know she must have a mean side since she raised a couple of kids, but I can't imagine it. Midway through her career she decided to do a little change - and now she is a geologist! It doesn't get much more 180 degrees than that! THe most impressive thing is that she has deployed overseas a couple of times to help our soldiers in country. It is such a honorable thing to do, and even more difficult when you have a family back at home to think about.

Today is also the 13th birthday of Michael Mason. Michael is the son of my friend, work next door neighbor, and up the street at home neighbor Gail. Michael is an all around nice guy, and a huge dog lover. He has watched my pup while I've traveled, and for that I am eternally grateful!

Happy Birthday Julie, Michael and me.