Sklar Brothers & Superbowl

If there were ever two people that would make Lennie and I laugh every time, it's the Sklar Brothers. So, when I came across the following videos from Comedy Central and McDonald's, I couldn't resist sharing:
Halftime Show Commentary / Predictions

McDonalds Dollar Menu Presents

Sklar Brothers - Onside Kicks - The Big Game

More Funny Videos
Comedians on Tour

Get Funny Ringtones
Stand-Up Comedy

Game Commentary

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Tiki Barber

Daily Show Full Episodes
Funny Political Videos

Important Things With Demetri Martin
More Funny Videos

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

Life has been going at a pretty steady pace here... not much to report really. We're still battling the epic colds that have been going around (a gazillion weeks and counting now), but I suspect that we're on the way to healthier days. The shower project is almost done, and it feels good to make progress on the condo.

I'm so happy that it's Thursday today, as it's been a long week, full of ups and downs, and a little "lather, rinse, repeat." All good stuff.

Improving Home Improvement

Over the past two weeks, we have been somewhat uprooted, as Lennie and I (well, really Lennie mostly) took on the task of redoing both of our bathrooms. At the time that we started the project, it seemed like a good idea to do both at the same time, since my parents were out of town and we could stay at their house while we had no showers. In true optimist style, I thought that we'd have the project done in a few days, just under a week tops. Boy, did I overestimate our skills! :-) Actually, I underestimated the amount of time it would take for things to dry and for us to wedge home improvement into our busy work schedules. Minor miscalculation, to say the least.

So, we were displaced out of our home for over a week and a half (thanks Mom and Dad for putting up with us!), and I was eager to get us back in the condo. On Tuesday evening, we were able to return to our mostly completed house -- despite the dust. As I said before, Lennie did most of the work, and I'm really proud of him. I did, however, learn the finer points of mudding and taping drywall, and I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself! We've still got another coat of mud to put onto the drywall, and we do need to install shower doors, but we're back at home and loving it.

I've been taking photos of the whole process, so I'll be sure to post them when the drywall is complete, the paint is dry, and the shower doors are installed. Until then, I'm grateful to be home in my own bed and enjoying the condo again.

Tired, Sick, Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired.

[rant] It seems that Lennie and I have been battling colds or sinus stuff since before Thanksgiving. While the past two weeks haven't had me feeling completely knocked down, but I certainly haven't felt 100%, and it has made me really tired and frustrated by sinus headaches and pressure. Ugh. We finally went back in to the doctor yesterday, and got prescriptions that are supposed to do the trick... alas, so far not so good for me. Today has found be excessively tired, and battling hot and cold flashes. I thought that the drugs were supposed to make me feel better, not worse! Ay yay yay. Perhaps a long nap will do the trick this evening? [/rant]

I hope that everyone out there hasn't been bogged down by the cold and flu bug this season -- seems like a lot of us are struggling with a bug that simply won't let go! :-(

Happiness New Year 2009

Happy New Year! May you be blessed with happiness, health, love, and adventure in the upcoming year.

Space Needle fireworks, January 1, 2007. Photo by me. :)

One of the blogs that I read regularly challenged readers to define 2009 with one word instead of creating new year's resolutions. I have chosen the word happiness. In 2009, I will strive to bring happiness to those around me, to find happiness in everything that I do (to always look for the silver lining in the least), I will seek happiness, and I will find happiness in everything I do, not matter how big or small.

So, what's your word? What will define you in 2009? What can you do to make it happen?

Merry (Belated) Christmas! Ho, ho, ho!

We're in the middle of the holiday season, winding down the year and finishing off the holidays simultaneously. I had five glorious days off from work, and I have to admit that today I had a little trouble shifting my brain back into gear at work. (Don't worry, I did succeed in getting some work done today!) After being snowed in for two weeks, I finally got to take my vehicle out for a spin today. I felt like it was a late Christmas present, really. I think that I was beginning to take freedom for granted, but being snowed in really put it in perspective. There's something to be said for not having to rely on other people to do simple things like run to the store at any time, that's for sure. My driving was mostly uneventful today, although I do think that my car may have laughed at me when I tried to pull into a parking spot that had a little (I mean a little) patch of snow in it. Thus proving, once again, that my car has little tolerance for snow, to say the least.

Our "white Christmas" was nice, as the snow cleared up just enough for us to get together with family and to attend our favorite church service. Good times. Lennie and I also enjoyed some after Christmas shopping on the 26^th. Now, normally, I'm not the type to be beating down the doors of the stores for sales, but for some reason, I agreed to dental appointments at 8 a.m. on Friday morning. A waste of a good sleep-in opportunity, but also a chance to enjoy some after Christmas sales. We had a good chuckle over being out and about in the nearly deserted stores on Friday morning, but we also enjoyed spending some of our gift cards and perusing the aisles for some good deals. (Just ask my mom about her new "lawn ornaments," they were on sale!)

Merry belated Christmas. I hope that all of you had the opportunity to enjoy time with friends and family, and that you also got to stop and ponder the true "reason for the season." I know that I feel truly blessed this year.

I Guess I'm Still a Kid at Heart!

So, we still have snow. Lots. of. snow. So, I made the best of it. :-)



Lennie and I went out for a walk last night (we didn't get far, can't get down our driveway safely on foot), and I couldn't resist making a snow angel. Too fun!

View more photos of the Seattle snow.

Snow Days in Seattle

So, it's been snowing here on and off for the past three days or so, which is completely abnormal for the Seattle area. Usually, we get a quarter inch of snow and it's gone within 24 hours. Not this time. We've had a major arctic blast, which brought 3+ inches of snow to our house, and has left me homebound for the past three days. After working from home on Thursday and Friday, I did manage to get out of the house today to get my hair done. It was a simple pleasure to just get out and see other people, let alone be on the streets. Since my car is less-than-snow ready, my father came over and rescued me. (Lennie had to go to work at the crack of early this morning, so he couldn't get me out of the house...)


Thanks to my dad, I got to see the roads first hand, and it wasn't as bad as I expected (the news always makes it sound worse than it really is, doesn't it!?), but I was really glad I wasn't the one driving, to say the least.

Alas, we have another weather front coming in right now (the snow is already starting to fall), and I'm ready for another few days snowed in the condo... brace yourselves, Seattle... it's going to be a cold one out there!

Christmas Question

I've been pondering this question over the past few holidays, and I'm going to go public with it, hoping that you can help me solve the puzzle. Here it is:

If Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, then why don't more churches put up displays of the nativity scene on their lawns and in the sanctuary buildings instead of putting up Christmas trees?

I'm not even sure that there is a nativity scene set at our church, but I know that there are multiple Christmas trees. This kind of bothers me, really, and I wish that there were more places that were willing to display a nativity scene during the Christmas season.

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas trees, and I am sitting with our tree twinkling in the corner as I type this. But, our nativity scene is also just a few feet away. Because really, Jesus is what the Christmas holiday is all about.

Holiday Happenings

For the long Thanksgiving weekend, Lennie and I were fortunate enough to join some friends at a cabin in the mountains for some much needed rest, relaxation, and fun. We completely disconnected from the world -- after logging off of the computer at work on Wednesday afternoon, I stayed away from computers for over five days. Our cell service was spotty, so we were really cut off from the world. I loved it, as it's not often that I'm not a slave to my cell phone or the computer.

We joined our friends and their family on Wednesday evening after a pleasant drive over Snoqualmie Pass. The night was punctuated by the kids making pies in the kitchen while the rest of us lounged and chatted. Thursday brought a bevy of people (over 20 people joined us throughout the day), cooking, and walking by the lake. It was wonderful and overwhelming all at the same time. The family welcomed us in with open arms, and it was fun to learn more about one another.

I attempted to teach the girls how to knit, which they seemed to enjoy. Hopefully they're on their way to successful knit scarves -- we'll see!

Friday brought drizzle and clouds, so we made our way in to Suncadia Lodge to try to take the kids ice skating. Unfortunately, we got to the rink too late, so we explored town for a little bit, and we ran into an old friend at a local coffee shop. I had the opportunity to catch up with her after not seeing her for over a year. What a fun surprise!

On Saturday, Lennie was fortunate enough to go out quading with our friends. He came back a little sweaty, but with a huge smile on his face. I suspect that it was the highlight of his weekend, but haven't confirmed it. After a great pasta dinner, we packed up the cars and went back to Suncadia for a night of ice skating. The trees were adorned with festive lights and Christmas music hummed in the background. It was warm out, even when we weren't standing by the fire, which made for a great evening out.

We packed up and traveled home on today, stopping at the outlet mall on the way home to score a few new items.

For me, the best part of every Thanksgiving weekend is putting up the decorations. So, despite our miserable colds and fatigue, we put up the tree. It's twinkling in the corner as I type this, and I can't help but smile as I look around the house at the different decorations. We've got snowmen by the front door, stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and I'm ready to greet the holiday season.

So there you are, you're now up with the holiday happenings around our home. I hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend too, and that this message finds all of you healthy and happy.