Nar Turns 27

The fox says "Happy Birfday"!

So preeeettyyyyyyyyy.

Thnow!

PHX, Gator Style

Gator makes a Friend:

Gator v Cactus:

"Can I eat him?.........I'm gonna eat him."

Me: Gator is learning to shoot.
Nar:  He's such a badass.

 Gator navigates.

 Gator conquers the desert.

I also think Gator was left at the PHX Sky Harbor...cause I can't find him anywhere!!!

Heading to PHX!

Finally going to see the Hudsons!!!

I decided to bring along Gator so I could regail Karley with all of his travel antics and adventures...

EPIC Redeaux

We made quite the Cheese Plate haul in both Christmas gift exchanges this year.  We decided to put it to good use!  Thanks, everyone!

NYE

Me: Is my hair too much?

Karley: No.  But put on some more blush.

What are sisters for?

It's not the day that counts

The Firethorn Christmas.

Now Smile!

Du

Just wants to be a part of it, too.

Ice, Ice Baby

We had planned to leave at 3am for our trek to Texas in a day.  We made it out by 3:30, which was impressive considering we had two people, two dogs, a stuffed automobile, and I was sick as a dog.  We made it to a rest stop just outside of Trinidad where I spent the previous 30 minutes willing myself not to throw up.  After almost losing Keebler to a trucker (he got out of his leash and I'm pretty sure if I hadn't felt nausiated before I would have then), spending some quality time in the bathroom trying to talk myself back IN to throwing up just so I'd feel better), and getting back on the road again the whole family felt...well...fairly good (I didn't puke, but Kona managed to just as we turned into the rest stop...on the seat...as Mike tried to get him out).

We determined that the way to go is indeed down I25 turning southwest at Raton and going through Dumas and Amarillo.  Yay!

Unfortunately, once we hit Dumas so did the massive ice/snow storm.

It took us an extra two hours using the usually speedy two lane country roads.  We also witness what was probably the scariest accident coming up a hill on one of these said roads.  I maintain that Texas drivers are complete idiots in snow.

Prepared

This was how the box my parents sent me for my birthday was wrapped:

And this is part of what was in it!

Dirty Thirty

Not sure why they call it that...but I did receive some scrumptious chocolate-covered strawberries from my parents at the office!

And had a lovely light show my last night at TCH.

Mike bought me a fantastic new camera with which I am already in love.  While I don't have a photo of it, it is very busy taking photos.  Good photos!

R Squared

Due to limited space in Sunny (a Taurus), this year I decided to do all of my Wetterling and Firethorn Christmas Gift Exchange shopping online on Amazon.  Not to sound like too much of a commercial: Amazon Prime is one of the best purchases we've ever made.  Free shipping, the option to gift wrap, easy organization.  And I don't have to do anything but click "Purchase".

And, you know...pay for it.

Anyway, I did end up spending quite a bit of money on gift wrapping due to not completing the task myself.  So by the time I started thinking of wrapping the presents under the Clayton Tree, my brain (and wallet) were starting to hurt.

So I gathered some items from the basement: an old dictionary and essays book, glue sticks, some butterfly stickers and paper that I'd purchased last year at Hobby Lobby for a project that never transpired, random blank tags, some cut up fabric from my crochet rug I'd hoarded because I loved it so much, and (this part is my favorite) some butterfly decorations that I'd randomly saved from Step Child's wedding because I have a thing for butterflies.

The road to hoarding is paved with "I could use this some day".

But in this case I was correct.

I then took the plethora paper bags I've had under my sink since birth...or at least since I moved here...including one from a 2007 meeting at the AmericInn in SLC, several TJ's, and some Christmas Bath & Body bags...

 And turned them into this:

 Yes.  That is a bow made of out plastic King Soopers bags.  Go on...appreciate.

The tags say "Meke" and initials for "Love of my Life" because that's how we answer the phone when the other calls.  I had the stamps from this project.

Book page wrapping.  More crochet rug fabric ribbon and yet another KS bow.  And a Mason Jar.  Because really, why the hell not.

Best part: the tissue I already had on hand (or grabbed out of Amazon boxes in some cases) thanks to learning to save every piece of tissue paper from every gift ever given maniacally (love you, Mom!).

So that brings the Total Cost to: zero dollars.

I also emptied out a plastic tub (because really who needs 27 pillows) so I can put all of the wrapping (besides the small square packages wrapped in book pages) accoutrement away and re-use it all next year.

Recycling FTW.

How you know you might have a problem

Me:  NAR!  Has Toms sent you a bracelet with a thank-you note?!?!?!

Nar: Yeah...

Me:  HOW DID THIS NOT COME UP?!

Nar: I dunno!  

Me:  It is sad how much this marketing ploy makes me want to buy more!

Nar:  Why do you think I bought the aqua ones?

The Feels

Our tree is full of them.

I Always Go Overboard

I texted Nar a photo of my Toms score from Hawaii (thanks to Meke) on Black Friday.

"OMG. I just had a Tomsgasm," she responded.

That pretty much sums it up.

Gator

Guess what I found when I finally unpacked:

In the Bleachers

We watched Du play in the Fire vs. Police football game...aaaaaand the hot dogs in concessions.  It was a great afternoon!

It Happens

Hi Gibsons!  Thanks for having me!!!