2012, you're okay by me

December 31

Dining Room

Our New Year's Eve "Party" turned raucous when I got out the photo rod.

January 1

Belle Isle

A beautiful day started our new year so we spent some time outside, with friends, searching for driftwood.

January 2

Belle Isle

Again, what?! Yes, I did not have work so I went back to spend more time exploring and photo-ing by myself. I have more photos here and I like some of them also.

January 3

Kitchen

Z's tiny teeth. For the record, she likes to be held at an angle where her head is lower than her body.

January 4

Golf Course

NASA reports called for the Quadrantid meteor shower in the wee hours of the morning. We set out all our blankets and sleeping bags, hats, gloves, and coats and let the alarm wake us at 2:30. Our timing might have been off (we read mixed viewing reviews so had our best guess) and each saw one meteor. It was a clear, beautiful night though and I still had a good time because I was in my sleeping bag outside.

January 5

Office

Each year I put my change in my kitty bank and at the end, I roll it and put it in my savings. I am so getting rich.

January 6

Office

Green smoothie for dinner. I also had the last piece of carrot cake.

Happy Birthday Jesus. It's Holiday Time!

December 23

Living Room

We celebrated Christmas with Andy's family early, mostly to accommodate Andy's working on Christmas day, but also my out-of-town schedule. Elisabeth gave us lots of finger puppets!

December 24

Little Rock

Mom and Dad's Living Room

Our goofy faces match our goofy pajamas. (Note: I love Christmas Eve traditions.)

December 25

Mom and Dad's Living Room

I also love present reactions (2010, 2009), like this one from my mom. Why is she so excited? you ask. Because behind that cheap poster frame are 32 lottery tickets from 32 different states. The second picture is also a reaction, but this time to her first scratcher (and incidentally her first winner). A big $4 from New Jersey!

December 26

The Capital Bar and Grill

Roller drinking and eating in Little Rock. There really is nothing that compares to getting together with your oldest friends. (Let me explain the pole in the foreground. Early in the day, we celebrated Christmas with my dad's family and did a "Silly Santa" exchange. I think I was the lucky picker with this extendable pole that attaches to your camera so you can take the winningest self photos ever. In public. It's call the xshot for anyone who is interested. And you all should be.)

December 27

Memphis Airport

That's where I flew in and out of. And thank goodness for it because otherwise I never would have seen this Elvis mosaic. (Or had a great two-hour car ride with my cousin.)

December 28

Lewis Ginter

The best part of the Garden Fest of Lights was this tiny carrier pigeon and these bunnies that play soccer and skateboard.

December 29

Living Room

Z's Christmas present from my mom. A santa costume "for cat's only". That's what the package said. Thank you for clarifying.

December 30

Dining Room Table

The inaugural game on our new (and very beautiful) Scrabble board. Nobody say anything about the word that is not an acceptable Scrabble word. Andy's word, my fault for not challenging. For the record, I smoked him.

The entire Christmas is [click] here.

my first matzo

December 16

Bathroom

I'd been wanting to wear this vest for some time.

December 17

Closet

My secret present box stashed in the top of the closet.

December 18

Sunroom

I've been craving a good New York style bagel so I picked some up from Whole Foods. There's no comparison to Bagel Delight, but I guess it did the trick.

December 19

Whole Foods Parking Lot

Why am I mentioning Whole Foods so much. Because I work there now. In the bakery. And this is what it looked like when I left for the day.

River

Andy wanted/s to participate in the photo a day on occasion. He was at the river working on the house and they had a big fire at night.

December 20

River

Andy's still at the river and participating. This is Sam working on the windows.

Dining Room

Andy came home and we celebrated the first day of Hanukkah with matzo ball soup!

December 21

Living Room

Sometimes I think the pile of laundry warrants a photograph because it is so large.

December 22

Dining Room

Our Advent wreath.

Christmastime is coming next...

67 degrees in december

December 6

Office Floor

The crafts waiting for me to do them....

December 7

Living Room

This is a package Andy received from my aunt. Notice his new last name. I've been chuckling ever since. (Update: Sister just informed that it might not be wise to share my address with the world wide webs. GP, Sister, gp.)

December 8

Station 5

This is what the fire station looks like at night when everyone has gone to bed because Andy is watching television shows about steam engines.

December 9

Downtown

This was the night of the lunar eclipse. I didn't know that at the time but was awed by the moon ring.

December 10

Sunroom

At least somebody likes all the insulation being inside.

December 11

Also Sunroom

You can see a tiny speck and that speck is the tiny spider that was climbing it's web back up into our fan.

December 12

I don't want to lie so I'll just say that I failed.

December 13

Sister's Kitchen

Holiday/Birthday cookies. There's a surprise inside!

December 14

Front yard

Z of the truck.

December 15

Dining Room

I dug this sign out to decorate for Andy's birthday potluck!

siding on the side

November 30

Back of House: Phase 3

The siding on the side (ha) is nearly complete.

And the windows have been installed on the back.

December 1

Back of House: Phase 4

First side of house complete. All we have to do now is put some stairs back in so we don't walk out to nothing. It does make a pretty nice exit point for things like trash though.

December 2

Back of House: Phase 5

The other side of the house is nearly there. It's not very exciting because there are no windows. There is a dryer vent!

In regular life, Whit left a Christmas present in the tree in our front yard. It's a coal rake (for Yody) he made out of an old railroad something or other.

December 3

Office

Garland that I made for the Christmas tree.

December 4

Purcellville Volunteer Fire Station

We went up for the day to visit Andy's cousin and to work at the tree stand (and maybe to get ourselves a tree also).

December 5

Back of House: Phase 6

Almost completed! There's one little strip at the top left to do!

In regular life, the Christmas tree (that we got in Purcellville) is up and decorated (with the garland I made)!

it's all measured in phases

November 21

Kitchen Counter

Thanksgiving: Phase 1

The crust doughs are made.

November 22

Sunroom

Back of House: Phase 1

The windows have been purchased and acquired.

November 23

Dining Room Table

Thanksgiving: Phase 2

The pies have been made.

November 24

Sam and Meg's

Thanksgiving: Phase 3

The family has gathered and eaten.

November 25

Thanksgiving: Phase 4

Bob and Elisabeth's kitchen

The official move to Christmas. Cookie making and listening to Amy Grant. It had been awhile since I'd heard "Baby, Baby".

November 26

Lowe's

Front Porch: Phase 1

Purchasing Lumber. (I guess Phase 1 might have actually been when we uncovered all of the rotten wood that was "holding" the porch up.)

Followed by Hers His Burritos.

November 27

Chimborazo Park

I stopped at the park by sisters to see what the sunset looked like and I found Richmond's very own Statue of Liberty.

November 28

Sunroom

Back of House: Phase 2

Old doors have been replaced with new French door and new casement window.

Front Porch: Phase 2

Bob and Andy secure the premises before knocking all the rotten stuff down.

November 29

Front Porch: Phase 3

Rafters and new header in place.

More phases tk.