Blessings to Bo

Niki & Justin sent me some pictures from their son Bo's Baptism, which was on Oct 19th. Corey & I--along with Niki's sister Mindy--are Bo's godparents! We are so excited to be a part of his life and to watch him grow. There were 2 other babies baptized at this ceremony; the priest had his work cut out for him.

Holiday food modifications

CR made a good point a few weeks ago; although Christmas and all of its celebration revolve around many traditions, Thanksgiving is really all about the food. And since I've been introduced to really quite declious GF food, I am convinced that I don't really have to lose any savor in my culinary life. I've been browsing and decided that if Mohammad won't go to the mountain, bring the mountain to Mohammad. Actually, everyone I've encountered has been very accomodating about meals, but now that my kitchen's functional, I've learned I really like to cook. I'm thinking of trying this one for stuffing, this one for gravy (which can be for any time of the year) and this one for pie crust. Oh and don't forget about the best looking cupcakes I may have ever seen. I know this doesn't affect 99% of you who read this, but it excites me. Who knew.

Happy 30th to my man

I had debated between throwing a surprise party for Corey and just going out to dinner. I joked that he doesn't really like celebrating his birthday, but I know how much he--like everyone else--likes spending time with their friends. So considering all the craziness that's been circling around lately, I thought it was a good time to celebrate. It was mostly a surprise and he was so glad to see so many people all coming together--that was the best part. Happy birthday, baby; I love ya. It's going to be a great decade.

The homemade craps table (this took some online research)


The blackjack dealer & her assistant

Meet our new friend

We are getting a friend to bring home! Thanks to Anne, who has tortured me with cute puppy listings for quite some time, I fretted over his (and another male's) picture. We'll be meeting him in a few weeks. He doesn't have a name yet, but we want it to be Irish. We've got a few ideas, but any suggestions? I've already asked the resident expert, Jane. He's a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, specifically a Blenheim. He sheds little, doesn't need too much exercise, and will only get to about 12 pounds. And he's just so darn cute. Who wouldn't love him?

Visiting my friend gym

Poor gym's been neglected this season because my friend excuses has been visiting way too much. When my workout buddy and I didn't continue our 7:00 am workouts this fall, it became very easy to forget. Changing to GF and getting acclimated to the cooler temps has just zapped me of my energy. I am much more dedicated in the winter because frankly, what else is there to do? Also, there is a lot of hard times going on with several people I know--it just seems like I need to be a little more nurturing to myself. Since we're neighbors now, Jess & I have vowed to have a weekly [power] walk (she can really off-road with Issac's stroller) and I've asked for these for Christmas. Also if anyone's interested in CC skiing, put me on your call list! I know the snow hasn't hit yet, but I'm trying to prepare myself with the positive. Someone suggested I put this in our laundry room--find a TV to mount on the wall and I'm good to go!

11.4.08

Can you imagine what it would have been like to be in Grant Park that night? Unbelievable. The next chapter in history has been written.