The Scariest Thing in the World

What is it with kids and shots (or adults and shots for that matter)? I have had A LOT of shots in my life. The Marine Corps has joyously given me as many as 7 shots at once. WooHoo. And drawn vial after vial of blood. And yes, I am a mature (*ahem*) adult, capable of rationally and calmly getting shots. But even as a kid, I had no problem with shots. I remember my mom calmly explaining to me that shots barely hurt as much as a good pinch. Would I scream and cry and freak out if someone pinched me? No. Would I rather be sick and throwing up for a week? Would I rather have my throat scraped? Or just a little pinch? And, of course, my dad had to jump in to point out just how much tougher I was than other kids who would wine and cry like babies. And oh how impressed the doctors and nurses were when I just sat calmly and took the shot.


Apparently, I was a freak as a kid. Apparently, reasoning like this typically just does. not. work. Now, Punky is 7. So it may seem like I’m coming to this realization somewhat late in the game. I knew that kids freak out about shots. I know Punky used to flip right the frig out at the mere mention of a shot. But, I mistakenly thought that shot drama was on the downslide.  I was told that she was brave enough to deserve chicken nuggets for her bravery a few weeks ago when she needed a shot (and I'm sure you all know what a big deal chicken nuggets are to me as the food nazi and during our push toward vegetarianism).

I wasn't there for that shot.  But I was there for the H1N1 shot she got the other night.  And I was so sure it was going to go nice and smoothly.  We walked in.  She was calm.  We went through all the paperwork process.  She was fine.  We waited in line while other kids got their shots.  Cool as a cucumber.  Sat down in the seat where next to the nurse.  Starting to look nervous . . .  And BAM.  She LOST is.  0 to spaz in 1 second flat.  Screaming, crying, litterally trying to run away from me.  Holy Cow.

This took my completely by surprise.  Punky is an amazingly calm and well behaved kid.  This is not just a mother's pride.  Punky is impressive.  She has outstanding manners and maturity.  People comment on her behaviour to us on an almost daily basis.  She isn't free of behaviour issues, but she is a darn good, calm, mature kid.  She gets dramatic once in a while, but it's been years since I've seen her flip like that in public.  Lost. It. 

Wouldn't sit on my lap, wouldn't look away, and just wailed the whole time.  Granted, the whole time lasted about 6 seconds, but it was a loud, vicious 6 seconds (and I think she was so concentrated on screaming that she didn't even realize the actual moment she got the shot).  And that wasn't the end of it.  She stayed ticked after that for a good few minutes.  Apparently, shots are still not ok with Punky.

Now, for the disclaimers:  Punky is a kid.  She wasn't misbehaving, she was just terrified, like many kids are about shots, and even though we had been talking about the shot beforehand, I'm not sure it really registered to her that she was getting one until that moment.  It broke my heart to see her so scared.  Even more so because it waws such a minor thing.

There has to be some psychological reason that so many kids flip out so royally at even the idea of a shot.  I'm sure if I delved into it I could come up with something - fears of expected pain worsened by images in the media and so on.  The question is, if I figure out what this psychological reason is, can I use it to keep Punky from loosing her *ahem* mind next time she gets a shot?  Somehow, I doubt it . . .

It's a Pip!

Guess what!

 

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Is that a line?  It looks like a line to me . . .

 

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

I'm pretty sure that's a line . . .

 

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Well, that's a little more clear.

Yep, we did it.  And shockingly fast, too.  I was a little hesitant to go too far into this because I have such a large number of dear friends right now, bloggy and otherwise, who are facing a lot of trouble conceiving right now which is so painful.  But, of course, this blog is mainly a place for me to record my thoughts and our life, so while sending deepest feelings of support to those suffering through conception troubles right now, here is our story:

Shockingly Fast.  All the resources (and I've been reading plenty of them over the last couple years, as anyone who follows Cheap Wine and Cookies likely knows), said that it was likely to take a minimum of three months to get pregnant, with 6-12 months being "normal."  Not so much in our case ;-)  It happened immediately.  Pregnancy is counted from the first day of the last period, which means that our pregnancy is counted from the day I got my IUD out. 

And we weren't "seriously" trying at that point because it seemed so unlikely.  All the resources said not to "try" more than once a day because it lowers sperm count.  Ha, it was Winter Break.  We SERIOUSLY broke that little rule.  Apparently counts weren't lowered too much . . .

Towards the end of Winter Break, I started getting these horrible, debilitating headaches, and, ultimately, it was Dr. House who first diagnosed our pregnancy. 

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

All I could think about while I was laid up with these headaches the last couple days of break was about this episode of House where he diagnoses a woman as being pregnant based on Beccaria's sign, which is (according to House), a strong headache in the base of the skull, and dang if that wasn't exactly what I was feeling.  Not to mention some pretty extreme stuffiness. 

So, anyway, when we got back to VA a few days later, there were other signs - weird smells, food aversions (namely the fact that the one sip of champagne I took tasted like nail polish remover to me, ugh!), and MacGyver finally made me take a pregnancy test.  I insisted to him over and over that my period wasn't even due yet.  That even if I were pregnant, it wouldn't show up on the test.  He gave me a choice:  either take the friggin test or stop whining.  So I took the test.  When I was taking the test I was certain I didn't care because it was so unlikely that I was pregnant and even more unlikely that the test would pick it up if I were.  I set the stick on the counter and went to the bedroom to fold laundry with MacGyver for three minutes.  Right.  More like 30 seconds.  Then I went back in the bathroom to, um, brush my hair . . .

MacGyver:  "Are you in there staring at the test?"

Me: "No" (As I watch the sample soak across the paper and a shadow of a line form next to the control line.  Are my eyes playing tricks on me?)

MacGyver: Laughs as he watches me through the crack in the bathroom door with my face three inches from the test trying to figure out if there is any possible way that what I'm seeing is really a line. "Right . . ."

A few days later he made me take a digital test.  Then I took a blood test.  Seems hard to argue with the results at this point . . . 

It appears we have a Pip.  What is a Pip?  I think my very good friend Amanda Jo, to whom I give full credit for the idea to begin with, put it best on her WONDERFUL Blog, Parenting Poppy (which you should definitely check out at your earliest convenience):

"When we first found out I was pregnant, we spent the first couple of days in shock (it's amazing how terrified you can be even after doing something like this on purpose) (at least, I was in shock, MacGyver took the whole thing in stride and seemed to find how serious I took it all to be quite comical) while simultaneously trying to figure out what, if anything, to call this new creature we'd started growing. "Baby" seemed a little presumptuous as we hadn't even reached the fetal stage yet and had all the typical first trimester/miscarriage jitters. "Peanut" was a little too generic. "Embryo" or "fetus" a little too... scientific. [Amanda Jo and T] did what any sensible parents-to-be would do -- we went with the weekly food size comparison offered by BabyCenter -- and "Poppy" was born." (I have taken some liberties with this quote, read the real thing here)
"Pip, like Poppy, is gender neutral, cute, and not too close to a "real" name to weird us out. It keeps us from having to use the oh-so-impersonal "it," while at the same time shying away from the plain "Baby," and it makes us feel as though this little person we're growing is something unique already, even if she's not quite all there just yet . . ."

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

 We didn't choose Pip based on BabyCenter, but along the same lines, a Pip is one of the little things inside a pomegranate or an orange.  It seemed cute and appropriate to us and fit right in with the same logic that Jo and T used to dub Poppy.

So there you have it!  The big news I have been chomping at the bit to announce.  We're still not through the first trimester risk period, but if the unspeakable happens, we'll deal with it then.  For now, we're reveling.  There is so much more to tell, but I'm pretty certain this post is quite long enough.  And I am now craving pomegranate.

I will leave you, my lovely readers, with my 6 week belly pic:

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Sleep or That Other Thing?

I am SO tired. SO. Tired. I feel like I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep in weeks. I am tired all morning long. And all afternoon. And all evening. It takes me a matter of second to fall asleep given the opportunity. But can I stay asleep? Heck no. I wake up every hour and toss around all night. Just to get up and drag myself through another day, feeling for hours on end like I just stumbled out of bed. Or, you know that feeling you get when you’re all cozy, wrapped up in a blanket reading a book or watching some late night TV and are ready to doze peacefully at any moment? I have that feeling all day long! But it’s not quite as cozy when you’re not actually allowed to go to sleep.
The result of all this lovely fatigue? I found myself weighing the craziest decision the last couple nights: Sleep or That Other Thing? This has never been a question to me/us before. Are you kidding me? If I can stand duty with roving patrols for 24 hours, if I can spend an entire day buddy rushing through the woods with tons of gear and digging holes then stay up all night manning an M16 or a SAW – if I can give up sleep for those things – I am definitely not going to prioritize sleep over That Other Thing. (And That Other Thing is a pretty significant part of MacGyver and my relationship - TMI).

But I have become an addict.

Would I prioritize sleep over X or Y activity? No. But would a heroin addict prioritize heroin over X or Y activity?. Darned effing straight they would. I neeeed it. I want it. Just thinking about it makes me happy – and I think about it A LOT. My body is calling out.

For Sleep. It makes me smile. It makes me feel good. It expands my mind. The withdrawals suck. Mmmmmm . . . Sleep.

I mean, I’ve given up 90% or more of my caffeine, alcohol, and meat (though at least one of those is not a permanent surrender- come on, what’s the name of the blog?). So I was due for a new addiction, and this one came sweeping right in, unwelcome though it may be.

I won’t tell you whether I chose Sleep or The Other Thing, but I will warn you that only one of those topics is particularly appropriate for me to wax poetically on and on about (though I could go on and on about it in a very inappropriate manner with very little effort at this point). So you can expect many future posts about my new addiction. About warm blankets, cozy beds, crazy dreams, and just how much I need it. All the time.

Spoiled B*&^%

I got up this morning, well after 0600 (glorious!), to hit the snooze for the first of my two allotted times.  In the time it took me to stumble across the room, engage the snooze, and stumble back, this BRAT (Sirius, the black one) had cuddled up in MY spot.

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

 Quite cozy, curled up with my husband. Now, it’s not at all unusual for the dogs to find their way into my spot in the bed when I get up. But this morning, when I shuffled back over to the bed and tried to dislodge her, she was NOT moving. Usually, “down” will do it. Maybe a little tap on the rear. Not this morning.  She was not moving.  I tried nudging her.  Nothing.  I tried pushing her, she just dug ine and held her position.  I tried outright shoving her down the bed, and she would. not. move.  I had to pick her up (no small feat as I was groggy and she was doing everything in her squirmy power to keep from being moved), and toss her to the food of the bed.  What a friggin b*&^%!  She is much, much too in love with MacGyver and clearly does not understand how the mating heirarchy works in our house.  Lol.

Move One Completed - Sort Of

After yet another debacle of moving, we have arrived at our destination.  The next couple/few months have to potential to be really enjoyable.  We have a lot of good friends here, gathered together in a way we are unlikely to encounter again.  Yesterday, I had such a feeling of joy descend on me finding myself back in a classroom anticipating the coming months.  I love school.  I'm a dork.  I know.  And I don't care.  Attending classes on things that interest me makes me so happy.  I often fantasize about going back to college permanently and just getting a bunch of random degrees.

On the downside of this lovliness, the screen on my phone is broken, so I can't use it for anything other than phone calls.  The horror!  No texting.  No email.  No blogging.  No Twitter.  What will I do?  Lol.  Suck.

We also haven't really finished (heck, we haven't really begun) unpacking, but since this was only a partial move, so that shouldn't be so bad.  The challenge will be finding places for everything.  Since we're only here for a couplefew months, we rented a vacation cottage.  It's very cute and nice, but small.  2BR, Kitchen, Livingroom, and 1BR.  Closet space will be an issue.

I am already going through a little blog withdrawal.  I have a couple of posts in the works that I'd really like to put up, but they both involve pictures, so I can only post them from my personal laptop.  I feel like it would be a waste of time to try to transfer them onto my work laptop.  But I'll get them up soon.  Yay.

37 Years

Uh oh! In the midst of all my uncontrollable vomiting I almost forgot that today is the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. I would love to do a lovely long post on The amazing implications of the decision and some of my great experiences working to educate people with Planned Parenthood while I was in undergrad, but looking at the screen is giving me a pounding headache.

Happy Anniversary Choice [and education, protection, privacy, and freedom]!

Barbed Wire

I feel like I swallowed a big ball of barbed wire. I spent most of the night trying to throw it up every 15 minutes like clockwork. I'm ok now - so long as i don't talk or move or mind having barbed wire all tangled up in my guts.

So here I lay, hungry but unable to eat. In pain, sipping on gatorade, gingerale, cammomile tea with b6, and sporting sea bands [all compliments of my wonderful, loving, and ultaconsiderate husband].

And did I mention I'm supposed to move to Rhode Island TOMORROW!?!?

Goodbye, TBS; I am DONE.

It's official. I am DONE with TBS. We are done with TBS - my friends who suffered with with me, my family who suffered for me. But it's all over. I graduated. We did it! Pictures to come soon. For now, I'm going to take a break from stressing about packing and moving, and we're going out to eat to celebrate. I am going to stuff myself with no regaurd for health whatsoever. Too bad I can't throw in some champagne to go with it.

DONE.

Bring on the next adventure.

I Should Be Packing!!!

But I'm not.  I can't.  I don't know what to do next.  I had a plan: Guest Room, Punky's Room, Our Room, so on . . .  I got the guest room done, mostly, before I become totally exhausted and was made to take a nap by my super caring, wonderful husband.  But I can't do Punky's room next because she's sick (and isn't trying to comfort a sad, puking child fun when you're trying to move?  The poor thing is miserable and not keeping anything down).  I should just move on to our room, but I can't seem to figure out what to do next in our room. 

I got everything moved out of my barracks room.  It's now sitting on our bedroom floor.  Maybe I should find places for that stuff next.

I need to do something, though - anything, because 1) I actually have energy and a little motivation right now, and 2.)

We are moving in 3 days!!!

I don't know how in the heck we are ever going to pull this off.  I know we will. We have pulled off just this sort of craziness in the past, but really, really, I don't know HOW we are going to do it this time.

Help Me.

Getting Back to Science

These long months at TBS (just two more days - THANK YOU UNIVERSE!!), have taken many things from me - time, health, sleep, sanity - but one thing I've been bemoaning a lot lately is reading.  I've finally gotten the opportunity to get back into reading lately - something that you can expect a whole long passionate post about soon.  But this post is about one particular thing I've encountered in my recent joyous bouts of reading for pleasure lately (and reading about science as opposed to tactics - WooHoo!):

Stem Cell Research

I came out hard and strong against the stem cell research ban the Bush administration put into effect oh, so many years ago.  I could easily rail on and on about my anger at all the amazing healing and discovery potential being lost and wasted.  But I'm not going to because, while I still mourn those long years of loss and all the good that could've been done, I have been absolutely thrilled to see just how much progress as been made since President Obama was elected and overturned that ridiculous ban!

A few days ago I was reading about a little girl who was born paralized on one side of her body due to a stroke she suffered in utero, but, thanks to stem cells, they were able to repair the damage, and the only lasting effect this beautiful little girl has at 3 years old is some difficulty with the use of one hand!  How amazing is that?  How heartwarming and uplifting?  It gives me such hope for the future.  I would love to cite this article, but I can't remember where I read it - which actually makes me happy since I've been able to read so much lately that I can't remember which source that story was from (though I can assure you it was a reasonably reliable one, :-).

I hadn't been planning on writing a blog about my joy in the stem cell frontier, but then I read yet another article, one MacGyver brought to my attention since I had been yammering about stem cells a few days ago, and I could no longer hold back.  I don't care that Obama doesn't need any more praise, he deserves it, and I don't feel as though he's yet gotten enough for me.  Considering how many decisions this administration has put into play that I have fought so fervently for in the past, I think the time has come for a little gushing on my part.  So here it is:

Do you have any idea how many amazing advances have been made using stem cells?  Discoveries and cures are just tumbling out of the shoot, one after another, falling over each other.  These aren't drugs that might have dangerous side effects, and while thier use may involve surgery and in most cases is not near perfected, they are offering healing in places only previously fantasized about.  The implications are unbelievable.  Paralysis, cancer, AIDs, strokes, even growing new organs - and that's all just the beginning.

So hooray for being able to read for pleasure again.  Hooray for getting back to science.  And HOORAY FOR STEM CELLS.  May they bring healing, health and joy to millions.

Of Course

So much going on. What a surprise coming from me, right? Lol. I still haven't packed a single friggin thing (did I mention we're moving in ONE WEEK?!?!). I've been unsuccessfully trying to deal with a dozen other very important behind-the-scenes things. Everything is moving along, but at a snail's pace (well, except the move, that's just flying up on us).

I was just informed by my lawyer (or I should say, by his paralegal or someone) that because we are PCSing, we will have to move the adoption case and someone else will have to handle it.  For eff's sake.  We've been fighting to get her to consent to this for well over a freaking year, and not only does she finally agree to consent, but wants it all done ASAP, and of course there has to be stupid friggin complications to that.

But I am just going to maintain faith that it will all work in the end and push forward like I have through everything else (ha, it's too bad I didn't have this blog a few years ago- some really insane stuff happened to me then!).  And as far as telling Kenzie goes (referring to the comments on my previous post, Finally!!), I don't think we'll really be telling her.  She has thought of me as her "real" mommy for a long time.  Actually, the other day she referred to BioB as her stepmom, which made me crack up.  When she's older, she can know, but we're not going to completely force BioB out of her life or break communication off between them or anything, really nothing will change other than Punky never sleeping next to BioB's boyfriend ever, EVER again.

Tonight is Mess Night - a very ceremonial dinner, but it also should be a lot of fun.  It's an opportunity for everyone to make fun of each other for everything that's gone on here so far and, of course, to drink, though I am still abstaining for the most part.  Then, after almost everyone gets stupid-drunk and rowdy all night, they're going to wake us up super early for a Moto Run.  WooHoo.  Though I'm told that if everyone does their job and buys the Major lots of shots, the run won't be very far, ;-)  I'm not too worried about it since I will barely be drinking.

And I will be so happy for Java when this is over.  She is in charge of the night, and she has been stressed to the max for weeks setting this up and wrangling clueless Lt's.  I believe there will be much wine consumption to celebrate the end of her ordeal.

Anyway, there is so much more I could say - I wish I had time to document MacGyver's ordeal earlier today trying to buy nylons for three different women who couldn't go into the store to help him - but for now, I have to get ready.

Thank you all for the wonderful comments on Finally!!

Finally

Our world has just been one big swirl of big events and big news lately!  There's the stuff you all already know, the upcoming moves and whatnot, and there are a couple other things, too!  I got one very exciting huge revelation yesterday.  At first, I was going to keep it a secret until it was all said and done and we were sure, but 1) I don't want to, and 2.) this whole worrying about jinxing things thing is really getting on my nerves when we have soooo much good news.  So here it is, my big revelation - hopefully not jumping the gun on it.  And it's not what you think!

BioB*&^%) is going to consent to the Adoption!!!

We are SOOOO excited.  She MacGyver yesterday while I was at work.  She wants it done, and she wants it done as fast as possible.  WooHoo!  I was down in Java's room, chatting with her, when MavGyver called.  He asked to talk to Java.  You'd think this would surprise me, but it didn't at all.  I figured he had some sort of surprise brewing.  He always does.

I watched her face as she talked to him, and she got shocked, and then super excited.  I was asking and gesturing.  I wanted to be in on it, dangit!  She asked him if he wanted to tell me or if she could.


When she told me, I swear I though either I misunderstood her or she was kidding.  We've been fighting BioB on this for a year, I think more than a year!  She completely disappeared from Punky's life for huge stretches of time, only to reappear long enough to interfere with the adoption, and now, out of the blue, she's consenting! 


Ooop!  Gotta Go.  More details to come!

One Terrifying Inch

Punky has a snow day today because of ONE INCH OF SNOW. One measly little inch. For eff's sake. I understand that the weather is absolutely nuts in other parts of the country right now. But we got 1 inch of snow. Can someone please explain to me why this is so scary that we have to cancel school and close down half the effing state?

Is this Anthrax Snow? Seriously.

I suppose I'm biased from growing up in Michigan, but seriously, seriously, wtf?

Blowing Away the Past

MacGyver and I have too much crap. You see, we never really got rid of anything when we merged our households (years ago). We keep meaning to. We talk about it A LOT. Before every one of our many moves, lol. We have two microwaves, two toasters, at least 5 TVs, two futons, and just boxes and boxes of duplicate crud and old stuff from long before we were together. All of it is destined for charity someday soon (please, please SOON).

But we're both packrats and hold on to worthless stuff until we don't even know we have it anymore. Like this statue:

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

I found this with a bunch of really, really random yard stuff in a very old box of MacGyver's. I am not a fan of angel or cherib stuff and was filled with an instant desire to trash the thing. A desire MacGyver more than shared when I showed it to him. Apparently, this is a statue from his first wedding about a decade ago.

You see, MacGyver really, really does not like being reminded of that wedding. The reason he hates such reminiscences is because just a matter of weeks after that nice, long, super-Catholic ceremony to his high school girlfriend, she started sleeping with other guys. While he was in boot camp. I could go into detail about how unbelievably wrong it all was on all sorts of different levels, but I really don't think it's necessary, and I have no desire to start conflict. The action speaks for itself.

Years later, when they tried to make it work again, I'm told she was so insanely jealous of his relationship with Punky that it threw her into fits of rage.

I refrain from passing judgement on things I wasn't there to witness outside of the fact that my husband and daughter were hurt by these situations. I will only go so far as to say I don't like the statute because it is from MacGyver's wedding to someone else. How could I not hate it? And it is soooo ugly, ha.
So we got rid of it. And, man, was it fun!

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Shot #1:


That first round did some nice damage, but the bullet basically passed right through the statue's ear, so I switched to something with a little more oomph for Shot #2:

BAM! As Bon Jovi would say, "Good-bye to Yesterday!" Hysterical childish giggles.

(Colleen composes herself and becomes serious, really - I swear)

I'm sorry if this offends anyone. It's not meant to, but I couldn't resist. I just find it too effing hysterical. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe it's a bad sign that I amuse myself so much. But I enjoy it, and no one got hurt, so weeee, fun with guns. lol.

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

You don't have to tell me I'm sick . . . :-P

What I Don't Have

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

I have SOOOO much to do.  So much.  I have a dozen important phone calls to make.  Tons of pressing information to gather and process.  We have to move twice in the next three months, the first move being in just a couple weeks!  We have to rent out our house.  And pack.  And clean.  And find places to live in both of the two states we're going to.  And I have student loan crap that needs my attention.  And there is that other thing.  and a million other tiny things that are constantly popping into my head.  I have so much to do!  But:  I. Don't. Want. To.  I want to play on the internet and look up stupid posters and just generally screw off, you see.  Because the last 6 months, I've had this:

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

But that pressure is pretty much gone now, and after the glorious freedom of the holiday break, my motivation has slipped away to nothing.  I have 100,000 things on my mind.  Important things that need my attention.  One particularly distracting thing . . .  But does any of that motivate me to call TMO?
NO!
But, alas, I will have to do it anyway.  As they tell us ad nauseum here at TBS, False Motivation is still Motivation.  So I'm off.  But boy do I have  a fun post planned as a reward for myself once I actually accomplish some stuff!

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Pseudonymn

In case any of you haven't noticed, or indeed, in case you have, my name has changed. As I sink my blog further into anonymity due to my impending job change, the first step is the name.

Ringing in the Year

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

We spent New Year’s Eve at the Crazy Horse, a bar that holds many fond memories for us, the greatest of which being that it is where MacGyver proposed. Punky had a New Year’s party with Nan, complete with sparkling grape juice and watching the ball drop on an old episode of – what else? – Friends (which I think actually took place around 11pm ;-)

I did very well at keeping my alcohol intake way down just in case. I had three drinks over the course of a 7 hour night.

We reminisced about New Years’ past, including the first New Year’s Eve we spent together, ’04-’05. We had already been together for a year (or more?) by that time, except that we were actually “just friends” that New Year’s Eve and we were out with co-workers, so we danced provocatively all night long only to stand next to each other and not kiss at midnight. We did, however, kiss quite a bit after midnight . . .

After midnight, we headed to the Sand Bar to meet up with my best friend NotDonna, and her fiancé.

MacGyver opened the front door for me, and a kicking, screaming, flailing girl was hurled out at me. After a few moments violent chaos on the sidewalk, we found the front door locked and had to go in through the back (which was a pain since I was in open toed shoes – I had to show of my beautiful feets after the wonderful spa day hubby got for my mom and I for Christmas);. After being there just a few minutes, we were informed the bar, which was supposed to be open until 4, would be closing and hour early due to a lot of fights breaking out.

As we were leaving, another angry, flailing female was tossed out the door at us. We finished off the night visiting with NotDonna’s mom, MMom (a post on its own), and spending some alone time back at the house. I then stayed up to play cards with Boo and Glitter Fairy until 7 am.

MacGyver and I both made one sentimental resolution and one “regular” one. My “regular” resolution is the same as it was last year – to take good care of my skin. I did really well with it last year until TBS started, so I made it ½ way through the year, we’ll see about this year.

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Posing with Nikki, a friend who has seen me through some of my most insane antics, bartending at the Crazy.

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

The New Year's Kiss

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

And Dip

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

At the Sand Bar with very best friend NotDonna

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

I have a lot of cute pictures from New year's, but they're really washed out because of the flash. I've tried to adjust them, but it just doesn't seem to work. Anyone out there have any ideas as to how to fix them?
Back in the kitchen with Glitter Fairy. He cooked up our cabbage and black eyed peas to eat just after midnight. Delicious.

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

From Cheap Wine and Cookies

Little Bro, Boo, bartending at the Crazy

Pic Heavy Holidays

Our holiday trip to Michigan was amazing. We spent so much time just hanging out and laughing with family and friends, from our first day there at Latitudes, to countless nights playing cards around my mom's diningroom table. And, believe it or not, I actually cut a lot of the pictures out of this post . . .

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We set out from VA in Izzy, the Grand Am, with Punky, Tonks, and Sirius in the back seat, and most of the luggage on the roof. Punky and the pups get pretty cozy in that backseat when we go on long trips. Heaven only knows how we’re going to do if we end up with a baby added to the mix.

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We (and by we, I mean MacGyver) drove all night, and the situation in the back seat got even cozier with Punky sleeping on Tonks and Sirius sleeping on Punky. Too cute.

We arrived at Nan’s house a couple days before Christmas. When Uncle Boo moved out, he took all the furniture in what is usually Punky’s room when we’re in MI, but Nan had an awesome idea to fix that!

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Punky’s new campout room, complete with lanterns and air mattress.

We decorated up the Christmas Tree with a box of decorations that, at first glance, looked like a recipe for an awful, kitschy tree. In the end, though, it turned out beautiful, though still a little kitschy because really, who could resist hanging the little “Tree Top” sign we found in the box on top of the tree?

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And, in case anyone is wondering, that is an episode of Friends on the TV. I would hazard to say that any picture in this album that happens to catch the TV will catch a scene from a Friends episode.

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We all settled in to Nan’s house, usually home to Nan and Aunt Scully (my mom and her dog) – “we all” being MacGyver, Punky, me, Sirius and Tonks, Uncle Boo, and his new lab pup, Bubbles, and Uncle Glitter Fairy – 6 or 7 people and four dogs.

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Uncle Boo’s puppy, Bubbles (or Bubba, Bubs, Bob-o, or anything else along those lines), chewing on a beer can. Tres apprapo.

The first presents Christmas morning were matching owl jammies for Punky and me.

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Santa Punky then handed out many more wonderful gifts, including the pair of Heely’s that I think she’d be sleeping in if we’d let her. They’ve barely left her feet since she got them. Now we’re a whole family on wheels.

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Mommy got an awesome new watch.

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Nan got super-cool Marine Corps hoodie.

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So did Punky. She also got a “Moon in my Room” that goes through all the phases of the moon, And a light up solar system. How awesome is her room going to be?

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Uncle Boo got a portable breathalyzer – a very timely gift considering that his amazing and generous sister recently loaned him a significant amount of legal advice and money . . .

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Bubbles ate some wrapping paper.

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And some ribbon.

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MacGyver and I coincidentally got each other the perfect coats.

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Grandpa came bearing candy. Yippee . . .

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All the dogs in the house seemed to believe they were lap dogs, even when it came to the other dogs. For instance, Bubbles taking a nap on top of Aunt Scully.

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 Or Sirius, Tonks, and Bubbles on top of MacGyver and me.  

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This is just too cute.

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And we topped off Christmas Day with Nan’s amazing Sweet and Sour Ribs and a hysterical game of Guesstures.