Post Christmas starring Max

3 movies in 3 days and I am now all caught up. Who knew this could wear you out? Avatar, Sherlock Holmes and The Blind Side...all great but I cried through most of one of them, can you guess which one? Christmas was great, as usual. Hope your holiday was equally fun and safe. We ate, got some good stuff, talked with family and just enjoyed the time off. I'm sort of over eating out though, I just want to eat a sandwich at home. One of us was more excited to open gifts, bet you can't guess which one. My parents sent him peanut butter dog biscuits and it's like dog crack because I can't get him off the stuff now. Thanks mom and dad for making your grand-dog an addict. Now I'll need some sort of intervention for him.
Speaking of my lovable canine companion, please enjoy the following picture of what happens when he gets stuck in the spare bedroom while we are at work. I opened the door and found him sitting there with a look on his face like "What? It was like this already." How could I scold him when he was really just trying to get out. Yes, we must now replace the flooring, curtains and bedding. Not expensive at all, she sarcastically said. Oy vey.
My bed beckons to me because I am tired from eating too much, watching movies and napping. Holiday's are really exhausting, aren't they? Peace out.

K

Why didn't anyone tell me about Kona Grill?!

Big Red and I went on another date Saturday night and it was wonderful. We decided to try a new place we have never been before, Kona Grill. First of all it was beautiful inside, loved the huge fish tank and modern furnishings. Since we weren't familiar with their menu we went with whatever our waitress recommended and did she know her stuff! We started with margaritas and even though they were small they were packed with a punch. After just one, I was feeling the effects. :-) We had the chicken pot stickers and they had a touch of spice but crunchy and tasty all the same. Red had the steak and I had the macadamia nut chicken and we shared. The chicken was a little bland by itself but the two sauces that come with it were so yummy! Even the garlic skin on mashed potatoes and the grilled veggies (peppers..yum) were delicious. I had some of Red's steak and it was tender and nicely seasoned and I even tried asparagus for the first time and it wasn't too bad. Moving on to dessert... brownie sundae for me and warm apple crisp for my hubby, along with a big cup of Kona coffee. Onolicious! Their desserts were the perfect size, not too much but not too little and they were exactly the perfect way to end the meal.

We were so impressed and can't wait to go back again. The service, atmosphere and the food were outstanding even though we were $80 poorer, we felt it was worth it. After the meal (which surprisingly did not make me feel overstuffed) we walked around La Cantera. If you've never been there it is an upscale outdoor shopping mall and all the trees have white lights, comfortable chairs are scattered everywhere so you can cop a squat, Christmas music was playing and all the outdoor fountains were running. It was almost magical for us. It felt romantic and very Christmassy. It was such a wonderful date night and the cold just added to the heady vibe we had from our margaritas even though we had finished it off with coffee. Ahhh, another lovely weekend and Christmas is only 4 days away. I'm on vacation starting Wednesday and I can't wait to decompress with my baby and enjoy a quiet holiday. Life is good.

K

Just checking in

Not much to cover because my brain is on vacation but if you're reading Bye Bye Pie, which I know you are, who isn't? All the cool kids are doing it. She wanted us all to do random acts of kindness and really shouldn't we be doing it all the time anyway? So this morning me and the Mr. went out for breakfast and paid for this elderly man eating breakfast alone and booked it out of there before anyone could tell him about it.

Before my parents moved away my mom gave me some of her clothes and one of them was a navy blue sweater that I wore yesterday. The sweater smells just like my mom...still. It made me miss her and wish we were spending the holidays with her. I called to let her know I received her box and she started crying and that made me miss her more. Oh the holidays do make one sentimental don't they? So I had to include a picture of my beautiful mom holding me as a baby. My mom is such a beauty.

I received my final grade for Principles of Macroeconomics and I got an A! This was just the boost of confidence I needed to make me feel like I made the right choice in going back to school. We'll see if I'm feeling that way next semester when I start school full time instead of part time while I continue to work full time. Fun times! Speaking of school here is a school pic of me in the 2nd grade. Can you tell which one I am? I have the goofiest look on my face with my blue daisy dress and pigtails. Ridiculous. Why am I making that face? Such fashionable clothes back then. Okay I have to make like a baby and head out. So much time and so little to do..strike that, reverse. Remember that line from Willy Wonka (minus the making like a baby part)??!

K

Does this cross make me look fat?

Last week was H's birthday and someone here got him this HUGE cross as a gift. This person has never read this blog or they would know H's struggles with being a gay catholic. So of course, me being the supportive, understanding friend that I am chose to make fun of him instead. His face as he opened it was priceless...sometimes there are no words.

K

Just so you knows....

When I see you in the hall and I say "Hey, how ya doing?" it doesn't mean you should tell me all about your sinus problem, your back hurting AND your headache. It's really just more of a greeting. Especially for you, because you are always complaining about something. Haven't you noticed I just keep on walking after I have said it? You should just try saying good or okay because it must suck to be perpetually unhappy.

While it may be politically correct to say Happy Holidays, I will say Merry Christmas because that is what it is. You just need to deal with not believing in Baby Jesus because I along with most people here do. You don't have to, but you do have to deal with being surrounded by people who do. When the time comes I will be happy to wish you a Happy Hanukkah or Happy Kwanzaa or whatever you may celebrate but for now, Merry Christmas! ;-)

K

It was 1970 something in the world that I grew up in.

On my way home from work I was listening to the radio and I heard the song 19 something by Mark Wills and started singing along. I love this song because I am a child of the 70's and it makes me happy. I started thinking back to the 70's and remember a few things about it like bell bottom pants and watching The Brady Bunch. Isn't it obvious by my attire I was a fan of The Brady Bunch?

And look who I married??

Yes, despite the glasses and that hair...this is the boy I married, who by the way is way cuter now and doesn't wear those tank tops anymore.

My family moved to Hawaii in 1976, where my dad was born and raised. The 1970's were a huge decade for me because my life really changed with that move. I was happier being surrounded by a huge loving family and who wouldn't want to go to the beach every day? I had longer hair, a flatter stomach and looked and felt like I belonged in Hawaii. I had so many cousins that I didn't need friends and it was fun. Then I realized I had so many cousins and I couldn't find a moment of alone time and that was hard to get used to.



Hard to believe that those little boys grew up to be this and are now married with their own children.

With 2010 right around the corner I am feeling somewhat nostalgic for the old days when life seemed simpler. I will always remember watching Charlies Angels and vowing to grow up and drive a Cobra because that was the cool car the angels drove - I just drive an SUV now, not quite as exciting. I remember my parents talking about Vietnam and now we are talking about Iraq and Afghanistan. I remember when Elvis died and being so sad and now it is Michael Jackson and understanding people's reactions. My mom has never liked New Years Eve, she always worries about the bad things it will bring. I always love it because I look forward to the good things it will bring. I hope I never lose that hope.

K