Sarge Says Happy New Year!

Cheers to many more!

Does he look like my brother?

I can't tell.
You be the judge.

Spot the Red Sox fan

No, this isn't what we all got for Christmas - it was our Thanksgiving tee. And, before you ask, Sarge got a Red Sox Doggy water bowl.

Sorry I didn't get this one up sooner. It makes me smile each time I see it.
(Top: Sarge, Me, ISSB's sister Becky, ISSB's Mother Barbara, Bottom: ISSB, ISSB's brother-in-law Chuck, ISSB's Dad Dana, and ISSB's brother Noel)

Happy Birthday Robin!

This is your day, but we have all the fun! Hey!

PS: Sorry, Sarge is trying to minimize his carbon footprint by reusing birthday signs.

Merry Christmas from Texas!

Austin Botanical Gardens

While Ian's family was in town I took them over to the Zilker Botanical Garden. I had never been. It is a beautiful place with tons of neat paths to go down. I loved the Asian and the rose gardens the best.




Yes, in Austin there are roses blooming in December.
Here are Becky and Chuck in the Prehistoric Garden.
There were many different types of butterflies.
I love the lily pad garden out front.
Over all it was a beautiful day to be walking in the gardens.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Here it comes!
How lovely are the branches!!!! Big thank you to mom and Aunt Susan for sending me the ornaments. I love it. (PS: 16 lbs of ornaments fills a 6' tree!)
You know you're in a Red Sox house when this is ornament chosen as the center focal point for the tree.
The Baums all land tomorrow! And, I am officially on vacation until 2008! Woohoo!

She was a good cat

We are sending love and hugs to Aron and Liz.
RIP Myrna

A pot to piss in: Part 2

I wanted to put this photo up, even though we aren't done yet. I am off to San Francisco for the next 5 days, then Dallas after that. So ISSB is on his own to figure out how this faucet/drain hook-up thing works.

We decided to clean up and call it quits tonight since I still have to pack and we could use some dinner.

Here is the bathroom, it is almost done. Need to hook up water, put in our most beautiful towels, pick up a nice bath rug, hang the toilet paper holder, replace the lights and mirror and put the baskets back on the shelf. Piece of cake. ISSB will do the first part and I will do the rest when I get back from my work tour.

At least at 3:30 in the morning when I want to use the bathroom I don't have to walk across to the neighbor's (like last night)!

PS: ISSB says it feels bigger in there - the jury is still out for me. :)

A pot to piss in

This weekend we tackled the bathroom. I have been waiting for this moment for MONTHS. The old bathroom wasn't that great or that bad when we moved in, but once we used the bathroom as the staging area for all the tools, paint, and grim from all of our other projects, it was really horrible.

The bathroom then:
Putting down the hardy back.
The tiles by the door.
The little natural stones go all the way around and then the big ones are in the middle.
We are in process of putting in the toilet and sink as I type (just letting the paint dry).

Almost all the credit fro the bathroom goes to Catlin who did all the tile work. And ISSB who aided and assisted him.

I am thankful for ISSB

This year we had a lovely trip to the Cape for Thanksgiving, first time in three years. Sure, we’ve been to the Cape since, but this truly is a lovely time of year (fall is my favorite).

As you know, from the last few posts, it is a very very very busy time for me with work right now – you know, making sure it is a happy safe Christmas for the “shorties” (as they say in Boston). But, even though we stood on a corner in 20F temps on the biggest shopping day of the year, we still got a bit of relaxin’ in.

ISSB on Oyster Night (I had 6!):

Boston on Black Friday morning:
Me being interviewed by a local new channel (click to watch clip - click the one that says "Mass. group talks about toy")
Dinner after a hard day working!
Shouldn't they all look like this!
A walk on the beach:
Chatham Light:
The tide going out:
The dark part of the rocks is where the water reached during high tide:
A little guy must have just walked by!
Truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, these two photos do a good job capturing it:
More soon.

Click on the funny guy to hear a funny song!

It is not just that I work there, or that I am an advocate for safe products in general. As a new Auntie M, I am even more concerned about the status of safe toys, products and anything else the little guy could get his hands on. We launched this last week. I seriously can't get it out of my head.

Off to Boston tomorrow for the holidays with ISSB's family and then the BIG Black Friday event with tons of activists, on the ground organizations, local media and maybe even a public official!

Windy City: Here I come

I am off to Chicago today. Will be back on Sunday, just enough time to do laundry and repack for our Thanksgiving vacation on the Cape. We head there on Tuesday.

I am going to Chi-Tag, the largest toy and game fair in the country - for work of course - not just to buy my new nephew gaggles of stuff.

While I am there I will get to see and congratulate, newly engaged Micah and Erica. And hope up to take my Grandma J out to dinner one night. Should be a blast.

Ian and Sarge are staying home to hold down Texas.

More Phoenix: get used to it

He is home now and mom, dad and baby are all doing good.
Nana, boy that is weird, is also doing good. She is staying there for the first week to help out.
Look at this little guy with all his hair. He and the Pengin are making the same face!
More soon as I get 'em.

Auntie M

Yup, that is my little brother, my sister-in-law and MY NEW NEPHEW!!!!!! Meet John Phoenix. He is absolutely adorable. I have been an honorary Auntie for my little Peanut, but now I am full fledged! I can't wait to meet this little guy.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh MYspace

I am on Myspace for work as of today. I need to make some Myspace friends so if you are on Myspace click this link and invite me - or something. This is way too confusing. I feel the need to be 16 again to master the machine.

Ok, wish me luck.

Get the lead out!

So on the day after Thanksgiving, I will be at a mall near Boston, Mass wearing a tee-shirt that says Get the Lead Out. I hope that I am not alone. Consumers Union is trying to get 30,000 people across the country to all go out shopping the Twelve days after Thanksgiving to spread the word that we want safe products.

You can do it too, you don't have to be in Boston, you can be anywhere in the country, even Hutchinson, MN! You can go to any store. I hope that you will join me to fight for a cause. As a very soon to be "Auntie M," I only want safe toys out there for my future nephew to play with.

Thanks!

Texas Clay Festival (Part 2 4 2)

We enjoyed the festival, albeit crowded. Out of the 50 potters, there were only 2-3 that were not well done for their genre (wood fire, high fire, low fire, salts, sculpture, hand built, Asian, traditional, etc).

We picked up a couple cards for you guys to check out:

• Diana Seidel
• Hodgson and Hodgson
• Jason Hooper
• Texas Medicine Pottery

There is also a CCP-like studio and gallery in Gruene all the time, Buck Pottery, which I really really liked.

I met your friend David and chatted with him for a moment. And we didn't buy anything for ourselves, but we did find a good little birthday present for Mom before hitting the road.

We had to get back by 7 so that we could hot foot it over to the Tavern for the game. Sox won it 10-5 but don't let the score confuse you, it was a nail bitter to the very very end.

Saturday: Texas Clay Festival

Ian and I were a little blue about not being back in Hutchinson, MN this weekend for the big Clay Coyote Fall Open House, but we quenched our pottery thirst with an afternoon trip to the Texas Clay Festival. It is held in Historic Gruene, TX which is a pretty cute little town 45 minutes south of Austin. I forgot my camera, but here are some shots off the internet of the neat little town.

We both want to go back. Try the little winery, picnic by the river, or maybe kick up our heals at the oldest dance hall in TX.

Go Red Sox!

He is getting ready for the start of the World Series tomorrow!

Settling in to the couch - ready to cheer!!!
GO Sox GO!

Peanut turns one!

Oh how I love this baby girl! Happy Birthday little one. I miss you dearly. Don't grow up too fast!