Then it was Christmas

A great time was had by all.

Really.

Today I'm Playing Hookey

With a forecast like this:

... ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST /11 AM CST/ TODAY...

FREEZING RAIN... MIXED AT TIMES WITH SLEET... WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THIS MORNING CAUSING SIGNIFICANT ICING. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE WILL RANGE FROM ONE HALF TO LOCALLY AS MUCH AS ONE INCH IN SOME AREAS. ACCUMULATIONS OF THIS AMOUNT WILL CAUSE TREACHEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS AND AREAS OF POWER OUTAGES FROM FALLING TREES AND POWER LINES. TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN THESE AREAS.

And a yard looking like this:

I decided not to attempt the 45 mile commute to work this morning. Therefore... I declare a long weekend, starting now! (Plus, it's a great opportunity to play with my amazing new camera!)

In which my Yard becomes a Wilderness Refuge.

There were 5 deer traipsing through my yard this morning, and it was so cute! I was very sad, however, that my new awesome camera John got me for Christmas this year (yeah, and didn't even make me wait til Christmas to open it! Woohoo!) was downstairs and therefore inaccessible on a moment's notice. I grabbed my old camera and tried to get something good, and this is the best I got. I know. Not stunning.

Anyway. There were 5 deer in my yard. And it was cool. (I bet they were attracted to the smell of the wildebeest.)

THIS is to have succeeded.

The wildebeest has been located and removed from the mailbox and has been returned to the wild. He was a hungry little feller. But, he is much happier now back out on the plains. Just take a look at him. Doesn't he look happy now?

Also: Today, I am happy to announce, we got our first Christmas card. Now, if only that immigration clearance will hurry up and come, then we'd be really onto something.

In which a dejected soul laments her lack of Christmas greetings

It has come to my attention that it is now approaching mid-December and I have yet to receive a single solitary Christmas card in the mail this year. There are many potential explanations for this, including a) The Grinch actually successfully stole Christmas this year b) there is a Christmas-card eating wildebeest living in my mailbox c) Christmas cards have been outlawed in my town and all cards are thus being deflected to a more suitable town. The list goes on, and all reasons are entirely plausible (personally I'm hoping it's the wildebeest. I've always wanted one of those!), but I still think someone ought to send me a Christmas card one of these days. (Please?)

Furthermore, please note: I have not yet sent out my own Christmas cards. These shall be forthcoming.

I Love Christmas Shopping

four exclamation points

In Which an Unfortunate Fowl has been Sacrificed and Devoured

On this most beautimous Thanksgiving day, much food has been ingested, and much nonsense has been exhibited. John did a most splendid job on the turkey, and it was lovely indeed. Similarly, the rest of the food was also wonderful, as well.

In a recent survey of Thankfulnesses, respondents proclaimed themselves to be most thankful for:
1. "My crazy children."
2. "That this game is not real life and the axis powers are not really taking over the world."
3. "That axis powers ARE taking over the world."
4. "Stwanwey."
5. "Spam."

Please note for the record, that the aforementioned turkey is not in any part comprised of Spam, nor did we partake of any Spam products on this wondrous Thanksgiving Day.

The Government has Infiltrated my Fingertips

Or maybe my fingertips have infiltrated the government. Either way, it was all very cool. I just waved my fingers over a magic box and my fingerprints got sucked inside and appeared on a magic screen. Naturally I grew new fingerprints skillfully and without delay. I have not yet been arrested for any heinous crimes my previous fingerprints might or might not have committed with or without my knowledge. This bodes well for me and my future as a mommy to African babies. And also an FBI agent. I am strongly considering this hobby to fill some of my spare time.

In other news, it is cold here. Unlike Africa. As an FBI agent, I will make that a top matter to be remedied. I'll call it: Regional Warming.

Master Bedroom Revealed

This is the before shot. A little hodge-podge, since it's the quilt I made for in our room at the old house, and the weird teal vertical blinds that were here from the previous owners, and her kind of orangey-beige walls. Hmm... Anyway. Before:

And After: Here's my disclaimer. The red was a little brighter than we anticipated, and it's... well... it's bright. Jury's still out, but this is what we've got:

In which a lighted tower prevents nocturnal collisions of sea vessels with stolid boulder life forms, thus temporarily thwarting imminent doom

So I haven't posted in a little while, and I can't think of much worthwhile to say, so I will appease the roaring throngs of bloggies with my stunning photographs of Michigan's finest light-warning establishments for thy visual feasting and delight. Bon appetit.

Watch for my Fingers on CSI

I have a fingerprint appointment! We haven't heard yet about John's appointment, but his paper should be here in the next few days I would think, and hopefully his appointment will be on the same day, because it turns out we have to drive clear to Grand Rapids (3ish hours) for this affair, and it would make more sense to do it at the same time. So we'll see. But... that gives me a deadline to have all the rest of our papers ready, so that when once we are bona fide, we'll be ready to go pronto. Yay!

Disclaimer: Prints have been changed to protect the innocent. This is only an impostor.

Update (11/10): John's appointment papers came in the mail today, and it's the same time as mine, so no worries! :)

These are the people I spend my time with.

My Highly Esteemed Colleagues:

Farmer Ben and his pumpkin patch.
And Dr. Stewart.

You know you're a grown up when...

You rush home to things like this. (To try and get it done before it gets dark, lest you chop off your finger and have to try and explain to the ER doctor the perils of nighttime shrubbery-trimming.)

Before:

After:

This is what happens when John leaves me alone too long.

So I'm cruising through the store, browsing in the newly clearanced Halloween goods, and there are of course these ridiculous little doggie costumes. I can hear my mother's voice in my head saying "those are for people with more money than brains." Of course she has a point, but boredom is oh-so-dangerous. Besides... Stanley was just so excited.

So perdy.

This is my yard in the fall.

Welcome to the Palace: Before and After

I have hitherto been negligent in posting any post-painting pictures of the Palace. Therefore, let this slacking cease forthwith.

Behold: Living Room Before



And After:



And the Dining Room Before: (The second one shows the old color much more accurately, and indeed, it is bright purple, with blue carpet!)




And After:


Furthermore, I weaved all the valances and that fabric rectangular thing on my loom. A humanoid of many talents, indeed.

Reports of Things Somewhat Moderately Exciting

We spent all day today in an adoption parenting seminar. Different speakers and such, talking about different issues surrounding adoption and parenting. And meeting more families adopting kids, mostly from Ethiopia it turns out, although most of them weren't from that close around here. Nevertheless, I am now terribly prepared and shall commence the perfect parenting, just as soon as I have a child- preferably one who wishes to be perfect along with me. It works out the best that way.

Then off to meet my neighbors at the annual get-together "picnic" (which ended up indoors due to the dog's nose of weather we are having here) and subsequent neighborhood association meeting. I had previously been blissfully unaware of all the things a neighborhood association did, or why they bothered to exist at all except to collect my yearly dues and tell me how I can and can't decorate or alter my house. So, it turns out, they also have to trim the shrubberies out in front of the big signs with our neighborhood name at the entrance to the neighborhood. And stuff like that. Very exciting. And all done in annoyingly official manner, which means there is a ridiculous amount of cumbersome and unnecessary paperwork involved. Good times. My neighbors seem like decent humanoid beings, although most are older, with kids at least in middle school if not all grown up and moved away. So... no other babies on my cul-de-sac to corrupt my perfect dreamchild. However, perfection aside, I find this disappointing.

Greetings from Gladys in Austin.

I am not generally a fan of the Ellen show, but I thought this was pretty funny.

What Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Our home study is done! Next step: USCIS. They have to read our home study and decide if we are mentally stable enough bring an orphan into the country and attempt to raise it. Apparently this takes several weeks to decide. And they get our fingerprints, so that they can pull us up in the computers on CSI, in the event that we should ever touch anything printed in the course of a crime scene investigation, which is precisely what I try and make a habit of not doing. Meanwhile, we shall be pulling together the rest of our papers and whatnot, so that when we hear back from USCIS we shall be ready, for whatever is the next next step, which is precisely what I am not sure of currently.

Furthermore, I will now attempt to post a picture.

Behold: Niagara Falls.

Ready or Not, Here I Come

Grittings, Earthlings! We have been talking about starting a blog since we were fetuses, and have now finally done it! Hoorah! I'm gonna go ahead and start slow, to instill in your hearts expectations comparable to the Pit of Despair, and thus, should I actually invent something worth discussing at some point in the foreseeable future, you will be all the more impressed. I win.