Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Austins. It was a very, very, very low-key day today since it was just Jim and I. After sleeping in, we opened out stockings (with our perfect goodies, of course), then had the rest of the day free.

I caught up on few Christmas movies while Jim visited his mother's grave and saw his dad. When I was feeling guilty about too much recliner time, I got outside for a walk around the neighborhood and captured a few more White Christmas photos...

It was pretty – especially when I had no place to drive! And I had just enough fresh air to relax while catching It's a Wonderful Life and Christmas Vacation.

Hope you had a lovely day with friends, family, or your favorite movie or book! Merry Christmas!

On The Nice List

Apparently Santa put us on the Nice List because we were rewarded with quite a good Christmas today! Not just my yummy purple (of course) ice cream ornament either.

Had all our "big boys" around the table for Christmas lunch today. I cooked a turkey and tried a new crock pot recipe for cheesy potatoes that worked out pretty swell. Casey, Clay and Clay's girlfriend arrived after noon, right around the same time as Tony, who trekked down from my twin's Up North this morning. He had the wintry mix you probably heard about, but all we've had here all day is rain, rain and rain. Actually enough to cause flooding in the area. This is not typical of Christmas in Wisconsin!

Having all the boys under the same roof two days in a row wasn't typical either. But I loved it. We did the usual meal, gifts and watching A Christmas Story and John Wayne. But it just felt good to all be together. I wish it wasn't so seldom. It's a gift when our 3 wise men (or wise guys?) are together.

Today was also special because it was Tony's birthday. I was so glad he got Up North a few days to be with his family and friends for the holiday. They've missed that privilege the last few years.

I didn't exactly make him a cake, more like a Christmas-Birthday dessert. I know he loves chocolate and peanut butter but I had to go with a Christmas chocolate-peppermint combo. Trust me, between his Santa Up North and his Santa down here, he got enough peanut butter treats! And yes, he did turn 28, but when I counted my candles I only had 27, figures, so we made a smiley face instead. I hope his wish still comes true!

I know mine did. Having family together is the greatest gift.

Watching a Hallmark Christmas movie in my new recliner ranks right up there, too! In fact, I've been so nice, I may just watch two.

Merry Christmas!

Fore-reezing!

Long underwear, gloves, coat and winter hat may be typical for a Friday night football game in October, but golf? Apparently so!

We were set to golf with another couple at The Ridges this morning as part of a fundraiser – Party for Pam – to help a woman who fell in her bathroom this summer and became paralyzed from the neck down. It was a huge 2-day event and today was the 2-Club Golf Scramble, set to begin at 9 a.m.

One thing we've learned as cross country parents is that when there is frost, the golf course owners do not want you anywhere near anything green. You'll kill the grass with your club, your cart or your foot traffic. So today, with it only being 25 degrees at 9 a.m., we had to wait a good hour and a half to get started.

It may have warmed up to freezing by then, but all the golfers were still bundled up in their winter gear, hoping they can still swing a club and not be like the little brother Randy in A Christmas Story who couldn't move his arms!

But today's biggest trick wasn't how to keep warm, but how to play with just 2 clubs. My new co-worker and friend Jeff and his wife were the other half of our foursome and none of us had experienced this format before. Each golfer can only take 2 clubs with them for the 9-hole tourney and cannot use anyone else's clubs. So I had a driver and an 8 iron while the guys each had a wood of some sort and a iron, and Jeff's wife Kathy had an iron and the only putter in the group.

Let me tell you, it sure looks a lot easier on TV when you see Tiger using one of his woods to putt. It takes some finesse, which I did not possess.

I believe our foursome finished with a score of 4 or 5 over par. Frankly, that wasn't bad considering we had some struggles. Good thing we were only doing it for fun!

And it WAS fun. Especially after we thawed out. Actually it's 9 p.m. and I still have my long johns on, so maybe I didn't completely thaw! It was a good time, though. I can see how really good golfers would strategize more with what clubs to use, but that would require some consistency in club use. That's not going to happen when you golf only 3 times a summer. But maybe next year.

Unless we get a November Indian Summer spell, it's time to hang up the spikes for now. I may need to invest in some hand warmers for the golf bag. Just in case...

Star Power

My sisters occasionally make fun of me and my knack for finding celebrities... typically stars from days gone by (i.e. Erik Estrada and Henry Winkler) or such minor "celebrities" I have to explain who they are. Whether they are making fun of me or just in awe, I can't explain why I just get a kick out of getting pictures of celebrities or me with them.

Since I haven't had a celebrity (using term loosely) sighting and photo since Michael Waltrip at the Red Sox game last fall, I was due. And in Vegas, well, it just seems logical.

While Carter and the Assumption Royals baseball team start practice indoors this week, I got to attend a tailgating party of my own.

What's a party without a Playboy Bunny? Actually an ex one. Not kidding here, folks. Brande Roderick is an ex-playboy bunny who participated in the Celebrity Apprentice (a few years back) and now has her own trading card.

She was super nice and even took off her 4-inch heels so we'd be the same height in the photo. If you are not sure which one she is, she is the one who looks to be exactly half my Round Robyn size!!

In order to improve my self-image, I had to find someone much larger than me. Former homerun slugger Frank "The Big Hurt" Thomas fit the bill. Of course, after meeting charming me, his nickname is now "The Big Hug" Thomas (according to my hubby). Even though he played for the White Sox at one point, he still generously allowed a photo with a Twins fan. Another super nice person!

Today, I just happened to run into a few of those celebrities that had minor but memorable roles... some years back. Probably the weirdest combo of people in a picture but I had to seize the moment!

Here's me hangin' out with Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi" (no soup for me!) and my new pal "Flick" from A Christmas Story (all grown up and no, he hasn't had his tongue stuck to any flag poles lately).

Other than seeing the stars, I did see the sunset one night out my hotel window...

I haven't set foot outdoors since I got to my hotel from the airport Saturday. But heck, I don't think I'm missing much, do you?

Here Comes Santa Claus

Bells are ringin', children singin',
All is merry and bright.
So hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.

You know what's ironic about this Christmas carol? There are very few that combine the actual religious holiday (which is why we celebrate to begin with) and the secular Santa. "Hang your stockings and say your prayers"? Hmm.

When you think about it, we do combine both every year. Most of us go to a church service sometime Christmas Eve and then later hang stockings in anticipation of Santa's visit. In the morning, we open Santa presents and hopefully remember to say "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. Hopefully.

Our Christmas Eve day followed the typical schedule today. Sort of.

Carter and I went to 1 o'clock service this afternoon. Guess who almost fainted in church?? Nope, not Carter this time. Me. We weren't even done with the first verse of the first song, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and I was seeing stars (not the kind in the clear sky) and had to abruptly sit down.

I put my head down and tried not to draw attention to myself. I was just trying to breathe and not pass out. My most immediate concern was that I had to do the scripture readings in about 2 minutes. I looked at Carter and said, "You're gonna have to read for me." Well nothing like making him want to faint. "What? No, Mom, I can't!"

So I manage to walk to the back of the church and get to the restroom to get some cool water on my face and neck. I do not know how I did it, but I managed to walk back in, go up front and do the readings and get back to my seat -- all while completely conscious. I sat through the sermon and then we exited to the sanctuary, sat there a few minutes 'til we could give our offering, then headed outside. The cold air felt wonderful but I still didn't feel right. We stopped at Burger King and I sent Carter in to get me something to drink, then drove home with the windows cranked down so the cold air would rejuvenate me. It helped a little.

I laid down on the couch about an hour before we had to head back into town to Jim's parents. It took several hours before I felt right again. We had a good meal, but I didn't enjoy it to the fullest. Later, when we were opening gifts, I finally felt better, almost normal. Yikes. And here I thought my sore back was my problem this week. It sucks getting old.

We did have a nice time with in-laws. Jim's sister and brother-in-law were there with our nephew Colin along with the 3 Austin boys and us.

Now we've got 4 Austin "men" sitting out in the living room watching A Christmas Story to get in the holiday mood. At some point they'll get to bed so Santa can visit. Like the song says, I will hang my stocking with the others and I'll say my prayers.

Hopefully, come morning, there'll be an extra dose of Health in mine. That, for me, would be the perfect gift!

Sweet!

Although the first thing I did after getting up after 8 a.m. was make cinnamon rolls and do my Saturday chores, I was not the hardest worker in the house.

Nothing slaved all day like my Netbook computer as I uploaded hundreds and hundreds of photos to the Walgreens website so I can get pictures ordered. When I have high-res photos like mine, it is a long, slow process. So I was uploading all day pretty much and, even now, I am getting my last batch of Christmas photos up.

Then, of course, comes the long process of picking what to print because I really don't need ALL of them just now. But I am not staying up late to do that tonight!

Did get a few things accomplished today. Got some cleaning done and laundry done and got outside in the above-freezing temperatures for a run. Managed 4 miles but had some scheduled short walk breaks in there. That was good. Leg feels good and I'm mostly crediting it to getting new shoes. Not that I know anything...

While the boys were taking some hitting practice, I went to town to run some errands -- including finding something for Carter for Valentine's Day. We are getting him some baseball gear but he has to have something to tide him over, right? Good thing I picked it up today because when I got home, those two were ready to exchange Valentine's gifts. That was fine with me. A big box with my name on it arrived the other day and I was pretty curious.

So after supper, the guys bring out two huge boxes for me. First one was from Carter. Two gigantic -- and I mean industrial size -- bags of cheese popcorn. Yum, yum, yummy! Do I have to share?

The second one was from hubby. A very cool container like a wire hat box and inside was a Pajama Gram. These are luscious, soft, footy pajamas for women. Oooh, they are nice and warm! Mine are pink so I sort of look like Ralphie from the Christmas Story movie, but I don't care. They're awesome! No one knows my cold feet like Jim!

What a pair of sweet, sweet, sweeties I live with!

Oh by the way, I got Jim a vintage t-shirt from the Reds' 1975 World Series and got Carter 2 movies he's wanted for quite awhile.

After all that excitement, we went to the Assumption boys game -- playing some Saturday evening hoops against Amherst. They got killed. Amherst is pretty darn good.

When we got home, Carter and I decided we needed an early Valentine's treat so I got out my rolling pin, crushed some regular and mint Oreos, and we had homemade Blizzards. Hey, nothing says love like ice cream...

Except maybe cheese popcorn and fuzzy jammies!