Denise's Dare

Our daughter, Denise, got a challenge from her friend, Carrie Rose http://carrie-therosefamily.blogspot.com/ , to come up with her ten favorite things that started with the Letter O. Denise did an Outstanding job Noted on http://thesandelstars.blogspot.com/ and then passed the challenge onto me! My letter is N.

My 10 Favorite things that start with N:


Nestling down with a Good Book. I'm reading the one Denise gave me, Water for Elephants.


Noshing on great food. I love to try new stuff and find THE BEST of a certain food. Like, the best oysters are at Elliott's in Seattle; the best milkshake is at Diner Deluxe; the best steak is a bison ribeye made my spouse.. I could go on...



Nobody Negative or Nay-Sayers. That's a fave..cause I like it when nobody is negative. Always look on the bright side of life! (anybody name that movie?)


Niccolo cause that's my "No-longer-a-teenager's middle name and the little Nuzzling Nemo-loving grandson and his not-wanting-to-be in the picture brother too!



Needing Friends. Especially Friends who like to Nosh. Friends make the world go round.
Notes of Music: Especially my brother, Mark's, New Age music http://www.muddyangel.com/ He has an amazing ability to help people heal, in whatever way they might be needing, with his Notes. And, I love to sing although the last time I was in a choir which was world famous in our tiny midwestern hometown, with Kristine and I as featured soloists.. back in the last century... I think Nixon was President. ) [Aside: Frost/Nixon...good movie esp. if you lived through those days..and perhaps, even more so if you didn't] Nowadays, the People in the Pews in front of me can tell you that I'm Practically a Professional Pop Star. No, No.. Need to Stick to N words.


Necklaces: duh! My faves are the beautiful ones I have handmade by master metal and gem workers, Veronica Glynn and Beatrice Mladenka-Fowler. I love getting to wear a new one everytime I work at Ten Thousand Villages. Isn't this one that Beatrice made spectacular?



Newborns: awwwwww... and they Need Nuzzling and we're gonna get another one in our family in the summer!

Nine kiddos (if you count grandkids) plus one to meet someday soon and one who will be making an appearance in 7+/- months.
Now that was Notre Voce.. what's yours? ...i didn't forget NEMO, did I? T would not be happy 'bout that.


In keeping with the theme, does anyone Need a New Naughty Nyla-BoneEater? Actually, Mallie is really, really lovable. She just needs a new space to be in. She loves to play, chase balls and is GREAT with kids.



Anybody Notice that I didn't say Naked! Want your very own letter??

Practically Punked! and Puked!

Have you ever been the victim of a great practical joke? One where they get you sooo badly that you can't decide whether to be mad or laugh so hard your sides split. That's what happened last week when were seriously punked by our friends the Higginses, henceforth known as The Dastardly Duo (although they had help from their oh-so-innocent looking daughters too!)

Here's the background: We have a little trick we play on each other where we sneak a box of a "Owl Puke" into each other's houses without the other family knowing. For the first few times, it was a pretty tame game: They hid it beneath our bathroom towels; we'd snuck the box into their deacon's bench... .. but then they Changed the Rules of the Game.

Let's just say this: real Calgary policemen arrived at our condo, arrested
Tom, placed him in handcuffs, Sharon 'cried.' Their daughters, Hillary and Holly are stricken with concern for their dad.. more crocodile tears from Sharon. ...an accusation of guilt for Charlie and then FINALLY, I figured out that it was all a ruse to get the Owl Puke back in our house and the gig was up.. We had been HAD!It will make for a story for the ages. But now we are busy plotting to get them back, BIG! So if you have any good ideas or an 'in' with Ashton Kutcher.. give me a jingle. I hope you are shaking in your boots, Higgins Family. Rest assured that our brains are working overtime on how to PUNK you back!

Belated Blogging

Two of my favorite young friends and their schoolmates decorating the evergreens in our nearby park with cute handmade (and bird friendly) ornaments.

Here's G and J, partners-in-all-crimes-against-boys, plotting their next dastardly deed.

Meanwhile, G's brother, the talented Master W, blissfully unaware of aforementioned plot against his species, was busy seeing how many cookies can fit into one mouth.

Here's Herr Winter helping Hillary, Holly, and Hugh hang lights for the Homeless at Hillhurst.

Next stop: The 13th Annual, "What Happens at the 51% Christmas Party Stays at the 51% Christmas Party" Party. Oops, that is unless 'someone' has a blog. There are just no words to describe what happens when these ya-yas convene but I'll try.

It's the ol' Pick one or Steal One deal.

And in the Spirit of the Season, we kicked, screamed, scratched and clawed over, and

otherwise politiely exchanged ornaments.

Maria shows off her successful snag of a skeleton.

..and no self-respecting home should be without a Day of the Dead nutracker, right?

This one came with its own firecrackers packed inside! (Do they know that these women are AA poster children?)

And YOU could have had your very own wired-up Barbie Christmas tree topper? Good job, Margaret!
..
Honestly... fought over!

The moon was in Capricorn, so the usually unladylike Lisa was subdued.

Perhaps Pia spiked her drink with valium too?) so.. she is not on double-secret probation unlike a certain Someone Else..no names mentioned, Susan, posing here with the Hurricane Ike creation.. and then...



Don't Ask..Don't Tell!

Next day, Barbara brunched us with more hair of the dog ...er cat... that bit ya and provided her very own cat for entertainment. Note to self: Do not bother kitty on hunt for shiny objects unless you'd like to draw back a bloody stump.

Isabella plied the cat with mimosas or we plied Isabella with mimosas and vicey versey. versa visa, vissa vulvas, somehow the rabid feline was tamed.

We continued the conversatin', carolin', carousin', and a little bit o' crying. Ok, no caroling.

But it can't all be goofy girls-only can it? No. we must have some testosterone in here. Luckily, I only had to behave myself a little when we visited our neighbors. Look at Liberace Mike's candelabra! He plays beautifully. Let's take up a collection to buy him a tux for his Carnegie Hall debut.

Then we had to be among the first to test out the new IceHouse they built in our neighborhood. How nice of them! Time to get the Houston Holidays started. (In Canada, one must say one is "on Holiday" - not vacation. More sofees-tee-kated dontcha know? ) Ice House, where one can sit outside drinking the beverage of your choice year-round. Score one for Houston.

We detoxed the next night at a peaceful retreat with our friend Sue... wonderful evening with just a smidge of adult beverages and her gourmet cooking... let the pound packing-on begin!

Here's Granddad working off a few of those calories by pinning his fearsome opponents.

And now, boys and girls.. time for our belated Christmas poem...

'Twas the Night before Christmas when all through the Hook 'em Horns House..not a creature was stirring, except Kelsey's mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.. in hopes that St. Tommaso soon would be there.

The children weren't nestled all snug in their beds - while visions of bacon treats danced in dogs' heads.

Christine in minus 20, both of us with a cap

her son, Evan ,

settled down for his long winter's nap.

When out in his room, Colman caused such a clatter..

the dogs arose from their beds to see what was the matter.

The sun on the breast of the Canadian snow

gave the lustre of twilight to objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

but two tiny grandsons with smiles so dear.

Mr. Winter at the Wii, his driver lively and quick.

We knew in a moment it must be Faldo, Nick.

More rapid than birdies,

Riley's eagles they came.

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

On Tiger, On Vijay, On Norman and Nicklaus - On Palmer, On Immelman, On Johnson and Mickles (poetic license)

As dry snow that before the wild blizzard does fly

when they meet with your windshield do cause you to cry. Party on at the new house of Stacey and Trey

eat, drink and be merry

for tomorrow's Christmas Day!

Kels' eyes, how they twinkled, Jordy's dimples -- how merry.

Jakey's lips were all rosy from eating candied cherries.

Leslie spoke not a word but went straight to his work.

teaching T to be safe - don't be a jerk.

The stockings were filled with fun thing like books -

'bout sea creatures and mermaids and pirates with hooks.

Kels sprang to his 'sleigh' to his team gave a whistle

and away they all flew down the driveway like missiles.

But I heard him exclaim 'ere he drove out of sight.

Merry Christmas to all! Tyler, Cody, Good night!