Tacos in Austin

Ya'll, I'm on my way to Texas!

I've been to Texas before (obviously) but today I'm on my way to Austin to take some family photos, visit friends, and explore a part of the state I've never seen. Of course I'll have lots of stories and pictures to share with ya'll.

Photo book and bag

Picture forthcoming...

My stocking story

When we were little kids our Aunt Shirley made us each a Christmas stocking. They were made of felt and each of ours was a different color, had different Christmas things on it, and was special. Our stockings were part of our childhood. They were pinned up on the top of our living room curtains (it was southern California--no fire place) every Christmas and then Christmas morning they were near our gifts and filled to the brim with treats--and always an orange.


















I believe that when I moved to Boston nearly 22 years ago my stocking came with me. I have a vague memory of it hanging from the curtains in my first apartment in Medford. And then it was gone. Whatever happened to it, I was pretty sad about its disappearance. I thought about asking Aunt Shirley if she would make me another one but felt like that would be asking too much.

My cousin Jules has been making me a gift each month for my birthday this year. She has sent me the coolest things (a red knitted scarf, Easter bag, and Valentine hankies to name a few). It's a treat to get her packages and see what she has made for me.

Jules emailed me a few days ago: Ok, so this one will REALLY make you cry!!! (or just plain think I'm the coolest cousin EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD). I really can't wait to send it...in the month it applies to, so you'll get it in May...it will be sent tomorrow...or perhaps Tuesday (after i finish one small part).

I received this today.














I was stunned. And so touched. Jules is definitely the coolest cousin every in the history of the world.

Better safe than sorry

Do you back up your computer? I've heard of a few cases recently where people have had their hard drives crash and have lost EVERYTHING. And they are devastated. One friend sent a mass email asking friends/family to send any pictures they had of their family because they now have lost all their pictures from two years of their life. So as I'm typing this blog entry I'm burning a CD with some pictures I took of their daughter (they hired me to photographer her every three months the first year of her life so I have hundreds of photos).

This is BIGREDEP's back-up plan: I copy my photos on an external drive (I try to do this before formatting my digital camera cards). [External drives are not that expensive.] AND, I use an on-line back-up service. It costs me $4.95 a month. That's it. It backs up all my photos, documents, and songs EVERY DAY. I'm happy knowing that if something were to happen to my computer or external drive, all is well, all is well.

http://mozy.com/

If you don't back up your computer, start today!

We will now return to our regularly scheduled blogging.

Nighttime drama

Who needs television when you have the annual condo meeting?

Ice pack

Sometimes I put a bag of peas on my finger at night to help with swelling. It works. But the peas are mushy in the morning and go right in the trash. Almost three weeks after my surgery I've still got swelling, PAIN (well, discomfort), and stitches. The doctor said it was in a "tension spot". No duh, doc. I'm so over this finger thing.

Burp cloths

These will be mailed tomorrow to three new babies that just might belong to dear friends and distant relatives.

a Kimballs favorite

I love the handmade signs of flavors posted with push pins!

Celebrating birthdays

Her birthday was yesterday, his is tomorrow. Can't think of a better way to celebrate than with kiddie cones at Kimballs. Happy Birthday Kristen and Lein!

baby Charlie's birthday

My youngest brother's birthday is today. I still remember the day he came home from the hospital like it was yesterday. The three older siblings (4, 5, and 6) waiting by the door, watching for the car, excited to meet their new baby brother. I still believe I was the first to run out the door, to the passenger side of the car and peek in to see him. Though I had wanted a baby sister for years, I am still crazy about my baby brother. Happy Birthday, Chuck!

These rock my world

Best small chocolate eclairs in the whole wide world (from Lyndell's Bakery in Somerville, Mass.). Open until 7pm on Fridays. Sigh.

The 40th Earth Day

I'm going to try to do something Earth Day worthy by the end of the day. In the meantime, this is one of my favorite photos of the earth--taken at Acadia National Park in 2002 with my film camera (can you see the depth?!).

Me and my cardigan

I bought this cardigan to go with some dresses. My friend says she's been waiting two years for me to buy one (does that mean I'm fashionable now?!--wait, don't answer that).

One of my favorite movie lines is from "Notting Hill" when someone (was it Hugh Grant's quirky sister?) tells the guy in the bookshop he's wearing a "$exy cardie".

Dinner

While my friends and I ate a delicious dinner tonight, Phoebe ate her fist. I predict she's teething.

Beehive birthday

Personal progress, firesides, activities, service projects, girls camp...her life is about to get (more) exciting! Happy 12th Birthday, Emma!!!

I love wrong names

This morning I went to the plastic surgeon's office. Unfortunately he only took a few of the stitches out and put steri-strips on my finger. It still hurts so I bought some buffered aspirin tonight. I go back in two weeks to get the remaining stitches out. Tonight when I looked at the little card to write the date and time in my calendar. the receptionist had written that the appointment was for Patricia.

Patriots Day--ending at Kimballs

Boston's best day

Takin' it easy

Between my foot and my finger I'm kind of a mess. I can't even count how many times I've bumped or hit or hurt my finger since I got stitches. I'm trying but I have trouble "taking it easy" (doctor's orders).













Not this kid.

Lunch guest

Spring flowers

I drive by Wilson Farm 10-12 times a week and have been wanting to take some pictures of their flowers. On my way home from Stake Conference this morning I had time to stop and photograph the flowers.

Party at my house

There was a baby shower at my house today to celebrate the upcoming adoption of a brand new baby. The party included lots of food, gifts and well wishes. One of the guests brought me these flowers. From her garden. They are beautiful.

Bring back Spring

Aha! moment and a gallon of paint

I lived in my last apartment for 8 1/2 years. About 7 years into it I was upstairs visiting my neighbor and noticed she had just painted her kids' room. I asked what the landlady said about painting and she replied, "I didn't ask her." AHA!

Not long after my Aha! moment I bought a gallon of paint and enlisted a friend (who had lots of bright/daring colors in her home) and in one night we prepped, painted and put my bedroom back together--by midnight. That changed my life. I painted the rest of my apartment except the bathroom (which had been repainted after some repair work had been completed). The apartment had oil heat which made the walls dingy and dark (see photo) and I don't think the apartment had been painted in quite a while. My landlady never visited my apartment while I lived there and her sister showed it to the tenants after me so I'm not sure she ever saw how nice it looked. I loved all the new colors in my apartment; especially the red hallway!

I've used some of those same colors to paint my condo.

Pillow talk

I made 3 more easy pillow covers last night. I like the mis-matched look (and that big flowered one is my fave). One of my stitches came out during the process and my finger HURT (not enough for one of these since I had to wake up and come to work). I slept with a bag of frozen peas on my hand which helped. I don't understand "take it easy".

We've got a steeple

There was a second steeple still on the truck so maybe it's one down, one to go (on the back side of the building?)...

Tea party

Tonight was the April Relief Society Recipe Swap. The theme was "tea party". The food--and there was a lot of it--was delicious! We had our biggest crowd to date (I think): 13! There was lots of lively conversation and we all enjoyed sampling the scones, cookies, finger sandwiches, popovers, cakes and other treats. And, thanks to Margaret for being a delightful hostess!

Hey Jude

My friend was 5 days overdue and I'd like to think that my visit Sunday night and chocolate chip cookies sent her into labor. Her BIG baby boy (over 9 pounds) was born yesterday. He's got two older sisters who are crazy about him already. It was great to meet him tonight at the hospital.

Do you have Prince Albert in a can?

No, but he was in the office, featuring his Antarctica movie, and on the lawn (2nd from the left).

Cambridge Stake Center

Here's the church.














And here's the steeple.

The building will be dedicated on June 27th and then it will be filled with people.

Note: the steeple was supposed to be attached today. I took these photos around 1:45pm and when I went back after work at 6pm the steeple was still on the truck with the Utah license plate. Maybe tomorrow...

I'm the other Ellen now

My friends had their baby girl on Easter. This was part of the email they sent announcing her birth: Here’s the point where I feel like I should say something about how/why we chose the name. Mostly, Ellen was a name that we both liked and agreed on. Two women in our ward- the current and prior Relief Society Presidents- are named Ellen, so we figure she can either follow in their footsteps someday or become a talk show host who convinces presidential candidates to dance.

I took these photos of Ellen Grace tonight (and I'm sure there will be many more!).

Fun after church

There are some benefits to "last church" (2-5pm). We can run and play on the grass after and linger longer. Today was beautiful. I love New England in the Spring. [I love New England everyday.]

Note: that toothless girl has a toothless twin but no bribe could get her to smile (she wanted $100).