Our Holiday Schedule

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays will soon be upon us, and with them comes the chaos of figuring out where we're going to be and when. Last night I did some calling around and shuffling of schedules, and I think I have hashed out all the details. It's really impossible to accommodate everyone's schedule, so I tried to squeeze in seeing as many of you as we can during both holidays. Because we're not going to be in Prescott for Thanksgiving, I threw in a whole day to hang out with the Prescott folks over the Christmas break. Here's what we've got so far:

Thanksgiving
Wednesday the 26th -
Leave NM around 7am - Get to Melanie's house round 2ish
Hang out with Mom in the evening - movie perhaps?

Thursday the 27th -
Go to Mimi's Cafe with Ron and Dorothy at 11:15
Thanksgiving at Aunt Sondra's at 1pm
Back to Melanie's around 4ish and go to bed early

Friday the 28th -
Hit the shops with Melanie at 4am (yes, I think it's crazy too)
Baby Shower at 3pm

Saturday the 29th -
Drive back to home sweet home and relax before we're back to work!


Christmas
Wednesday the 24th -
Leave NM around 8 or 9ish
Drive straight to Dad Nicolai's for Christmas Eve festivities
Sleep over at Melanie's

Thursday the 25th -
Christmas morning stockings and pressies at Melanie's
Christmas lunch at Dorothy's from 11am until 1pm-ish
Drive to Prescott for Christmas at Grammy's - get there at 3ish
Sleep over at Grammy's

Friday the 26th -
Hang out in Prescott all day
Sleep over at Grammy's

Saturday the 27th -
Drive back home with all our loot!


If for some reason this schedule doesn't work for you, please voice your concerns now so I can re-arrange our plans and let everyone know about the changes. Also, keep in mind that I am getting huge pregnant and that driving a lot or sleeping on a futon may not be the most comfortable arrangement for me. Two road trips to AZ in two months is kinda pushing it as it is!

Speaking of schedules, I just thought I'd put it out there that Maya's due date is February 22nd. My mom has already let me know that she will definitely be coming out here after she's born (and while she's being born for that matter!), but I wasn't sure if any of you other AZ folks were going to make plans to come visit in late February. If so, could you please let me know. I don't need exact dates or anything, I just wanted to find out for my own type-A curiosity if I should be expecting visitors. I'm a planner! I'd love a visit from anyone and everyone. Just keep in mind that the guest bedroom has already been claimed by my mom, so y'all may have to get a hotel. But, it's worth it, right?! Right!

An Important Message From Keith Olberman

Belated Halloween Blog

Pete and I had a party at our house this Halloween. I threw it together two days before Halloween, so I didn't expect many people to show up or that they'd have costumes. We had an awesome turnout, and almost everyone was in costume (including our Boston Terrier, Peanut!). It was really fun, and we partied 'til the wee hours of the morning. It was also really nice to see a lot of people we haven't seen in ages. We turned into homebodies when I got pregnant, so I hadn't seen some of these people in months. Thanks for everyone who came out and made it awesome! Here are some pictures for posterity.

Bun in the oven...get it? I thought I was being really clever until I saw pictures from Erica's blog of a couple in the same costume. Oh, well. We were cute anyways!

Finally got a Mac!

Pete and I bit the bullet and finally gave in to the superior awesomeness that is the iMac. We've been wanting one for ages, but our computer always just kept right on keeping on, and we didn't feel the need to spend the money on something we didn't really need. Well, our computer (which we've had for nearly six years!) can't handle any more memory we may want to place in it, and it's full to capacity. With the baby on her way, we know we're going to have tons of pictures and video and we'll need a safe place to store them. Hence, the new computer.

There's another reason why we're giving in to buying a new computer as well. I've been taking an online course on starting my own home grant writing consultation business. My college degree was focused on non-profit grant writing, I just haven't really had a chance to use it in the capacity I originally intended. Anyhoo, if I'm going to get my new little business venture off the ground, I'm going to need a good website and lots of computer space for all the projects I'm going to be working on. I figure it's a lot less taxing on my body to take on a few writing projects than a few more kids, and we could definitely use the money (who couldn't). I want to get all the legal stuff finalized, my business license in order, and contract templates completed before I take on any clients. I figure it'll all be straight by December-ish. So, if you know anyone who is looking for a cheap grant writer, you should send them my way in about a month. And by cheap I mean $25 per hour (as opposed to the standard $75 per hour a seasoned grant writer makes). I'm cheap....but I'm good!

Victories, and sad losses

Obama won! WOOOOOT! I didn't particularly have anything against McCain, but I didn't particularly have anything for him, either. The static charge this country (and the rest of the world) is experiencing after the election is something we haven't felt in a long time. I think the last time we came together this way was after 9/11. It's so great that people can have something bring them together that is so positive and, excuse the cliche, hopeful. I'm really excited!

On a much sadder note, it seems that although this country has gotten over it's extreme racism, sexism is alive and well. Specifically, I'm talking about gay marriage. I think it's so sad that people would go to the polls and vote to deny two people who love each other the right to be joined in marriage. What do you care? Is it hurting you? Are you afraid it will destroy the sanctity of Britney Spears' 48 hour marriage? Seriously, they are going to be together anyways. Why deny them the rights that married couples have like hospital visitations, employee related benefits, etc. You people in Arizona, Florida, and California make me so sick.

And Arkansas voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Supporters made clear that gays and lesbians were their main target. There are a lot of gay couples out there who can't conceive children (for obvious reasons) but still want to have a family and to help out kids in need. Not to mention, most straight couples want nothing to do with the foster care system or the trouble of raising someone else's kids. There are more kids in the system than we have homes to place them in. Kids end up in group care homes, some never getting adopted after their parents lose custody and end up wards of the court system. Why in the hell would people vote to make the system worse, deny kids the right to a family, and deny loving parents the right to raise children. Get over it already you hate mongers! GAH!

Luckily, there is still a slight glimmer of hope for California. There are still over 3 million absentee ballots that haven't been counted yet, and the vote currently stands at 52% to 48% in favor of banning gay marriage. There is a possibility that those ballots may swing the vote around, but I'm not holding my breath. Seriously....why? What is the BFD?

Oh well. At least Obama won, so all is not lost! Wheeeee!

McCain on QVC

For Grammy, Melanie, and all the other Republicans out there. I'm an equal opportunity SNL lover.