Saturday, December 23, 2006

Lately

Oh, golly. Let's observe what's going on around me at the moment. I'm filling in for our executive assistant while she's vacaying, which means I'm sitting on the happenin' side of the office--this versus my own side, which rivals my Piper Jaffray paperweight (how nice of them to think of me!) for the title of 'least energetic.' Anyway, the office is crawling w/ the kiddos today, due to the absence of both of our CEOs, the manager, and, oh yeah, of everyone else. Our legal counsel hauled his two very polite little mens in, and they're at present sprawled on the floor of CEO A's office watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the original, no less). "Pure Imagination" is wafting through the air, which happens to be one of my fav tunes off the soundtrack. Anyone jealous? What, ya'll have today off? Oooh, you shut up now.

Maybe it's the hazelnut coffee I just polished off, but I feel strangely relaxed. Ah, if only every day would follow suit in the wake of this one.

Let's have a lookie:













Because doesn't it always end this way?
















Having had plenty of practice w/ Mommy's heels, she slipped into her new princess shoes all by herself. Clearly, she's got a bit of growing to do.
















Getting help w/ her new princess gown.













Surrounded by loot. Our contribution: the Uglydoll--enjoyed by kiddos and adults alike. (Er, I speak for two of the latter, anyway.)
















A baby for Baby! This one came equipped w/ binky, bottle, blanket, and several other accessories. Here's Syd cradling and feeding her wee dolly. Clearly, she's a natural.

More about Syd: One of the sweetest things I heard/saw her do was mimic animal sounds. All you've gotta do is say "lion" or "cat" or "dog" or "snake" or "elephant" or, and this is my personal favorite, "monkey." Her response--and it's durn near immediate--is to go "rarrr!" or "meeow" or "woof!" or "hsss" or, uh, how to spell an elephant's trumpeting? But yeah, so monkey: I believe it's along the lines of "ooh ooh ooh ooh." Wait, that's not it. Let's just say she does this heaps better than anyone I've ever heard attempt it. Maybe better, even, than, than, than... I'll just say it: than Petey. [Don't hate me, son!] Let's hope he steers clear of the blog this week.














Goodies found at the annual Johnson Family Xmas Eve Social. Made yearly w/o fail by my cousin Shari, these wee shortbread cookies (need to ween myself off 'wee'--still the Belfast in me) are just how I'd choose to take my veggies, were the choice mine to make. And heck, they're peas! Peas!
















What a pose, eh? Meet Cousin Patrick.













The notorious gift exchange. In past years it's meant all sorts of hurt feelings and wounded pride, but not so much these last few seasons. Were it last December I'd be inclinded to credit Cousin Casey's formally drafted 'rules,' but as the document never surfaced this go-'round, I'm left guessing. Pea and I came away w/ a fine set of knives, Trivial Pursuit Biographies, and a box of grahams--a sliver suggestive of a re-gift, but hey, at least we didn't walk w/ The Clapper.













The Eldes. At Dad's apartment, mid-afternoon Xmas Eve.
















Belongs w/ the other gift exchange exhibit. It's ol' Uncle Deaner, hammin' it up for the camera as he tears into his selection.
















Family portrait. Enough said.













I'm sorta not in cupcake review mode, so I'll cut to the chase: This one, another from Crumbs, tasted like a vanilla Hostess, w/ frosting light and fluffy. The cake part was of course better, and the mini M&Ms a nice touch, and I'm sure I'll partake again in the near future. Say, tonight.













Meet Holborn, newest addition to the fam. From where the name, you ask? Aw, I had to bring a little something back w/ me... So yeah, he's a dinosaur, plucked, quite naturally, from the Natural History Museum. As for family relations, the others seem tolerant, even accepting, although I have heard them going back and forth about how some of Holby's ideas seem a little outdated--even prehistoric. (Uh-huh!)
















Sad little tree, *festooned* w/ a few lights and a lone ornament.
















One neglected advent calendar. That's right--suddenly it was the 19th and windows 11 through 18 were still shuttered! Horrible! And the chocolate's even the good kind.













I did these. And these alone.
















Ours, ours, ours! Dig that chandelier?
















Closer.
















Freebie chair. So pretty!













Freebie art. Such talent!













Coolest TV stands ever. We've got four; eBay was kind. Also, note the handsome carpet. It's flecked w/ black, gray, blue, white, and cream.
















Get a load of that black flooring. Tiles, baby--installed by not me, but that one guy.













That's a Georges Braque print, picked up, quality frame and all, for 25 bones. While I like it, we'll eventually replace it w/ a larger, more colorful piece of art.
















At long last, a kitchen that doesn't make me cry. :)













I'll stop bragging now.

Posted by princess kanomanom @ 6:56 PM