Show & Tell

Finally ... Holiday Pictures! I intended to put together a swanky slideshow, but
computer troubles have kept that possibility at bay. I'll settle for more of a "Show & Tell" experience.

Christmas 2008 ... and awaaaaay we go!!!!!


For whatever reason, I truly believe this is one of the best pictures ever taken in our family's history. There is no better way to say it, it just warms my heart. The mantel, the stockings ... makes me feel like a little girl for some reason. I had to blow it up and frame it in my bedroom. I just couldn't help myself. The stockings are, in order: Aunt Kay, Crystal, Melanie, Corinne, Scott, Me, Mark, Ami, Norbert, Mom, and Aunt Charlotte. More will be added as our family "officially" continues to grow and expand.

This brings me to be what I am certain has to be the CUTEST darn picture EVER taken, in anyone's history! The term for what The Tiny One is in is called a "bunting." (I think that is proper spelling.) My mom and Aunt Kay bought it for her, and I have to say ... money well spent! I could look at that little precious munchkin star all day long.

While the holiday did pretty much center around the new arrival, we did manage to pull ourselves together enough to do the rest of our traditional holiday events ... food, games, food, talking, food, laughing, food, drinking, and more food. ;) This one is my sis (whom I miss SO MUCH) and I about to sit down to a rather large Christmas Day Dinner.

We also exchanged (way too many) gifts. The two below are of my mom getting some beautiful BLING from Norbert (she looks totally excited), and the three of us (Norbs, me, and mom) surrounded by our respective piles of presents on Christmas Eve.





We played some card games, too! The pictures below are from the Rec Room table. The first is of Mark and his significant other, Chrissy. The second is again of Norb, Moms, and myself.





Then we stared at the baby some more ... pay close attention to the writing on her top. Hilarious! Crystal bought this for her, but I think it could be used to encompass BOTH of Corinne's aunts. (*wink, wink*)

Then we stared a little more ... Corinne as Princess Leia in the top, and even her melting Norbert's heart on the bottom:





The chicanery was far from over, however. Mark pulled a lovely stunt and showed up as Norbert, complete with his own knickers! (HA! I LOVE IT!) A little background: every holiday (or special family event) Norbert shows up in his "traditional" garb from Germany. We all get a big kick out of it, Mark especially. One trip to Savers, and behold! Greatness.

Since it was our first Christmas in very, very many to have three generations of our family present, we decided to mark it with some family photos. I believe these were taken on Christmas night. The first is of all the ladies, the second is just of the girl cousins, the third is of all of my cousins.







I took this one because it is literally staggering to me how much my mom and Aunt Charlotte look alike each and every year. They all, mom, Charlotte, and Kay look so much like my grandma: it's so amazing how that happens. Truly beautiful women.

This one is of my dad and his girlfriend, Karen, making a fruit salad on Christmas morning. It was the first year Karen was with us, but I get the feeling it won't be the last. (She's from New Orleans and a lot of fun!) My dad's happy, and that makes me happy.

The ENTIRE fam ... minus one, extremely important part. ;) They took this one on the Saturday evening after I left. Uncle David and Cousin Ami couldn't make it until that morning, and I had to get out of town after breakfast that morning to make it back to Austin before the deer on the sideroads became hazardous that evening. I love the picture! My mom has devised a plan to Photoshop me in as if I am sitting on the floor under Norbert. I think it's a brilliant idea!

And, finally, the last two! The first of the last is of Corinne and I, spending some very important and bonding nap time together. (Well, she was napping, I was talking with Crystal, my mom, Kay, and Char.) She positively melts into you when you hold her, and I was happy as could be. The second is of me, apparently taken by me, because I am a progressively huge nerd. (No new news there!)






There you have it, my holiday in a nutshell! (Believe it or not, I have about 50 or so more pictures I could show ... I'll spare everyone.)

I wish that EVERY week could be like that Christmas week. I will admit, I have been experiencing rather severe symptoms of Holiday/Family Withdrawal since leaving. I'm sure it will pass, but I so very much do wish that we could all be together a lot more often. Who knows ... maybe one day we will all be able to do just that! In the meantime, I'll just get my fixes whenever I can.

Lunar Event Tonight

Check out this article, and go outside at sunset tonight.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28581233/?GT1=43001

Biggest and brightest full moon of the year!

Rich stalkers, read up!

Okay, it's officially official ... I miss my laptop!!! It’s a little like cutting off a limb. I carted that thing EVERYWHERE!

If I have any wealthy admirers out there reading this, now would be the optimum time to do something truly creepy like send me an anonymous gift in the form of a MacBook. I’d only be wigged out for a few seconds, then I’d just squeal … a lot. ;)

Happy Hump Day!

(Applications are so very near finished. Can't complain about that.)

Bananas

Well, my laptop has a virus. A big, nasty, blocking-out-Norton-entirely-and-making-my-life-hell VIRUS! Ugh. I'm annoyed.

Thank goodness for the desktop Mac that was donated to me a few months ago (the one I am currently using), or I could be screeeeewed.

Applications for Master's programs are very near complete. I am a bit too OCD about my personal letters, papers, and presentation of supplementary materials, or the things would have been sent long ago.

Still, there's something to be said for taking pride in your work. Let's all just hope it assists in getting me where I want (and, really, need) to be this coming Fall.

There's lots more I could talk about, but right now, I think I should go check the laundry. Work starts up again tomorrow, and there is much to be done. My to-do list is insanity.

Oh, but it is 2009!! Holy moly, I can barely believe it. I still need to solidify my resolutions. (Yeah, yeah, yeah ...) Add it to the list!!!

Of course, of course ... Happy New Year to you all! Hope it's "better than the last," even if the last wasn't all that bad. :)

Slacker!

Yes, I know! I'm horrible. I don't EVER write on this thing anymore, and that is the one thing I actually intended to do daily (well, that, and shower and brush my teeth and stuff) from now until whenever.

I do have a good excuse over the last few weeks, though. My stitched finger makes typing a HUGE nuisance! I mean, it's borderline hair-pulling. Thankfully, the stitches are out and all is healing very well. The scar will be gnarly for a while, but that's life. My left middle finger now has massive amounts of character. That's right ... character. I will set it off smashingly with the silver, chunky Tiffany ring my cousin, Crystal, bought me for Christmas.

So, today I am putting away Christmas presents and trying to organize the chaos that is our spare bedroom. As we don't have room for all of our combined furniture, 2 couches, a bed, a desk, and tons and tons of boxes are precariously placed throughout the room. It needs some work.

I do also need to add some pictures from Christmas. I'll do that tomorrow, most likely. But ... yes ... I AM AN AUNT!!!!!!!!!! (Melanie, not Colee ... so, I'm technically a second-cousin. We don't like that, though, because I was raised with Mel and Crystal and Mark. So, Aunt Sarah, it is!!)

I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Corinne Marie Timmons - aka - Rinny

Stitches

No move is complete without a little drama to bring excitement. Yesterday, I slipped with scissors and filleted my left middle finger. It was nasty, and stitches are a bit less than fun. I am definitely okay, but everything I do is awkward. (Never knew how much I used my left hand ... typing is very odd.)

Oh, and if I feel at all inclined to "shoot the bird" at any point in the next 10 days, it'll be a BIG statement!!

13 days until Christmas ... I seriously need to get on top of my shopping, like, today. It's a must. I might buy myself some kiddie cutters while I'm out and about. You know, the ones that have the blade guard. I can't risk losing function of any of my other 9 digits at this present juncture. ;)

Stay warm, be cool, and watch out with those scissors!!!

Happy Holidays!!

My, oh my ...

It's been a crazy month, and I have been severely slacking in my correspondence efforts!

Quick updates:

- Thanksgiving was AWESOME! Alex's mom met us in Lubbock and our mom's met for the first time. They seemed to hit it off and get along really, really well, so that is very good news. We spent the better part of a week hanging out at the house, eating, drinking, and being merry. Alex and I were able to break away from the family forum and partake in the Tech vs. Baylor game with Kala and Justin on the Saturday following Turkey Day. Blast! Cold ... but definitely fun.

- The day after we got home (Sunday), we were given the go-ahead to move into our new apartment. This one is just Alex and I, as Melissa is moving to Fort Worth to live with her boyfriend. Needless to say, things were a little hectic last week. The movers came for my things on Thursday, and Alex's storage unit on Saturday. Until yesterday, we were living in total disarray.

- We put up a Christmas tree!!!! Yes, it was the first thing we "unpacked." I think it was up before our clothes were even in our dresser drawers. :) We need to get to work on our "non-generic" Christmas ornament situation, but it's ours and it is beautiful!

- Today, I am finishing up the unpacking, running to random stores for essentials you don't carry over between apartments (scrubbers, trash cans, etc), doing laundry, and trying to get some studying in for the GRE. (I can't believe it's already 10 days until I take that nasty thing!)