saturday night's alright...

well it's definitely the holiday season...when you work retail this takes on a whole new meaning.
It's kinda weird to work at a place that's known the world over. Love Starbucks or hate Starbucks it's huge...a phenomenon if you will. You've got the customers that come everyday, or several times a day, once a week for a treat, or once a year when it gets cold outside and they catch a chill. Though I've worked there almost 3 years I never want to be "starbucks exclusive" or "starbucksfabulous."...it's kinda ghettofabulous to be starbucksfabulous...*laughs*
Few of us in Ablabama are fluent in Italian so I'm never like "VENTI? -insert hair flip-" in response to someone ordering a large...I can comprehend when someone orders a small and without making a confused facial expression, I just ring them up for a tall...it's all good.
This is the time of year when the line is almost always to the door, people take the wrong drink and start a domino effect of disaster, mothers are out shopping with their daughters and stop in to refuel, business owners buy 50 $20 gift cards while the customers behind them complain of the wait, skinny women insist they ordered non-fat while we gladly remake their drinks...it's inevitable that we'll run out of whip cream, eggnog, and gift card holders, drop a whole tray of cranberry bliss bars on the floor, spill dozens of drinks, and wear our Santa hats for the cheer party.
Our slogan last year was "it only happens once a year" and yes, thank God for that. Our slogan this year is "pass the cheer"...for me it's "pass the store-brand knock off Advil please."
And as Eric says..."Happy Non-Denominational Wintertime Holiday"

my back yard...

Is a glowing shade of yellow in the afternoon sun...
the way the sun hits this tree lights up the whole yard
this shot doesn't fully capture it but trust me...
it's breathtaking.

what I loved about this week...

Matt and I went to target to get a copy of Ratatouille...the kids had been counting down until release day.

I "walked in place" during my Oprah times. exercise is exercise right?

Shared some giggles with my daughter when she told me about her manners class and how the book said to always say "excuse me, yes sir, thank you ma'am."

I had several honest conversations, I didn't bottle up my feelings or ignore issues. Everything is better with communication.

I had a moment when I saw Abraham waiting for me in car-line...that boy stands out in a crowd.

I made soup on Wednesday afternoon...I loved chopping the veggies and how good my kitchen smelled while it was cooking.

I watched a comedy by myself and laughed till I cried.

I enjoyed Gunther this week...he is really calming down. We always remark how he uses his front paws like hands, he'll actually wrap them around my neck like he's giving me a hug.

I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon nap with Carlos...he slept way longer than me.

cullman...where best friends are made

here is Gunther looking like a one eyed gremlin.
He really is the best dog ever...ever ever!
*catchy title by Alexandria

hmmm...

airy windy day
all my thoughts may blow away
if I try to say
I'll just keep em' in my head
the phones ringing anyway
such a lovely lovely day
trees like burning red and yellow
the windows up
it's almost 3
times wasting...
wasting me.
memories entwine
I feel so inclined to find you.

willie and the and the cutest v.i.p.'s

the one and only Willie Nelson

no moment too great for Matthew's fake smile

willie braids

I wont let him grow up to be a cowboy

We had an amazing opportunity to attend a Willie Nelson concert the other night. My brother Josh tours with him and they stopped in Huntsville and he got us passes, he made us feel so welcome with the total VIP treatment.

I miss that gap tooth smile...

pimp my blog...

a big thanks Carlos for his creative efforts to make my page look better...

C~

it was nice sitting with you on the couch and working on it "together"...I'm starving, lets eat!

holls

randomly blogalicious...

I've made several hundred thousand lattes and I'm always so excited when the foam makes shapes (it's called "foam art") I can never do it when I'm trying but every now and then a perfect little design will appear...some people think it's childish to be so easily amused but the way I see it it's not every day I can go to an art gallery or frolic through the gardens but I can choose to see beauty in the small details and find joy in the many ways life is funny.

I went all the way (about 45 minutes) to Harvest, Alabama today to have in infamous Russell Moore cut my hair...we talked about the greater meaning of life and I chuckled at a few of the "russellisms" I come to expect, thank you Russell. I was driving back into Huntsville towards the direction of the mountains and as always I was struck by the beauty. Don't get me wrong...I don't love living in Huntsville but this place is beautiful and I don't see why so many prefer Madison...it's too flat and depressing.

Today is a textbook fall day...overcast, cool, and the colors are changing. I've opened several windows and thought seriously about sweeping the front walk :) If I didn't have to go to work it would be a perfect night for chili...speaking of work, it'll probably be busy since it's cool outside...lots of pumpkin spice lattes and caramel apple spices...I'm not dreading it though, I've been of since Friday and I feel ready to go back.

Next week I'm off to Charlotte, NC to have some quality time with the fam and celebrate my mom's 60th birthday...I'm debating if I should take Alexandria. One side of me says she shouldn't miss three days of school the other side says live a little. She got A's and two B's on her report card and she'll probably remember this trip forever. She'll get to see her Uncle James' & Aunt Jacki's house which is a vision to behold, meet her new baby cousin Vaida Rose, and be there for the party...what to do, what to do...

the sweetest boy ever...

birthday update...

I wanted to get a picture of Matt eating left over cake this morning...he was giving me the most ridiculous fake smiles and it all went down hill pretty fast...oh Matt how you entertain me.

"I just want to eat my cake!!!"

the cruise director...

I have always said that Alexandria should have been born with clip board and a headset...she is such a director (it runs in the family) from the time she was two she was always pretending to make lists and schedules etc. Lately, she has been writing us letters with certain requests or concerns...they are really very cute...although at times her overbearing side comes on a little too strong for the most part she is very funny. Here is a sample of a recent letter in her own words...

"Ok you know how the movie nights like never end well? And how the kids wanted to have one? Well the kids came up with this, everyone gets in the green room and watches a movie for Matthew the big boy's birthday and then every little angel will go to bed (without whining) after the movie PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE"