Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, David!  Hope it was wondrous!

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, Mom!  Hope it was wonderful (and the jet lag leaves quickly).

Happy New Year!

It's a new year yall.  Hope there's a great start and a strong finish.  To 2010!

Overheard

Part of a conversation between the oldest niece and nephew (9 and almost 9-yrs-old):

"That was in the 1900s... before we were even born." -N

Skunked!

In the game of cribbage a 'skunk' is when you get two corners ahead of your opponent.  In our family, we have a small figurine of a skunk that is kept in the possession of whoever was skunked last.  This skunk is mainly kept between me and my mom by this point, but my sister and I play a lot now, so two years ago my sister printed out and framed a picture of a skunk to pass between us.  I had seen and commented on the skunk at every visit, but had no idea what it was really for until a few nights ago when she skunked me for the first time in two years.

I made a vow not to leave with the picture and last night, my vow was fulfilled.  I had died one point away from turning the corner and I killed her in exactly the same fashion.  The skunk has been returned to it's rightful place on top of the piano and all is as it should be.  Of course, my sister will be out for revenge and of course, anything can happen, but for the time being, the skunk is hers.

The final board:

The skunk back where it belongs:

If you want to see what my sister had to say when she won look here.  As for me, the tables have been turned.  That is all.

 

Shopping and Frog Juice and Other Diversions

This year's Christmas adventures began with a trip to College Station to pick up my mother and take her to Waco where we had a wedding to attend.  Mom had been back for a week and staying with my sister Rachel in Houston.  We had agreed to meet halfway, so that neither one of us had to drive excessively far in a single day.  The wedding was simple, but very lovely and followed by a trip back to College Station for the night.

Sunday was church and hang out in College Station, then Monday was the trek to Houston.  We had the afternoon and evening with just Rachel's family, then around 9:00 my sister Julie's family arrived.  There will be a few more on Christmas evening, but the stats at the moment are 6 children in the single digits (4 months to 9 years) and 6 adults.  The kids generally get along and there are enough people and activities that they are fairly content (although we are certainly not lacking in tantrums).  Rachel's new house is filled with air mattresses, toys and games (frog juice is a card game), and piles of shoes.  There is of course the occasional game of musical cars as teams are picked for the last minute shopping.  

I've already been called "Rachel" more times than I can count, especially by Julie's husband and the middle niece.  How often has she been called "Sarah?"  Zip.

So the last couple of days I've been immersed in the standard family meyhem, but I love seeing everyone again.  Even if they don't know who I am.

Evelyn

THIS JUST IN:  First time meeting the new niece :)