Kim and Ms. Coach

Kim came over yesterday afternoon--not for a cup of coffee, mind you, but a cup of her own Chai Tea complete with Chai flavored Coffee Mate that she herself brought over. (have Cream Crap, will travel...!) I have to say, it was a lovely way to spend a quiet, dreary afternoon.

Here she is sporting Ms. Coach. As soon as she whipped it over her shoulder she proceeded to strut around my living room with it on. I made her stop mid-strut for this photo. I'm glad she's not jealous about my new best friend. But we ladies have to all stick together, right?!

I have absolutely no New Year's plans, and you know, that's just fine. Just hanging out here with my family and Ms. Coach works for me. That's where the 'Metal' part of Metal Mommy definitely loses out to the 'Mommy' part--I can barely stay up until midnight any more. Pathetic! I mean, a cozy evening with friends is definitely a great thing, but being out at a crazy party with people drinking, acting stupid and puking just to say, "hooray!" when the clock strikes midnight is not my idea of a good time. Does anything special ever happen at midnight?! No. It's just another day. I will reflect on the old year in my own quiet way...by waking up on January 1st 2007 with no hangover, just a cup of coffee and high hopes that this new year will be just as great to me as 2006 has been.

Rudolph Goes to Arizona

How are you all doing with the holiday craziness? I'm doing quite well, I must say. I sort of enjoy the hustle-bustle of the season--probably because I'm an over-prepared Virgo who often has half of my list done way early and because we always just stay here for Christmas. Pretty easy. I will say I haven't baked hardly anything this year--one measly batch of Christmas Snickerdoodles and some Christmas Crunch--normally I do a few varieties of cookie and have them all on plates ready to give away. With Digby this year, I just haven't had the time. And you know, I don't feel the least bit guilty about it. Maybe that's yet another 40 thing? I don't know, but I like it!

One thing I've really been enjoying this Christmas is Sullivan's story-writing. His love of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer has inspired many an illustrated book. His latest depicts himself and Rudolph digging all the way to Arizona, even with me saying that I miss him. I am amazed as I see what he comes up with...in this story he actually draws a house on page after page, getting smaller and smaller as he gets farther and farther from it. How did he know about perspective like that?! His little mind never ceases to amaze me. At any given time I'll look in his room and see this sight...Sullivan working hard at his desk surrounded by paper. I love it.

Check out this lovely early Christmas gift I received from Lisa! Inspired by our trip to YUM Bakery I'm sure, she bought me a couple of these hand-blown glasses. (I could make a dirty joke here, I but I won't.) YUM serves coffee in them and also sells them at their shop. They keep the coffee nice and hot, but you don't feel it on your hands. They are the coolest! (no pun intended!) A definite gift recommendation for anyone on your list. Oooh, just lookit the steam coming off that cuppa Jo! Doesn't it just make you want some??