Decorating for Christmas 2016.

Same pictures, different venue.  My first decorating experience in the new condo.  I almost didn't buy a tree (the old tree was Emily's).  I had decided that I would wait until after Christmas and get a tree when it was on clearance.  But then the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Target had all their trees 50% off.  So, meet my new tree:

I also had to "make do" with half the lights because Emily and I split them.  I only know one way to decorate a tree, and I was a little afraid that I was going to have to decorate and de-decorate a few times because I thought I would run out of lights before I got to the top.  But, lo and behold, I managed to have one strand left over the first time!

And I may have watched all four episodes of Gilmore Girls both Saturday and Sunday.  I'd give a sheepish look, but I was on vacation, so I didn't really feel sheepish.  Saturday I watched with Daynah, Lydia, Hayden, and Emily (for the last two episodes).  Committed to watching with no distractions.  Sunday, Kinsey came over to watch and I decorated and watched at the same time.  Emily was here to help with lights and also watched the first two episodes, which she has missed the day before.  Don't judge! :)

Pretty, twinkly lights.  The tree is a little lopsided.  I couldn't figure out how to fix that. But it's still beautiful with lights and ornaments!

The other decorations had to find new places too.  The kitchen got some plates, glasses, and a Charlie Brown display.

Mom brought this small tree when she came for Thanksgiving (remember, I wasn't going to have a tree, so she wanted me to have something).  And then she left it, so I put it in the corner of the dining room.

Usually these decorations go on a bookshelf in the old living room, but the bookshelf is not downstairs anymore, so I used the new entertainment center instead!  Worked like a charm.

My new birds that I bought when I got my tree because I thought they were ADORABLE!

My 2015 ornament from Mom.  The new ornament always gets hung first. (Hanged?  I am never sure which is grammatically correct.)

Aunt Kathy bought this ornament for me as a housewarming present.  The snowman is even holding a key!

And there you have it, Christmas 2016 is up and running in the new condo!

Thanksgiving 2016

 This Thanksgiving I got volunteered to host the family meal.  I was a little skeptical at first, I'll admit.  Chris, Ann, and Mom couldn't host because they don't have a fully functioning kitchen.  So, I had a kitchen, and got named as the best place to host.  Even though I had no table, no door on one bedroom, no bed in another bedroom, and no curtains on one set of bedroom windows.  But I went to work.  I got a door, got a bed, ordered a table, didn't get the table in time, borrowed a table, borrowed a table cloth to cover the table, and was ready to host.  Phew!  Here are pictures in no particular order, mostly because I couldn't figure out how to put them in order!

 I decided I needed a centerpiece, so this is what I came up with. Yes, I crafted it myself!  I was impressed, too!

 And then I got the guest rooms ready.  An air mattress for the boys.  And the new guest bed for Chris and Ann.  Mom slept in my room with me.

 We played games a lot.  which is wonderful!  Also, note that we decided there would no dressing up this Thanksgiving.  Four out of six of us stayed in our pajamas and may or may not have showered.  I taught Michael how to play Uno.  We played Blokus and Sorry, and did puzzles (lots and lots of puzzles).  And Ann and I played Scattegories.

 The table is set!

 Right as we began to prepare food, Michael thought it would be a fun idea to line up all of his trucks between the kitchen and dining area.  We adjusted.  No serious injuries happened.

 John did a dot to dot.  It made me happy.

 Meet Fred (left) and Buster (right).  I've had Buster since I was in high school.  John has had Fred since before that.  Just kidding, he got Fred sometime in the last 9 years.  We had no idea they were long lost cousins.  Actually, I had an idea because I told John about Buster the first time I met Fred, but no one else remembered that!  Buster and Fred hung out all during Thanksgiving.

 Ann promised Chris that she wouldn't post this picture on social media.  But I did not.  Chris did not want his picture taken because of the whole pajama/no shower thing.

 The food ready to be consumed!

 Chris: the official turkey carver.

 John and Michael really got into helping with the food prep.  Above: Making mashed potatoes.  Below: Learning how to peel carrots.

 I love the sincerity on John's face and the goofiness on Michael's face!

 Another picture from Uno.  I just wanted everyone to know that I was enjoying myself, since the other pictures looked questionable.  Also, by John is Shoot the Moon, a game we played as kids at Grandma and Grandpa Forsberg's that Mom got for me one Christmas.  The boys enjoyed trying to master it.

 The boys way of helping make Jello mold: sampling before it goes into the fridge!

And helping to stir a little bit!

My first hosting of any holiday ever.  I feel like it was a great success!  Especially since hosting did not include cooking the turkey, just buying it! :)

July in Christmas

You know, instead of Christmas in July?  I was going to blog about Thanksgiving and decorating the Christmas tree, and I realized how far I am in blogging.  For instance, this never made the blog. And it's a tradition, so how could I have forgotten!!!  Mine and Hudson's annual photo shoot.  Just 6 months late, no big deal!

Funny Client Conversations

I haven't posted funny client stories in a really long time.  But today's two conversations tickled me and I want to remember them.

I picked up my 7 year old client this morning (he was out of school for Veteran's Day)
Client: Is today Saturday?
Me: No, it's Friday.
Client: I thought you said you were coming on Saturday.
Me: No, I don't work on Saturday.
Client: You WORK??? (Said with extreme shock and dismay)
Me (trying to keep a straight face): Yep, that's what I'm doing right now.  Working. (All the while very confused and thinking, "You think I just drive around and pick up random kids all day for the fun of it?!")

Fast forward to when we get to the office.
Client: How old are you?
Me: How old do you think I am?
Client: Are you older than a frog?
Me (slight pause since that was not the answer I was expecting): How old are frogs?
Client: Two.
Me: Do you think I'm older than two?
Client: Well, I'm older than two.
Me: Ummhmmm.
Client: So, how old are you?
Me: How old do you think I am? (All the while thinking, I'm not telling you how old I am, kid!)
I never got an answer.  I never answered.  Good therapy?  Who knows.  It was Friday--cut me some slack!