The night before it's back to work

broken promises again ...I am sorry. I really do have enough content to get us through 2 solid weeks and hopefully this coming week I will be able to schedule all of those for you. Keep staying tuned I will get them up...I promise...

Posting!!!

Well no pictures, because my wednesday was consumed with wrapping and today was consumed with cooking (yes I cooked!!! and it tasted good!!). So by writing this, I have A. Kept my promise and B. promise to write another on Saturday, definitely.

Merry Christmas!!!!

What... You Don't Believe Me?

I know I know. I promised you many many blogs. And I will renew my promise on Wednesday. From Wednesday night through Dec. 31st (that's an estimate), there will be a new blog up every day- I promise!

This time of year, things are so hectic...ok the past three months have been so hectic, I am sorry I am being a bad blogger!!!! I have lots of pictures and lots to share with you, so STAY TUNED!

A Sweet Suite!

Thanksgiving weekend was a whirlwind to say the least (see the two posts ago about the 18.75 hour drive!). Aaron and I headed to LA on a two leg trip. We left Wednesday night at 8:00 pm to miss the traffic, which was very successful. We slept over in Bakersfield, and then got up Thursday morning to make the second leg of the trip to Palm Springs. My cousin Matt is a manager at The Riviera Resort & Spa and hooked us up with a room we would have had to be king's to have had in any other life!!!! It was absolutely shocking and wonderful. Matt gave us the royal treatment for sure, complete with a bottle of Champagne and Fruit Plate!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Of course we almost immediately opened the champagne and had a glass! Matt showed us all around the resort, and gave us the first class service. His Belllman was outstanding, a really neat and grateful guy, who raved about Matt, which is not hard to do (definitely a hard worker- 4 days in a row Matt worked a 12 hour shift including that day).

Anyway, I proceeded run around the room taking pictures and begging Aaron to get in them, because I know how much mom likes "people in pictures". But I lost the battle....

We had such a fantastic time. We worked out in there gym, Aaron ate breakfast at their fabulous restaurant, and we watched (ok I fell asleep) a movie bed....oh yeah! And I took a bath awwwwhhhhh- the life!!! THANKS MATT! WE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME!!!!!

A Lot to be Thankful for

This past Thanksgiving Aaron and I headed down to LA to spend some time with my Dad's side of the family (we also had an alterior motive to see the APU girls as well- but more to come on that subject). We had such a great time with them as always, and to make our time down there even better, my cousin who is a Manager of The Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, hooked us up with a totally huge pad (see posting "A Sweet Suite"). The food was great and the company even better. Here are a few pictures from our fabulous Thanksgiving:

Tea for Two...

Finally, after almost a year, I took Erin for her 2008 Christmas present- Tea in the City! We went to lovejoys, which was quaint and delicious. Though our waitress was a little abrupt we still made the best of it. Erin and I don't venture out too much, so we started with regular English Breakfast tea, a drop of milk and two lumps of sugar. Our High tea consisted of four sandwich- Chicken Curry, Chicken Salad, Roast Beef with Horseradish, and finally hummus and ....oh dear... I think ham? Not sure. Erin did I miss something? Shoot! Oh well, close enough!

It also included a salad, two sugar cookies, and two raisin scones, served with "Strawberry Preserves" (smuckers strawberry jam Erin noticed while peeking into the kitchen on her way to the bathroom) and Double Devon Cream (also from a jar). If you wanted extra preserves or cream they charged you like 2.00 or something ridiculous. HAHA!

We finished the luncheon off with Afternoon Darjeeling tea, which was light and lovely. We had such a good time!!

Before we took tea we did a little shopping in the City. It was supposd to be some Christmas shopping, but quickly turned selfish as we both pretty much cleaned up. Erin bought a great coat and something else at H&M which was premiering the one time, exclusive release of Jimmy Choo designed clothing, foot wear, hand bags and accessories. We watched like patrons at a circus as the people went crazy for the stuff and like it was a food drop in a Somali village. I mean seriously these people were crazy! We were like "it's still too expensive for us too buy". $300.00 for a handbag, $60 for a belt.... I don't think so. Some girls let us look through the things they didn't want. Somehow I got stuck holding a hand bag and a belt. I looked at two girls going through their treasures and asked if they wanted either of the items in my hand, they declined but some guy took the belt. Then I took the 300.00 bag up to the counter and decided to ask one more time to another group of people if they wanted it. They also declined, but some other girl at the check out overheard me, whipped around (seriously) and litterally without looking at the bag screamed at me "I WANT IT, I WANT IT!!!!!!!!" I was like "ooookkkk it's yours" Erin and I had good laugh over that one! hahahahahaah!

After shopping and tea, we got a call from Erin's parents who happened to be volunteering with the Eagle Scouts in the city and invited us to dinner at Bucca Di Beppos. Great family style Italian food and HUGE beers! I was driving so I wasn't able to finish mine, but Erin gulped hers down, sucking dry the bottom....just kidding!! hahah!

All in all we had a really great day together. A much needed day together!!! It's amazing how old fartish we are all getting. Working takes a lot out of you, and the weekends aren't much better. Is there anywhere that believes in 3 day weekends every weekend, cuz I could really use that extra day to stay up with Friends like Erin, and get my other stuff done too!!!!!

Pooped!

19- Number of hours we spent in the car this weekend

3- Number of places we spent the night this weekend

9- Number of people out our Thanksgiving table

6- Number of people Staying in Shauna’s new house

2- Number of completely pooped people from a long “vacation”

….More to come

Oh Baby!

I would like to officially declare this a Baby Boom!

One of my best friends from college, who was married to one gorgeous hunk last October, has just informed me that she is pregnant~!!!! Megan is 8 weeks along and is due in early July (right around her Own Brithday!) We are all so excited for her and Aaron (Yes, another aaron!!!)

In most people's books , I was next on the list for an upcoming pregnancy, but like I have told you all, Don't hold your breath!
Thanks Meg for taking the spotlight off me for a while, I am so excited to celebrate YOUR pregnancy!

Love Kristin

The Blind Side

Just got back from seeing this movie! WOW!!!!! What a fabulous movie. If you have the chance to go see it, you must! I loved everything about this movie, but most of all I love that it is about real people. I identify a lot with Sandra Bullock's role, and only hope that my heart could be half as big as both Michael's and Leigh Ann's.

This is must see- Two unequivocal Thumbs Up!

Play by Play While You Pee - Advertising Age - MediaWorks Idea of the Week

Play by Play While You Pee - Advertising Age - MediaWorks Idea of the Week

For a more in-depth look at this Idea of the Week and other case studies, visit Ad Age and CMDglobal's Inspiration site.

Canadian sports radio station AM640 wanted to promote its live commentary of ice hockey games. To show fans how exciting audio can be, it installed a poster over a urinal that provides commentary of the person doing their business.

The radio station targeted a toilet it knew would be full of ice hockey fans -- the one at Air Canada Bowl. When a fan approached, an excitable commentary lifted from an ice hockey game -- but one equally applicable to taking a pee -- began to play. Lines such as "He's approaching the bowl" played in an audio clip culminating with an ecstatic cry of satisfaction from the commentator.

~ ~ ~
CMDglobal.com is the world's only creative-media resource. In addition to a searchable archive of the best media campaigns from across the globe, it includes articles and analysis on trends and best practices for media strategists.

Thank you to Adage for always impressive articles!!!

Aweeee.... Isn't He Cute!

Tonight we had dinner at Pop's house with Davina, David and Kenny....and of course, Pop! Yummy flank steak, German garlic potato chips, Salad and Guac set our table! For desert we had warm apple pie A-La-Mode and Kenny made Eggnog Ice cream Cookie sandwich. MMMMMMM It was so yummy and filling that Aaron had to take nap on Davina's Floor, so she tucked him in with the stuffed puppy, and bunny and a nice warm blanky! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Revisiting Halloween

Here is the Halloween that you haven't seen yet!

Our work put out a call to dress up, and though not too

many of our employees did, a few of us heard the call loud and clear! I was having a hard time figuring out what I was going to wear, so Thursday my coworker sent me home with two bags of costumes that her daughter (about my size and age) had kindly leant out to me. I found a great greek costume for both aaron and I to wear, but for a "work" atmostphere, I felt it was a little too revealing, so I was back to square one.

I dove in to our spare closet to see what I could find from my past halloweens and one by one I tried on every costume and stretch of a costume I could come up with from Army Chick to Indian Girl to Go Go dancer, and one by one I elimated the outfits as ei

ther too risque or too tight that I could not fit my self into it (gogo dancer, can-can girl, fairy- each more and more depressing as I realized just how much weight I have gained and how sickening'ly skinny I once was- dang I wish I had that body again!). So what did I end up with? Well the only thing that Really fit me....my Grandmother's Authentic 1984 L.A. Olympics Staff Jog Suit, by Levi's! If you couldn't already pick me out of a crowd, you sure wouldn't miss me now in this BRIGHT ORANGE & YELLOW Outfit. Hey, I made it work, and everyone loved it....not to mention it was totally comfortable, so there!

Ohhhhhhhhhhh...... You want to see Aaron and I in our Toga's? Well....... fine! Here you go!

(*Top Picture From Left to Right:

Diana- 80's Girl, Me- LA Olympic Staff, TC- Gypsy, Sarah- Sailor, Cxeng W/Charmie Dog- Clown, Robyn-Flapper Girl, Becky-Alice in Wonderland, Elena- The Travelocity Roaming Nomb!)

Happy Birthday Sean-Tay!

Two weekends ago we celebrated Sean T's 28th Birthday (man we are getting old!!!) He only had two requests. One was that we go to this brewing store and look into some brewing stuff so that he could brew his own beer like Aaron. We all walked out of there with one Honda Civic Trunk load of stuff! Aaron got a Pony Keg (google it if you don't know what it is), and Sean got a whole brewing kit and a Blonde Ale recipe. He and Aaron are going to set a date to brew another batch of beer (Aaron has completed one full batch and is waiting on a CO2 system to keg his second batch). I think Nate is now going to get in on this ....looks like we have our selves a regular Cheers! in the works!!!!
After we left the Brew Store, we met up with Erin & Nate, Andrew & Cassandra and Adam & Nicole at Speiskammer, and authentic german restaurant in Alameda. The food was DELISH! The staff was totally nice and accommodating and there was even a live band there! We had such a good time, eating good German food and drinking Great German Beer! This is definitely a place we will have to go back to, and next time take Davina (our German friend/family member)!


Nate & Erin...............................Adam & Nicole

Me & Aaron................................Erin & Sean

Erin & Sean.............................Andrew & Cassandra

A Dinner with the Kipp's

So Now we are going to head back a week and touch on the great night we had the Kipp.'s! Mike and Jos had us over for a great dinner (as always) and Aaron held the Baby practically the whole time....sounds like someone has the baby itch....good thing it is not me ! hahahaha!

Here are some great pictures of the night a great video of Justice showing off his Darth Vader (sorry I couldn't get it to flip) costume for us! Hilarious!

A Video to Laugh at...

So, I will admit that some in this video were slightly intoxicated (not me), but for the most part we were all sober (not Nate or Mikey) and just feelin' the music! Enjoy this great 3 minute or so video....

2 weeks of posts coming!

Well...at the very least I suck at this blogging thing. When I first started this over a year ago, I was really good at posting everyday, now you are lucky if you get something every couple of weeks. But you have to admit that when I get some content I stretch it out right!? So we have had two VERY full, consecutive weekends, and this week you will hear all about them, starting with Halloween. SWEET!

Every year, I host a halloween party at Mikey's house. Really it's his party, but I run it cuz he is not too good at planning....and needless to say, that is one of my strengths. So this saturday marked the Third Annual Halloween Party, and it wouldn't have been complete without a Costume Contest and a NEW trophy! Though Aaron and I dressed up in cute Roman Outfits, we weren't the winners... (no real big surprise when you see what we were up against!). The winner's were our four friends Mikey (Host), Eliot, Gene & Eric. The fantastic four dressed as the crew from the movie The Hangover. There costume was hilarious and right on! Mikey even drove around with the baby (a CPR baby from Eliot's work) all day and had a couple of Cops give him some double takes.

The runner up was Nate, dressed as a cop from Reno 911 a hilarious show on Comedy Central. He and Erin made his costume, we all thought he bought it from a party store, but it was not so.

All in all the costumes were a hit with the Taylors being Mormons, Erin S. a vampire, Jill as Tinkerbell, and much much more! I can't wait until next year to see the great costumes that everyone comes up with!

P.S. Stay Tuned for a GREAT video tomorrow, from the party!

A New Addtion!

WOW! It is hard to believe that two years ago Jessi had Sienna and now she has given birth to a new little boy! Introducing Jonah Anthony Shaefer! What a cutie! Jonah and Mommy are healthy and happy, and Big sis and Dad are taking good care of them too! Hooray!

Kings Cup Rules....

The other night we all went over to Kaitlin's place (Paul's Fiancee) to hang out and meet one of her best friends from college. I got freakin sucked in to Kortney & Khole Do Miami (Erin S.'s fault- completely) while everyone else played a friendly (haha) game of Kings Cup (a card game). I am not sure who it was, but one of the girls (I believe) was the King (???- Dear god I really don't know what I am talking about!). Anyway they got to make a "Rule" and the rule was the last person out had to wear a Tecate Beer Box on their head for the whole turn or until someone else was the last person out (Erin is this game actually called A$$ hole?). So the box went around the table, but I think that Erin S wore it the most...and did we hear about it! I was in the other room and I could hear her frustrated outbursts! hahahaha!!!! Anyway, here are some great pictures from that night!

Nate.........................................Matt

Erin S.