The Santa Tea at Feathernesters

If any of my readers are from Richmond, Virginia, they already know about the Legendary Santa (the REAL Santa!) who was at Miller & Rhodes Department Store for so so many years.... This was where my parents took me and Matt to have lunch with Santa in the "Tea Room" for all of our childhood. All of my aunts and my Grandmas would go too.. There was Eddie Weaver who played the Organ, and the beautiful Snow Queen, and "Bruce the Spruce" (the talking Christmas Tree)...and there was an "act" every year that involved Santa drinking his big glass of milk in a couple gulps and his story about how Rudolph made a special cake for us all to enjoy...and we'd all go running to a big table to get a piece of "Rudolph Cake." And never fail - my Mom and aunts would all cry at the "magic" of it all. I thought they were crazy.

That tradition ended many years ago when Miller & Rhodes closed... They have moved "Legendary Santa" to several different locations throughout the city, but it's never been the same.

Well, a fabulous little gift/coffee shop near my house has started the tradition again... and we went today. What a wonderful, wonderful thing.

They brought back THE Santa. The one *I* used to see. He must be in his 90's easily. So he's not exactly the "bowl full of jelly" Santa anymore...but I don't care. They also brought back THE Snow Queen - she was the Snow Queen from 1970 - 1991 so I know I saw her.... They even had Rudolph Cake.

It was such a wonderful event and surely a "new" tradition for Stella.

AND my Mom and Aunts cried. Just like old times.

FOUR THINGS

From my cousin Amy...

Four things about me that you may or may not have known in no particular order.

1 Four jobs I have had in my life:

-At King Dominion for 2 summers (schleped pizza at that place next to the swings)
-Receptionist at Memories Day Spa in Banner Elk (Courtney and Ashley had to take me and pick me up because I didn't have a car. Bless your hearts.)
-Front Desk Clerk at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center in Boone, NC (worked nights through college)
-Sales and Catering at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Richmond, VA

2. Four movies I've watched more than once:

-A Christmas Story!
-Hope Floats
-Natural Born Killers
-Friday

3. Four places I have lived:

-Mechanicsville, VA
-Banner Elk, NC
-Midlothian, VA
-Richmond, VA

4. Four T.V. Shows that I watch:

-Grey's Anatomy
-Oprah
-Project Runway
-Private Practice

5. Four places I have been:

-Hollywood, CA (best friend lives there...)
-Manhattan (gay boyfriend lives there...)
-San Antonio, TX (for work...loved it there!)
-West Palm Beach, FL (for work again...stayed at the PGA Resort and never left the grounds!)

6. People who e-mail me (regularly):

-Cousin Amy
-EdogErika
-Ashley
-Cyndy

7. Four of my favorite foods

-Chocolate anything
-Cheesy anything
-Mexican Food - esp burritos
-Really good, cold, chopped salads

8. Four things I like to do:

-Scrapbook
-Read magazines in bed
-Shop
-Eat out

9. Four places I would rather be right now:

-At home. Working on the 50 million things on my to-do list.
-Shopping
-Somewhere vacation-y... mountains, beach, etc...
-In my waterbed. I love that place.

10. Four friends I think will respond (put this on your blogs!):

-Kim K.
-Chris (if she can stop puking from M.S. HAHA! ..not funny)
-Melanie
-Choo!!

11. Things I am looking forward to next year (in no particular order)

-Getting more Scrapbooking done at my monthly Open Houses
-Taking my health seriously and getting off my a$$
-Getting a better family routine down for weeknights
-Getting my raise in March!!!

This morning, on my way to work...

...I was behind a car at a stoplight. The ENTIRE back windshield was covered with a custom made sticker (or maybe it was airbrushed on?) It said:

*Hillary 4 President
*Oprah 4 Vice President
*Sharon 4 Personal Assistant

You can not make this shit up.

So I tried to pass her to get a good gawk at this "Sharon" since I assumed she was the driver of the vehicle. And that's when I notice she had giant MAGNET signs made for her doors (like the ones realtors use) that said the same thing!

I am going to make one that says:

Dear Sharon,

Stop it.

Sincerely,
Stephanie

P.S. Tomorrow the camera will be ready...just incase I get accausted with that view again.

Hair Metal, Chorography, and Umbrella Strollers

You know it's going to be a good day when on your ride to work you hear "Unskinny Bop" by Poison IMMEDIATELY followed by "If" by Janet Jackson. I choreographed the most awesome dance in my head to that song. In my own head, I am quite the dancer.

Here's an e-mail from my Mom (sent to me and Toby, Dad, Matt, and Kristen in Mexico.) As you can imagine, I nearly wet my pants laughing.

Hola Familia (did you like that, Kristen -- I'm learning so much from Dora the Explorer),

I just thought I would fill you all in on our day so far. Today, I had a "lengthy" hair appointment at noon & was a little concerned because it is our lunch time. Not only that, but nap time is immediately after lunch. I knew this appt. would take at least 1-1/2 hrs. I also had not bought a Christmas gift for my stylist, so Stella & I took off for the VCC vicinity to pick up a gift. We used the new umbrella stroller for the first time today. Everything was fine until "Neh Neh" had an armful of goodies from Bed, Bath & Beyond (didn't have a basket because I was pushing Stella in the stroller).

I looked & Stella had bent over too far & had gone head first onto the floor. She never made a peep, but I panicked & my pocketbook hit the display of mugs knocking one onto the floor. Somehow, I managed to pull Stella back up into the stroller without dropping everything in my arms. I picked up the mug, saw no breaks so I put it back on the display. We picked up a Christmas gift for Sasha while in BB&B also. It's a cute little gingerbread man for Sasha to chew on. Well, a certain little girl has taken quite a liking to it (even though it does have "Wish Bone" in big letters on the front).

After walking from BB&B back to Barnes & Noble where the car was parked, we took off for Salon Nirvana in Mechanicsville. I packed Stella a lunch of peanut butter & jelly, a Nutri-Grain bar & a few other things. She was really good during this long appt. (the food helped -- she's certainly related to me), but I couldn't really relax because I felt I had to entertain her the whole time so she wouldn't get antsy. Everyone there seems to love it when Stella comes in, but I feel so bad because we dumped cheerios all over the floor & Stella had smeared some peanut butter all over Angela's mirror.

Anyway, the appt. is over, the roots are now covered & all is well with the world....

Hope everyone's day is going well. Christmas is only 2 weeks away, and there is still so much to do, but the important thing is that we'll all be together! That's good enough for me....

Love,
Sandie/Mom
xxoo

P.S. Note to Stella's "Mama & Da-da": After today's mishap with the umbrella stroller, I may want to use your stroller with the shoulder straps until Stella is strong enough to pick herself up. She really did go right over onto the floor. I was so glad we weren't outside on concrete.....

Look out, Jimmy Choo!

Stella has designed a new pair of high heels - and wears them all the time, people!

Happy Friday.

So a manager just "slipped" and said:

So I hear you are going to get a lot of new responsibilities when "B" goes on Maternity Leave in February!

I can't remember if I posted on here about my job woes the past few months. It's been a pretty big deal.

Here is a quick summary in a bullet list:

• Fed up with job. Seven years as an Admin is enough.
• Searched for jobs and sent out resumes
• Called by very large Law Firm for a job interview
• Called back for 2 interviews
• Felt angst about leaving my current company (worried about benefits, etc.)
• GREAT discussion with my boss and HIS boss...major support from both
• Turned down law firm offer (I am happy with that decision.)
• I don't want to LEAVE current company; just need "more."
• Assured that bosses do not want me to leave company - "What can I do to help you?"
• Heard about internal position that would be perfect fit; and a promotion!
• Was told that my name would be given to the department that is "hiring"
• Keep asking for updates and keep getting "still haven't made decision about filling the position yet"

So I guess people have been talking "behind the scenes." Instead of giving me a better job with more responsiblitiy at a higher grade with more money, they are going to give me SHIT work from someone else's job (she's a lower admin than I am) while she's on leave for NO money WHILE continuing to do my current job - the job I almost quit! I want to get AWAY from Admin work. How many times do I have to tell people? How many more projects do I have to ROCK before they see I can DO IT?

I am SO ready for a glass of wine.

And I am SO having one when I get home. Where I will sit in my reclined and watch my daugher run around the living room like an Octapus, grabbing everything she is not supposed to....and watch her shake her head "no" before she does it anyway. And hear her say "Mote?" as she hands me the remote that she has pushed all the buttons and reset our TV to the point of no return.

Because with her, I never feel underappreciated or undervalued.

To her, I am THE WORLD.

And this place can suck it.

Remember me?

Finally. An update.

The Backyardigans are dancing and singing behind me and Stella is perched in her highchair eating banana bread (that I sort of burnt - dang it!) and banannas. Her version of Heaven.

So anyway, lots going on here lately. I guess it all started a few weeks ago (Right around my NYC trip) when Toby got a cold and lovingly passed it along to Stella and to me...and this crap has lasted and won't go away!! I haven't been able to breathe for weeks. Stella is better now - she had a true cold for 10 days - and then Mom took her to the Doc on Monday before Thanksgiving just to make sure she was actually getting better and that her ears were still OK, and she had a sinus infection. So, we are now on antibiotics. But she is feeling MUCH better and that means WE are feeling much better. :) I hated her being sick with her first cold - all the snot and coughing. I know we are very lucky that she got her first cold at 16 months old!!

So, being sick and continuing to work and live life has been difficult and exhausting. Thank God for Neh-Neh (my Mom.)

Last Thursday night, we had just finished dinner and were settled into our respective chairs in the living room like 90 year olds - when the phone rang and it was a frantic call from my Mom. She told me that my aunt Sunah had been in a car accident - that she was fine but that she had hit 2 pedestrians. Well, I have NEVER moved so fast. Toby didn't even hear what the conversation was about, he could just tell by my face that something was wrong, and before I hung up, he had his coat on and Stella's coat on her... I told him the deal and he immediately picked up the phone and called Mom back and told her that HE was driving all of us there - that none of us needed to be driving. I was really proud of him for taking such control!! So, my Mom and Dad ran over to my house (next door) and we all piled in the Tribute and he drove us to the scene.

I am not going to go into much detail since Sunah reads this and there is no need in dredging it all up again. We have talked about it all in detail and Sunah is handling it like I never would be able to. Two days after the accident, she attended my 8-hour Scrapbook Open House with me, and on the way there she asked that I drive through the accident scene so she could see it clearly. She is AMAZING. She is smart and taking care of herself and being proactive regarding her own mental state and truly making sure she is ok. It's pretty cool to witness because I honestly don't know if I would be as strong.... She knows there was nothing she could have done to prevent this accident. Thank God she KNOWS this.

Here is an article from the local paper for posterity sake.

So please say a prayer for Sunah.

We had Thanksgiving in Tappahannock, as usual. All of the Fam on my Mom's side gets together at my Great Aunt Jean's and we have a feast at 1pm and then just hang out and "shop" for jewelry that my cousin Amy makes...(If you see me with this FABULOUS shell necklace on, she made it. :) But, we had to eat and run as we had to be back in Chesterfield for Toby's Family's Thanksgiving. It was a hectic day but overall very nice.

Here are the pictures!!!
OF COURSE there are pictures. Do you know me at all?!?! The first half of the pictures are of my family...complete with Jean in her traditional Turkey Hat. And the matching "Motion City Soundtrack" hoodies in honor of Matt who could not make it as he is still on tour. The last half is Toby's Family with Stella's favorite cousin Kendall - who she says her name all.the.time. But it's like a question - "Kendall? Kendall? Kendall?"

So, my cousin Preston came in from Charlotte and he stayed with us overnight. Apparently him and Toby had a little too much fun in the garage with some pool and beer because the next day, Toby was USELESS. Preston (10 years younger than Mr. Toby) bounced up like nobody's business. After he left, all Toby could mumble was "That guy is a party animal." And went back to bed.... I told him he needs to give up trying to hang with the kids!

Before Preston left, we went next door because Mom wanted to cook us breakfast. (Toby stayed here in the bed, of course.) She made a million pancakes and we all just sat around and talked...and watched the episode of the Sauce that MCS was on last week.... Mom happened to whisper to me that Dad had called the Docs office to go in because he had some chest discomfort going on.....

He called the office when I was there and got an 11 am appt with his Doc...but then 20 minutes later they called back and told him just to go to the ER because they do not have the proper equipment to check him at the office. Dad was PEEVED. He did not want to spend all day at the ER for tests when this was just something "little." Mom and I turned on the Super Nag and would not shut up. I even pullled Stella into it: "Can you say ER, Stella? Can you tell Grandpa to go to the ER, please?!?!" ha! I play dirty. But it worked!

And what also worked was that Dad had been GIVEN killer tickets to the UVA/VA Tech game in Charlottesville for the next day. He was going with Mom and his brother and his wife... It was the biggest game between the rivals in 120 years. No joke. Some scalpers were getting $500 a ticket. He was VERY excited about this game. So Mom threatened that if he did not go to the Doc on Friday, he could not go to the game on Saturday. So off to the ER he went........

I stayed home and waited for a call. Fully believing it was also something "little" but glad he was getting checked out.

Mom called a few times to let me know that nothing had been determined yet...still testing. So at 4pm, I got a call that his cardiologist had decided to go ahead and do another heart cath to really get in there and see what's up because all of Dad's vitals were absolutely fine. The only way to REALLY see is to go back in there. So, off to surgery he went.

I got off the phone with Mom and called Mimi and Sunah and they rode up to the hospital with me so we could sit with Mom. We got dinner and sat in the lobby and waited. The cardiologist finelly came out and told us that the stint from May was just fine...but he found ANOTHER artery that was 95% blocked!!! So he put another stint in there.

If he had not decided to just go in and check, this would not have been discovered.

Dad comes home today. He's doing well. But for some reason, THIS time has made me more depressed than last time. I mean, last time we almost lost him. There was a big heart attack. His heart stopped. He had to be shocked back twice. This time is TAME compared to that!! Yet, I am more upset.

I guess because this time, it happened so fast. Six months ago, that artery was not an issue. And for six months, my Dad has totally changed his lifestyle and has a new diet and had incorporated some exercise. He has lost 30 lbs.... And it STILL clogged up that fast?!?! I know that most of it is genetics - heart disease runs in his family. But still. IT SUCKS.

And not to make this all about me but GOOD LORD IF THIS DOES NOT GET MY OWN ASS IN GEAR WITH HEALTH, WHAT WILL?!?!?

So, lots going on in my head the past few weeks...A lot I need to continue to think about and work out and get in some sort of ORDER.

It started to rain while I was typing this, so Toby and I ran out to the shed and got all the Christmas stuff and it's all piled in the kitchen.

That's what we're doing today. Nothing like a PRE-LIT Christmas Tree to lift your spirits!

I have A LOT to update here - I just don't have the time right now. I need to get in the other room and write a weekly menu/grocery list since all we have in the kitchen are rotten bananas. (Hey, atleast I am resourceful - banana bread in the oven right now. ha!)

Anyway, I just wanted to post a couple Thanksgiving Comparison Pics of Miss Stella for fun... I need some fun for a little while.

T-Day 2006:


T-Day 2007:

Hormones Anyone?!?!

I just watched 2 episodes of Oprah off the DVR.

1. The "Oprah's Favorite Things" show

2. Hannah Montana and the American Girl Doll show

And I cried through both.

I cried at the audience freaking out at Oprah's favorite things....and I cried at the little girls flipping out over Miley Cirus and the Dolls.....

Good Lord.

SO - lots going on lately. I have off for the next 4 days and I promise an update.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

A few Stella-isms at age 15 months...

I realized again today that I have done a horrible job of documenting Stella's life in words. Sure, I have 50 million pictures and I am in the process of scrapbooking them and telling little short stories beside the pictures...but I have not written in a "baby book" or put down dates when milestones happened. None of that.

Instead of fretting over the past and what I wished I had kept up with, I thought I would just take some time today to just write down what is happening NOW. This really is a cute age - and everyday she surprises me with something new.

Currently, Stella.....

- introduces me to everyone. If someone says hi to her, she pats me on my arm and says to the person "Mama!" Like, "Hi there. Meet my Mama!"

- says "Hi Mama!" and "Hi Dada!" atleast 102987563209 times a day. Oh, and "Hi Neh-Neh" too.

- says "Hi!" to EVERYONE. People get the biggest kick out of her in a shopping cart just yelling "Hi!" at everyone who walks by... We can't make it out of Ukrops in less than 2 hours for all the people stopping to talk to her. Who cares about me? Except when she pats my arm and tells them "Mama!" Don't forget about Mama!

- kisses everything with a big "Muh-wah!" And sometimes she'll even blow a kiss at you with her hand and a big "Muh-wah!" She especially likes to kiss herself in the mirror. She's such a diva.

- makes me and Toby kiss each and every one of her animal bath toys while she's in the "pool." She has been saying "pool" since 8 months old. Besides babbling dadadadadada or mamamamama, "POOL" was her first actual word.

- has a vocabulary of: Mama, Dada, Neh-Neh (my Mom), Bip-Pa (my Dad - we think!), dog, cat, duck, Melmo (elmo), sock, shoes, apple (of course!), ball, candle, book, poot (nice!), poo (even nicer!)... and more I am sure I am forgetting...

- is TRANSFIXED by the Backyardigans and has been since 6 months old. Do not try to make her interact with you while they are on TV. She'll ignore you and it will hurt your feelings.

- is absolutely terrified of the vaccuum cleaner. ANOTHER reason for me not to clean. :) You can't even touch the handle of it while it's off. She screams and runs away.

- has to always get the last "touch" in. When you tell her "do not touch" she looks at you and touches just one more time... then she's done.

- does something she knows you are going to say NO to, before you can even say it, she turns and looks at you and shakes her head with a stern face "No."

- screams and then shushes herself - complete with her finger over her lips. Over and over......

- acts out the entire Itsy Bitsy Spider song when you sing it. Then tries to sing it herself but it's just babbling to a random tune....but she's definitely singing. And doing some dance motions...

- starts swaying from side to side when you say "can you dance?"

- busts out laughing when she is in the carseat and I turn around and just look at her. I must look really funny...

- only goes to sleep when I rock her - if we are at home. And I love it.

- lights up and comes running when Mama and/or Dada arrive at Neh-Neh's after work to pick her up. That is the best feeling in the world.