We Wish You an "Amazing Holiday"

Today I am going to get on my soapbox about 2 different things.

AMAZING

I have decided to go on a rampage and do what I can to eliminate the word Amazing from the English language. Yes, I know this will cause a real hardship for many people, especially in Hollywood. It is the only adjective ever used:

"you look amazing"

"it was an amazing experience"

"I have an amazing husband/wife"

"that dinner was amazing"

"it's an amazing movie"

"I read an amazing book"

"we have an amazing connection"

"the Grand Canyon is amazing"

"my kids are amazing"



So, I thought I'd look through a thesaurus (since no one else seems to have gotten this idea) and find some other words that would do nicely

"you look fabulous"

"that dinner was outstanding"

"it's an excellent movie"

"I read a fascinating book"

"we have a wonderful connection"

"the Grand Canyon is breathtaking"

"my kids are extraordinary/talented/funny/smart/sensational"

Here are some more words that could be used:

admirable, astonishing, astounding, awe-inspiring, awesome, brilliant, cool, divine, dynamite, enjoyable, excellent, fantastic, fine, groovy, incredible, magnificent, marvelous, miraculous, outstanding, peachy, phenomenal, remarkable, sensational, something else, staggering, startling, strange, stupendous, super, superb, surprising, terrific, tremendous, unheard-of, wondrous, prodigious, shocking, stunning, surprising, unbelievable, bewildering, impressive, miraculous, spectacular, staggering, startling, striking, stupefying, exciting, hair-raising, heart-stirring, magnificent, moving, overwhelming, spine-tingling, thrilling, bizarre, curious, exceptional, inconceivable, odd, peculiar, strange, unheard-of, unimaginable, unique, unprecendented, unthinkable, weird.

You'll notice that there are some words that are not necessarily a compliment. That's part of why I hate that word -- it's not always used correctly. For instance, if you tell me I look amazing, does that mean weird, odd, peculiar, or awe-inspiring? Why are you amazed? Because I look so hot and that's unusual, or that I look strange?

Now, let's try out our new words. I will show you a picture, and you will come up with an adjective other than amazing:

What a/an ______________ view!

The Grand Canyon is ___________!

Josh Groban has a/an ____________ voice.

I love sunsets. They're so __________.

Next, HOLIDAY.

I am so tired of the whole "holiday" thing. Yes, I realize that not everyone celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. But Christmas also symbolizes faith, love, and giving. When I wish someone a Merry Christmas, I'm hoping that they feel some of that special joy that Christmas brings. I think people (just a few people, really) are trying to erase not only the religious significance of Christmas, but they also seem to be trying to rewrite history by saying "holiday lights," "holiday tree," "holiday party," and "holiday cards." Can we be just a little more specific? There are holidays at other times too!

Well, I can't come up with anything funny to end the post. But I've already spent way too much time on this post, and I'm going to go make some mouth-watering pies for our Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to All

Well, I started this blog by taking a picture of the cookies I had made to send to Maestro in Seattle. You see, most of what I have done today has not turned out well. I'm not really in the mood to send out my Christmas cards because I wanted to include a picture of the kids in it, so I was going to make a nice montage of pix. I was going to start the cookies but we're out of butter. So I went to the car to go the store, but the car is not actually in the garage. It's at the shop, getting fixed after my car accident (yes, Mom & I are fine), and Poppy had the Trail Blazer at softball. No problem, just call Poppy to get it on the way home. Went for a run, where nothing bad happened :) Got tired of addressing envelopes so I started the cookies. Went to the computer to figure out a nice montage. BURNED the cookies. I mean really bad. Got an idea to put a pictures on my blog of the burned cookies and the Christmas tree with burned out lights on top, so I got some pictures of our trip to Snow-land ready and put them on the site, then realized the burned pix were NOWHERE to be found. I had downloaded them to the computer and deleted them (and some other nice pix) from the camera. Only guess what? They're gone. Can't find them. Poppy & I searched & searched and searched for them and so I thought, well, I'll just take new pix. But they're in the garbage now. And really, I just don't have the energy to dig them out & take their picture.

The following pictures are very nice Christmassy ones though. Cookie baking, tree trimming, and gingerbread house making at Dimples' school went very well.

BDE (not sure of the new blog name for her) talked me into taking a walk in the snowstorm . I needed a photo for proof, since those of you who know me would not believe it otherwise. I told her I would only go if I could sing Winter Wonderland (or at least some of it).

The next photos are just for fun. Here's Mowgli being a Knight and a Princess all at once.

Poppy & Shortcake --

You've already seen how curly Shortcake's hair is after a bath if you've seen T~'s blog --

Sizzle's is curly too after a bath--

Bwin & Sizzle on a walk in the park --

Here's Juju, Bwin & Sizzle at a family Christmas party --

Some great pix of Sizzle --I hope you've enjoyed these photos and my rambling.

Love, Neenee

It's a Girl!!!!

I don't have all the details, but she's healthy & beautiful. ~T woke up in labor (that's harsh) at 1:20am, went to the hospital, and delivered her at 2:45! Another quick one! Her midwife was already there, having just delivered her 3rd baby of the night. As I write this, BDE (uh oh, will she have to change her code name??), Dimples, & Mowgli have arrived, brought by Zeus & Hera (Herc's parents, of course) to see their new sister.

Let me thank Next Door Neighbor Chick, who heeded the call & watched the kids when they went to the hospital. When it's ~t, you can't take your time, you have to just go! :)

Congrats to all!

I'll see you in 3 weeks!

Proud Neenee Strikes Again

Here's the new family--

Doesn't this look like Dimples' faux-hawk??

Proud Cissy! This is about 1/2 hour after he was born.

I think he's smiling too :)

Mama Juju & Baby having a heart to heart moment.

Juju loves the matching hair!

His going home outfit --

Getting ready to leave the hospital --

Coming home for the first time --

Baby's 1st visit to Neenee & Poppy's. We're watching the Colts & the Chargers. What a game that was!

Well, it was a great weekend! The new family went home about 28 hours after the baby was born. It was lunchtime, so Poppy went to KFC. Gotta love those biscuits. Juju & Bwin & baby had a quiet afternoon to themselves, then came over to our house (also gotta love November here --the weather is not a problem when you're taking a new baby home) for dinner. It got late, so they all stayed overnight. It was kind of like a half-way house between the hospital & their own home. Baby slept well for only his second night.

Yes, they have named the baby! I will have to check with Juju before I reveal anything (I also like the privacy of code names). Here's a code for those former CLS students or faculty who will be reading this.

Take the 1st & 3rd letters of the subject Mrs. Nelson taught.

Add the initials (just 1st & last name) of the math teacher. (The one Juju had)

Add the 1st letter of the subject taught by Mrs. Blount.

Finally, add the first initial of Nani's first name.

There are 2 middle names, one being her dad's name. (No, not Poppy, that would be silly). He was very moved.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed all these photos! Nothing like technology when you're a new grandparent! I hope ~t will have someone posting or emailing for her when she has a new bundle of joy!

You have new Picture Mail!

Dad and son.

It's a Boy!!

Yes, I know we all knew that already, but he's here! I don't know his name for sure yet, but here are the other stats:

8lbs, 12 oz, 20 1/2 inches. He looks like Juju as a baby but with lighter, curly hair.

He was born at 6:46am after less than 1/2 hour pushing. Juju & Bwin went to the hospital at 1:30am, she got an epidural as soon as she could, and at 5:45am she was at 9 cm, at 6:05 she was told she could push when the doctor got there. Doctors and nurses were all great. She was the only mom in labor, so that was an answer to prayer.

More to come later, I'm going back to the hospital :)

Just for fun :)

4 Generations:

Love, neenee

Quilt Show, Part Deux

Here is the second installment of the quilt show pix. I hope you enjoy them.

This is a log cabin quilt in a barn-raising pattern --

The center of this quilt is all hand appliqued. A brilliant quilter (and a very nice lady) designed this herself. It is also hand-quilted.

For those who like the bright primary colors --

This is another done for a fabric company's quilt challenge (not from our guild) --

A couple more very pretty quilts --

This was very bright--- green & purple!

Another green quilt --

This was really beautful in person --

This was done by a lady who just celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary this summer. I did some finishing work for her, so I'm taking a tiny bit of credit for how well it turned out :)

This was last year's Block of the Month done by our guild --

The next one was not in the show. Cissy wanted me to post a picture of Mumble's quilt. I really love it too, and maybe I'll make another just to put in the next show (2009).



And last, but not least, is one of Poppy's favorites, made for Happy's new baby --

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this virtual quilt show!

For my next blog, I hope to have pix of my new grandchildren :) Especially considering how frequently (by frequently I mean seldom) I blog ! If I really get ambitious, maybe I'll be able to get some pictures of our new hobby -- outrigger canoeing. The problem with that is, that you realy can't take any pictures while you're paddling, and you DO get wet while you're out there. Here are some photos from the group's website. The first one is the double-hulled canoe (there's a better word, but I don't know it yet).

This is a practice run on the lake. And there are even clouds!!

I've also joined the local running club, and they're kicking my butt. I don't mind when they're younger than my kids, but when the 69 y/o open heart surgery patient and marathon runner beats you...