Edit: Even Dial Up Can't Hold Me Back...

or can it? (depends on how long it takes to upload photos, I guess) We're staying with my mom and she can't get high speed internet where she lives (no, she doesn't live on Mars-- just out in the country) and I've been putting off blogging until we made it to a wireless network, but I'm having withdrawls so here goes.

It's so fun to come home for Christmas because all of our friends are doing the same thing. We've had a great time getting to hang out with everyone! Bryan and I went with Lexie, Parker and Ben to see the "Canton: City of Lights" display last week.All of the shops along the town square decorate their windows for the month long events and it's always really pretty to see all the lights. Some windows did a much better job than others, though. Good JobWeird Job

Bad Job

A for effort... broken fingers are a negative

Ok, dial up wins.
In the time it took to not upload any photos (6 photos were attempted) I was able to eat breakfast, brush my teeth, dry, and straighten my hair + wait in front of the computer screen for 20 minutes while it considered my request... I guess my photos and all other adventures will have to wait a couple more days!

Just Married

Our dear friends Mason & Katie were married today! We are so so excited for them and can't wait to see what kind of blessings are bestowed upon them in their new life together!

And since I last blogged, I took a few more photos of Jared, Brandy and Henry in Dallas...

And made it to Mississippi where we've been staying with Lexie, Parker, and their newest addition:

Meet Howard

Gaylord Texan

Where even the lights are shot gun shells.

We took Henry to see the lights and the Christmas decorations and he was totally overwhelmed.

As was I when I saw this:

I couldn't get my camera out fast enough... Sweet pose, Mister.

Dallas

So I met the man of my dreams *cough cough* in the airport on the way to Dallas yesterday.
I was sitting at my connecting gate waiting for the plane to begin boarding. I had about twenty minutes to wait so I was listening to music and totally minding my own business when this fellow... maybe nineteen years old... sits down in an empty seat near me. He had on cowboy boots, uber tight (not in a good way) wranglers, a plaid long-sleeved button-up shirt, a fleece lined stone-washed jean jacket and a ball cap.
As Feist played in my ear I heard a voice directed toward me. I paused my music and said, "I'm sorry, what was that?"
Guy: What flight you own?
Me: This one. (We're sitting at a gate where the only obvious flight to be on was "this one".)
Guy: You jus git here?
Me: To this airport? Yes, I just flew in from Florida. (I realize this sentence was just the amount of too-much-information he needed to really delve deep. Think the kid from "A Christmas Story" who's in line behind Ralph waiting to see Santa who keeps talking about how much he likes "The Wizard of Oz.")
Guy: Wher you frum?
Me: Well, I'm from Mississippi but I'm living in Boston right now.
Guy: Wait, wait, wait... Let me see if I've got this right. Yer frum Mississippi, livin in Boston, comin frum Florida, and headin to Dallas?!
Me: mmm hmmm
Guy: I'm frum Mississippi. Whut part you frum?
Me: Madison
Guy: I'm frum Florence, but I work in Madison. I do concrete stainin and scorin. I've been havin all these back and knee and feet problems, though. My feet just kill me after walkin around on that hard concrete in cowboy boots all day.
Me: What about some tennis shoes while you're at work or something?
Guy: Well, I'm a boot guy. I just really liiike wearin boots. I do have some of them slip own crocks though so that's kinda like walkin on air, you know?
Me: hmm...
Guy: I've got a girlfriend you know?
Me: (like he was concerned that I was trying to pick him up or something...) yea? Is that why you're going to Dallas today? (I really thought the next thing was going to be him showing me some glamour shot of somebody he'd never met like in "Napoleon Dynamite")
Guy: Yea, she's in Dallas. I really like to travel. Whenever I feel like it, I jus get up and GO. Well, I guess I'm own be headin up there to git in line.

That was the end of the conversation. Amazing.

All that and I did finally make it to Dallas! I'm so excited to be here! I haven't seen Jared, Brandy, Henry or Rahab in a year! I can't believe how much Henry has grown, but we're already BFF. We've had a few adventures looking for a Christmas tree and going to the park.

He also really likes to clean things. We spent a solid fifteen minutes letting him clean this section of the shelf.

After that the brush came with us in case there was a mess anywhere else. Sweet boy. He gets it honest, that's for sure.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Well, it's frightful in Boston anyway... but not here in sunny Florida!!

I'm helping Georgie and her family get settled as Katie gets going in her new job and Danny looks for a new nanny. I'm only here one more day, but it's been a great last week with Georgie! I'm totally going to miss her!! Who wouldn't miss this face?

We had a little photo shoot today and I think it went pretty well! (pretty well for a six month old who's only concern is eating the strand of lights you put near her that is)

Crepes

We made crepes for dinner last night and they were delicious!

We made a few savory ones with lox and freshly made lemon herb cream cheese.

And a few sweet ones with sweet cream and strawberries!

How fun! Look up Alton Brown's crepe batter recipe if you're having any kind of cravings...

Kids Again

After the parade Bryan and I walked around the city's upper east side looking into all of the beautifully decorated storefronts. I think New York City at Christmas time must be equivalent to a child's first Disney experience. I know my eyes filled with wonder as we gazed into the wonderfully elaborate windows and watched the ice skaters going round and round at Rockefeller Plaza!

A Thank-Filled Weekend

Bryan and I were off to New York for Thanksgiving. Did you know you could get a bus ticket from Boston to NYC for $15? me neither!... actually if we'd booked sooner we could have gotten tix for a buck.

We knew we wouldn't be able to go to Mississippi for the weekend so we thought the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade sounded like a fun thing to do! (By "we" I mean "I"... but Bryan got on board and had lots of fun... I only made him get up at 3:45 to go stake out our spot too!)

And boy oh boy was it fantastic! We were freezing before it got started! (But we were on the front row!!) I felt like the little matchstick girl sitting on the sidewalk but Bryan gave me his scarf and we had some tea and all was well once the parade started coming down the street!

We were a few blocks up from Times Square.We saw the parade coming down the block!

Then the first few Thanksgiving floats and pilgrims.

And Buzz Lightyear
And Snoopy
And the Roots and Jimmy Fallon
And Mickey Mouse
I really liked these little old ladies called the Purple Peddlers
Sponge Bob
Cindy Lauper

Miss America
Shrek

And of course at the end of the line was SANTA!

We saw so many more people and floats than I can even put pictures of up. It was so fun and so exciting! I'm so glad we did that!

Once the parade was over we found a cute little diner called JP Clarks to get Thanksgiving lunch.

And afterward walked up and down 5th Avenue and did some window shopping. Some very beautiful window displays to come tomorrow! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!