Holiday cheer and a happy boy

(If no pictures show up, then you either need to log in to Flickr or become a contact on Flickr.)

November and December have been a whirlwind. From planning and executing more than a dozen holiday-related stories, columns, live chats, blogs and events at work to moving from our old apartment a mere 85 steps to a duplex, which now seems like world away from our old home.

Julian has been helping more in the kitchen, peeling onions and putting things in the pot. He's developed quite the sweet tooth; he usually wakes up in the morning and goes to the freezer, asking politely for ice cream. After the move, Julian got a table and chairs, an easel, a rocker and his very own rug. He got to play with markers and the easel for awhile, until ripping out the ink-saturated tips was more fun than coloring with them. We also put the bars on his crib back on after a week of trying out the toddler bed, and we're all sleeping much better because of it.

We're going to Missouri the day after Christmas, but until then, I have a few last minute things to wrap up at work, including a column about what I'm looking forward to in 2009, which inevitably means I'll have to reflect on 2008. I thought that deluge of holiday food coverage would make me weary this far into the season, but it's quite the opposite. So far, this has been one of the best Decembers I can remember. Lots of good times and fun people. A happy family. Oh yes, and good food.

Call me Just Jokes Julian

Julian now has not one but two jokes. Here they are. His favorite is the knock-knock joke he picked up from those crazy chicken pumpkin kids at school.

Julian's first tricycle ride

It's snowing in Austin, Texas!

What a delightful, unanticipated surprise.

Those are too few and far between these days.

A glimpse in the new house

We survived the stint without gas.


It's an incredible tale of perseverance, one I'm sure one day will be made into a Lifetime movie. Long winter nights in front of the fire place, boiling water to wash the dishes. Good thing for Scott's "loven," a halogen light oven that helped us make egg bakes and toast when we didn't have gas. Thank God for IKEA meatballs and egg noodles, too.




Scott, many of you may know, is a friend of mine from college. He's Troy's younger brother, whom I met when he was just a shaggy haired football player from Lockwood. He is on an adventure away from Missouri for awhile. We're lucky he picked Austin.

He just moved into his new place today, which isn't far from ours. It's our first night completely alone in our new house, so I'm going to try not to spend it all on the computer.

Here are a few photos from the past weeks. I'll keep this post restricted to new house photos and a Julian album, including photos of his new tricycle, will be posted soon.

One last highlight from the week that was: Pork tamales that came with a sauce that tasted enough like chili that I couldn't help but top it with Fritos. Mmmm, tamale Frito pie. Why isn't someone selling this already?


And now, Shiva's guided tour of the house as of last week: