Lala & Pops Ain't Got Nothing On MY Rock Wall

Arizona was not designed to deal with rain (or water, really) - being a desert and all. Hence, Tucson really does not have any sort of drainage system at all. Streets gradually flow into washes, which gradually flow into "rivers." Our yard is kinda the same way. It is designed so that anytime it rains OR anytime we run the washer (which drains behind the Oleanders as grey water), the water then runs across the patio, to the other half of the yard, where there is a little rock bed dug out to lead the water to the alley, and so on to the "rivers," I guess. BUT, every time it did this, it also carried a LOT of DIRT (dirt = a term I use loosely) onto the patio, where it layered and BAKED onto the bricks so that it took a hoe to get it off. So, over x-mas I built a wall! My neighbor thought I was kinda crazy . . . But, we've had plenty of rain over the past few weeks (in case you haven't heard) to test it, and it works!!! The patio looks so much prettier, the puppies' paws are not muddy all the time, and I don't slip while doing laundry. Yahoo!

Still catching up . . . A Nevada Christmas

Patrick and I spend Christmas in Nevada this year.
I already posted the the Gingerbread House Competition,
but here are a few more pix:

Christmas PJ's . . . not as classy as long, flannel nighties, oh well!

Needing a Hair Cut

Skiing at Heavenly

Mrs. R - ready for Vancouver

Views from the slopes:

The Valley

The Lake

Katie's Bridal Shower

Along with E, M, and our mamas, I threw a bridal shower for the other Katie in my life over the holidays. It was a Christmas themed shower . . . so ornaments, decorations, etc. instead of pots and pans. We had a lot of fun!

Katie Opening Presents!

. . . watch those knees, Miss Bride!
The Fabulous Cake

The Gals

Catching Up . . . Happy Thanksgiving!

This was our first Thanksgiving dinner just the two of us (two, four, whatever). And, since it is rather difficult to cook Thanksgiving dinner for just two people, we ended up with lots and lots of food!

To begin, this Thanksgiving, Dagny was thankful for . . .

the Giant Stick she found in the backyard. Now, we really don't have a plethora of wood in our yard (living in the desert and all), so I really, REALLY don't know where she found it.

I guess it was a Thanksgiving miracle!

Cookin' in my polka dot apron -

Our table . . .
. . . before the food. Turkey and Stuffing . . .
Real Simple's Cranberry Sauce (here)

We couldn't agree on veggie side dishes, so we had several, and by several I mean like four (again, two people . . . ): Broccoli-Artichoke Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Peas, & Emeril's Green Bean Casserole (not as good as the one off the back of the French's fried onions container, BTW).

Plus a few other things.

Anyway, we had enough food.

Hank was very into the turkey . . . VERY, VERY into it. So, to keep from having to ignore these faces . . . all meal long

(no, they NEVER get fed from the table - really! - they are just eternally hopeful dogs),

they each got a special Thanksgiving treat too:

aka What Hank was Thankful for this Thanksgiving

NOLA - Day Three

I got a little behind on posting pictures from this fall because of the holidays, so I need to back track a little . . .

Here are some pix from Day Three in New Orleans. We did some more shopping, exploring, and eating. C had arrived the night before, and somehow all my pictures are in bars . . . correlation?

Hand Grenades

C singing cowboy karaoke

C Riding the Bull

A to Guy at Bar: "She's a doctor."

Guy at Bar: "She's a doctor?"

Guy at Bar to his Friend: "She a doctor!"

Friend of Guy at Bar: "She's a doctor?!"

Happy New Years!