Saturday NYC

Our last full day in NYC.  Half the city was dressed as Santa, an elf or a sexy Santa or Elf.

Jeff and I caught two basketball games at Madison Square Garden.  Joey's University of Washington lost to Duke in the first game.  Those rich Duke families travel well.  The stadium was packed with Duke alumni.  Even their band was made up of grey haired alumni.  It would have been cute if I didn't hate Duke.

 Meanwhile, Jen didn't dress as a sexy elf, she dressed as a sexy Jen.  She had a fun day shopping.  From the sounds of it she really made some headway shopping for the toughest to buy for person, herself.

 Jeff dressed as a psycho Jeff.

Friday NYC

We made new friends over breakfast yesterday(Friday).  Two girls from Germany who gave us titles of Germany movies (one is a musical comedy western) to watch. Check out

Schuh des Manitu Superperforator on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGFX5r-4Bq0

 We met Jeff for lunch and then, on the waitress' recommendation, the New Museum.  It was a bit of a dud actually - you have to sign a waiver to ride the Mirror Carousel and the Slide.  This is Bill and I on the Mirror Carousel.  Do you see any wind blowing through my hair?  It moved so slowly that you could barely tell it was happening.  What did I waive?

 The Slide was definitely more fun but it only lasted about 20 seconds.  You lie on a cotton cloth and go down two stories in a tube.  Bill tried to get a picture of me in it but it happens too fast.

 Christmas in NYC wouldn't be complete without a trip to Rockefeller Center.

 Here we are waiting for the B train back to Brooklyn.  We then tried to find the pizza place recommended to us and wound up driving back over the Brooklyn Bridge.  Gave up and ate again in Park Slope.  Bedtime 1 AM.  zzzzz

Yesterday's Post - Brooklyn Bound

Arrived in Brooklyn at our our "apartment".  Our usual NYC apartment was already booked this weekend so we found a B&B that has an apartment option.  Turned out to be the top floor of a neighbor's house.  So she was downstairs putting up her Christmas tree when we came in to unpack.  

Then first stop was dinner.  Somehow half price sushi doesn't sound that appetizing.

We found a great place in Park Slope - Slope Park Cafe (below).  We were the last to leave since we didn't get our act together to go out until after 9pm.  Isn't this the city that never sleeps?  By the time we got home last night I was way too tired to post so you are getting an after breakfast post.  And I already have new breakfast shots of our new Germany friends....but that will have to wait for today's post.

I picked this apartment situation because we didn't have to share a bathroom  - except with each other and eventually with Bill's nephew Jeff who arrives today. So here is a shot of it.

The whole reason for this trip is that Jeff has tickets to 2 UDub basketball games at Madison Square Garden tomorrow so I'm just a tag along (which also meant upgraded accommodations for the boys.  Petey and I do NOT do Comfort Inn).  Stacey and Diane are also in NYC this weekend so hopefully we will connect and get some good posts!

It's 10 Brets to a Joey

The clock is ticking until both our boys are home for the holidays.

Advent Bonanza

Many years ago I started a home made advent calendar out of little photos of us and the boys.  The boys would get excited to pick the picture out of a box each night to hang on the foamcore Christmas tree calendar.  Now that Bill and I are in empty nest mode, I thought we needed a new version of the advent calendar.  So I gave Garnett Hill my credit card number and received this adorable knit mitten and hat calendar to hang on the fireplace.  

 With the hubbub of the party this weekend we fell a little behind so tonight we counted down all six days to catch up.  It was interesting to see how Bill and I approached it differently - he came up with a movie quiz question-a-day.   (I guessed 4 out of 6 correctly - I knew the other two but didn't quite get the titles right)

Meanwhile mine were hand drawn and goofy.  For instance, one of them was a drawing of a fly - a Christmas gift for that @#^%@# spider Bill keeps blogging about.  Day 6 was a treat though - a monkey finger puppet!

Stay tuned for more on the count down to Christmas!

Where is my spider when I need him?

Monday night .... NBPT Period Piece Society over for their movie night... I was on the deck doing homework....  

Slow day in blogland.

We wouldn't last a half day as rock groupies

Day after the xmas party left us feeling like we were walking through knee-deep jello today.  The days of us recuperating smoothly on the day after a party are a thing of the past.  We did manage to stroll downtown for a few minutes.

We needed a slow day today.

Merry Christmas - The Atwood Party

Posting last night after our party was not going to happen, so Jen and I are groggily catching up.

Laura just came by and told us that this was the best party yet- - and that I(Jen) was very entertaining.  Not sure what she meant by that...

Lisa is either laughing at something inappropriate that Jen said or is throwing up the scallops wrapped in bacon.  

Look at the fun being had at our party!  (right before this shot Diane said "Let's pose like we're having fun at the party".  Whatever, even faking having fun is fun.

I made heads on a stick for everyone.  Some loved their head, others....well.... not so much.

I tried to add an artsy flair to the photos, but the peasants didn't appreciate it.  Rick "mine looks like I just came out of a coal mine".

Bill segregated the party by starting a "Man Fire" out in the yard.  One by one all the men migrated to the fire and the bourbon.  When I poked my head out the door and asked "What's going on out here?" Dima replied, "No one is peeing in the garage."  I won't say who no one turned out to be.

An awkward conversation blossomed when Pete asked the rest of the boys who their celebrity man crush is.  Some of us answered quickly...too quickly (hey, not ashamed of my bromance for Clooney).

Rick has a giant head.

Jen or Spider... toss up

Our regular camera is down for the count.... bad timing, holiday season and all....

So we went back to the old standby.... photo booth... 

This looks like a scene from A Clockwork Orange.  The monkey and I are about to poke at Jen's eye.

On a less fun note, I can't find my spider... he's not outside on our porch.  I'm worried sick about him.  

Bill's hot wife

The real news today is that we are are full party planning mode.  I bought all the food tonight to start cooking tomorrow  (I had to call Lisa and ask her questions like "what is a SOFT bread crumb?").  Then Bill and I got to work on the annual surprise.  But of course, we can't show a picture of that so instead, here is a picture of Bill's hot wife.

I'm hoping that Fletch is going to surprise me by coming to the party!! Saturday night - be there or be square, Fletch!!!