january's rolling!

what a busy and fun weekend!  friday, i went to my first hockey game!  it was so much fun - once we finally got there!  i picked up melissa and we went to the MARTA station.  it was the coldest night i believe in prolly 2 years!  so, we're standing in the freeze waiting on the train.  about 10 minutes pass and one comes thru the station - but did not stop!   then, a few minutes later, heres comes another.  it luckily stopped but at the very next station, everyone had to get off - some malfunction with one of the doors - wait again in the cold for another train.  we eventually made it to the arena!  melissa hooked us up with suite seats (via Ray and Natalie - Fox sports folks) and Atlanta won - in overtime; it was great!  Melissa caught one of the chick-fil-a cows that parachuted down from the ceiling.  he was so cute!  after the game, we went to Taco Mac and had some nacho's and closed the place down.  luckily, Natalie drove us to my car  - no MARTA!  i think i made it home about 2am; good times!!

saturday, i ran errands - searching for something for neil to wear to the Bar Mitzvah we attended Saturday night.  if you've never been to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah - they are a ball!  it's like a wedding reception - a VERY fun wedding reception.  they are usually themed - this one was "movies"; we were seated at the Raiders of the Lost Ark table!  the bar mitzvah was for Marc's son, Corey.  i know Marc through my boss, Andy.  we, and of course Debbie - become friends quickly shortly after i started working for Andy about 4 years ago.  marc is a hoot and all of us have had some great fun over the years - our Friday lunches (the lunch bunch) are legendary!  debbie and her husband, chris attended too.  debbie and i were dancin' fools!  we danced right along side all of those 13 year olds!  it was another late night - one that we capped off with a visit to the Waffle House and boy was that a show!  

sunday, neil and i slept in a bit; we were pretty slow due our saturday evening!  we managed to get dressed and grab some lunch then went to the Muppet Exhibit.  i love love love the Muppets so this was a must-see - and sunday was the last day.  it's a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian that goes thru Jim Henson's life and his characters.  it was really cool and i saw some funny drawings and characters that i never knew existed.  did you know that the first Kermit was made from Jim's mom's spring coat and a ping-pong ball?  his life and work spanned SO much more than just the Muppets and it was really neat to see it all.

now, it's monday.  i was off work today for MLK - and very happily so.  i've been in my pj's all day and actually worked.  i took advantage of the day off and slept in - until noon!!  (yes, i'm aware i have a sleeping problem).  but i did manage to get all the work done for 2008 on neil's "old" business which we will do a final return for and close it up.  now, i've got to get started on the new business.  that's gonna be a bear!  

work is kicking my butt a bit.  there is SOOO much work to get accomplished in January.  this past week, i pulled an all-nighter!  wednesday, i went in at 9am and left on thursday at 12:45 pm  crazy, huh?  but i got a TON done.  i finally got in bed on thursday at like 2:45 and slept until friday morning - 16 hours.  it was awesome!  of course, it was back to work friday.  as crazy as it sounds, it de-stresses me to just pull one of those every now and then in order to get certain things done.  it's difficult some days to get anything accomplished -with e-mails, people needing stuff, phone calls and just general interruptions.  i pulled about 5 all-nighters last year.  what's sad is that yes - i have THAT much work to do!!  but, i can get double the work done over the course of a night then i would with the same hours during normal work hours.  it's difficult and i'm usually in some serious pain by the morning - but it's always worth it!  and i'd rather do that then go in on the weekends!!  

neil headed back to florida this morning.  but great news - he should be done with the waterfall project this week or mid next!!  then, he's going to do some more work for them - which is a bummer cuz he won't be coming home but it's like "new" job and we need it!  hopefully his next gig will be in atlanta but who knows.  

 

well, i need to empty the dishwasher, re-load the dishwasher, put fresh sheets on the bed, fold clothes, prep my coffee, put soft-paws on the cats, pay some bills....  the work never ends!!!

have a great week, y'all!

well, it's a new year!

2009 arrived rather quietly for us!  after spending so much time away from home beginning with Thanksgiving and with family and friends, neil and i stayed home.  new year's eve we went to a great Japanese steakhouse and pigged out. came back home, put on our fat pants and flopped our puffy bellies on the sofa and watched the ball drop on tv.  then, went to bed!  neil actually worked most of the weekend but at least he was in town.  new year's day i did not get out of my pj's - which has been thoroughly planned out and anticipated.  i did manage to put something in the crock pot for dinner though and do some random stuff around the apartment.  i set up our Wii and when neil came home we played some bowling (yep - i spanked him!), a little golf, and pool.  what fun!  friday it was time for the tree and trimmings to come down.  boy was that tree crispy!  i made one last batch of Christmas punch, put my Muppets dvd in and got to work.  it was all done by the time neil got home.  we rematched on the Wii - and yep, i beat him again.  (i'm sure the streak will be short lived!)  saturday i did more stuff around the apartment.  it's amazing just how busy i keep myself in this place.  there's always something that needs reorganizing or whatever.  i cleaned out the fridge, under the kitchen sink, steam cleaned a rug, did some dusting.  i'm telling ya - i didn't leave the apartment for 3 days and i was constantly in motion.  i finally ventured out on sunday.  neil had to work some more so i took him to his shop and went to run some errands.  we had a late lunch with clayton and janie.  when i got home, i made Loaded Potato Soup - a Disney recipe - and it was yummy.  we used our new soup bowls holly gave us - they are perfect!

and of course now i'm back at work.  january is always a nightmare and this year i have the added task of getting neil's business stuff done.  so basically, i will have no life for about 2 months!  

neil headed back to florida monday morning.  he's getting very close to finished with that job.  he's down to ordering trees, plants, and sod and needs to do a few things to the waterfall.  i would think he'd be all wrapped up by the end of the month (at least i hope so!!)  he came back Tuesday, re-packed and he and clayton headed to Indianapolis for the ATA Tradeshow.  they are trying to see if they can get in the business of making and selling deer blinds - and a few other things.  the tradeshow is for wholesalers looking to buy product for their retails stores so this should determine if they pursue this thing or not.  they've put a lot of work into it so i hope it pays off!  i don't know squat about this stuff (big surprise) but these guys are all up in this hunting world and say it's just HUGE and folks will spend big money on the right stuff.  neil is so creative; his mind i constantly thinking of stuff to do and how to turn this product and process (his faux rock stuff) into something lucrative.  he's been working on it for over a decade so something just has to break for him soon.   

i hope 2009 will be fabtastic for all of you!  i also hope to spend more time with family and friends this year.  time truly does seem to speed up with each passing year.  may you all be blessed with happy moments in the new year!