fresh varnish

I forgot to write about my sweet Xmas gift from Matt :-) I got an awesome table/tray thing for my laptop. It has a little area that remains flat for tea or other food, and a part that tilts up for reading, putting the laptop on, etc. The best part: When I couldn't sleep last night, I pulled it out of the box and the smell of varnish was unmissable.

Matt told me this morning that when he ordered the gift, he got an email back that said they would send it to him as soon as they built it! It must have barely been dry when it went in the box for shipping!

We're baaaack....

...but not for long!

After a great trip to the Northwest, we are now back in Bloomington for a couple days. We returned late last night and, for the second night in a row, I couldn't sleep. So, I got a few hours of sleep before we got up to go get the dogs. Boy were they happy to see us! They have actually been pretty hyper since coming home - enjoying all their new toys!

They got a new doggie bed from Art and Sarah, so they hung out on that in their enclosure while we headed to the mall. I needed a dress for the wedding we're going to on Saturday. Well, we ended up finding a skirt and a pair of boots that Matt really liked on me (and I feel adorable in, which is rare for me these days...I feel so frumpy and icky half the time!). Then we gave up, and I'm wearing a dress I've had for a couple years (and wearing the skirt and boots for New Years Eve!).

We're excited for our little getaway this weekend. We're even contemplating taking our Nintendo Gamecube so we can play a couple games together (Matt's brother Peter got us a couple we're interested in playing :-))

Anyhow, that's the status here. Off I go!

Christmas and Eve

Yesterday and today were certainly no disappointment. We went to Bud and Mavis's for dinner and many MANY cookies and sweets, we carolled, we heard two Christmas stories, and we opened gifts. The gift exchange really fun. I was quite happy with my gifts from Nate (R is for Ricochet and S is for Silence, plus a sweet book light that doubles as a deep-sea fish costume - hopefully I'll get a picture of that in here soon...) . I was bummed I didn't get to see cousin Amy open her gift from me, but oh well. I was made confident that she'd appreciate my gift of hand-knit socks (that are a bit too bulky, therefore are more like slippers...), when she gave cousin Chelsea a toaster (which was on her list) and then homemade bread to toast in it, and then a variety of cheeses to put on her toast!

Chelsea and I had way to much fun. Separation of the two of us was threatened by both her husband and mother, but we just kept goofing off - what a good time! Matt and her husband Tom get along really well.....and all the men were gathered around the tiny television to watch the end of a Seahawks game (which they lost, stupidly...again) at the beginning of the evening. It was generally a nice time, and I really enjoyed being part of the Carlson Family traditions. I even tried Rosalie's pickled watermelon....though I did not work up the nerve to try the pickled herring...maybe in two years when we're back for Christmas!


Today, Christmas Day, was also really great. Matt and I were awoken around 8AM to learn how to make turkey and stuffing (we'd asked, for future Thanksgiving reference). Then we all hung out and went through our stockings and opened gifts. There were definitely some good ones! Matt got two sets of tools that are nearly identical (oops...) and a second biography of Alfred Tarski (oops again!). He also got some sweet boots for wet weather! We also both got an ornament from the Carlsons and a traditional silver Nieman Marcus Orb from the Daniels with "Christmas 2006" etched in it. We'll count on filling a tree with new ornaments each year...if we ever decide to get a tree...hmmm...

Anyway, I got an adorable night shirt (in green!), and an iPod docking station-plus-stereo-plus-DVD-player-plus-AM/FM-radio-plus-CD-player....thing! sweet! I also have money to go buy myself something fun- a raincoat other than the purple and plaid attrocity I've had since I was 16 perhaps? Oh my G-d, that reminds me...I'm about to be 26. And I'm totally freaked out about it. ACK!

Ok, cheers!
Brea (I'm giving up all pretention that Matt is participating in this Blog and will, instead, link to his very own philosophy blog :-))

5, 6, 7, 8.....

Alrighty, now that it's Christmas Eve, I will update the rest of the booty we got for Hanukkah, share a bit about the Eve's Eve, and thus continue my juvenile and tacky blogging of holiday gifts :-)

Night #5:
Brea got the promise of a wall bin of some sort to put mail, Netflix, etc in by the door, when they need to be mailed.
Matt got a $15 gift certificate to Mother Bear's Pizza (another great eatery near his corner of campus)

#6:
Brea got diddly, cuz Matt forgot her gifts. He went out and bought some the next day :-)
Mark and Diane got a hand-painted dreidl and Hanukkah!
Matt got a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com for a book or CD that he covets.
Brea and Matt got Sudoku puzzles, pens, and post its from Mark and Diane.
Diane got soap from Mark
Mark got....darn...what did Mark get from Diane that first night here?

#7
Mark and Diane got a handmade wood house ornament from Matt and Ithat Diane says is a Stuga (spelling? a little guest cabin?) Mark - help me out here!
Matt got the promise of a pair of black or brown dress shoes, as he needs both
Brea got scissors! Hers were confiscated from her knitting bag at the airport, though she's convinced they were not considered contraband on the TSA website...
Mark got boxers - Diane took a cue from Brea :-)
Brea and Matt got a sudoku game from Mark and Diane
I cannot for the life of me remember what Diane got from Mark...ack!

#8: The big finish!
Matt and Brea made dinner for everyone
Mark and Diane got a handmade wood box, made in Poland, and an ornament inside
Brea and Matt got the Big Fish DVD with a special book (we haven't looked through it yet, but it looks super sweet!)
Matt got from Brea the promise of another pair of shoes (the other color), and $25 toward his covetted computer.
Brea got from Matt a GORGEOUS cherry wood tea chest, which counted as two gifts (see night 6...)
Mark got a pair of flannel boxers - apparently he was in great need before Hanukkah arrived!
Diane got a CD of Christmas songs from Mark (which was feared borderline inappropriate for Hanukkah - but Hanukkah doesn't care, right?)

Each night we sang the Hanukkah Brachos and then shouted HAPPY HANUKKAH! And one night I broke into "Oh Hanukkah! Oh Hanukkah!" Hanukkah: A big party with increasing amounts of fire each night. perhaps in the future we should have a Hanukkah bonfire...if I get a firebowl this Christmas (Barbers: I think this is what you're getting us with our Target money :-))

Alrighty, on to the Eve's Eve, as promised!

Last night we went for a fantastic meal at Dave and Rosalie's (Dave is Mark's brother). Dave and Rosalie's kids - Nate, Chelsea, and Andrea, were all there, as well as Chelsea's husband Tom (they were married about a year before us). Also, Bud and Mavis were there. We all had dinner, then Andrea and I studied up on Jelly Belly Flavors (I'm not the only Carlson with a possibly unhealthy appreciation for those fakely yet oh-so-impressively-imitated fruit flavors!). Then the whole crew headed over to Nate's tavern: The Green Frog Cafe (apparently the title of a cafe in a country tune, described exactly the way Nate and his business partner James wanted their place to operate.). The Green Frog is SWEET. Matt totally wants to move to Bellingham Washington and get a job at Western Washington U now!

The Green Frog Cafe does not serve food, but they serve many local microbrews, and are next door to a wing place that delivers (and did last night!). Not serving food is a plus, because it allows patrons to bring their dogs (and they did last night!), and throw their peanut shells on the floor (and they definitely do!). Apparently it takes 4 hours to sweep the place, which is done monthly (and the floors are moppes), and then the shelling starts all over again. There was a great country/blues band called Hoss playing last night, and the atmosphere was relaxed, fun, and very small-town feeling. So sweet!

I absolutely MUST go wrap a gift now, and take a shower. We're off to Bud and Mavis's for the Christmas Eve festivities shortly! Will blog about that tomorrow, perhaps!

Hanukkah: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Matt is having issues with Hanukkah. He finds it to be a difficult holiday because he has to find 8 decent gifts without breaking the bank. So far, so good! I think he's just not been sure what sorts of things to get! Well, in general, the "best" of the Hanukkah gifts for night eight, and the others should build...sort of.

So...night #3:
Brea got a magnetic holder for paper and pen, for the fridge
Matt got socks...well, the promise of socks, because I wasn't sure what he wanted exactly...

Night #4:
Brea got this awesome votive candle holder that will look nice in the center of the dining room table
Matt got a $10 gift certificate to the MAC Mediterranean Grill (which is a great place for lunch, right near the building where Matt spends so much of his time on campus).

Today was a busy busy day! We ran lots and lots of errands! Now Matt has fallen asleep while watching a football game. *GASP!*

Oh Hunaukkah, oh Hanukkah! Come Light the Menorah!

Today is the second day of Hanukkah, making tonight our third night of lighting candles. Since I haven't celebrated Hanukkah (save for a night here and there) since I was about 16, this is a big deal! We bought a menorah with some of our wedding money, and we each went out and bought 8 little gifts for eachother.

We'll be in Washington for the last 4 nights of Hanukkah, so we've arranged to celebrate with Mark and Diane. So, for everyone's edification (I assumed everyone knew the basics of the Hanukkah story, but discovered Matt did not), here is the story of Hanukkah!

So, Friday we celebrated the first night (complete with the Brachos, or blessings, sung in Hebrew!), and had a four hour meal (mainly due to poor planning, wherein only one item was ready at a time...). Here are some pictures:

The Menorah: Matt almost committed a Hanukkah foul when he went to blow out the candles! The need to go out on their own!

Matzo Ball soup. Yum!

Potato Latkes -- SO GOOD! With a bit of powdered sugar. Mmmmmmm.

We don't have any pictures of the brisket, except in the pot (and it doesn't look good there....). But, rest assured, it was excellent :-) Matt had never had brisket before, but it met with his approval. It also gave us the excuse to buy from the Butcher Block, whic h is a high end burcher shop here in Bloomington. The cut of meat was REALLY good!

I will see if I can keep up a list of gifts, just because that is fun :-)
Night #1:
Brea got a mug made by a local artist -- it's a mug she's loved for awhile :-)
Matt got the gift of Hanukkah! This was symbolized by gelt and all that food! And, of course, singing in Hebrew and lighting candles.

Night #2:
Brea got chocolate-covered peanuts (yum!)
Matt got two pairs of boxers. Maybe not that exciting, but he needs more!

Alrighty, we're on vacation! I slept for 14 hours last night, and went back for a 1.5 hour nap this morning. I guess finals really took it out of me! Matt is now camped out on the couch, watching football, and I plan to do some major cleaning of the house.
Over and out!
Team Carlson