The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Thanksgiving came and went. Thankfully, without a hitch. Patrick spent his first night at his grandma's house and behaved like the good little boy he is (yeah, right!).

Yesterday, Mike and I ventured out to Target (one of my favorite places in the whole world - next to Disney World, of course) to buy a few things. We thought we might go late at night but instead opted to go around 4 pm. It wasn't even crowded! Next year, I am totally going shopping on Black Friday. I'll even take Patrick with me. Yeah, right.

Last night, we took pictures for our Christmas card. Loads of fun, folks, and I can't wait until people start receiving them. Having a baby is like having a doll sometimes. Seriously. :)

Today we plan to put up our Christmas tree as we attempt to watch the Florida-Florida State game. I feel awful that I haven't cheered on my favorite college team this season. I am going to try to make it up to the Gators today, though.

Now, as I figure out which channel the game will be broadcast from, enjoy this outtake from our Christmas photo shoot:

Questions: how do baby keep that extra bit of milk on their tongues? Don't they know to swallow it? And how, with FOUR people watching him, do we fail to realize that the boy has a booger in his nose? How?

Oh, and... Go Gators!!

Back to back and Belly to Belly!

I know that's what John Sterling says when the Yankees double score, but it's very appropriate this morning.

Go Gators!

It's a good day, most definitely.

Unfortunately, I fell asleep after five minutes of the game. What can I say? I'm a loser.

Heather's Wedding

Back from South Florida and already missing the sunshine and warm weather. We returned late this morning to more snow, slush, and ice. Somehow the humidity we experienced this weekend wasn't *that* bad.

More on the weekend in a future post. For now, I leave you with pictures from Heather's wedding...

Leaving... on a jet plane

My long-awaited trip to Miami is finally here! And while I really don't like Miami, I am looking forward to getting out of the freezing temperatures and gusty winds.

As far as I'm concerned, the stress of traveling began last night. It was nearly midnight when we finished packing, something I blame on myself due to a long week at work. But anyhow, as I was saying, the stress began last night.

Me: Have you taken out all the things you need for the weekend?

Mike: Like what? I have jeans and t-shirts out already.

Me: How about your suit, a shirt, and a tie that doesn't make you look like the biggest Republican in the place? And your square-toed shoes and dress socks?

Mike: Oh yeah, a suit.

Me: I can't wait to see Little Owen. I'm so excited.

Mike: We're going to see Owen and family? I didn't know that.

Me: Duh? Didn't I mention that we were going to a wedding? The wedding of a former college roommate? A roommate that I had when I was a student at the University of Florida and was a bleeding orange and blue gator? A roommate that was also roommates with my bff?

Mike: Oh, I must have not been listening.

Ugh.

The stress continued when I mentioned that we would be bringing my parents presents. Two carry on suitcases! That I got for free! Because if I actually went to Miami and bought my parents two suitcases, they wouldn't like them. But, since I told them I got them for nothing (FREE! GRATIS!), they are excited to receive them. Actually, I told them I had one, but with my excellent packing and organizational skills I was able to pack one into our regular suitcase and use the other one as a carry on for us.

Let me explain this: the thrill of getting a good quality anything is a success to Cubans, namely my parents. It helps even more if the good quality anything was free (FREE! GRATIS! NO TAX!). The other thing is that both my mother and I feel that the gifts we bring eachother are the greatest, most ingenius gifts ever known to man. We never stop to think that the pajamas my mom brought me could easily have been bought in my neighborhood mall or that the shampoo gift basket that I brought her could have been bought in Miami. We've been doing this for years, including the time I regifted my father a Waterford crystal eagle that I received at some charity dinner (I carried that baby on the plane with me, folks!).

But I digress... what was I talking about? Yes, stress. I am sure it will continue through the weekend. I have already heard word of my father cooking for us and packing his home cooking up in containers for us to bring back to Jersey (we can't get food up here, apparently). And there's no arguing with him, so we'll be eating his specialty dish for a few days after we get back.

I suppose I should just enjoy the attention from the family. Afterall, I'm their baby. And Mike, well, he's the greatest gringo they've ever met. I can't wait for my aunt to hug him and kiss him all over.

More on our adventures next week. And photos of us sweating in the hot south Florida sun and doing the white man's overbite to the Electric Slide!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Alma Mater

First, it was basketball.

Then, Emmitt won on Dancing With the Stars.

And now, this. Or, if you want to see another article, this.

It's great to be a Florida Gator, indeed! Cheers!

Long Awaited Night

Yes, folks, the day has finally arrived: it's time! Check out this article on the Mighty Gators.

Who'll be watching? I hope I make it through the entire game - I'm still sick with a cold and have spent the last few nights allegedly coughing in Mike's face (that's his claim. whatever).

Update from Friday's post: Mike has claimed Mr. Bento. He took it this morning, leaving me to my old lunchbag. It's not the same as My Lov-ah. Not one bit.

On Our Way to the National Title?

This weekend, despite my illness (see Friday's post), I got to watch two preety cool football games.

The first, and foremost, the SEC game. Gooooooo Gators! It's great to be a Florida Gator. Truly, it is.

The second, the Rutgers v. West Virginia game, which despite a loss for Rutgers, was an incredible game. I mean, how often do you get to see a game go into a thrid overtime?

Since I doubt I will be travelling to Arizona or Texas, I am certain I will be watching both games from the same place I watched on Saturday night - my living room.

As an aside, I have to thank my dear ole BFF, acb, for hijacking my password and posting for me on Friday. She's awesome.

Darnit All to Hell

So I tried to post on Saturday. And then again on Sunday.

Obviously, I had no luck.

And so I post the first chance I get on a Monday morning.

It's officially the week before Thanksgiving. Am I nervous about almost 20 guests in my house for dinner? No way! Am I nervous about a visit from my parents? No way! Am I nervous that I haven't even started Christmas shopping? No way!

It's all good.

Until Wednesday night of next week. Then there's a slight possibility that I might freak out. Slight. Freak. Out.

And I have to get the computer at home fixed. Pronto!

But hey - how 'bout them Gators?

As the seasons change...

It is undoubtedly fall: we've been watching football, both college and professional, for weeks now. (Go Gators! Go Scarlet Knights! Both teams are 5-0 for the season.)

For two weeks now, we've had to close the windows before going to bed and wake up nestled underneath our comforter.

Last week, I had to rake the backyard.

And this morning, I had to pull on my jacket. A jacket.

But guess what? Less than three weeks until Hawaii!

Tough Week for Florida...

... but they still came out victorious. Go Gators!

And though we couldn't be there to watch them, we got to see Rutgers defeat Ohio University.

Here we are, on our way to the Rutgers homecoming game:

Looking way too silly, in my opinion.