Beach Trip Part 2: The Drive

Driving west on Highway 26. THE MAJESTY.*

The drive was mostly fine. Two things of note:

1) About 30 miles away from our destination, an engine light lit up on our dashboard that we'd never seen before and had to look up on Google (which to me was scary enough): the throttle control warning light. Don't look it up, it's scary. We pulled over, turned the engine off, read what the throttle control light signifies, and decided to continue. Turned the engine on and the light didn't pop on again for the rest of the trip, but we're still a bit wigged.

2) After turning off 26, we drove down Highway 53 to the 101. It was beautiful - absolutely foresty, misty, green, dare I say moist gorgeousness - but the road was extremely curvy, with steep banks and a tiny, sometimes nonexistent, shoulder on MY side of the car. Bella loved the creepiness of it (I did too) but Hubby and Roz were not fans.

Eventually we made it to the little town, which we realized we'd driven through before, and found the house.

*This is only funny if you grew up listening to the radio in Tri-Cities during the 80s. And maybe not even then. 

Beach Trip Part 1: Peaches Come From a Can

Yep now it's stuck in your head too. HA.

We (Hubby, daughters, and I) are heading to a new-to-us Oregon coastal town. A free beach house stay was offered to us by one of Hubby's soccer friends and we'll be spending the weekend there. We're taking our time getting out of town and probably won't arrive before dark, but you know what? It's winter break and we can take our time. 

B & L and the baby are staying home, and H and C will hopefully come over tomorrow and spend the night. We have instructed them all to feed the animals and abstain from any wild partying without us (especially the baby; she's quite prone to naughtiness). 

Stopping at Starbucks for lunch, then we'll be on our way. Tune in often for updates!

Merry Day After Christmas

Spending a quiet day cleaning up after the festivities and reveling in another 365 days before I have to do Christmas again. 

🍒

"Don't ask questions you don't want answers to"

Somehow, sometime, somewhere, a screw was embedded in our tire, and on Sunday, we woke up with a completely flat tire. Hubby put the spare on and I took the car to our favorite tire place today. As always, imaginary shenanigans ensued.

How I spent my evening

Gran-ing the best grandbaby ever. 

She's awesome to watch TV with.

Coffee Thoughts

I bought myself a cup before work today, then was happily surprised when B brought me a mocha and one of those bacon/cheese/caraway seed biscuits from River Maiden. 

However, I'm still quite the lightweight.

Second cuppa coffee =

 1) Thinking how much I need my own personal set of Oompa Loompas following me around to chastise me for my questionable choices ("What do you get when you drink like a fish?*") 

 2) Humming the Oompa Loompa song ad nauseam 

 3) "Man, did they move bonnets"

Other things from today:

"It eats the sushi on its payday or else it gets super cranky again"

"'Falling Headfirst into a WinCo Freezer Bin Because The Two Bags of California Blend They Have Left Are At the Very Bottom' is the new working title of my autobiography"

*Disclaimer: The "drink like a fish" example is not applicable to me. I know how y'all worry.

Awake Since 2:45 AM

Listening to Philly Soul is doing a not good job putting me back to sleep but is keeping me content.

Later: At work, someone put on Christmas music, which was fine until a) the music was an a cappella group and b) the song was Mary Did You Know, which to me is right up there with Christmas Shoes for Stupidest Christmas Song Ever.

I'm almost 1000% sure that MARY HAD NO IDEA. There's only one thing worse than Mary Did You Know, and it's Mary Did You Know, a cappella. Gahhhhh.

Later still: I left my warm and cozy bed to produce soup for my offspring. The martyr is strong with this one.

Because I'm an Exmo and Exmos Are Evil

Quote of the Day:

"If I'm going to go to hell, it'll be for something a whole lot more fun than drinking coffee."

And now, an anecdote:

I was mocked at work today for using the word "summoned". 

 "It's like you're 'summoning' the Devil!" 

...which is the next natural step after drinking coffee, btw.

In other, more Christmasy news:

Finally, we have matchy Christmas stockings. 

We'd been piecemealing for probably a decade, and now, especially with two new family members this year, it was time to step up our game. 

Thanks, local Target stores! It took a village!

Embarrassing.

(Resting Loaf Pinch Face)

FYI: Her parents are responsible for the pic. I'm just the blogger.

"'In bed with a Starbucks brownie' is the working title of my autobiography"

When Grandparents Party

We attended my company Christmas party tonight at The Grocery Cocktail and Social, downtown. 

We ate well and had fun and won free stuff. Quite a swell evening. 

Sleepy Smiles

Total Whiner

::::wrestling with R::::

"Ow! Mudder! You can't kick me in the mouth anymore!"

Aunt R & Niece R

Hmph

The 15 year old is convinced that her mother shouldn't own a pair of leather pants which has her mother even more convinced that she should.

"What are you looking at? Are you looking at leather pants? Ugh"

DON'T PUT THAT CRAP ON ME

I'm at the mall - on Black Friday, mind you - to satisfy my youngest's shopping gene, which she did not inherit from me. I can think of several medical procedures I'd rather be having than be here on Black Friday. The crap we do for our children...

We survived an awkward encounter with a 20 year old Israeli who tried to fake-flirt me into buying his $100 moisturizer. Just. Dude. 

If you need me, I'll be spending the rest of the time in my happy place.

:::Later:::

Everyone in my family is getting either an Ove Glove, a Chia Pet, or The Clapper for Christmas. 

There. Done.

Happy Thanksgiving.

it's true

The Charmin Bears ads continue to ensure that I will buy any brand of toilet paper that is NOT Charmin.

Wakey Wakey

It's 5:27 am and so far Chad (gray) has lain across my neck, bitten my earlobe, and shoved his nose in my nostril.

Also: We need more Hanukkah music.

Question

Am I the only person on earth who can't stand the Pitch Perfect films? I can't be.