Christmas With The In-Laws

Today we drove up to North Fork to have Christmas with Wendy's dad and that side of her family.  We had an out of this world appetizer.  They took jalepeno peppers and cut them in half, seeded them, filled them with cream cheese, put a slice of bacon on top, and baked them until the bacon was crisp.  OMG, fiery cheese and bacon heaven.  I would highly recommend them for your next party.  I'm going to kick it up another notch when I make them and add cheddar cheese, maybe toss a little crab meat on top after baking.  Yum, yum.  

We got to see a lot of family, we all pitched in and purchased gifts for a family in a local women's shelter instead of exchanging gifts, and I got some quality time with my brother-in-law.  Oh, and how could I forget one of the cutest little nieces ever running around in her Christmas dress.  Too cute!

One of my hight lights though, was walking outside and standing in snow.  It just isn't Christmas without a little snow and the echos of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas in your head.

Date Night Dinner Review

For our weekly date night we took a trip to our new local pub, The Public House.  It is advertised as an authentic Irish pub serving traditional Irish fare while hosting a good number of ales on tap.

Our first impression on entrance was good, several beers on tap, Irish music worthy of a little jig playing quite loudly, and a menu offering corned beef, bangers and mash, Irish nachos, and fish and chips.  We quickly ordered our pints, a bit pricey in my opinion (5.95 for one pint), and considered our options for dinner.  We settled on corned beef and cabbage and a cup of Potato soup.  We were then informed that they were out of corned beef that day and any of the dishes offering corned beef were not being served.  How can you not have corned beef at an Irish pub that has it on the menu in 4 of your dishes?  In the midst of all of this our waitress went on break and seemed to have left lots of loose ends because we had to wait and wait to finally put in our new order of fish and chips.

Despite our waiting, not getting our first choice of food, and paying out the wazoo for a pint the food was good, the beer made us merry, and most importantly my Irish wife was happy.  I would recommend The Public House (maybe not on a Friday night during rush hour), just call ahead if you want corned beef.

We ended our date with a drive through a well known Christmas lighted street in town.  For all the restaurants mishaps I had a wonderful date, and am enjoying getting this quality time with my wife.  Once a week date nights, it does a marriage good!

I renig my argument

Everyone always complains about DMV and I always brag about the service I have received. I have always had fast courteous service. That was until today when I got up at the butt crack of dawn to change my name on my drivers license to my new legal name. I had planned ahead, made an appointment, brought in the documents posted online as necessary, and then there came the evil dmv worker. Do you have your marriage certificate she asked. No i say but i have our new social security cards like the website says I need. Out comes the pamphlet that she whips in my face pointing out what is acceptable documentation scooting me aside. All the way home we go for our marriage certificate and back to the same poopy head. Only one certificate she asks? And then the long drawn out oh as she passive aggressively points out her disapproval of our relationship. Now I sit, documents in hand, my happy moment clouded by a mean lady. You are all right DMV sucks!

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A day in the life of Auntie Christa

My niece went on our little adventure today. 2 adults a 3 month old and a 2 and a half year old. Im pooped. Im considering paying the doc to tie Wendy's other tube. I don't know how people do it with multiples. I know I'm not cut out for it. I guess if we have twins the dads get a baby too! :) But you have to admit she's awfully cute. Especially when she says no momma I want Auntie Christa do it.

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Nephew bonding moment

My nephew and I went on our first trip to Target together today. I walked, he slept, all was perfect in the world.

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My magical date.

Not long ago we were driving along the freeway and we saw a billboard that read, "What have you done for your marriage lately?".  Well, Wendy and I have created weekly date night.  Tonight we went on a real date.  After a day of enjoying each other's company and piddling around the house we had a nice dinner, went to a movie, and had a cup 'o Jo.  It was so magical she made it snow in Fresno.  Ok, it wasn't really snow, it came from a machine, but it meant the world to this 'ol romantic.

So here's my challenge.  What are you doing for your marriage friends?  It's never too late to do something good.  Take your wife or husband on a date.  You'll be glad you did.

Gingerbread train

My wife is queen of the gingerbread house.  This year we tackled the train.  It's pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

Crap in a stall: BFF bonding.

Last week my BFF calls saying she has a new money making opportunity for me.  She assures me all money we make will be under the table and easy to make.

She thinks going to auctions at our local chain storage units, Darrel's, buying @&$^ at dirt cheap and selling it on Craig's list could be fun.  I bargain with her...if she wears a pirate winch's costume and brings me Pirate rum for my coffee I will tag along.  The costume was out but she agreed to the rum.

Bright and early she showed up...no coffee and no rum.  Most friends would have gone back to bed, but the good BFF that I am I went along.  We reach our destination only to find out that the auction is still at their last stop...they are running behind selling all their crap.  Of course we must rush to the other location.  Duh.

We arrive, we register and the people keep coming.  People wheeling carts and hand trucks.  They are prepared to haul their crap off.  Then I notice the chairs.  These people have chairs.  That should have been my first clue that I was in for a long day.

The first stall is opened and we quickly learn that the good stuff is brought out and auctioned off.  Once all the good stuff is sold the contents remaining in the stall are auctioned off.  First there was one, then two, then three, the stalls just kept coming.  There was some good stuff, mostly bad stuff, but I was getting drawn in to the story.  Who would leave this stuff?  What did they do?  Why was it left?  

Before long I was carrying around my own crap...platters would be good for church, those candle holders good for our service, a mini fridge for my lab.  Wait a minute...how come I'm buying all this stuff and my BFF still hasn't purchased anything?  I'm not making a dime, it's been seven hours out in the cold, but the BFF time was priceless.  

Roto-Rooter: Not just for home repair

Last Thursday Wendy and I visited the fertility doctor to get the results of her labs and the dye test, which we already knew about.  The door flew open and in walked an unfamiliar face...the Nurse Practitioner.  Yay I thought to myself.  NP's are always better than real doctors...more caring, more helpful, more concerned.  My preconceived notions were not disappointed.  She let us know that all of Wendy's labs came back great.  She is ovulating just as she should be.  Then she talked about the dye test and the blocked right tube that Wendy has.  

We have two options.  #1 is to take fertility drugs, go in each month about the time of ovulation and see which side Wendy is ovulating on and then have the NP do the insemination for us.  If you are one of my followers you know what we were told in October about the insane FDA rules on that.  If not you have to read that post to understand why option 1 was out.

So I tell the nice NP that there is no way that can happen, which she understands and says she doesn't know who could afford that.  So she brings up option #2: laparoscopic surgery, or the roto-rooter service.  The doctor would go in through 3 tiny incisions, find what is causing the blockage, and if possible just blow it out right there.  I look at Wendy, she looks at me, and we say great.  Sign us up.  Problem #2: how do we get insurance to pay for it since we cannot say that we are trying to conceive with our known donor?  Some questions are asked...some stretched answers are given...the NP diagnoses a medical necessity for the surgery and bada bing bada boom she is putting in a request for the surgery with our insurance.

Since we were there, and Wendy was about to ovulate, the NP did an ultrasound to see which side our little huevo was coming from.  Of couse...the right side.  So we're out this month for TTC.  It's all good though.  I think mentally and emotionally we needed a months reprieve.  

We should hear back from the doc in a week to find out if the insurance will cover the surgery.  If so we're hoping Wendy's Christmas break will include a trip to the Roto-Rooter man.

Prop 8 The Musical

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