Merry Christmas y'all!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!
Love,
Kristi & Andy

Update on my feet!

Well, I'm in and out of being coherent, so I thought I'd get this up. I had foot surgery on Thursday and am home recovering. I will be home until Jan 4th. The surgery overall went well, but instead of correcting my arch by placing permanent pins in my feet as they did with my last surgery, the dr's had to use temporary ones, b/c the pins wouldn't hold. So, seriously it looks like 2 big corsage pins on the xrays and the tops are sticking out of my skin covered by little balls about the size of M&M's. They will stay in for 6 weeks. I thought about posting a picture, but decided it would scare the kids, so you'll have to take my word for it. :-)

But I am doing ok, am taking Vicodin to keep pain manageable. Have had first post-op appt and so far so good. If Idon't post again before Christmas, hope everyone has a great holiday! Love, Kristi, Andy & Mr. Oscar

Pancakes and Snow

Our Back yard
The neighbor's frozen trampoline!
View from our front porch
Look! It's true! Rain, snow, sleet or hail nothing will stop the US Mail!!!!
Well it started snowing yesterday and by today this is what it looked like. We slept in late, got up & had a leisurely breakfast of pumpkin spiced pancakes & relished the fact that we both lucked out and have the weekend off together, a rarity in our house. The cat slept on the couch stretched out between us and we just enjoyed the morning of not doing anything. We'll venture out later in the hoopty (my car, haha) for Meg's birthday party at Primo's (like Cici's). Meg is Bill & Jaime Hassey's little girl--she's 5 this year. Maybe take in a few Christmas lights on the way home, and then finish up our final for class.

Enjoy the pics!!!!!

Aren't cats supposed to hate water?

And here all this time, we thought cats hated water. Thank goodness the toilet had just been cleaned, sheesh!

Miles Away from Ordinary, A Tribute to Mary

The blog was begging for an update and taking a cue from our niece, Hannah, I knew exactly what I wanted to post.
I found this picture today, and thought it was very fitting for Andrew's mother Mary as she was MILES away from ordinary in such a fabulous way. I was so very blessed and fortunate to have known Mary if only for a few short years. It's very funny how we met, because it almost didn't happen. Andy and I had been dating for awhile in California, and he said "My parents are coming into town this weekend, let's get together for dinner one night" I said sure, but as Saturday got closer I became more terrified. What if they don't like me, what if this, what if that? I talked to Andy the night before and he was telling me what a good time he'd had with his Mom and her friend Sharon last night. They'd bought purple feather boas, and Mardi Gras necklaces and just had a GREAT time with their Coronas last night. I thought, Well I definitely can't go now, this woman sounds too crazy for me!!! SO I cancelled on Andy, let me re-phrase that. I tried to. I told him I had a headache, my stomach hurt, blah blah blah and he said Oh, ok---well get dressed b/c I'm gonna be there in 5 minutes then hung up on me! DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am now flying around my 700sq/ft apartment and clothes are flying everywhere as I am trying to figure out WTF am I going to wear!?! Finally settled on something just as the doorbell rang.

We went to Hamasota's our favorite Japanese place. And I'm so glad Andy didn't let me cancel. We had such a great time, laughing and by the end of the night, I truly felt as if I'd known Mary for years! When they dropped me off, she asked what I was doing tomorrow night. I joked and said, Well you kinda have my date, so probably nothing. She said "GOOD---then come to dinner with us tomorrow. Andy turned around from the front seat and just raised his eyebrows at her and smiled. She laughed and said "Oh I forgot---that's fine with you right Andrew?" Hahaha, how can you say no to that!

I moved to WY in Dec '03, by myself b/c Andy was a class behind mine and didn't move until March. Mary sent me a book, and I mailed back a thank-you card. We'd written letters ever since. The first few I got I laughed so hard at the randomness. One said, "So tell me more! Do you like coffee? If so what do you like in it? What about tea? Iced or hot? Sweet? Lemon? Do you like Coke, or DrPepper?" I thought "What is this the Spanish Inquisition, haha!" I remember that St Patty's Day opening a letter and green shamrock confetti flying out of it when I opened it. After that, when holidays came around, I very cautiously began opening the letters over the trashcan, haha! But it was through letters like this, that we became very close friends and laid the beginnings to a wonderful friendship.

I met the rest of the Adams family in Sept 05 during The Great Road Trip of '05. We'd barely missed Katrina in New Orleans, as that had been one of our planned stops. The city was evacuated and we instead drove north to Memphis. Mary had a bottle of wine waiting and we stayed up late that night just a talking. Chris was there too, and told Andy--so she's actually real, then handed me a wineglass. HAHA! I liked her immediately!!!!

And just a little over a year later, we got together again, but this time for OUR wedding! She looked radiant that day, and so happy. I made photo albums for the parents and Grandma & Granni, and lo and behold if Mary didn't take that photo album EVERYWHERE with her and show it off, haha! When Andy and I were back in TN last week, we went to go see a family friend, and they said, Oh we recognize you from the pictures! Puzzled? What pictures? Oh, Mary brought in the WHOLE album and showed us, haha! She loved her family and her friends dearly.

So it is with great honor and privilege that I am able to call Mary more than just family---but a very dear friend. It is very fitting that she loved her some Corona as she truly was and forever will be 'Miles Away from Ordinary'

Off to Tejas

I'm headed for Texas, or as my Dad likes to call it "Northern Mexico"this week. I'll be back hopefully with some good pics next week. Hope everyone's well, will post again soon!

Welcome Baby BAM-BAM!

Welcome to the world Baby BAM-BAM! Sept 19th, Andy's niece Abby & her husband Sabata welcomed their baby, Baine Alexander at 7lbs & some change. Since his initials spell out "BAM", that's what we're gonna nickname him. So welcome Baby BAM-BAM from Aunt Kristi & Uncle Andrew!

The Sun Dial with Fur

Well, we know that its Fall and turning just a little cooler, there's a crisp in the air.....and........
Oscar has started his Fall Equinox Rotations.

Once its cooler, its been 65 during the day I guess, 40's at night, Oscar turns into the Sundial. As the sun comes through the windows, that's where he lays, and as it moves throughout the day, he does too. It's cute. This was about 3:30 upstairs while I was working on homework. Crazy cat!

Holy Crap!

Ok so Andy my man and I were watching Biggest Loser tonight. And they flash up these questions in between scenes like "How many jumping jacks does it take ot burn off blah blah blah" But then, HOLY CRAP! MOTHER OF ZEUS!!!! SWEET ODEN'S RAVEN!!!! They put up 4 things and say which has the most calories.....

Bacon Cheeseburger - my vote

Fries

Chocolate milkshake - Sweet beard of Zeus, surely not?

And something else I don't remember what

BUT THE DOG-GONE MILKSHAKE WON!

Not by a little. By a lot. Try 22oz at 627 calories alot.

And guess what yours truly gets usually every other week. Yup a big honking 22oz Dairy Queen shake.

PERO NO MAS!!!!!! (Hey Christine--that's Mexican for 'but no more!)

A Birthday in the House!

Birthday 'cake' with his birthday cards

Oh, I'm in heaven!!!!!

Ladies & gents, Andy is celebrating his 28th birthday today! I guess September is the month when geniuses are born b/c Keri & Andy are seriously the smartest 2 people I know!!!!

I was asking Andy what kind of cake he'd like me to make for him, and he just grinned and said I don't know about cake--but I'd like Rice Krispy Treats! HAHA! So, that was his cake and I put candles in it and everything! I make them a little differenct than the recipe calls for & add 2 Tablespoons of vanilla in with the marshmallows when you melt 'em, and that makes such a difference, these things are just phenomenal!

We went to breakfast this morning for pancakes & french toast, and are going to have sushi tonight at JeJu's in Ft. Collins. Tomorrow we're off to Denver for a couple of days to celebrate our anniversary which I can't believe that's it been a year! Will put up pics when we return! Thank y'all so much for the lovely cards, they're all on our mantle!

Everyone's favorite atty is 29!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well ladies and gents, today our beloved attorney celebrates her 29th birthday!

Wishing you a VERY happy birthday Keri, and I hope you did something fun to celebrate today----or make Ben take you out tonight and pamper you!

LOVE YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah another day in WY

Hmmm......I wonder if Oscar would let us do this to him?

Not too much going on other thant getting another class started and in the middle of the big inpsection. Got a few days of leave coming up and really can't wait! I can't believe its been a year since Andy and I were married it has gone by so fast! We are going to go down to Denver for our anniversary go see a comedy show and just enjoy the city.

I just had another appointment for my foot and as of right now, I will not need a second surgery on my left foot! It wasn't looking too promising 2 weeks ago but I have been doing physical therapy everyday and it is paying off--but very painful and I hate doing it. But it is worth it in the long run.

Hope y'all are well and will update again soon!

Now that's a uniform!

Go to this link and click on: Optical Brighteners & ABUs

http://chairforce.com/index.htm

The Army & Air Force are coming up with "new & improved" uniforms that well, are comical at best. We now have BDUs (Camo) that glows in the dark when you wash it. Its designed to be a wash & wear uniform instead of having to get it pressed and what-not. So people have been washing it, and some detergents contain optical brighteners to make clothes look more vibrant. Makes sense right? But that doesn't necessarily mean that the detergent has to advertise that it has brighteners in its formula. Click on the link and you'll see the result. I'm sorry but I howled in laughter when I saw this....didn't someone think of this when they were designing this?

Got the big inspection coming to the base on Tuesday and will last for 2 weeks. Kinda like Cousin Eddie showing up and won't leave. And you've got to get everything right or Cousin Eddie will come back. And no one wants to see Cousin Eddie more than they have to......

First Place Apple Pies!

OK y'all get ready to laugh because this is kinda a funny story.
Every year on the base we have an event called Frontiercade. Remember back in grade school when you had a field day, and did things like a 3 legged race, stuff like that? That's pretty much what this is. And there's also a chili cookoff and an apple pie baking contest.

Well, there's this woman we have dubbed the "Chili Nazi". She's usualyy a judge and us just so stinking mean! Last year, everyone lined up their chili & the apple pies were right across the tent. So everyone goes and samples the chili, but when we go to the otherside of the tent to taste the pies, this behemoth yellsat the whole tent---THE PIES ARE NOT FOR TASTING!!! Meanwhile her lard ass goes down the table and gets a piece of all 20 pies.

I decided NO MORE! I will enter the pie contest and beat Lucifer at her own game. I entered the pie contest and made fried apple pies. AND I WON FIRST PLACE!!!!!! About 150 people judged this year, there was a judging panel and a people's choice, and I won! I'd been talking all week about how angry this woman makes me, she is evil and must be crushed.

HAHA TAKE THAT CHILI NAZI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayer for Keri

I want to ask all of you who are reading this post right now to do something for me. I need you to pray for one of my very best friends in the world, Keri. Many of you met Keri at our wedding, fot those of you that have not, we've been friends for over 20 years now and I consider her more like a sister to me than a friend.

Keri and her family are going through an extremely difficult point in their lives, and I ask each of you to pray for strength, perseverance, hope and closure for Keri and her family. They need that now more than ever. Thank y'all so much! Tell everyone you love HOW much you love them today, and give them a hug!!!!

Rainy Day

Just a rainy day and got some cool pics of a a rainbow that was right over our home. And this is one of Oscar's favorite places to sleep. Curled up on the backpack that he pulls under the coffeetable. For some reason he loves sleeping on bags. Workout bags, in our suitcases when we are getting ready to pack, laptop bags, you name it.

Using today to clean the house really well, we've both been working alot and I haven't been able to stand for a long period of time to help much. SO we both had the day off together which is a luxury, and we slept in, I made pancakes & bacon for breakfast and we cleaned. We're gonna go see SuperBad tonight, I hope it s good!

Fat cats make great pillows!

Relaxin at home with Senor Oscar Cat

A weekend in Vegas--a true story of dancing, a hotel shooting, wildfires, burning cars, and the infamous NippleMan

Well for 4th of July weekend Hannah flew out and then we went out to Vegas to celebrate. It was going to be one last hurrah for summer and before I had my first foot surgery. We had such a blast. We stayed at the New York New York. Our first night we went to a Cirque du Soleil show, 'Ka' and it was fantastic. The sets constantly changed and it was really amazing. On our way back to the room however, the hotel was blocked by police and crime scene tape!? I thought someone had made off with some loot, but come to find out some dude went crazy and started shooting from a balcony AT PEOPLE in the lobby playing slots!!!! I'm glad we were at the show!

The next day we walked around town and had sushi at Todai's which is an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. YUM!!!!! On our way back we see choppers circling the strip and we're like what's going on???? A car had burnt to the ground in the middle of the strip! It caught on fire with a family inside, they made it out safely and then it was Disco Inferno! A tourist we talked to said people started running like Godzilla was coming, b/c explosions were coming from the car!

Went to MGM grand later that night and danced the night away. The next night we went to a piano bar in our hotel and it was so much fun. But at one point Andy and Sam had gone to the bathroom, so Hannah and I were dancing, when this guy comes up beside us. He then proceeds to give us the worst pick up line I've ever heard...
He lifts up his shirt, shows us 1 of his nipples and says "look what I've got" haha! and we looked at him and said wow that's great. Then he lifts up the other side and says 'there's plenty more where that came from' HAHAHA!!!!! It was so funny, Hannah and I just laughed and laughed and dubbed him "The Nippleman"

Our last night we went to the Palms Hotel where we went to 4 clubs inside the hotel. By far Rain was the coolest club I have ever been to. There was this flamethrower that would come down over the dancers and just go to town shooting fire from the sides, it was so friggin cool!

On our way back home, we were detoured in Utah for 4 hours! Lighning had started a massive wildfire, and it ended up burning over 150 miles! So it was quite a long car ride back, but Andy kept us laughing pretty much the whole way. He comes up with the most random funniest stuff I have ever heard, I'm so glad I married a guy with a crazy sense of humor!

Sorry it took so long to get the post up, but enjoy the pics!!!!!

At Rain in the Palms

Lucky Sam
Andy on our way into the Ghost Bar
The flamethrower in the rain. This thing came down over the crowd right above the dance floor and shot flames out the sides--very cool, but made it VERY hot.

View of the Strip from the Palms Hotel

This was on the 53rd floor in the Palms Hotel. We got tickets early and were able to see the entire strip!!!

This was a real sign, I kid you not!!!
It was really hot this weekend, so hot in fact that a car caught fire and burnt to the ground. Part of the car melted on the ground!
Front of MGM Grand
A night at the Piano Bar in the NYNY. This is my favorite pic of the weekend!!!!!

Andy and Sam
Front view of our hotel, The New York New York
Night at Cirque du Soleil show "Ka"
Water show at the Bellagio

Inside MGM Grand