The End

Well I am happy to report that this is my last post for 2008. I'm pretty stoked that this year has only hours left. I'm also unbelievably thankful that I'm not in the middle of Times Square like NYE '07. Never again.


I'll close out this year with pics from when I was home for the holidays.


This is Miss. Ginna. We met up in DC and drove home. Sadly we missed the HOV lane. Biggest mistake of 2008. We were in so much traffic. We also passed by this guy in a truck w/ a bumper sticker that said something like "Don't even think of talking and driving". I couldn't pass it up. So every time we passed him (stop and go traffic) I would put my cell phone to Gin's ear and look at him and smile. Too bad he never looked over at us.















This here is the cutest picture of little wittle Lucy Goosey. We put it out every Christmas and never cease to make fun of her. But how sweet is it that such joy can come from a candy cane!


















Christmas Eve we went to hear my cousin sing at church. It was such a wonderful Christmas Eve service and the music was beautiful and very worshipful. There was also a candlelight part at the end where we sang Silent Night and then Joy to the World. My favorite!

The following morning we had breakfast at Greensboro's finest: Tex and Shirley's, with my cousin and her two sweet boys, Hayden and Brooks. Brooksie is my godson. They have personality!















Girls lunch at Panera. Here are a few of the '02 ladies!















Christmas in Winston Salem w/ my Mom's side of the family. I love this picture of everyone together.














Ginnawin and Jeffiepooh Fefferson.















Another Caldwell get-together at Katie and Seth's. Take note of David (in green)- he's in the Army and came home from Iraq for his sister's wedding. We're proud of you, Dave and thankful for your service to our country!!
What dear friends :D















It was such a great time at home!

Now, on to 2009!

Give Me Five

Today is sweet little Nicholas' 5th Birthday! Hooray!

I just called him to wish him a happy five. But he was a bit distracted as him & Alecie got a Wii for Christmas. He had to get back to his golf game. ;)

Here's probably one of my favorite pictures of Nicholas back in Winter '06 when we used to build tents every morning with Irish Bear. What a love.

Funny Story

So, I'm still here and alive, despite my lack of posts.

It's been a steller time here in G-boro.

Yesterday we went over to Winston for a Christmas celebration. My Uncle Hunter is a ninja at the grill and made this amazing naan bread. My Dad thought it was unbelievably good and loved it so much he decided he wanted to make it. Uncle Hunter gave me The Barbecue Bible to copy the recipe but a game of Bocce ball got in the way and I left w/o the recipe. My Dad was still talking about the recipe today, so Lucy and I went to Barnes & Noble, found the cookbook and took pictures of the recipe. Shhh. Don't tell. We got all the ingredients and went home.

I started pouring the yeast and sugar together when my Dad busted out of his seat saying that I wasn't waiting for him! Say what?! So then Dad, for the first time in the 15 years I've been baking, decided he wanted to learn how. So we started and I explained about accuracy in baking, how to beat an egg, and other such things. Towards the end I had Dad stirring and I was measuring the flour. On the 4th cup of flour my Dad said, "Wow this is really heavy on the flour." I then said, "Dad. It's bread." We then busted out lauging. It was a great Father/Daughter moment.

Hope yall are having a wonderful weekend!

Oh and Ginna would like you to know that she is awesome in so many ways :)

Wrap it up...

So, as I'm sure you all know by now... I LOVE CHRISTMAS CARDS! Oh my goodness. Best part of my day is coming home to cards on the stoop. And yesterday I got a whopping 6 cards! Exhibit A are the ones I've received thus far (a few are Katie & Kath's).















And of course, I do have favorite Christmas card. I can't help it. Until I have kids of my own, these guys will be my favorite kids in the world (along w/ my godson Brooksie and Hayden). But how cute are Alec and Nicholas?!?!

















And since we're already taking a trip down memory lane, here's the picture of the boys when I first started back in '05. This is how I remember them. They were babies. They were darling and precious and everything was new to them. Such sweet memories!

(Gah! It's from Snapfish, so I can't make it any bigger, arg.)




Here's also a picture of the tree in our apartment. Katiebug got it and devoted a whole Sunday night to sewing popcorn and fresh cranberries on string. Bless her heart.




















I wish I had pictures of New York at Christmas (I do have them in my heart, awww). But I don't have actual pictures. Why?, you ask. Good question. Well it's because it has been COLD, people. I'm talking like bundle me up cold. I've never been one to have to wear 5 layers and tights under my jeans and 3 pairs of socks. But I'm becoming that person. New York is turning me into a weather wimp. Albeit, it's a lot colder than last year. I now have to don myself with hat, scarf, heavy coat, gloves... the works. I'm constantly walking at a fast pace to avoid the gusts of wind- oh but wait! I can't walk too fast or I will slip and fall to my death on the black ice that is everywhere. This, my friends is why you don't have pictures of the Rockefeller tree or BPark or other beautiful NYC Christmastime sights. My hands would freeze. (But I love you still, New York.)


Tonight I was on my way home and had to finish a few last minute shopping trips. Aside from getting my Dad's Starbucks gift card (sorry Dad, you know it is coming. Every year. No surprise there), I'm done w/ shopping! D.O.N.E. That's right. Well, I have no choice. Tomorrow I will be on the Chinatown bus (gag, gross, lice in my hair) until I reach that Ginna girl in DC where we will drive home just in time to be tucked in bed before Santa arrives in his sleigh. Since I will be in transit tomorrow, I had to get all shopping done today. But oh how I wish one year I could be done by December 1st.


Anyways as I was walking, I was wishing for a warmer coat. I think I need a puffer that goes to my knees. I have an old puffer coat that I used when I was a nanny but that probably has remnants of baby spit up, dirt, chlorine (the children took swimming lessons indoors, in the winter = having to blow dry a 2 year old's hair who has the wiggles) and who knows what else on it. Even though I have washed it many times, these things don't usually go away. But I kinda like that


So tonight I'm walking and everyone was in such a lovely mood. It really is like a Christmas NYC storybook. People passing with wrapping paper, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah parties in the window, the trains aren't as crowded and one man even gave up his seat (gets me every time). New Yorkers were saying their "please" and "thank you's", holding the doors for one another- you would think Christmas brings out the best in the City. And I think it does. But of course, there were those irritated cab drivers honking for a whole block. Gah! Peace on earth, people!


Anyways, farewell New York City at Christmas time! I'm headed to the South where I will dream of lighter coats, sweet tea, family, Rummmmy 2008, and so much more! But I will be back!



And to you, bliggity blog readers: Merry Christmas! Hope it's filled with good times with family and friends, good food and wine. But I also hope that you can pause and enjoy what this season is really all about.


O come let us adore Thee.

Weekend Update

This past week has been super busy, but lots of fun. Tuesday I had dinner w/ my friend Tammy. We were nanny's on Long Island together and way back when, we would get lunch every Saturday at one of our "usual's" which was usually Moe's, Panera or various LI eateries. We would often catch up and talk about the week. I would tell such cute stories of my boys, cause they are AWESOME and she would tell me crazy stories of her nanny family. Anyways, gone are those days! Now we get dinner in the City after work. We're trying to become our own Zagat.

But when I was on my way to meet her for dinner, I was walking along 5th Ave and amongst the hustle and bustle, I wasn't really paying attention. I was passing Rockefeller, I look and boom! There's THE Christmas tree! Oh what surprising beauty. It is just as beautiful and majestic as it looks on tv.

Wednesday night we had all of our friends over for caroling and it was so special to sing such beautiful Christmas hymns. We did this last year at our other friend's apt. But thanks to my talented friends, and especially Cassie who knows how to play the guitar- we gathered around and sang old time hymns in worship.

Thursday night a few of my co-workers (Hi Suzizzle!) were invited by a former co-worker to meet up w/ her at the Yale Club for drinks. Oooh, how fancy! It was a lot of fun as we got to catch up in the biggest "living room" I've ever seen in Manhattan.

















Last night a few FG friends and I met up for dinner at Fetch, one of my favorite UES spots. You can sorta see the snow behind us! Burr, it was cold!















It's been a good weekend. Caught up on reading and just bought a ton of groceries to make cookies and other baked goods for my doormen and co-workers. I also stopped by the 92nd St. Y and got information on becoming a member. It is so impressive, you should check it out online. But that's about it. Oh and did I mention that I love New York City? If I haven't, oh yeah, I LOVE NEW YORK CITY- especially at Christmas time! I am so happy that I get to be here right up until Christmas Eve because it is magical!

Get your apron on

Here are a few of my favorite cooking blogs:

1. 101 Cookbooks- http://www.101cookbooks.com/
Last night I had my '08 Bible Study girls over for dinner before a ton of ppl came over for our 2nd annual caroling get-together! We decided to go "Recession-style" and make our own dinner instead of going out to a restaurant and getting drinks, dinner, dessert, tip, figuring out the bill -headache. So! In the afternoon I thought of the most fast and easy dinner anyone has ever made: Spaghetti. I was going to make the spaghetti and sauce, the girls bring the rest. So, boiled the noodles and then began my sauce. I am slightly outraged at the price of jar sauce when you can make it so easily at home! After finding this recipe on here, 5 Minute Tomato Sauce, I haven't bought homemade sauce since! I mean, 5 minutes! Can't get much easier than that.

2. Smitten Kitchen http://www.smittenkitchen.com/
I really love this site. She lives in NYC and makes/has recipes for things like Black and White cookies, and these rainbow cookies which are true to NY... I'd never seen them before living here. She's funny and knows her stuff.

3. The Recipe Girl http://www.therecipegirl.blogspot.com/
I've perused many blogs, but her recipes are very creative and seemingly original. Check it out.

So there you have it. Hope these become your blog bookmarks too, b/c I check them all the time!

I am DONE

Oh, I am sooooo done with 2008. Only 16 more days and this year will be over. I'm so ready. Buh-bye.

2009, bring it. I am ready for you.

I'm excited about this New Year.

2008 is so last year.

(ok, well, it will be literally in 16 days. but you get what I'm sayin)

Malar!

My dear friend Michelle's birthday is today!! We've known each other since we were in the 7th grade. How great is it to have some of your closest friends be those who have known you for many, many years! Happy Birthday, to you Michelle! Hope you had a wonderful day!

Michelle, whose initials are MLR (which I made into the nickname 'Malar') is in Vet school at VTech. You go, girl! Here's to two years from now when you can have a normal birthday w/ no exams! Miss you tons and can't wait to celebrate in the 'Boro!

The celebration of Allison's birth

Yesterday morning I called Al and wished her a Happy Birthday. She was on her way to work. We chatted for a while but little did she know I was standing right in front of the Bolt Bus holding a box of Buttercup cupcakes. Surprise!

I then hopped on the bus, plush leather seats and free internet (isn't that called wi-fi? sorry, I don't know these things. I'm ok w/ that and you should be too.) and started reading The History of Love and caught up on sleep. After our driver got lost (!?!?!?... the only bad part of the BB experience), I arrived in DC where Ginnawin picked me up. We got a late lunch and then headed back to their apt.

Oh what fun it was to just chill and stalk people on Facebook and look at Al's wedding planning thus far. We then met up w/ their DC friends, Doug & Kareem for an early dinner at a little Saloon/pup/bar in downtown DC. Afterwards we headed to Doug's house for cake, bubbly and a game of Nertz. So much fun. What wasn't fun was taking the Chinatown bus home (BB, you're my one true bus love. From now on. I promise.)... needless to say I will not be taking it again, if I can help it. Ew. Gross. Sick. Gag.

But what a wonderful day it was! Happy Birthday to you, Al! It was your last girlfriend birthday hoorah before B-dawg takes over next year. But, I promise, one of these days I'll make you a Texas Sheet Cake that isn't baked in the 8th floor Eggers smelly boy lobby (dorm days, folks). Here's to many more fun years ahead, Alpacs!

Fretzels!

I have no time to talk. I am super, crazy busy at work. It's almost 3pm and I haven't even had lunch. Gah! But oh how I love the UPS man who just delivered to our office a box of Fretzels! Oh how I love the company who is thanking us for our business by sending us Fretzels! Oh how I love the Holidays! I've never even heard of a Fretzel, but you can find them here:

http://www.fretzels.com/

Oh hooray for Fretzels!

And hooray that Allison's Birthday is tomorrow!! :D

Recent Pictures

The chandelier at Serendipity for Perralove's Birthday Celebration

The fam on the Brooklyn Bridge. The pressure was a bit much as we were stressed about getting the perfect Christmas card picture. There was much discussion on who closed their eyes, wait my hair is in my face, I wasn't looking, it's too bright, Dad's not in the picture, you're too close to me and so on and so forth. You can't really tell from our cheery, happy faces but we caused quite the comotion even so much so that tourists were taking our picture. Yeah, that kinda freaks me out thinking a random dude has a pic of our family on their computer somewhere.

The NY Knicks in all their glory.

Christmas party with our '08 girls!

Now with Perralove

Me and Kath in a funny, awkward picture with a plate of E's cookies and my cute lil MC Yall pillow. Every true Southerner in NYC should have one.

Here us oldies are trying to get a picture together. Sometimes it just doesn't work to get us all together and smiling and the best pictures are the natural, candid pics. Needless to say, we're old school and this is how we roll.

Please pass the Sambussa

One of my favorite parts of this past weekend with my Famiy was when Fre, our Ethiopian exchange student, and I went over to York and 83rd St. to a Zagat rated Ethiopian restaurant. When I was at home back in October, we went on Menu Pages and looked up Ethiopian restaurants in the City and found this one. I couldn't wait to take her.

We made the journey all the way to the East side of the City to lonely little York Avenue. It was this sweet little restaurant and when we saw it, Fre was so excited. We went inside and asked if we could get take out. After looking at the menu, I made Fre order in her native tongue (I forget what it's called). She completely ordered her dinner and two appetizers (for our family to share) in a language I couldn't even understand but what a thrill it was for me to watch her speak and to seem to be so "at home" where she was.

Fre and I then sat down at a little table while we waited for the food. It was such an incredible moment as she, it seemed, was overwhelmed with being in an Ethiopian restaurant, reminded of the culture (pictures on the wall, Ethiopian treasures for sell in the cupboard behind us). "I miss my country", she then said and shared with me a little about her parents who died when she was 11, 12 from TB and more about her brothers who are currently living in Ethiopia. I learned more about her way of life and even more when she began to open up.

I looked over at her and tears were streaming down her face. We talked about how hard it is to grow up with nothing and to come to America- study so hard and hope that there is a University that will offer her a scholarship, since she has little money and cannot work. We talked about what it's like to grow up poor and what it's like to grow up with the "security" money can bring. I reminded her that God can do all things. Oh how I pray she will be able to to college, and not just to appease her brother... but to work hard, study and learn new things and to enjoy this season in her life.

It was such a special time. I learned more about the world, more about Ethiopian culture and more about Fre. She opened up her heart to me and it was the best 20 bucks I've spent in a long time... it's almost as if there was no greater gift in the world that I could've presented to her that would mean more than her Ethiopian dish, a couple of (really, really spicy) appetizers and the chance to talk.

It gave me such an eye opening view of the world. And I'm so thankful that Frebers is helping me expand the lens by which I see it.

Here we are, excited about Ethiopian foooood!!!!

Put some South in yo mouth

Happy Wednesday to you all!

Last night, after work, I met up with my friend Tammy for dinner. We went to Brother Jimmy's BBQ where I enjoyed a nice, big plate of Southern yummness. I ordered an Arnold Palmer (everyone should know what that is, if you don't, go ahead, google) and when it came it had one of those drink sticks w/ the BJ BBQ logo on it and on the stick part read: 'Put some South in yo mouth'. Ah. Brilliant. Will do.

We arrived just in time for the after work madness of I-Bankers and other Suits who congregate at the bar... it seemed a bit crowded for a Tuesday night but then we realized that there was a Knicks game next door. (BJ's is right next to Madison Square Garden). Tam and I got to catch up but towards the end of our dinner, my inner passion and love for basketball got me thinking. We were right there... oh so close to the game. And the tv's at the bar didn't help either. How can you be sitting right next to the Garden, watching the Knicks game on tv and not want to be right there!??! So we decided to go try to find tickets. :)

We found our way to the entrance and were practically pounced upon by scalpers selling tickets. "Hi, you need tickets? C'mon, I'll give them to you for $40". Me: what? No way. "Ok, ok, I'll give them to you for $25." Me: It's halftime!! "Ok, lady, I'll give them to you for 20." Me: $15. "Ok, fine, give me $30 for both.". HA! Yes! Now we were promised the tickets, but who's to say they were any good. I then talked to this guy and asked him his name and introduced myself to him. "Hi Sam, I'm Carrie. Now, Sam, we've just officially met and you're now my friend. Friends don't give friends bad tickets." "No, no them here are good tickets. Do you want my cell phone number?" So long story short we talked with Sam and got his cell and then Tam and I went to the gate and sure enough our new friend Sam was true to his word!

We got to the game, found our seats and watched the last two quarters. Oh what fun it was! We had pretty good seats and I was able to bask in the greatness of the Garden and the NY Knicks. I especially loved seeing Chris Duhon, a former Dukie, and truly felt that his 23 points and 13 assists was just him showing off for me. And should I be so bold to say that I think he was looking right at me when I waved to him on the court?

Anyways, it was a great night and ended even better when I made it home just in time to watch Duke crush Purdue.

Cold, depressing Winter is redeeming itself with the glory of college (and now NBA) basketball!!

December!

You know it's Christmas time because:

I got a real Christmas wreath and hung it on our wall. Made Christmas cookies. Am working on my Christmas cards (at work). My roommate bought a beautiful (fake) tree at KMart and decorated it soooo pretttty! The Christmas tree is going up in our nightclub-looking office lobby. Rockefeller tree lighting is only a day away! I went to Starbucks (I NEVER go to Starbucks) and got a peppermint frappuccino (not a fan of hot drinks). I'm begging my sisters to send me their Christmas lists. I've been listening to Handel's Messiah and it is the most amazing music I've ever heard and I have this crazy urge to hand my iPod to people around me and make them listen to it because I am convinced that they, too, will think it's beautiful. Tomorrow night is a deck-the-tree party at my friend's apt. We already got a gift basket at work! I'm about to order poinsettias for the office. I'm eating peppermint candies. Christmas trees are up on Park Avenue. People are more cheery. People are more rushed/hurried. The City is decorated. There in the back of my mind is the thought that I am only 22 days away from home. :)