giddy

i have a new toy and played with it for the first time tonight (ann-i ended up going with the canon). here are some of my first shots with it:

i like kai's the best...she's just *all* up in the canon!!! :)

cowboys' new top draft picks

just thought i'd reveal the secret to the winning performance of the cowboys...the pungs were added to the roster in october. shh, keep it on the down-low.

{Grandma: "The Down Low" or "DL" or "on the DL" is an urban phrase used in the United States for "secret information," as in "Keep it on the down-low" (meaning "Do not make it known"). It can be used between two people, as in "let's keep this between the two of us." More commonly, however, it is used in a group context - as in to hide information from a public, authoritative, management, or establishment group by those that are considered "trustworthy," "on the inside," or "in the know."}


oh, and when it comes down to it...we are *all* "romo-groupies"...even if you didn't know it-like me! :)

cheering up...

here's the most viewed video on youtube (over 65 mil hits). it is called "the evolution of dance" and it is hilarious, especially if you recognize the dancing from the music videos. enjoy! :)

the other side of the fence

as thanksgiving comes to a close for me, i am thinking about grey's anatomy & their christmas episode last year or the year before. its focus was on meredith and her dislike for the holidays. she shared that instead of the time representing an abundance of joyfulness, family traditions and gatherings, it was a painful reminder of what she did not in fact have. it was difficult for me to relate to her in that episode, but i remember feeling sorry for her. i just thought, i couldn't imagine hating the holiday season. probably because i was fortunate enough to have always had that abundance of togetherness & joyful familial traditions during the holidays. until this year. this year, i am on the other side of the fence. with meredith grey. thanksgiving sure felt differently on this side. gone are the feelings of "going all out" and perpetuating little habits that were a part of making the holidays such a special time of year. instead, no matter my effort into finding joy in the generosity and loving spirit of the people who have shown me nothing but love this past 9 months, pockets of melancholy creep in and out. i try to focus on how lucky i am to have a healthy daughter & family and friends who love and support me. how i have a successful career. how i am able to fulfill my financial responsibilities and still indulge a little. and yet, i find myself wishing the day was over. so that it would be just another day.

enchanted

tay and i just got back from seeing the new disney movie, enchanted. extremely entertaining, especially since mcdreamy's so darn mcdreamy in it:

::swoon::

amy adams is excellent in it too. i loved her in the wedding date (she was the sister getting married). on the way home, tay and i agreed that we would have to go see it again. we talked about our favorite parts. mine was when giselle (adams) and robert (dempsey) were walking in central park and then the movie began mocking fairytale characters' tendency to break out into song. it had me seriously cracking up. tay's fave part? "the whole thing." :)

tonight's dinner

3 words: I MISS HOME.

charlie brown-ed out

we're on our 3rd showing of "a charlie brown thanksgiving". taylor is embracing thanksgiving, even though it was in the 80's today. good-at least someone around the metroplex is. saw christmas lights out on some houses last week. yeah, christmas lights. like all turned on at night. just wrong. no respect. here's some aretha to punctuate my feelings:

Aretha Franklin - ...

so we had a big day at school today: tay made an appearance. it was like elvis was in the building at recess. big 3rd graders all enthusiastically running after and following a 4-year old around the playground. tay was one popular chick (either that or verizon wireless was out at our school filming another installment of their catchy network commercials). school let out at 1:15 and we were outta there by 1:45. it was so nice to have the rest of the afternoon to tackle some tasks and chill. been overwhelmingly busy and preoccupied this past month. too much personal and professional stuff going on and required of me-most with sudden deadlines. there were days i barely held it together with getting things done that needed addressing that day. this is when my mom's and step-dad's voices enter my head: "manage your time, jonelle." yes, i heard this one the most. mostly it was in reference to my learning to prioritize things...and sometimes it was in regards to time spent. i don't think i was bad at it, just that i was being a normal teenager & pushing the limits with curfews and such. yup, that's one of the more vivid memories i have of them teaching me one of life's lessons. which, i am thankful for because i think as an adult i do pretty well in that area-even complimented by some for it. so thanks mom and uncle jake, for drilling that in my head even when i didn't wanna hear it at the time. so...what do *you* still hear in your head that your parents said often while growing up?!?!?!

sunday with mama

we put a spin on cupcakes today. yum. haven't had a leisure sunday like this in a while.

have lots more to say, be back later. :)