Christmas Card 2011

When it came time to put together our Christmas card for this year, I had a bit of a difficult time with it. What really happened this year? What were our memorable moments, and did I have the good sense to document any of them?

Ty turned 30. I turned 30. We went to the beach. That's about it.

But there really were all these great, small moments in between. Individually, they don't seem significant. But combined together, we've had a wonderful first year of marriage. Joy rides in the Jeep (although I once loathed its very existence), lazy Saturdays swimming in the pool and grabbing steaks from Maxwells, teaming up for our slew of home improvement projects. All of it amounts to one memorable year together.

I thought this card summed that up the best.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. I hope 2011 kept you laughing all the way!

One Stomach Flu Away

Emily: Andrea, my God! You look so chic.

Andy Sachs: Oh, thanks. You look so thin.

Emily: Really? It's for Paris, I'm on this new diet. Well, I don't eat anything and when I feel like I'm about to faint I eat a cube of cheese. I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight.

This could be one of my favorite movies lines from "The Devin Wears Prada." Sometimes I think this diet plan could work for me. After all, I really love cheese. My problem is stopping after one cube!

It's all funny until you find yourself with a stomach virus and begging for your life to be spared. That's how my week started.

I kissed my niece on the cheek ...

She kissed me on the cheek ...

Less than 24 hours later, we were both yacking our guts up.

There were moments I thought I was going to die. Or at least have to go to the emergency room. Terrible horrible things have happened to me this week. Things you wouldn't want me to describe.

I've never seen a pharmacist scared, but when I walked in CVS to get my phenegran prescription filled, I swear I saw him shudder at the sight of me. And fyi, they really can fill your prescription instantly. You just have to look like you're going to have episode right there at the pharmacy counter.

Anyway, my niece and I are stomach flu survivors. And I'm down four pounds. How's that for looking at the glass half full?