keeping up with the times

Well, i've gone & done it. Chris took me out last night & bought me a new fancy pants cell phone, to replace my dinky tracfone. We will be cancelling our home phone w/in the next couple days, so if you need my new phone number be sure to let me know! :)

Christmas Once Again in Santa Barbara

"It's Christmas once again in Santa Barbara
There is not a chance that it will snow
Palm trees are swaying in the warm breeze
Back east it's 10 degrees below

I can hear the mission bells are ringing
State Street is all dressed up in Christmas Cheer
Kids are counting days 'til Christmas morning
It's my favorite time of year

It's Christmas once again in Santa Barbara
There is not a snowflake to be found
No sleigh rides, no snowmen like you see on the Christmas cards
Oh But we've got a lot of Christmas in our hearts

Some folks say it doesn't feel like Christmas
If you can't look outside and see some snow
I don't recall that it was snowing in Bethlehem 2000 years ago

Trees hung with lights and decorations
Families gather by the fireside
This scene would make a perfect Christmas card
As long as you don't look outside

It's Christmas once again in Santa Barbara
There is not a snowflake to be found
No sleigh rides, no snowmen like you see on the Christmas cards
Oh But we've got a lot of Christmas in our hearts "

Composers: Barry DeVorzon and Micheal Towers

one of my favorite christmas songs. :) ... now if only i could find a way to buy it. :(

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to you all! May your new year be filled with new discoveries of God's love for you!

One Photo

I took LOTS of pictures while we were in New York, but haven't had much time to go through them. so while you're waiting.... here's me & chris at the Top of the Rock --72 (or something) stories above New York.

Me having lots of fun.... and chris - tired of me taking pictures. :)

Did i mention that i dyed my hair blonde?

Day 4 in NYC

our last day. lots of fun! very new yorky


Today was the coldest of all... high of 31 degrees.
went to the Statue of liberty. There were all sorts of little street vendors that were fun to browse. my favorite was the one w/the hot apple cider. :) Then we waited for HOURS to get on the fairy to see the statue. We had to go through all sorts of security. They don't tell you all that *before* you buy the tickets. But, she was beautiful. we're glad we went. Got to watch the sun set behind the statue. wow.

Then we visted Ground Zero (the former site of the twin towers). That was really neat. They're building 6 towers in the their place. pretty cool.

From there, we tried to see Trinity church, which we've heard a lot about, but it was closed. so we got on the subway & headed toward Central park....but we decided to hop off at Times Square. WOW! very busy & exciting! so many lights! very cool...then back into the abyss of the subway & up at Central park. There, we got to experience New York hospitality at it's finest, when we waited for a carriage ride, and some guy tried to tell us how terrible they are, and that we should ride in his bicycle trailer instead. Then we got to watch a fight between the people at the front of the carriage line & the people in the back, who were cutting. And then we got kicked off of a carriage, because *we* were at the front of the line, and apparently, the carriage driver feels angry about having to serve people in a civil fashion. bu we *finally* got on a carriage, & had a lovely ride around the park.

afterward, we went looking for a gift for my mother in law, in a nearby shop. When i asked how much a crystal bowl was, i was able to talk the guy down from $350 to $100, just by saying, "that's not in our budget." hee hee. :)

off to the subway again, & back to Times Square where we had some authentic New York pizza for dinner. Even though it was cold, & old, it was probably some of the best pizza i've had. yum!

Then, back to the subway, & to the hotel. Now we've got to pack & be out of the hotel by 4am, which is 1am CA time. EEK!

good night!

day 3 in NYC

no more rain... no more broken umbrellas lying around.

we woke up at 10:30 this am. laid around awhile, & went downstairs to get breakfast. They were closed for breakfast, but said they would open for lunch in 1/2 an hour. so we waited & got a lovely lunch. Chris was feeling sick from a cold he had before we left home, so we came upstairs to our room & watched a movie that we had rented before leaving SB. Then we took a nap, & woke up around 5:00pm. FINALLY got out the door to see NY around 6 in the eve! Went to dinner at a fun italian place called Alfredo's. They were the first place to make Fetuccini Alfredo - back in 1914, so of course i had to order some. The best i've ever had. After dinner we walked around a little more, and now we're back in the hotel, at 11:30 NY time. lots of fun details i'm leaving out, but i'm gonna go be w/my honey - who's glad to be back in bed. :)

tomorrow: a carriage ride at central park & maybe a visit to an art museum..and the statue of liberty??

here we are!

left home at 4 yesterday. arrived in NY at 6 this am. i got sick on the taxi, so we got a hotel room & crashed til about 12:30. We've got a room on the 22nd floor, in a hotel that overlooks the brooklyn bridge. very FUN!!! This evening, we took the subway to manhattan & watched a cirque du soliel at the Madison Square Garden. what a blast. i think everyone should see a cirque du soliel at some point in their lives. they're amazing! tomorrow, we don't know what we're doing yet. so much to see! so much to do! it's rainy & windy & cold. I've got a tally of how many broken umbrellas i find on the street. we've seen 23 so far. And that doesn't include the piles that we saw in the trash cans. :)

Off To The Big Apple

This afternoon, at 4:00, Chris & I leave for New York!!! Can't wait to see the big city all deck out for Christmas. :)