Thirty-two things about my thirty-second birthday.

1. Christmas tree pajama pants worn all day long...which seemed like a grand idea (who cares what people think!) until I was seated at a center table in a very open, very crowded restaurant.

2. Clear blue skies,

3. 3 degrees above farenheit,

4. NO SNOW STORM,

5...and thus, clear roads!!!

(the Iowa River, frozen over)

6. Checking out a bookstore downtown.

7. Risking my ears and nose while searching for it outside. Here it is:

7. Barack Obama's "favorite books" display:

8. Barack Obama

9. Barack Obama

10. Barack Obama

11. Barack Obama
12. And, heading over to the children's section...Barack Obama!!! I had no idea our new Pres. would figure so much into my birthday. That man is everywhere.
12. Red noses,

13. And trying to stay warm.

14. Finding time to read this book:

15...which is the sequel to my new favorite book:

16. Not having to make dinner for everyone else...thanks to the Mr. Dijorno (sp?) and his frozen pizzas.

17. And while they eat that mediocrity, I'll enjoy my gluten-free favorites:

18. Smoked salmon sushi rolls.

19. Chocolate.

20. Mango Sorbet.

21. Cheese and grapes, too.

22. And there's a little leftover tilapia in the fridge if I get hungry later.

23-32...I can't think of anything else, but I bet if I turned on the television, Barack Obama could fill up these remaining slots. So I'm calling it a night. Off to read and/or put a frozen pizza into the oven...

Where to hang out in Iowa City in January (besides the mall).

Here's what Noelle and I did in one hour at the hospital while waiting for Grandma to see her doctor.

Here we are checking Grandma in at the reception desk. (Warning, this post might be too boring for some of you, unless you really wanted to see a picture of Grandma Kim without her makeup. Alas, this was the best I could do.)

Noelle and her cheeser grin:

In the elevator. (Don't know why I took this picture.)

Noelle staring longingly out at the playground covered in snow:

The playground:

The coveted dollhouse on the second floor (elevator F, in case you were wondering):

A couple of rooms in the dollhouse upclose:

The man on the "choo choo" as Noelle called it:

Noelle in front of the Labor and Delivery wing where she was born:

Two pictures of the original wing of the hospital. My great, great, great grandmother, Dr. Caroline Mills, graduated from medical school here in 1895, and she later became the first woman doctor in Wyoming. Noelle is named after her (Noelle Caroline) as she was born in the same hospital.

Here's our reflection in a mirror. Noelle was sick of taking pictures by then. Everyone in the hospital kept looking at me wierd. What? Aren't they as hard-up for entertainment in January as I am?


Have a good day, everyone!

Slave Labor (Part Two)

Pretty (According to Noelle)

Overheard

Isaac: I had a nightmare, Daddy. (Sniff, sniff)
Dad: Once when I was a kid I had a nightmare I was eating giant marshmallows.
Isaac: Really?
Dad: Yeah. And then I woke up and my pillows were gone.

Suddenly there was a bright flash...

Dad: Hey, why are you taking pictures?
Mom: Sorry.

Slave Labor

Ten years and four kids later, we're finally starting to reap the benefits.

Happy New Year

From our crazy family to yours:



Boy, we Fletchers sure know how to throw a party. The fun kept on coming and coming and lasted all about ten minutes (from around 9:00 to 9:10 PM). If you're wondering why Isaac wasn't captured in the video, it was because he was already doing this:

Mom and Dad followed suit about a half hour later...missed the countdown and everything. Woke up at 1:00 AM and turned off the lights and went back to sleep. Party animals!!!