Happy Birthday to me

The lab is ready for Christmas.

The house is ready for Christmas.

The puppy looks like she is smiling while preparing to chomp on my slipper. With her ears up she actually dose look like a German Shepherd.

For my birthday we went to see the Hobbit BoFA. Do you see that it is now nearly 20 dollars to watch a movie! I love J.R.R.Tolkien. I quite enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I own the extended editions and have watched them repeatedly. I listen to the Hobbit audio-book nearly every year. Filter this response therefore with my love of the source material and my genuine dislike of 3D movies.

I may never go to a current release movie again. It was so loud (I had torn up napkins in my ears the whole time) that I had a headache the whole night before my birthday and until about 3pm on the day of my birthday despite liberal doses of Advil. The 3D, though much clearer in the IMAX version that we shelled out for, was dizzying gimmicky and distracting. I left the theater before the credits finished despite my real desire to see the credit art because I was too nauseous from the swooping cinematography, painfully enhanced by the 3D, and distorted by my then pounding head.

The movie itself seemed remarkably unlike the chapters of the book it was ostensibly portraying. The dialogue was weaker than any Peter Jackson production. The additional material seemed pointless - annoying.

It was beautiful and the costumes were fantastic and I think the music was good  but overall I was extremely disappointed.

On the day of my birthday I got some great presents like warm jammies, warm socks, and a warm coat...I have been cold...apparently it has been noticed. :) My family is so kind.

 David and I went out to lunch at Cacique. We hadn't been before. I have had a hard time finding a Mexican place that I like up here and traditionally I love Mexican restaurants. I am pleased to report a very solid place. 

Kiernan got to the 'pot of gold' words in his reading. Pot of gold words include some first grade words, I believe. We are all very pleased.

We also got a Christmas tree for my birthday. The house smells lovely (pine-y) and we've managed to put it up high on the toy chest so that Pax is mostly not noticing it.

We went to Scearces to haul away some old furniture and work on our secret project a bit more. Kiernan went with me to the dump and enjoyed himself tremendously. Also we passed 57 pick up trucks on the way. These are the things you learn when riding around with a 5 year old.

The kids made some ornaments and decorated the tree and tried their hands at serenading us with Christmas music.

Megan and Pax continue to have a fraught relationship. Megan has scratches all over her ankles from puppy nips and poor Pax can't chew her pillow in peace for Megan wanting to cuddle with her. We have to separate them from time to time still, just to make sure they don't drive each other up the wall, but they get so despondent about it. 

Usually they stand on their side of the gate whining to be reunited. Sometimes we relent.

Kiernan has learned about Hanukkah and put Menorahs all over the house.

They are his new favorite thing.