Its a Boy!

From The Huffington Post:

People magazine reports that Bristol Palin, daughter of the Alaska governor, has given birth to a baby son:

Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, gave birth on Sunday to a healthy 7 lb., 4 oz., baby boy in Palmer, Alaska.

"We think it's wonderful," said Colleen Jones, the sister of Bristol's grandmother Sally Heath, who confirmed the news. "The baby is fine and Bristol is doing well. Everyone is excited."

The baby's name is Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, according to Jones.

The baby's father, Levi Johnston, is training to be an electrician. Bristol is taking correspondence courses to obtain her high school diploma. The couple has been together for three years.

See photos of Johnston and Palin here. Johnston's mother was recently arrested on drug charges.

With Mikus' assistance, I've been using parts of my Christmas trip to scare my mother-in-law with my ideas (some real, most ridiculous and suggested to drive her a little crazy) for potential names for our offspring. Tripp Easton Mitchell, although obviously the work of a Palin, seems nearly run of the mill compared to Beatbox Cayenne Dustbunny for a baby boy and Errand Fennel Gherkin for a little girl.

People magazine reports that Bristol Palin, daughter of the Alaska governor, has given birth to a baby son: Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate S...

People magazine reports that Bristol Palin, daughter of the Alaska governor, has given birth to a baby son: Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate S...

Dear Jesse

I am writing to inform you that the time has come for us to expand our family. The addition of a pug puppy should happen instantly. Please use the following video as proof of the immediacy of this request.

Your loving wife, Lisa.

via Slog

Christmas Trip to Wisconsin: The First Day

Jesse and I are in Wisconsin for Christmas this year. Because we're away, we didn't decorate at home. I think this is contributing to my minimal holiday cheer. Also contributing: being away from my family and the lack of any real "traditional" Christmas day. For the Godell's, traditional Christmas entails "Christmas dinner" and presents the day before Christmas Eve. The morning of Christmas Eve is a 3-ish hour drive to northern Michigan for a few days: a gathering with the Maki family (Barb is nee Maki) and a gathering with the Godells and shmoozing with a wide assortment of people I don't know. I have scheduled a massage for December 26. We'll spend the balance of the day in MI before returning to WI on Saturday morning. I know I'm being a Mastroberti/Edmondson elitist and that I am, in part, now a Godell/Maki. I know I'm being a princess and that J has willingly and without complaint spent at least two Christmases with my family and, therefore, away from his. ::huff:: As Tovah said to me when I was fussing to her, "Maybe its time for the princess to be dethroned." Classic Toves, if you ask me. HA!

So, on to the trip thus far.

Day One:
We left Endicott at 6 and drove to Syracuse in the heavy snow. We had a 9:04 a.m. flight to Detroit. Although the drive was slow and slippery, the Subaru successfully got us to the airport with a smidge of time to spare. Check bags ($15 bucks!), security, board almost immediately. The flight still is supposedly on time. So we get all situated and wait. We get in line for deicing which takes, ready? 70 minutes. The deicing, of course, didn't take 70 minutes but the combination of waiting for our turn to deice, the emptying and refilling the deicing truck a few times, and our actual deicing after a heavy snow took 70 minutes.

The flight was uneventful and we still thought it might be possible to catch our connection.

......

We didn't. We missed it by, perhaps, only a few minutes. Boo.

We got rebooked onto a flight 5 hours later, for which we are lucky. Many people were getting rebooked onto flights the next day or who knows what other nightmares people experienced. So we ate lunch and we poked around. I got mad upon hearing that Barb insinuated that I wasn't fast enough and that's why we missed the flight. Although iring, the delay was fine. Our rebooked flight was delayed again but it wasn't too long. 40 or 50 minutes, maybe.

The balance of our travel day was smooth, thankfully. Aside from being totally exhausted and our of sorts, I was happy to be in Wisconsin.

Then I exited the airport and felt the -5 degree weather. Brr. Still happy? Okay, I guess so.

Our flight landed in Appleton which is about 90 minutes or so from the Godell homestead. We had dinner and stopped at a grocery store so we could further stretch our legs before getting packed into another small space and heading to Antigo, where the Godells live.

More to follow.


Princess Hyacinth image via AllPosters

Required Viewing: Cat+Roomba=Transportation Hilarity

This has been making the rounds on the wide world inkernets but I've only just come upon it via my husby.

Enjoy:

Today in Heterosexual News: At Least He's Not Marrying a Man

From ABC:

Drew Peterson, the former Chicago police sergeant who is a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy, and the homicide of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, is engaged again.

Drew Peterson, 54, recently proposed to his 23-year-old girlfriend of four months, his publicist confirmed to ABCNews.com, but he will not reveal her identity in an attempt to shield her from the media.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

via SLOG

Andrew Reminds Me to be Less Selfish

My friend, Andrew, has put together this beautiful and thought-provoking video.

I found Andrew's message so poignant. I know I have been all fussy and wound up about how this Christmas isn't going to be exactly like I want it to be or like it has been for the prior 26 Christmases.

I needed to be reminded what is really important. Thanks, Drew.

O Come from Andrew Means on Vimeo.

Caption This Photo Contest

J just early-gifted me this terrific silicone and stainless steel splatter screen from Williams-Sonoma. Now I can make beignets for Christmas with my family without coating my entire kitchen in greasy bits.

So, upon my receipt of this gift, I say, "Husby of mine, take a picture of me with my new, terrific silicone and stainless steel splatter screen!" The first picture is my initial pose.

I took a look at the image on the camera and reacted thusly:
After all, it is a pretty damn funny photograph.


I gave J a LUSH Gold Frankincense and Beer shower jelly. Yay for early Christmas prezzies!

Dakota Culkin, Macaulay's Sister, Dead at 29

From ABC News:

Dakota Culkin, the 29-year-old sister of actor Macaulay Culkin, died yesterday from injuries sustained after she was hit by a car in Los Angeles Tuesday.

"She was taken to UCLA hospital with massive head trauma and passed away on Dec. 10th at 12:45 PM," the LAPD said in a statement. "The driver stopped, rendered aid, and identified himself as required by law. Detectives have determined that the driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, so no crime was committed."

In a statement to reporters, Macaulay Culkin's spokeswoman, Michelle Bega, called Dakota's death a "terrible tragic accident" and said the family had no further comment.

There are Plenty of Reasons to Love Ithaca

My newest reason:
At GreenStar, the local natural foods cooperative market, when you are checking out, they ask you if you want paper or corn (bags).

I love it.

If only Bingo could be even a little green.... Even a smidge would be better than (almost) nothing.


P.S. If you're wondering what we chose, we chose neither since we brought our own bags.

Overheard in the J and L House

Lisa to Jesse: I have never loved yellow mustard as much as I do this year.








image via Annie's Naturals

Stop What You're Doing and Watch This Because it is Hilarious

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

via Imago Andei

The Past Few Days in Review

I know I've been an absent blogger for several days. Everything is busy and I'm feeling sluggish but here is a brief update:

• Thanksgiving: J and I had a really nice Thanksgiving with my family. As always, there was plenty of good food, good company and good booze. We made whole wheat crescent rolls, raw broccoli salad, pear sauce and whole wheat monkey bread. Of course, we also brought pomegranates and an array of craft brewed beers. Unfortunately, Lauren was sick for most of the evening (she subsequently ended up admitted to the hospital with severe belly pain and bad viral infection. Thankfully, she is home now and on the mend.). Everyone was pretty relaxed-even me. I have noticed a pattern recently: during family gatherings, I tend to be either
  
• a) sullen and moody which is no fun for anyone. Its tough on J; I'm sure my fam wonders what's wrong even though, most likely, nothing is wrong. I'm just sullen.
  
• b) wildly hyper, goofy, off-the-wall. Certainly, this is preferable to sad sack Lisa but the hyper crazy Lisa often leaves me tired and panting.
  

Is this what the Godell's have in store for them? Yikes. I don't think they could handle it; they wouldn't know what hit them.

• TanDrew: J and I were lucky to have some great company last night. Tovah and Andrew were driving from CT to IL after Thanksgiving and stopped at our place for the night. Although brief, the visit was fun and relaxing. Time with them is always a treat. I made vegan vegetable soup with garlic crostini and Dorie Greenspan's chocolate chip cookies for the omnis. We caught up, played some Wii, snuggled on the couch and watched The Simpsons mock (m)Apple (thoroughly timely and appropriate since Andrew is such an apple lover).
  

I'm already starting to get excited about my trip to see Toves and Drew in March for my birthday. Yay! See you in 115 days.