I have an absurd amount of photos from my trip. I tried to condense it to my favorites, starting with the fireworks! It was so much fun to be back in a state where fireworks are legal. We shot off big ones with lots of sparkles and report. So, feast on these sparkling works of art.


the first few were beauties and went off without a hitch


then one of them tipped over, sending brilliant blasts of orange and blue right at us


and a mayhem of explosions that set the yard on fire


but painting with sparklers is much more intoxicating to the eyes


'7 days' ....(prize to the first peep that gets that)


this one reminds me of a chinese new year dragon

It was nice to see my whole family together again. I guess we were together at my brother's wedding in August, but it was nothing but chaos. This was a much more relaxed visit surrounding the sweet aura of a newborn baby: William Maximilian!!!


does this diaper make my butt look big? love it


asleep with his auntie mika on Christmas morning


too sweet

Other things I miss about the south, besides fireworks, is Sonic. I have never been much of a fast food enthusiast but man I love their cheese tots and slushies! Moreover, how fun is it to order from your parking space and have someone bring it out to you on a tray? They don't wear roller skates anymore, but I love that nostalgic 50's feel.


my older sister ordering


my cherry-lime slushy and cheese tots...yum!


who knew the middle of nowhere mississippi was home to this fantastic find?


but you knew you could find an entertaining statement like this


my brother-in-law and me


his dog cali, that i fondly called 'fur pig bear', because i think she looks like a little black bear, and she grunted like a pig...or maybe an ape, i'm not sure


my little sis and max


the obscene paparazzi that typically accompany a newborn


my dad saying 'heeeeey'


max answering him with 'heeeeey' - this one cracks me up!


my brother and sister-in-law


my mom on diaper detail


my older sister and me


oscar the miniature wiener dog...i think he looks sort of like an anteater


but his shadow reminds me of Crow T. Robot from MSC 3000


the glorious warm sunshine made me smile - and i love putting flowers in my hair


me and max on Christmas day...yes, those are little antlers on his head


his proud parents


Then it came time to return to Buffalo. My little sister's plane was four hours ahead of mine, so I had to kill time in Memphis.


so we did a Graceland drive-by


bordered by the graffiti wall


near another of my southern favorites, piggly wiggly - it's just a grocer, but i still giggle each time i say it


then i stumbled upon mecca....oh how i wish i had a whole day......


i was listening to 'recycled air' by the postal service when i took this


Lastly, I had the ultimate joy of babysitting my nephew one night. Who should happen to be playing on FSC but my boys in red, Liverpool. Max and I watched our first soccer match together! My heart was overflowing.

So this was the smoothest air travel I've ever experienced! (e:Uncutsaniflush) and (e:Leetee) dropped me off at the airport (thanks again), I walked right up to the counter and self-checked in, walked right through security, got on my plane. WOW.

I have to say, I've been to many airports, but Detroit has made some awesome changes. I was completely mesmerized by the connection corridor between concourse A and C. It must be 1/4 mile long. It was a tunnel, and the ceiling and walls were lighted panels of changing colours. The colours shifted and warbled along with this totally ambient music. It was like a cross between being underwater and riding Space Mountain. It was so spectacular I just wanted to sit down for a while and enjoy it. If I hadn't been in such a trance I would have taken a picture. I will try to remember on my return trip because my description is not doing it justice.

When I arrived we had to take my dad shopping. He's been here 2 days and they still couldn't find his luggage. Yeah, I love shopping the tall guys sections of Penny's for my dad's whitey tighties. Yay. He needed some sneakers too since all he had were his snow boots. As it turns out, they had these super cute pink stripe ADIDAS sneaks on sale for me, so I splurged.

We finally made it back to the house and I met my darling nephew. Oh Max is too friggin cute! I will post photos no doubt. Meanwhile, ya'll have a Happy Christmas or whatever you do or don't celebrate. Off to bake more cookies while everyone is passed out sleeping. I have some other surprising news but I have been forbidden to share it just yet. Hold onto your butts, it's a shocker! Ciao!

Just got word this morning, I’m going to have a nephew! It will be nice to have a little person in my life that I’m actually related to. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Goddaughter, she’s a cutie pie, it will just be super fun to be called Auntie Mika – and really be the Aunt! I’m already envisioning all the cool things we’ll do when he’s big enough. All the things his parents won’t let him do, count on Auntie Mika to make it happen. Do they have baby bungee? Ha-ha. I think most everyone is lucky enough to have that one super fly aunt or uncle that rocks the house. That’s my plan, Lady Croft, professor, Adventuring 101.

I finally got that grease out of my white pants. [inlink]ladycroft,23[/inlink] Amazing eh? Oxi Clean to the rescue! I still have to do some mending to the damage zones, but the white cargos will dance once more.

Looking forward to meeting many new folks on Saturday, hope to see you there! Ciao.