12/29 - Squeaky Toy teases the doggie in the window

I held up Squeaky Toy to look like a second bow tie for the doggie, but he started whining.  He wanted to chew on Squeaky Toy!  Tell Fergus not to worry – I didn’t share his toy.

The week of proofreading Very Important Documents is almost over!  WoooO!

12/28 - Rainbowfin leaps over my new red pen

I don’t have to borrow Jeanine’s red pen anymore!  She gave me one of my very own. I am now a proofreading menace. Consider me armed and dangerous. Bwahahaha.

 (No dolphins were harmed in the making of this update.)

12/27 - Mario Dog says, "Who turned out the lights?"

I guess even BART stations need new light bulbs once in a while.

Mario Dog has his head in the clouds... he’s napping while I edit big documents.  Seems he’s dreaming of a white rabbit.  I wonder what that means?

12/26 - Chris stretches the wings of his Falcon Creature Power Suit

Most people aren’t working today, so we had plenty of room on the commute in.  Ahhhhh.

"Why are you alone on the train?" asks Lil' Guy.
"Mommy? Is anyone at your work?" asks Lil' Gal.

Cuties!  I wasn’t alone on the train, but it was much emptier than usual.  There are about 7 of us here at work today, reading some Very Important Documents.  When I finish this one, I’m coming home!  (So is Chris!)

12/23 - What Vamp saw at lunch

Lil' Gal reeeeeally wanted me to bring an inflatable Halloween skeleton head ball to work today, but he did not fit in my bag.  (And would not have been a discreet pal at our team lunch!)  I was able to negotiate bringing the smaller Vamp with me instead.  Phew!

We had lunch at an Indian restaurant for Falgoon’s last day,  Here’s one of the pictures we saw.

Look at the holiday trolley car!  Ding ding!

And then I worked until 6:15pm.  :(   Now I'm looking forward to a great Xmas weekend with the critters!

12/22 - Captain Matey and the giant chicken of doom

Captain Matey (formerly known as Piratitude) was out exploring at lunchtime, when he was suddenly almost eaten by a giant chicken hat (she thought the Captain was a kernel of corn)!

Captain Matey thought quickly, and used his telescope to prop the chicken’s beak open while he made his escape.  When the chicken shook her head, the telescope went flying, and Captain was able to retrieve it.  Phew!

David gave me a book about a girl that roller skates, but look who’s on the cover…  It’s Captain Matey’s evil twin, pretending to be an innocent village fruit vendor!

Captain Matey drew his sword and said, “Step away from the cart, you imposter!”  And he took Captain Hatey right to jail.  How do ya like them apples?

12/21 - Smith intercepts the Interceptors

Smith the dog (I know, but Lil' Gal said he was a dog, so just go with it.) saw an Xmas tree up on a balcony and was afraid it wanted to jump into the street.  (Holiday depression is a real issue, people.)  He barked, “Woof!  Woof!  Woof!”  (Translation: "Don't jump!")  It must have worked – the tree stayed right where it was.  Good work, Smith!

These funny little cars are used to give people parking tickets.  Do you think they are legally parked here? Smith is on the case.  But he can’t write a ticket.  He doesn’t have a ticket pad.  Or a pen.  Or hands. Woof.

Smith and I had dinner with Rosemary.  As we walked around the Mission, we found a swing hanging from a tree.  Smith couldn't resist.  Whee!!

12/20 - Green Elf eats a cookie

It’s busy at work today!  To keep Green Elf and Cutie Bird out of all the papers on my desk (and away from the Xmas cookies), I told them to go hang out somewhere else. Looks like they found a good spot on my cubicle wall.

Jeanine thought Green Elf looked a little thin, so she tried to feed him a date square.  Isn't she nice to share?

12/19 - Giraffey and Rachel bond over cookies

Giraffey likes antlers... Even if they’re reindeer antlers on a car!

Rachel came by to check out the cookies I brought in for my work friends.  Both she and Giraffey like the green Xmas tree ones.  (The date squares are my favorite.)

12/16 - Luigi and Yellow Crayon meet Jack and Anna

This is Elizabeth’s son Jack.  He’s two and makes a funny face when you ask him to smile for the camera. He liked meeting Luigi and Yellow Crayon.  He dunked Yellow Crayon in the little basketball net at my desk.

Anna says Luigi is her favorite Mario Brothers character – isn’t it lucky he came with me today?

12/15 - Ghostie Glasses spies tiny elf shoes

There was some kind of photo shoot going on.  (The umbrella is to help aim the lights onto the model they’re photographing.)  Ghostie Glasses wanted to be in the picture and be famous, but he was upside down.  Whoopsie.

Don’t these shoes look like something elves would wear?  And look!  It’s Pooh Bear.  He looks like he’s thinking about wearing some Ghostie Glasses.

Sad Ghostie Glasses update:  This is the last we'll hear of GG.  Since our last posting, he'd lost the glasses part of himself in a tragic dismemberment by Lil' Guy.  Upon his return home tonight, he was ripped in half (also by Lil' Guy, who is becoming more of a Big Guy each day).  RIP Ghostie Glasses.  May your haunting be happy.

12/14 - Flying Koopa Troopa eats some soupa

Hopefully he won’t catch my cold.  :(

Koopa Troopa found a wee truck.  Isn’t it tiny and cute?

12/13 - Dad Pteranodon writes the twins a love letter

He used the pen Lil' Gal sent with me to work to draw you guys a heart.  Awwww.

(Hey! I did a google search for “Dad Pteranodon” to check spelling, and my blog came up as the 2nd and 3rd results, ahead of amazon and wikipedia!  Yay me!)

Dad Pteranodon wishes and wishes for fishes.  These should keep him busy for a while!

12/12 - Cutie Bird takes Mario with Raccoon Power under her wing

Mario with Raccoon Power looks suspicious.  Do you think he’s going to try to take the presents under this Xmas tree?

My new new desk (it’s musical chairs around here these days) comes with a basketball net.  Cutie and Mario hung out for a while in it, pretending they were basketballs.  Sillies.

Health update: Some people have a Christmas cactus that blooms once a year.  We apparently have a Christmas cold.  What a wretched thing to bloom at this time of year.

12/09 - Bonus post! I won an award!

Not Supermom gave me the "Tell Me About Yourself" Award.  I'm a winner!!!  Woooo!!!  Thank you!

The Tell Me About Yourself Award requires the recipient to:

• Thank the person who gave the award.
• List 7 things that people may not know about you.
• Pass the award to 15 other bloggers and notify them.
  (You should give the award to someone who hasn't already received it.)
• Post the badge on your blog.

I'd much rather talk about my kids' toys, but here are seven things you might not know about me.

1. I can correctly identify *and* sing along to 8 or 9 of 10 polka songs, and I don’t know why.
2. I am a roller derby grrrl.
3. I resent fruit for pretending it’s so easy to eat, when it actually requires all kinds of washing, peeling, and chopping to turn it into nice little bites.
4. I have never skied, eaten a biscotti, or watched Saturday Night Fever.
5. Robin Williams once cut me off and took the parking spot I wanted.
6. Tall ships make me swoon. In a dreamy schoolgirl crush kinda way.
7. I am not really left-handed.

My Fab Fifteen Baker's Dozen (in no particular order):

1. Living That Life / Firewife Elly - Did I mention she will make you a custom tutu?
2. Your Average Joe - Makes me smile on a daily basis.
3. Feed Our Families - Gina has great ideas for keeping your family healthy and happy.
4. Off My Mama Rocker - One of my favorite twin mamas.
5. Cheapgirldraws - Helps me vicariously live the life of an art student.
6. Filth Wizardry - I love her projects.
7. Blogging Dangerously - #wineparty hostess with the most-est
8. Mommy Wants Vodka - She cracks me up.
9. Twinpossible - Twin mamas rock!
10. The Sarcasm Goddess - She makes a fine pirate, folks.
11. Today's Special - She's a foodie and a friend.
12. Critters and Crayons - Real parenting with humor.
13. Katie's Fighters - Just wow.

12/09 - Cutie Bird sings like a chipmunk

Cutie Bird screams, "It's Beaker!" Beaker screamed back, “Meep Meep!”

We heard the Alvin and the Chipmunks Xmas song at lunch (it follows me everywhere), and Cutie Bird started chirping away.  She has a very sweet voice!

Early Xmas for me:  Lil' Gal said I can keep Cutie Bird at my desk!!

12/08 - Cutie Bird wants to build a nest in an Xmas tree

This one was so pretty, we stopped in our tracks to take a picture of it.
(Lil' Gal made Cutie – isn’t he cute?)

My new work building had a nice breakfast for all of its tenants this morning.  There was even a lady playing Xmas songs on a big fancy harp! Cutie and I are bringing these cookies home for you!

12/07 - Lizard does the cha cha

This cute little doggie has been sitting under the mistletoe for days, but nobody has kissed her.  Everybody just rushes to and from work.  Lizard’s a friendly guy, so he gave her a big wet kiss.

If turtles can play drums, lizards can cha cha!

Here's Lil' Gal's self-designed reindeer outfit.  How awesome is she?

12/06 - Piglet takes on City Hall

Not really.  That’s a lot for one little P-P-P-Piglet. But he did like the pretty dome on City Hall.

Derby update:  At Sunday practice, we spent a lot of time going over hitting.  It was great fun, but my partner was really going for it (as was I).

Now I have matching bruises on each arm!  (Ouch.)  Not pictured:  the bruises on my hips from falling (left side) or the skate wheels (right side x2).

12/05 - Ping is still hungry

We went to lunch with friends today, and Ping hung out with the utensils.

Candie, Ping, and Gio were posing for my picture, and I guess Ping heard “candy” and thought of dessert.  He tried to bite her finger!  Bad Ping!

Our Xmas tree is ready for decorating!  Let's give the kids some eggnog and see how long it takes them to break an unbreakable ornament!  (4 minutes)

Derby update:  We made the local paper!  Look for a tiny bit of my stripey blue sock on the right-hand edge of this photo.

12/02 - Skull finds a friend (and a bunch of monkeys)

Damien got moved to another building, and it was nice to see him on our floor for a meeting.

Skull tried to do jumping jacks so he looked like a jolly roger too!

Leaf update:  Still not cleaned up at the BART station.  (Or at our house.)  I love the caution tape and safety cones.  Watch out! Leaves! Danger!

Derby update:  We're marching in the Pleasanton Holiday Parade tomorrow.  Come cheer us on!  I made duct star snowflakes for my helmet and everything!

12/01 - Trainee sings "Blow the Man Down"

I know, I’m mixing transportation with pirate songs, but if you consider train robbers as land pirates, it kinda works.  Or I need more sleep.  It was so windy today, I thought my hair was on backwards when I got to work! Things were blown over all around.  Here, a parking sign and a newspaper box were on their sides.

At lunch, Trainee found a Mexican doggie... And David!

Trainee heard Rachel say "Achoo!" and thought she was talking to him.  Poor Rachel is getting a cold and is all bundled up – inside at work!  Let’s send her get-well thoughts.

1.  How the heck is it December already?
2.  There are still way too many leaves at the BART station.  It looks like my front yard, minus the caution tape.  And steps. And BART-branded trash bags.