‘Zat You, Santa Claus?

 

This morning (8:45 to be exact.. wah wah) I joined the Bell/Yartym clan for breakfast with Santa at the Aquarium restaurant!!!!!!  I had to explain to my friends at work that yes, there were children involved and I wasn’t going to, you know, meet Santa personally or anything.  I missed out on last year’s festivities so was happy when Mallory invited me to come along!

 

  

 

This is actually Paige’s second breakfast with the jolly one, but according to Greg, Mallory’s dad, at least she was awake for the whole thing this time.

Paige (looking as adorable as ever) and her cousin, Reagan (who is clearly not impressed). 

 

Paige Yartym: apparently throwing gang signs starts at an early age. YOU HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL!!

 

And just in case you thought that the restaurant was an aquarium in name only:

 

   

                           Is that David Sedaris in there?!?!                                    I’M STARTING TO WRINKLE!!!!!         

 

BUT THERE’S MORE! The Aquarium is more than just a restaurant… and an aquarium.  That’s right, folks, there are also carnival rides and Lady Paige was NOT getting away without a ride.  Some of you northerners may be thinking to yourself “But Joseph, it’s Winter!  Isn’t it too cold for outdoor joyification?”  And, of course, like most northerners, you would be WRONG!!!!  In true Texas fashion, Santa not only brought toys to all the boys and girls  but 70 degree weather as well.  TAKE THAT OZONE!

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL!!!

 

Seeing as how the holidays can be a taaaaad stressful for basically everyone involved over the age of 7, and, seeing how this post just happens to be about an aquarium, here is a fascinating video of the second largest aquarium IN THE WORLD. (That last bit was supposed to be read as if David Attenborough were saying it).  So take a chill pill—that would be a Xanex for my waspy housewife readers—and relax already!

 

Artist: Louis Armstrong/ Album: Christmas Through the Years

Here's to Life

What are you doing? What, what, WHAT are you doing tonight? If the answer isn't: "watching the premier of Life on the Discovery channel," then you don't deserve to be my friend. I have been excited about the follow-up to Planet Earth, a collaboration between The Discovery Channel and the BBC, ever since I saw a clip from the British version last year.

My ub-session with Planet Earth actually began when Oprah devoted an entire episode to the series on her show. I now own it and it's by far the most re-watched DVD in my collection. Well, that and Clue: The Movie.  She became such an advocate for the show that the producers hired her to narrate Life in the US, though I'm a little sad we won't get to hear the gravitas-laden voice of David Attenborough explaining the mating habits of Bornean orangutans with a certain eloquence only a Brit can muster. Smart move, mind you, because with her involvement it is bound to win a gazillion awards. Or we'll see the historic election of our first TV Documentary president in 2012.



Oh yeah, and blah blah blah topical comment about Life and the impending health care vote tonight.

Update: I completely buried the lead in my original post. My old roommate, Lembit, is friends with a guy who wrote some of the music for Life. How cool is that?