A New Years Eve Tradition

Hi! Everyone! Jemima Jones Beck here wishing you a happy New Years Eve! The tradition in the Beck home on New Years Eve is to "bring" everything that we want for the new year into the home before midnight. So, for instance, if Mom wants a clean house in the new year, she must make sure that the house is spotless on New Years Eve. We also set up a little area for things that we wish for in the new year, but cannot necessarily "bring" into the home tonight. You can see our little wishful thinking area in the second photo included here. Each of the cups contains something that we want in our lives in 2009. Mom has already filled hers with Monopoly money, representing her wish that we will have enough money in 2009, and with dice and a paper crane, representing her wish for good luck in 2009. Dad isn't home from work yet, so he hasn't filled his cups, but we know that he is going to put a picture of a Cervelo bicycle in one of them because he is hoping for a new Cervelo sometime this spring. Each of the cups is sitting on a stack of books because Mom and Dad both want lots and lots of new books to read in 2009.

In order to get ready for this evening Mom has done the following things today: washed the car (for a clean car in 2009), gone grocery shopping (to make sure that we have enough to eat in 2009 we have to have enough in the house tonight), made the bed, washed the windows, cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed the floors, swept the tile floors, mopped the tile floors, cleaned out all of the cabinets and replaced everything inside them extra neatly, cleaned the kitchen including fridge, stove, oven, and all dishes, dusted, cleaned the ceiling (long story...), rearranged and cleaned her entire stash of knitting supplies and yarn, reorganized the closet, washed all of my toys (no pug lick stink in 2009, apparently), clipped my claws, clipped the cats claws, brushed me and all three kitties, bathed me, and made 2 apple pies. So...the house is pretty clean as are the kitties and I.

In order to get ready for this evening I have done the following things today: Sleep.

The other pictures included here are of Netty after his belly brushing this morning, and a few pictures that Mom took at Blossoms of Light which Grandma Andrea and Leo took Mom and Dad to to celebrate their 4th Wedding Anniversary on Christmas Eve. I wasn't invited, but I guess that that is OK since Mom and Dad had such a good time and were so happy that someone remembered and wanted to celebrate their special day!

Well, I had better sign off - Mom is about to take pie out of the oven! Love, Jemima Jones Beck.

Merry Christmas!

Hi! Everyone and Merry Christmas! I got a 24 inch Loofah Dog for Christmas - what did you get?
Love,
Jemima Jones Beck

Happy Wedding Anniversary to Mom and Dad

Hi! Everyone! Jemima Jones Beck here.
Today I would like to wish Mom and Dad a Happy 4Th Wedding Anniversary!
Yes indeed, four years ago today Mom and Dad got married at the Fort Lewis College Chapel after more than 4 years of dating and just over 1 1/2 years of being engaged.
Meanwhile I was just a few weeks away from being born - exciting huh?
Mom says that her wedding day was one of the most stressful days of her life and that if she had it to do over again, she would probably elope to Las Vegas, like she and Dad considered doing after they discovered the price of wedding stuff - even small wedding stuff!
This evening Mom and Dad are going with Grandma Andrea and Leo to the Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo and guess what? I am not invited! I swear! These humans NEVER invite me to their special occasions! What the heck?
Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Anniversary to Mom and Dad!
Love,
Jemima Jones Beck
PS: The second picture included here is of Mom and Dad on their wedding day...Mom looks about the same these days as she did then, but Dad has just gotten "hotter" (Mom's words, not mine) in the intervening four years!
Love,
Jemima

Ho Ho Ho Update

Hi! Everyone! Jemima Jones Beck here. I am sorry that Mom and I haven't been around much in the last week or so. We are honored to say that we have been given a few awards (thank you Sandra y Coco) and we will publish those here as soon as we can. In the mean time, here is a quick update type post!

Mom and Dad had a little family get together here at the apartment and Mom made a whole lot of food. I wore my petcam for the occasion, but sadly none of the petcam pictures turned out (they were all to dark and blurry).

Grandma Marlane and Grandpa Steve brought Dad a few of his favorite childhood Christmas ornaments for our tree...



Mom and Dad helped Grandma Andrea and Leo decorate their Christmas tree...


Dad built something out of Legos and attempted to drive it on Netty.

Mom took some new pictures of Netty, including this one...

And Mom and Dad attempted to take a picture of themselves together, but there were "Dad doesn't want to look at the camera" issues along with " Mom's hair looks like something nested in it and that is making her smile like a crazy person" issues.

That's about all that we have been up to around here...we are hoping to get around to all of the other blogs to see you all soon!
Love,
Jemima Jones Beck

Grandpa Steve to the Rescue

Hi! Everyone!
So, this morning, after having applied for 89 jobs with no interest, Mom had a job interview (Jemimas Mom's Note: yeah, the job market is BAD right now). But when she went downstairs to start Tabatha the black Beetle and drive to the job interview it was -11 degrees out (or that's what theweatherchannel.com told us) and so Tabatha, the black Beetle, wouldn't start. It was to cold. So Mom, who was really desperate because this was her first job interview after having applied for 89 jobs over the course of 6 weeks and didn't want to be late and not get the only job that has even been hinted at because of her bad bad bad uncooperative car, called Dad, who told her good luck but couldn't come home, so she called Grandpa Steve who said "I'll be right down" and he came to our apartment and jump started her car and Mom drove to the interview! Grandpa Steve to the rescue!
Thanks Grandpa Steve!
Love,
Jemima Jones Beck

An Early Christmas Present

Hi! Everyone! Jemima Jones Beck here. Yesterday, Mom and Dad brought me home an early Christmas present...a National Geographic Pet Cam. The National Geographic pet cam is really cool...it attaches to my collar and takes pictures from my point of view every 1, 5, or 15 minutes. This morning, Mom and I took it for a test drive on the one picture every one minute setting. A lot of the pictures turned out blurry, because I was walking and running around, but we did get some that are interesting, and we will hopefully get more in the future. Mom thinks that the camera may actually be more interesting set up as a kind of surveillance so that she can see what all of us (me and the three kitties) actually do when she and Dad are not at home. Anyways, here are some of the pictures that we got of me watching Mom make cookies in our kitchen at home (you can see that about all that I can see is Mom's legs), and some pictures that the camera snapped as Mom and I went on our morning potty walk. I particularly like the last one, in which you can see some grass, and my ENORMOUS looking chin at the top. Currently, Mom is wearing the camera on the collar of her shirt - we thought that it might be interesting to see what kind of images that results in.

Love, Jemima Jones Beck

What is That?

Jemima Jones Beck, the Pug: Hey Netty?

Netty, the cat: Yes Daaaahling?

Jemima: What is that? That thing on the wall over Mom's head?

Netty: Well, my little Puggy muffin, I have been wondering that myself for the last five minutes. It seems to have eight legs. Have you ever seen anything like it?

Jemima: Do you remember that movie, Arachnophobia?

Netty: Of course, Pudding! John Goodman's performance was top notch! Why, I do believe that he should have won an Oscar!

Jemima: Yes, well, John Goodman aside, I think that I saw this thing in that movie as well.

Netty: Really? I don't remember Jeff Daniels being so hairy and eight legged.

Jemima: No, I mean, I think that this thing was the bad guy, the thing that Jeff Daniels and John Goodman were fighting in the, apparently Oscar worthy, movie Arachnophobia.

Netty: Oh!!! You mean that it is the ferocious off spring of a deadly Venezuelan spider, that made it's way to America in the coffin of a dead nature photographer, and a Colorado spider? Dahling! That's fascinating!

Jemima: Yes, well, do you think that we should tell Mom that a possibly deadly Venezuelan/Coloradan half breed spider the size of a small rat is sitting on the wall over her head?

Netty: What? And interrupt her watching Pride and Prejudice? Are you insane? You know how she gets about anything Jane Austen. We are lucky to be allowed on her lap this time! Do you remember when she watched Becoming Jane and we all had to sit upstairs for two hours so as not to disturb her? I swear Sweetie! Keep your head on your shoulders! It's just a spider.

Jemima: But, don't you think that there are some things that Mom wants to know? Like, if she has food on her face, lipstick on her teeth, or a massive, venomous, evil spider a foot from her head?

Netty: Darling. Really. You are getting a bit shrill. Calm down and I am sure that the spider will just move on.

Jemima: Yeah, into the couch where it will make a nest.

Netty: What was that Dear?

Jemima: Nothing, nothing. Let's go back to sleep.

Netty: Great! A wonderful idea, my Plum!

Jemima's Mom (aka The Lap): I wonder what the two of them are looking at? I hope that it's not another spider...

Do You Think She'll Notice?

Wellington the Cat: Hey...Jemima...do you think that she'll notice that we tipped the tree?

Jemima Jones Beck the Pug: Uh, YEAH.

Wellington: Really? Are you sure? It's not that noticeable...

Jemima: I am sure.

Wellington: Bummer.

Jemima: Yeah...by the way...what did you do with the presents that were under here?

Wellington: You REALLY don't want to know.

Jemima: Sure I do.

Wellington: No, you don't. You don't want to know the secrets of evil men. Trust me, it's better this way.

Jemima: Well, whatever you say, Big Guy. It's kinda nice under here - maybe if she's not to mad we'll get to hang out under here again sometime soon.

Wellington: I really wouldn't count on that "not to mad" part.

Jemima: Yeah.

Wellington: Bummer.

Christmas MeMe

Hi! Everyone. Jemima Jones Beck here.
Nothing much has happened here at the Beck household since Mom and Dad put up the Christmas Tree a few days ago...Mom has been spending a lot of time applying for jobs.
The picture included here shows what I do the whole time that Mom is on the computer updating her resume and writing cover letters and emailing employers: sitting and staring at her wondering "Why can't you play with me and not your stupid resume??!".
Since nothing worth talking about has happened, I have decided to let Mom answer this Christmas MeMe that has been going around - enjoy!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? We use wrapping paper, but it is a struggle for me. I am not much of a wrapper. Usually, Scott (aka "Dad"), wraps all of the gifts because the ones that I wrap end up looking like they have been hit by a bus. Then I address the gift tags because his handwriting looks like a drunken spider fell in some ink and skittered across the label before passing out in an alcohol coma.
2. Real tree or Artificial?We have an artificial tree. We thought that we would have a real one this year, but when it came right down to it, neither one of us wanted to actually use the saw and kill a tree. We are wussies that way.
3. When do you put up the tree? Right after Thanksgiving - that's what artificial trees are good for, right?
4. Wreath on your door? Scott's "Aunt" sent us a wreath last year that we ADORED and put up on our door...I sure hope that we get another one this year!
5. Do you like eggnog? One cup per year will do me fine.
6. Favourite Christmas gift received as a child? Huh. I don't really know. I always loved my stocking more than anything else. All those awesome little gifts and sometimes chocolate and fruit. Fun!
7. Easiest person to buy for? Grandparents-in-law.
8. Least easiest? Scott. He is freaking picky about his gifts. He hates almost everything unless it is bought off of his amazon.com wish list.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Oh goodness, no.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I mail them every year. And this year I also actually made them. I used glue and everything. It was a huge mess.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't know.
12. Favourite Christmas Movie? Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Scott's was Frosty the Snowman which I have only seen maybe once.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually in January.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, but we have recycled birthday gifts.
15. Open presents on Christmas eve or morning? Scott and I open one on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas morning, just like Mom and I always did when I was a little girl, and this year we may open a gift on the first day of Hanukkah, like Scott did when he was a little guy.
16. Lights on the tree? We alternate between white and multicolored but NEVER blue. Ugh.
17. Favourite Christmas song? Mele Kalikimaka, or anything by Bing Crosby. Scott likes Silver Bells and Santa Baby.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We always end up traveling.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?Dasher and Dancer and Donner and Blitzen, Comet and Cupid, and someone and somebody and Rudolph?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Always a star. Neither one of us likes the angel.
21. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Bratty, greedy kids.
23. Favourite Tree ornament, theme or colour? My very favorite ornaments are the ones that used to be my Great Grandpa Boyle's.
24. Favourite for Christmas dinner? Snack foods that all can enjoy. Our family is an eclectic bunch when it comes to what they like/will or wont eat. So it is much less stressful to just have all kinds of finger foods (cookies, veggies, fruits, crackers, etc), so that I know that everyone can find SOMETHING.
25. Brussels Sprouts - love or hate them? Hate them.
26. Favourite accompaniment to the Christmas Pud? Not sure what this means at all!
27. Favourite Christmas Carol? What is the difference between a Christmas Carol and a Christmas song?
28. Your very Favourite Christmas Thing? Christmas lights.
29. A Christmas wish! That I will find a darn job soon!
30. Tag a Seasonal Six! I tag anyone who still hasn't done this! Have fun!

Well, that's it for us today!
Love,
Jemima Jones Beck

O Christmas Tree - the Annual Tour

Hello! Everyone! Jemima Jones Beck here bringing you the Annual Tour of the Christmas Tree.
Mom and I can't seem to remember whose blog we first saw this on, but we THINK that is may have been Goodboy Norman Featherstone's. Norman and Woman do a Christmas Home Tour every year so we assume that we must have copied this idea from the two of them.
Anyways, on with the Annual Tour of the Christmas Tree!
This first picture is of me sitting by our Christmas tree. You may notice the presents under the tree...I certainly noticed that NONE of them appear to be addressed to me. I am not sure what Mom and Dad are playing at, but there had better be presents for the pug come Christmas morning.
Next, we are going to take a look at our ornaments - starting with those that have some sort of geographical significance...come. Follow me!



This is the geographically significant ornament that was purchased closest to home - Mom bought it last year in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is a little bit hard to tell from this picture, but this ornament is actually made out of a painted Serrano Chile! Cool huh?



I don't think that this one needs much explaining. It will be sufficient to say that Mom bought this ornament about four years ago in one of her favorite U.S. cities.



This is one of Dad's ornaments. He got it at the North Pole this September. Can you believe that Mom and Dad went to the North Pole and saw Santa Clause's house without me? How cruel. Mom and Dad differ in what they each think are "good" ornaments. Mom likes ornaments with some sort of memory associated with them...Dad just wants them to be gold, like this one!

Now here is one of Mom's ornaments that certainly must have some memories associated with it. Mom bought this ornament in Cheng Du, China in 2004. According to Mom, she bought this at a outdoor opera house between the acrobatics act and the shadow puppets act (apparently, opera is different in China then it is here in the states). The air smelled like Jasmine tea and peanuts and a stray cat played with Mom's shoe laces during the show. Neither one of us knows what the characters on the ornament say but I would assume that it is something along the lines of "Stupid tourist paid to much".



This ornament is a new one. It came home with Mom from Mexico where she also bought vanilla and silver earrings.
Unfortunately for Mom, some of her geographical ornaments are missing...like the one from Tibet, which Mom actually sent back to Tibet after a string of bad luck, and the one from Egypt, which I chewed when I was but a pup.
And now, onto the family ornaments!


This ornament (and the two others like it), belonged to Mom's Great Grandpa, Clyde Boyle. It is one of Mom's favorites because she can remember using it on Christmas trees when she was very small. Every year Mom plans on stealing the rest of the set from Grandma Andrea, and every year she somehow comes home from the attempt unsuccessful.

This set of white doves belonged to Mom's Grandma Sue, who died earlier this year in March. Mom remembers Grandma Sue putting these ornaments on her tree every year, along with her red Chile pepper lights - remember those Grandma Andrea? When Mom was little Grandma Sue's tree always seemed SO elegant and just so GRANDMA SUE to her, so she is very happy to have these doves. Dad doesn't have any of his favorite family ornaments which include a gold train and a little wooden boy who sticks out his tongue, because they live with Grandma Marlane and Grandpa Steve and we visit them every year.
And now, onto the star ornaments!
Mom's very favorite shape in the whole world is the star. She has a few of them tattooed on her body and also has several (I counted six) star shaped ornaments. Here are just two of them:
Purple star


Rainbow star.

Onto ornaments that Mom and Dad have given each other.


Mom bought Dad this ornament several years ago when he started cycling seriously. He now has a mountain bike ornament, a road bike ornament, and a pace line ornament (which features three riders racing).


Dad gave Mom this set of ornaments during their freshmen year of college. Here's the story: Mom was sad because since they were in the dorms at College there was no big decorated Christmas tree in the living room (because there was no living room). So Dad got Mom a tiny tree that was about two feet tall and a whole bunch of tiny ornaments to go on it (this ornament is about one inch in diameter). Mom used to have a whole set of them, but now she only has three because I ate the rest. Sorry Mom.



This ornament was a Christmas gift from Dad to Mom the first year that they were married. Its a Smore chicken! Isn't he fabulous?




Mom bought this one for Dad this year. Hanging this ornament on your Christmas tree is supposed to bring you prosperity. Mom just hopes that it brings her a job soon.



This ornament was a joint purchase. Mom and Dad got married on Christmas Eve, so I think that the theme of Santa and Mrs. Clause is appropriate, don't you?



And finally, Mom's favorite ornament that Grandma Andrea has ever given her. These little mittens are at the very top of the tree every year. Safe from me, and the cats!
Well, that's it for this years Christmas tree tour! Hope that you enjoyed it! Whats on your tree?
Love,
Jemima Jones Beck