Happy 2012!

Hey, Everyone!

Happy New Year!! :)

Did everyone survive the holiday season?

I'm thankful to have made it to 2012.  Last year was a tough one and will go down as one of my Top 10 Least Favorite Years (along with 2007 and 2009).  I have high hopes for this year!  Hopefully there will be a little time to relax--while still making money!  (Unemployment/lack of clients wouldn't be very relaxing!)

Ringo: Master Relaxer.

I didn't do anything especially awesome for New Year's Eve.  I had food poisoning (2011 had to be a jerk just one last time!) and spent a good chunk of the day in the bathroom.  I spent New Year's Day and today ("New Year's Day Observed") working.

Around/on Christmas, Ramiro and I visited with my parents, my mom's brother, Steff, and Danielle.  We also saw my friend James at the supermarket.  That was cool.

Robert made out really well with Christmas "loot" this year:

Licking his catnip pillow from Danielle

Chillin' with his llama from Steff

It looks like Robert doesn't really like his llama, but you're wrong.  He's just tired.  I took that picture after he wore himself out playing with it.  All the other pictures I tried to take of Robert + llama ended up looking like this:

Yikes!!

You might notice there's another llama/alpaca plushie on the bookshelf behind Robert...  That one's mine!  I got it in September and Robert kept trying to steal it.  Fortunately, now that he has his own (thanks, Steff!), I no longer have to worry about that.  :)

Anyway, thanks again to all of you who visited, gave gifts, sent cards, and shared your general good wishes in our direction.  Much appreciated!

Time to get back to work!

A picture of me at work (with my "esteemed colleague," of course!)

When I write here again, I'll be another year older.

--Lauren*

http://littlezotz.com

Updates Coming Soon

Hey, Everyone!

I'm sorry I'm a bit late with my weekly update (I'd been trying for a Sunday or Monday update each week, but I missed the "deadline" this week). Things have been pretty busy lately.

I got my blood-work done early and the results came back today. Everything's looking good! So, the only thing I really have to worry about is my rib injury. Doc says that this type of rib injury generally takes 3-6 months to heal fully/properly. He said that I have to just be patient and keep up with my exercises and make sure that I have good posture and that the chair I sit in has enough support. Stuff like that.

New Years was a lot of fun. Ramiro and I had one of our rare Grand Days Out on New Years Day and ended up in a few different places. Of note: the Guinness World Records Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum. The former was a bit of a rip-off but the latter was fun. Neither of those museums held a candle to Ripley's though.

My birthday's on Friday. I'll try to write an entry on Sunday.

Until then...

--Lauren*

January 7, 1985

I turned 25 last week. I'm officially in my mid-twenties! A quarter of a century old. Wow!

For those of you who don't read my Twitter, my birthday went really well. And, in other news, I no longer work at Del Taco. Now that I've moved in with Ramiro, my job wasn't exactly close by to my new digs so it was costing more in gas money to get to work than I was actually making at work. So I resigned. I turned in my uniform on my birthday. My boss was sad to see me go and said that if I was ever back in the area and needed a job that I'd always have a place with her at Del Taco. So that was nice.

Anyway, here are some pictures from my birthday. Ramiro and I went over to my parents' house and Mom made us dinner and they all sang the Birthday song and so on. Good times. I was very full afterward.
Picture my dad took of the table just before we ate. Mom made steaks and a big salad with bleu cheese dressing (made from scratch!). It was all very good.
Since I can't eat sugar, my mom got me a loaf of sourdough bread in lieu of a birthday cake. I got to keep the loaf and have been slicing it up and using it for sandwiches all week!Omigosh! A birthday card! XDMy parents put something in the birthday card, but I wasn't allowed to look at it (no spoilers!) until I finished reading the very wordy card. Dad kept making comments and I was cracking up. Then Ramiro started laughing too when he saw me laughing. I was afraid that his drink was going to come out his nose and then I'd really lose it (but, it didn't; thank goodness). I love pictures of people laughing. :)

And, of course, I got to visit my darling Dorian Grey. I love/miss my cat so much. That was my favourite birthday gift. <3

I guess that's about it for now.

I hope everyone's having a very happy 2010!

--Lauren*
PS: A very special thank you to all of you who called, texted, and sent cards and/or presents. I know I've already thanked you guys, but I wanted to say it again: THANK YOU! You're the best. :)