And I wish I could type that in a way that would make you hear Steven Tyler. Oh, well. Someday there will be a way! I have been crazy busy, but also kind of lazy and neglectful - so I'm really glad things just keep moving along here without me!! I have so many things to tell you all! Pull up a comfy chair, because this is going to be a LONG POST. First - hey, remember how Karen sent me that AWESOME gift?! Here's some pictures to make all the other cousins WISH they had posted pictures of themselves looking sad in the barware department:

Exhibit A is the awesome barware that will replace my sad sad measuring cup method!

Exhibit B shows the cutest glass drink picks that she enclosed.

Exhibit C is the perfect single-size shaker that came along with the rest. It's pictured here with the one Mike sent, which has led me to nickname them Big Momma and 'Lil Bit. So, how bad was your day? Big Momma, or 'Lil Bit? Also! Did you all know my brother got married! I know!! So, then, after the wedding, they went to Hawaii, and sent Mom and Dad the most awesome pineapple (which they shared with us). THEN, they came home (Boy, it's been a long time since I posted!) and they sent gifts to me! Which follow:

This is the best chocolate covered macadamia nut candy you will ever taste. If you come to my house, I will share with you. But hurry. Because I do not have that much will power.

And THIS is a card, with a picture made by a Hawaiian artist, and it is also a MAGNET, which I LOVE. So. My advice to all of you is, start a blog, tell lame stories about yourself, and have your brother get married. You will be swimming in lovely things. All this gift giving gave me an idea! Are you excited? I know! Me too!! I was thinking. My post about appletinis made not one, but TWO cousins send me awesome things - but I'd like to believe that it was not because my method was SO SAD, but more because they just had this awesomeness hanging around anyway. And then I looked around my house. I think I have awesomeness, too!! But how would I know if another cousin needed or wanted this stuff? I now present to you: The Haboustak Cousins Garage Sale The idea is, if you've got some nice stuff that you wouldn't mind giving to a cousin who could use it, you can post it here. Then, anyone who wants the stuff could maybe e-mail the giver and let him/her know that they'd like the goods. I won't post any e-mail or contact info, to keep random people from stumbling across it and harrassing anyone. It's like a white elephant all year long! If you want to post some goods, send me an e-mail, and I'll hook you up with an invitation to join, just like you joined here. Anyone who has any ideas about how to change around/improve/reformat this idea, should HAVE AT IT. Because, really, it usually takes me a LONG time to see obvious little things that make stuff WAY more user-friendly. (PS- do you know how hard it was for me to adjust the time zone and NOT choose 'America-Dawson's Creek' ??) AND, continuing on the theme of goods, here is a photo of Laurie's suspiciously large-looking prize boxed up and chilling in my kitchen, all set to go out! Finally! Woot!

Also, here are our recent searches (does anyone like these besides me?) * girdle NOT diamond NOT liposuction NOT burger NOT pelvic * PLAY while the lights were out * haboustak * mike haboustak I know what you're thinking. Will this post ever END? Soon. But first, here are the birthdays that I let slip by: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Shane Nicole and Mike! I also changed the comments to filter the spam, because it was getting to be a hassle to delete it all. So now you're going to have to type in a wiggly word to comment on a post, and that's annoying, but... well... it beats the alternative! I need to update the e-mail addresses and I've been really lax about it. I know that Grandma, Laurie, Susan, Uncle John and Paul need changes. Anyone else? Can you believe I have other stuff? I do!! But that's all you're getting out of me today. P.S. It's a good thing I proofread.