Happy Birthday Nick!

For the first time in his life Nick requested and REALLY wanted a birthday party.  For the first time in my life I REALLY didn't feel like hosting or planning a party.  As a result, Nick was forced to take things into his own hands and plan his own party . . . mean wife. 

In Review:

• He discovered and arranged to host the party at a great local wine bar, Times Ten Cellars

• He sent out the invitations less than a week in advance.  I told him no one would show up- 25 people came out to celebrate last night

• He requested heaping plates of cheese and crackers and shrimp cocktail for 30.  I asked what the budget was for this party and later assembled two simple plates of Tom Thumb cheese and crackers

• He wanted a large cake with the Long Lake Partners logo on it.  I told him it was too messy- our guests were noticeably envious of guests of another party enjoying cupcakes

In Summary:

• By all accounts this was one of our most successful parties

• I didn't take one picture

• We may have a new party planning champion in the Lardo household

• Happy Birthday Nick!  

• Next year I promise to throw your party, but this one will be hard to follow!

TMA (Too Much Asia)

Traditionally Christmas is filled with snow, family and freezing temperatures.  This year we switched things up, traveling to Singapore to visit my sister Alison and her husband Adam with side trips to Thailand and Indonesia.  Neither of us had ever been to Asia and we (mostly) enjoyed it.  At one meal of Japanese sushi I had TMA (Too Much Asia) and had to call it an early night, I really just wanted a hamburger.

Highlights included:

• Watching the 2 Meter man (Nick) navigate, pedi cabs, a coach plane seat for 26 hours, motos, and giggling girls laughing and pointing at his extreme height in Indonesia
• Hiking through the last jungle in Singapore
• Attending a Baptist church with a pastor preaching with a heavy Texas accent (he was from Houston)
• MONKEYS everywhere
• Our luxury stay at Hotel Dreiblatt 
• Foot messages, mani/pedis, message, reflexoloy and general partaking in Asian wellness
• Traveling via long boat the preferred cab method of Indonesia and Thailand
• Everything about our days in Thailand spent eating Pad Thai, swimming and listening to jungle sounds on the island of Ko Pu
• Enjoying a traditional Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel courtesy of my 93 year old Grandma Liz.  She remembers enjoying them during her travels to Singapore in the 1930's. 
• Watching hundreds of lanterns float into the sky off the beaches of Thailand on NYE, signaling good luck and worries floating away
• Losing singh at the Casino our last night
• Spending time with Alison and Adam and experiencing their life in Asia

Why Lardination?

I asked Nick for suggestions on a blog name.  He suggested "Lardination".  I said no.  He persisted.  I couldn't think of anything better.  He won.

Our blog is now named after some ridiculous nickname Nick's fraternity brothers gave him circa 2001.

We're off to a good start with this blog.  I can tell.