December so far (some photos)

I thought I'd actually post some photos to go along with my last post...along with some activities I haven't mentioned...and one event that happened last month. Okay, I guess it's just some random photos. Enjoy.

With 17 people in the house that morning, Christmas brought this...

(Photo by Amelia)

Amelia rigged a tri-pod and took some family photos...
I mentioned I went bowling with my office crew:
Amidst all the events planned for the holiday, we managed to squeeze in a trip to Julienne's in San Marino with a few of Kenny's siblings and cousins. It was soo good.

Kenny and Nicole (she's due just three weeks before me!)-
Hudd and Kenny -
Emily and baby Charlie (not so much of a baby any more) -
Amelia and Jason -
Hudd. And the epic "Creme Brule French Toast" (THE reason to go to Julienne's) -
So I couldn't snowboard during our last trip to Mammoth, which was horrible for me, especially considering the beautiful weather, perfect snow, and great riding companions. (Oh the sacrifices I'm already making for this kid-to-be.) Anyway, I had to do SOMETHING, so Elise was kind enough to end her day early and try out cross-country skiing with me - a first for both of us. It was really fun! Or just hanging with Elise was really fun. Either way, I liked it.


Elise -
Me and Elise -
So...it's hard to stop on skis. And doing a snowplow when the skis are in groves is pretty impossible. One very well may end up like this:
Elise, Skyler, Kenny -
We like to go to Mammoth the weekend before Christmas because (1) it's not crowded yet and (2) it's the Night of Lights celebration! 4 people parachuted in, there were live bands and good DJs, the Ski Patrol does a show, and fireworks! I can't explain it well enough to do it justice, but Kenny and I love this event.
Fire dancer -


This is what Kenny looks like for a trip to the Jacuzzi. High tops and extra short swim trunks. Love it.
For Christmas Eve Kenny decided we'd make tin foil outfits/hats for whoever's name we drew for the sibling gift exchange. There's more photos coming of this - probably via Amelia's blog. It was a good time.
I wore this to Erika's party in an attempt to hide any signs of pregnancy (as we hadn't told Kenny's family the news yet). You can't see the full effect, but the sequins did the job perfectly!
Last month we went to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! which was actually pretty awesome. I especially liked the part where we were sitting just rows behind Jason Bateman (and Christina Aguilera and "Jan" from The Office). I liked these cardboard glasses, too.

That's all for now.

December so far...

Dec. Weekend #1:

• lazy morning with Kenny (we were both still recuperating from this season's Cold).
• go to Unique L.A. show and peruse the fantastic handmade goods (store ideas for future DIY projects)
• explore random boutiques in LA/Santa Monica
• early dinner at long time fave, the Apple Pan
• take in the Christmas lights at the LA temple
• drive home (admire the husband's innate sense of direction and truly awesome ability to maneuver side streets in unfamiliar parts of town thus avoiding considerable traffic)
• hot cocoa and caught up on Christmas specials via Hulu. Early to bed.
• church and rest

Dec. Weekend #2:

• lazy morning with the husband (is there a better way to spend Saturdays? I think not.) listening to the rain (finally) and enjoying the Christmas lights in our living room we put up the night before.
• Erika & Julia's annual Christmas party/White Elephant exchange. Always a fun time. White Elephant awards go to whoever gifted the live mouse and to Erika for recreating the "dick towel" from It's Always Sunny in Philedelphia. Oh yeah, the FOUR snuggies were good too...although the fact that FOUR were gifted made them all way better. Also, the party gave me an opportunity to to finally wear this:
  
• kiddies' birthday parties
• San Diego with Amelia & Hudd, Nicole, Jordan, and others to see Phoenix and Vampire Weekend. (Great show, but Phoenix should have closed; they killed it.) Searched in vain for Sofia Coppola.
• welcomed Jordan home and listened to him give a great talk in church
• hung out with lots and lots of family...and informed them all that the family would be growing by one come April. Happily (although rather uncomfortably/awkwardly) accepted the sudden attention and enjoyed the excitement.
• tried to avoid the dessert table; failed miserably.

Dec. Weekend #3 (three-day weekend):

• work party: bowling with a group of people (mostly men) at least 15 years my senior. Actually, it was the best company holiday party so far. Since bowling was my idea (the prospect of another dinner where we all stare at each other and desperately attempt conversation didn't sound too great) I take all credit for its success. I may even include it in the annual personal progress report I have to give to my boss next week.
• Mammoth. Need I say more? (great snow, great weather, great company, great lodging...perfect.)
• enjoyed Mammoth's "Night of Lights" celebration for the third year in a row. Love this event and am so happy it's becoming a tradition.
• cross-country skied with Elise for the first time ever (we were really, really good at it, too). So fun and WOW, what a work out!
• lots of reading in the lodge.
• met up with Kenny's family in Riverside on the way home from Mammoth to take in the lights and festivities at the Mission Inn. Mark bought us all the best donuts...still thinking about them.

So...December's been good to me.

And because I haven't really taken many photos and certainly haven't uploaded any here's a new favorite of The Nephews, taken (of course) by Amelia/Hudd. I love these boys.

Why I'm anticipating a wonderful weekend...

Hey Gorgeous,
I'll be seeing you later.

A scattered post. (Sorry)

So, my head is in a weird place and I can't think of any one thing to write about. Sure I could overload you with photos and travel logs and the like, but frankly that requires way more patience than I have right now. So, for the sake of updating this blog, here's a very random update of some of my recent thoughts and doings:

We had dinner with a good friend from our church the other day, Ernie Jarvis. He's 97 and he's awesome. He was the first friend we made upon moving to Fullerton and he remains one of our dearest companions. This week he invited us to his retirement home's Hallmark Dinner - a once-a-year, very fancy dinner event. Keep in mind, Ernie lives in a sort of "Park Place" of retirement homes, so this was especially fancy and formal. The menu included crabs legs, Peking duck, orange roughey, baby lamb chops, etc. etc. True, the food was all still incredibly bland and overcooked - it IS a retirement home after all, but it was fancy and fun. Conversation was good, the atmosphere was fantastic (think 50s era White Christmas), and it was nice to catch up with him. The best parts: watching retirees examine each others' walkers the way a teenager might size up a new car. And this: after noticing several attendees in gold name tags, I asked Ernie if they were the evening's designated hosts. "No," he replied, "we all have those tags. I don't ever wear mine...but I still remember who I am and how to get home." And he was serious.

Oh, I do love Ernie.

Moving on. I love finding new restaurants...the smaller and more obscure the better. Kenny came for lunch today and we were both craving Pedro's tacos, but couldn't swing the "quick" trip to San Clemente on my limited lunch break, so we went exploring. Tacos Mesa in Costa Mesa was a good and comparable find. I am full and happy. You know what else would make me happy? Digestive regularity. Unfortunately I'm not sure Tacos Mesa is going to help me much with that. Oh well. It tasted good.

Work has officially (or rather informally) stopped for the season. Unfortunately, I'm still here in the office pretending to work. Time to online shop! (I wish. That would require me to fist, have money for one thing, and second, to NOT have a moral conscience. Blogging is as unproductive as I allow myself to get while working.)

Kenny's little brother got home from his mission yesterday. Yay! I'm excited to see him. Also, my little sister turned sweet 16 this week. Yay! I'm excited for my dad to be the father of a dating teenage girl again. I think it will be more entertaining for me as a spectator than it was when I was the teen.

I noticed today that I feel the slightest bit of anxiety entering and exiting elevators. I stare at the crack in the floor and hug all my belongings tight to me. I finally realized this is a result of growing up on the 18th floor of a Cambridge, MA apartment building. I can't even remember all the things I must have dropped down that crack. Also, I refuse to "hold the door" for others. It's not out of rudeness (mostly), but rather out of a previously subconscious fear of getting my arm stuck in the door. "That's ridiculous," you say? Ask my little brother how ridiculous. Now there's a story for you.

Speaking of stories about the little brother, here's one that I was reminded of recently. When Ryan and I shared a room in MA, I had the bottom bunk and he had the top. I was wired late one night and kept bugging him and keeping him awake. You know, big sister stuff. Well, I eventually pushed him too far. He left the room only to return with a full glass of water which he then threw all over me. Of course I told on him. Again, it's the big sister thing to do. My father didn't much appreciate being woken up to deal with this matter and proceeded to make Ryan sleep in the soaked sheets on the bottom bunk. Although a better person might have fessed up that she deserved the soaking, I rather waited until Dad was again fast asleep before I fetched a few towels for the poor kid. It was truly the least I could do, and it effectively served to alleviate some of the guild I was feeling. But I stayed in the dry top bunk. Again, Ryan, I'm really sorry about that.

So...that's all for now I guess. I'll probably try to find some work to do or something. Happy Friday!

M.I.A.

Nov. 19-Nov. 29: 8 full days of Family, Fun, and Feasting = wonderful.

Nov. 29: 10 hours in the car (when the total trip should have only taken 6) and 30 minutes bathroom lines at gross truck stops = not wonderful

Nov. 30 (Monday): 4 more hours in traffic and a 6 hour interview = exhausting.

So I'm back.
And really tired.