Babies & Newlyweds

Megan's having a baby girl in less than a month, so we, naturally, had to celebrate:

We're hoping Ava's as happy as Tyler, because he was cheery and cute as usual when we visited his house last night for "Game" night. We did, however, wait until he went to bed to take the pictures. (read: I was harassed for having my camera for so long that it wasn't until after he went to bed that they all let their guard down and I pulled it out!)

1) Tanya & the Tanned Newlyweds. Jealousy!

2) Derek is a little too pleased to be taking this picture. Mason and Chris look like they're happy and smiling, but don't be fooled, they're just laughing at him.

Ball ball

Ball's ball, The Ball ball, December 10, 2005. Yay for stuffy noses, good friends and recycled dresses.


(with Blake & Elana, this year's company, because other Ball friends are off on honeymoons, with babies, or on other trips)

This week in pictures

..isn't particularly exciting.

Example # 1: Where I've been stationed for 3 days. Thanks, stomach bug and Kaiser's miracle spine-killing anti-nausea shot.

Example #2: The only feat accomplished: peppermint bark prepared and packaged, for 33 Westy El staff members, thanks to Derek's kitchen aid.


Example #3: The great recovery: I make it out of the house to get a haircut, in time for the Ball ball. Perhaps I'll survive.

The effects of a close-knit social group (I mean, book club)

Our weekend was quite social. Here's what Derek thought of it, after Leslie's cocktail party:

Here's a cute picture of most of "The Stanley Lord" (Fine, if you're all going to call it that, I will too) book club ladies at the aforementioned party:

Speaking of which, our book club meeting was enjoyable as always this evening. Last month's main non-book topic: proper etiquette at weddings. This month: artificial hair.

I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille

Every year, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley hosts Pet Photos with Santa. Last year, Derek came and supported Kobe & I as we tried (and tried) to take a picture where we both looked cute. He won, I lost, but we sent the Christmas cards anyway. (Okay, I handed them out to family, because I forgot to do the whole mailing thing. This year will be different!) Because of that, I wanted to get just him on the card, and then we played around with just optional shots of him (avec & sans reindeer hat) and then did a couple posed ones of the three of us as well as a "candid" that was so horrific we didn't even think of ordering it. Instead, we ordered the three of these. I've scanned them in, so they're a bit different than in reality, but regardless, Behold the Beauty of Kobe:

(just absolutely beautiful. we ordered an 8x10, to frame in the house)

(we look goofy, and the scan made us look stretched, but kobe looks cute, and that's the way it goes with these things, eh? this is mostly for our families, because they keep displaying even worse pictures of us, sans kobe).

And here are the Christmas cards, first this year, then last (blech). Note how much older he looks, and also, how the reindeer ears are not his.

I promise this blog won't turn into Daily Pictures of Kobe. We just got these back last night, so we're just excited. (Okay, I'm just excited). I can't help it if I've got a damn cute pup!

Joyeux Noël

I have officially succumbed to the season, and I've pulled the puppy and the better half in with me on this one. I'm currently anti-mishmash-tree, instead all about making it dainty and pretty. Perhaps a bit out of character, but hey, it's my tree! And Derek didn't put up too much of a fight. (Although I could take him if he did).

(*I am anti-mishmash for myself right now, but I know that in later years, when I have a family, I will be pro-mishmash, and regardless, I will forever prefer my parents' tree at home, even if Dad picks out a funnily shaped one every year if I don't get a say in it).

And, by the way, IT IS A CHRISTMAS TREE, not a holiday tree! Some people are just wound up too tight about this PC business. Not that I'm particularly anti-PC, but there is not a single other holiday that decorates a tree in celebration. Do people really think that anything will change with this new distinction? Everyone will still buy a tree, dress it up with garland and ornaments and lights and a star on top and display it for the world to see. And they'll put presents underneath it, and still, regardless of what you call it, only people who celebrate Christmas will get to open them. Sorry, guys. So I really don't know what is gained by calling it a holiday tree, except more ridiculousness in a world already full of it. /end rant.

My mother and I argued about it being too early to put up a tree. I'm strictly opposed to the store aisles where the Halloween costumes share all the glory with the Christmas ornaments, but I do feel it appropriate to begin after Thanskgiving. I'm okay with beginning the holiday cheer after the other holidays have had their fun. I'm sure they'll wait until I get home, on December 14th, to put it up. And then I'll fight for them to leave it up until January 1st, when I depart. January 1st! (Oh, Mom, I'm just joking. But, even still: No one takes their tree down before then. No one!) (Except people who maybe don't have tree, hence, those who are motivated by the whole Holiday Tree phenomenon).

Aside from a slight panic about what gifts to get and the fact that I really don't have the money to get any of them (but the knowledge that I will anyway, as always), I'm very much into the holiday season. Let the 24-hour carols on the radio stations begin!