Gratitude

There's a lot lot of love to be grateful for this year.
I'm overjoyed.

birthday

a rainbow of fun for my birthday celebration
mom and friends and homemade tortilla chips
laughter and lots of food...
who needs more?

new year, new day, new beginnings

here's to a new year filled with
fun
and friends
and games
and laughter.a new year filled with
being thankful for all of our blessings:
two and four-legged.
and let this be a new year
for loving
and sharing
and growing
and changing
and moving
and settling
and embracing it all.


may all of our new year's resolutions become a lifestyle.

christmas day

the magic of christmas was...
the look on willy's face when he first saw the goodies left by santa
the look on my face right after i stepped in dog puke on mt way to the tree

teamworkmaggie dancing around in circles with minnie and mickey snuggled close
opening gift after gift and hearing "yes" and "sweeeeeet"
oma the christmas elf
dad in his usual humor
light up sneakers
the love of the dogs
and hours of self-directed play.

christmas eve

a pretty great uncle

Let's get 'em good and giddy.



feeling so lucky to be together---

just wishing the whole family was here
for some holiday tickles.

Willy's Carol

Willy brings us a little nervous Christmas spirit.

Happy Birthday, Lover!

Today you turn 37.

What a wonderful day we've had
eating breakfast out with extra pancakes
opening gifts and games to play
napping and cuddling
easting cake and ice cream
dinner out with gift certificates
cards and notes and calls from your family
and to finish the day right,
a contra dance here in town
sweating and laughing and swinging our partners.

happy new year!

this is the way we celebrate.
a little goofy.
a little tipsy.
a little overindulgence.
a lot of food.
a lot of ambiance.
a lot of fun.




to see how others celebrate, click here.

You better watch out

Runny nosed Christmas carols,
all the way from Illinois.



I hope Santa finds you wherever you are tonight.
Merry Christmas!

feliz navidad

i am on break!
i am free!

our final day was celebrated in mexican style,
(sombreros, serapes, robozos)
complete with Las Posadas, a procession with mary and joseph seeking an inn,
and ending with a place to stay in the gym,
complete with pinata.

our afternoon was full of christmas cards and gifts
and chipmunk christmas carols
and guacamole and salsa
and inflatable cacti, to complete the effect.
what a day.

i am so happy to be at home and relaxed and at peace.
i am ready to celebrate.

we leave tomorrow for chicago
and our days will be full of little ones
and snow
and gift wrapping
and family
and love.

turkey belated

I am not sure where my head has been,
but I have been very preoccupied,
with stress or just thoughtfulness and business.

Now, I am finally ready to share some of the fun pictures from the family visit.
It was so amazing to have everyone here for the week.
A week full of laughter and food and playfulness
and swimming and horses and cooking and more food
and parks and movies and napping and eating.

Here's the girls + Willy,
The whole family,
and then Easton and his new best friend.
He was so good with the kids, it was great to see.

And then the family had to play American Idol Karaoke, of course.
Laughing until we were crying.




And the kids needed new play pillows, so we a fun project on our hands.


Food, fun, family, and frivolity.
This is what the holidays are all about.