Monterey Day

(Son of a gun.  This was supposed to post like two weeks ago!  Here it is, much later than what it originally should have been.  Oops.)

If you maybe follow my photography blog (soon this one and that one will be combined), then you know that the weekend before Easter I went to Monterey and Carmel to take senior pictures for a friend of the family.  We had a fun time.  But while I was taking Katy's pictures, I was also snapping some of what was going on around me.  Hope you enjoy!

The end.

March Birthday Shout Outs!

March is a month of birthdays for me.  So since the month is almost over I thought I better honor those close to me with a birthday shout out. 

Happy Birthday Bro!

My brother turned...26...  And he's getting married in October.  I'm so proud of him.

Happy Birthday BFF!

My bestie and I are now, for the next 2 months, the same age.  She's a proud mama of 2.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

I'm not going to share how young my mom is now.  Because she still makes me dinner.  Love ya Mom!

Do I owe anyone else a shout out?

Today is the Day

I'd love to tell you that I have some witty blog coming today about life with pictures, etc.  But I don't.  At least not yet.  But what I do have is some good news...

RYLEN IS HAVING THE TWINS TODAY!!!

I received a 5:15am wake up call to Hakuna Matata (yes, that's Rylen's ringtone) letting me know that they were on the way to the hospital.  That 45 minutes earlier her water broke.  Then I couldn't go back to sleep and debated just getting ready and coming in to work super duper early.  But then I zzzzz... out.

About 8:20am I received an update call:  4.5 cm dilated, contractions 2 minutes apart, epidural had been administered (in case they have to perform an emergency c-section), and the expected EDT (estimated delivery time) is early afternoon.

So, by later today I will be an doting, spoiling (non-blood related) AUNT! 

(Unfortunately, due to the stupid H1N1 bug, besides Rylen and the hospital staff, she is allowed 2 people max in her room and to cross "the line", which means that I can't visit until they are home.  Same goes for her sister and dad and mom-in-law (that's visiting from NY), only Jim and her mom are allowed in then entire time she's admitted.  Hospital rules.)

Christmas Party

Christmas.  Christmas time.  You know what Christmas time means to me?  It means sharing the holiday with friends and family.  With those you love.  With those you hold near and dear to your heart, and those that reciprocate back.

I love entertaining.  The fun of planning a menu or picking stuff to make.  Trying new things.  Thinking outside the box.  Having a real reason to clean the house.  Wowing others with a) yummy food, b) a clean, fabulously holiday decorated house, and c) a time well spent fellowshipping with friends.

So, here we are, me trying to get caught up and you peeking into my little corner of the world.  How about on to the pictures?  Yea, good idea.  Warning, these pictures are...flashless.  I don't like using the flash whenever possible.  And even when I should be, I don't.  I need to work on that.

I tried to get all cool and set up my tripod on the counter.  It didn't work out so well.  But hey, you can see the spread.  And from one end of the house to the other.  Oh, and just ignore that goof with the remote.  I need to learn how to be more sneaky with that...

George and Devon.  So cute...  George took the remote and had some fun with it.

Liz and myself.  She's fun.  She's in my Bible Study group (we consist of 1/2 the group).  She's single, like me.  So we commiserate a lot with each other.  Or we just get together to enjoy a glass of wine and giddy girl talk. 

Carrie and Katie.  Carrie flew in all the way from Chicago for the party.  Well that, and the fact that she's from California and it was Christmas break.  And she missed her mommy.  But I'm uber honored that she made a special trip to Turlock for my party.

Random.

Oh pretty fire...

Scott, not asleep yet, which is shocking.  He's a good, fun guy!  And he has an a-mazing voice.

Random.  How 'bout that angle?

The catering crew even showed up!  No, I didn't have the party catered.  The one with the cheesy grin, you make recognize her as my favorite future sister-in-law, Colleen.  The one sipping her hot buttered rum, that's my sis Paige.  Poor things had to help mom with a catering job.  I'm glad they where able to come over after though.  Colleen, next year, ugly sweater party!  At your place!

I ended up with about 75 candy canes.  No joke.  I wanted some to decorate with, therefore I ended up with a bulk pack.  Then more showed up.  I have about 30 left.  Anyone want any?  I use them stir my hot cocoa.

So concludes the party.  Good time had by all.  People are still talking about it (which makes me happy!).  Obviously there are more pictures.

Hummm... Now I need to have a reason to have another party...  Any ideas?

New Year's Eve Bash

New Years Eve.  Always a great excuse to have a paar-tay!  And an excuse to have an adult beverage.

Or two.

Devon and George hosted this year's (2009) at Devon's new house.  It was great fun!  And you know how I'm gonna prove it?  Yep, with pictures.  Brace yourself.  It's gonna get a little crazy up in here...

Room shots!  (not to be confused with the jello shots that were consumed later...)

 Amiee, George, Lori, Rachel, and myself.  Lookin' quite lovely if I do say so.

 Devon's family.  The tall one in Red?  He's the one I went to see in Reno playing football.

 Another room shots!

And there was some Rock Band...

 

Do I look haggard?  I think I look haggard.  And my hair wasn't cooperating.  It was supposed to be curly (like from an curling iron), but it ended up just going blah.

 Food shot!

 Goof shot!

We'll end with more Rock Band.  Don't mind the chopped off heads.  It's about 5 pictures "stitched" together.

And, yea.  That's about it.  I got home that night around 3am.  Then had to wind down.  In bed around 3:30am.  And then I slept.  And slept.  And I didn't get up until about 12 hours later.  And you know what?  My dog slept too. 

Check out all the pictures.

Showering the Babies

Any day now, my little niece(s)/nephew(s) (whatever combination they may be) are due to be born.  Rylen will be officially at multiple full-term on the 8th.  And I am so excited for their arrival.  1) Then we'll know what they are.  2) So I can spoil them rotten.  3)  'Cause I looooove babies!  During November/early December, Rylen had 4, yes, 4 baby showers.  Double the babies = double the parties = double the need for gifts.  I went to 3 out of 4 and took pictures at 2 out of 3, so that's what I'm going to share with you.

Shower #1 - Work Shower - Mid-November
Ready to open presents?!?

 2 little sweaters from me.  One boy/gender neutral and one definitely a little more girly.

The cake... "Look Out World, Here We Come!"

Rylen, please don't kill me...  Look at her little belly.  Makes you wanna rub it doesn't it?

 Group photo!

Shower #2 - Late November

Guests...

Show stealer...

BFFs.  I won't tell you what I told her when we were taking this picture.  Hint though, it's about placement of parts of our anatomy...  'Nuff said!

Rylen is doing so great with her pregnancy!  I'm impressed and inspired!  I do know though, I'm not nearly as anxious as she and Jim are for the arrival of these two!

(Oh, and my gift at the 2nd shower is taking pictures of the babies each month of their first year as well as their 1st birthday).  Although, I'm sure picture taking won't stop there.  :)

Turlock Lights Parade

A few weeks ago, I went to the Turlock Christmas Parade with some friends.  We walked downtown from Thomas and Katie's house, watched the parade, then walked back where we munched on pizza and conversation.

Bear with the pictures.  It was dark.  I don't like to use my flash.  Therefore, things may seem...blurry.  But remember this, dark + lights = cool effects!

 

Yeah!  One turned out!  I think because the truck was stopped.

 

High school marching band.  They were decked out in lights and santa hats.

 

And the parade ended with our very own Thomas, Mitch, and Scott following the street sweeper waving at the crowds. 

Where were their lights and santa hats...?

A is for Apple Hill!

Slowly, bear with me, I'll get caught up on what has been going on in my life. 

Like this, about a month ago a group of friends and I went to Apple Hill for the day.  There were 4, 7, 10 of us and it was a great time.

Can you guess what's in Apple Hill?  Yep, apples. 

e started off going to one of the apple farms, which was also very commercialized.  But that's ok.  After a quick lunch, walked around, ...

checked out the trout pond, ...

sampled some homemade fudge (yum!), enjoyed the shining sun, ...

some bought apples.

It was time to move on.  To the good stuff.  To the fermented stuff.  And, no, I'm not talking apple jack.  I'm talking Jack Russell Brewery.  The stipulation for getting to borrow my mom's car, I had to bring them back beer.  And I did.

I had the hard ginger pear cider.  It was good.  We enjoyed their outdoor seating and the wonderful weather. Then we moved on to a winery.  It was ok.  They had a tasting fee which was a big ridiculous.  But the scenery was pretty.  Here's a group shot (thank you handy dandy camera remote).

Had some other fun with the camera.  Like play paparazzi with Mitch...

Then he got right up in my face about it!

Such a lovely fall day...

filled with friends, old and new.  Hi Amie!

After dinner (picture of Amie was at a pub for dinner), we drove home.  I hung out with Chris and Mitch after everyone parted ways.  From about 9:30 to midnight.  Just talking.  It was nice.

It was a nice day.

The end.