Cool Yule

We had a good holiday, thanks very much to family, friends, the Zar's extraordinary annual Christmas mix cd, several bottles of HeBrew, lefse, and, my favorite holiday element, having a few days off to spend exclusively with Rosebud and Papa M.

Our Xmas tree as interpreted by Papa M.

No mistletoe necessary for couply holiday exhuberance.

Presents are very popular with her.

NEW UNNERPANTS! He's also holding his brand! new! Stereolab laundry bag.

Snow shoveling on Christmas Day can be more fun than you think.

Blatant holiday horseplay.

We hope you had a lovely holiday/winter break/Solstice/coupla days off!

Blizzard Wonderland

You may have heard that Mother Nature has been having a HILARIOUS time tossing down inch after inch of snow on our fair state. And who can begrudge her the fun, really? Even longtime 'Sconnies are all meow-meow-bitch-bitch-I-hate-Winter after all these years. It's pretty ridiculous. I'm sad for such folks that they cannot revel in the wearing of big, fur hats and cool boots. I must say, however, that I hope Ma Nature gives us enough of a break to let us travel to see our families for the holiday.

I do believe we've had nearly two feet of frozen fun so far. Rosebud, though she loves school, still cheers on snow days.

This used to be our car. Maybe you remember it.

Papa M has become a local hero for his magnificent battling of the elements with these mighty weapons.

SnowBud

My Loves

These are my current favorite photos of my beloveds. There are new faves every few days, it seems.

One of the best things about this photo is that Papa M is wearing Rosebud's necklace for some reason.

This is the guy that I fell for within the first few moments of meeting him. Is it any wonder I married him? I should say not.

Question of the Week

The other day Rosebud asked me, "Mama, what comes after blue?" Anyone...?

Glorious News

Sir Loin has been getting BUSY! My long-time friend and first-ever bandmate is going to be a Papa!

Festy

We got another beautiful, fluffy layer of snow, which cast an inescapable festive sense upon us. Now we're thinking about the upcoming family-and-friends-love holiday and have embraced it!

It was decided that this year we would get our first-ever REAL holiday tree. While I love our wee, lime green glitter tree, I was very excited at the idea of the pine-scented reality. We hit the urban evergreen forest where Rosebud fell in love with a white pine.

Piney was transformed in our livingroom with sparkly, colored lights and ornaments collected over the years. The highlights of the latter include spray-painted music cassettes from the Pregnant Christmas, which read "Happy holidays 2002 from Papa M, Rockmama, and ???", a vintage, metal treble clef, and a tinfoil angel that has miraculously survived since Papa M's childhood.

The whole family is feeling pretty festive. Rosebud expresses her happiness in no uncertain terms.

Happy December!!!!

Thanksgiving

Holiday season kicked off in the Marine Living Space with a delicious four-day weekend full of giving thanks, family, long-lost friends, a MamaPapa date and feasting. Much good living was savored.


Jenryan left Alaska to visit us! She brought a moosie for Rosebud and a chocolate Grizzly Bar for we, the parents. Jenryan and Papa M have been friends for many a year, so her return was like a family reunion.

We had a traditional, intimate dinner with Amazing Grace in R10 (Grandpa Dave was in the woods with his buddies, as usual), and were so busy being familyish that few photos were snapped. Rosebud was spotted in front of the house playing in the hedge.

Our girl had such a great time with Grandma Amazing Grace that we left her there. Papa M and Rock Mama luxuriated in one another's company and had a soothing two-day date spent sleeping late, thrifting, going for drives, watching 'Weeds', and snuggling.

This is the view from our table when we went a-brunching at our favorite neighborhood bar. Though the place used to be blue with smoke and stinky with spilled libations, it's kept its charm and offered up some daytime vegetarian benedict and mimosas.

After fetching Rosebud, we connected with our long-lost dear Lady T at her brother's holiday brunch. It was another happy reunion! She is a unique beast, a wonderful writer and my own personal Zsa Zsa, and was missed by all very much.

Oh my. The brunch was divinity itself. Thank you, Andre! We're now well-fortified to continue holiday season.

It Snew

The snow looks really beautiful to me. I am not in the majority around here in that thinking, but all the better for me! This lovely little oasis is a brief jaunt from Marineland. Viva la teeny city.



Stay tuned for a Thanksgiving weekend flashback, coming soon (if I can comandeer some sit-on-my-butt time)!

One Year

We've been missing this guy for a year now. I'm thinking about him (and her) today with love, happiness, and sadness.

T'is True

Hey, You!

THANK YOU! You know how great it is to have you in our lives. Thank you very much. XOXOXOX

Silly Walks a la Marine

Apparently, all the hours that Papa M logged watching Monty Python have paid off. It seems that Rosebud has inherited, without encouragement, the compulsion to perform silly walks at any given moment. Earlier this week she emerged from her bedroom in the morning doing The Narwhal down the hall. She was also seen doing The Mosey on her way to class. Delightful.

The 'Bud

Rosebud informed us yesterday that she knows everything. This was pretty cute for a minute.

70 Years of Mom!

Loving birthday wishes go to the beautiful woman who birthed me. Amazing Grace, you make the world a better place every day.

Super Schoolgirl

Who is the happiest kindergatener EVER? You got it, t'is the beloved Rosebudly. Behold her first ever school picture. She did a magnificent job in smiling for the camera (even though I hear they no longer give the kids their own little, black, plastic comb). It's probably very easy for the 'Bud to look this happy because she loves school.

School apparently loves her back, which Papa M and Rock Mama discovered at our first-ever parent/teacher conference. We really got to sit in the tiny kindergarten-size chairs, which was very fun for some reason. Ms. Y confirmed that our one and only is doing wonderfully in school and loves to learn. She also told us that Rosebud is a kind and bright friend to the other children and loves to try new things. We're so proud and so lucky, we can hardly stand it. Thank the stars for this glorious girl.

Surprise Visit!

Look who it is! Our dear friend Fun Uncle John, fresh from his home Fort Comfortable The Bronx (in Brooklyn), appeared suddenly at our door last weekend. The Marine environment is always very happy to welcome him in.

We went to the local sandwich shop for some delicious food. During dinner I gazed in awe at F.U.J.'s notebook artwork, which we still have.

Rosebud, who is a big fan of the fun uncle, gets a lift home. Come again soon, F. U. J! We heart you!

Back to Election Day

We are still amazed. After the anxiety, the waiting, the yapping, the weeping for joy, and the thoughts of departed friends, we now have so much more hope.

Halloween Adult-Style

Flashback to Halloween! We had a blast doing what we do: dressing up and hearing live music. Let's have a look...


The "Kinks" appeared to play their best songs ever.

Rock Mama and thee! actual! Ray! Davies!

Bless the fun-havers at our own rock club.

Rock Mama and The Dude.

Squinty Pete, Stevie Nicks and Country Dan!

VOTE

For the love of Pete (and your country and yourself), be sure to VOTE today, especially if you're a blue person voting for a black man in the White House.

Halloween Kid-Style

And so the festivities begin! We get into our fancy duds and launch our trick or treating four days before actual Halloween. Rock Mama winged it on her costume; one kid gave her the big stink-eye. Yeesh!

We have learned that if one is young and cute enough, one can trick or treat anywhere and everywhere, especially if that wee charming person is dressed as a mythical creature. Halloween was a blast this year! Behold the cuteness and sugar-coated joy:

Trick or treating at the library didn't turn up much candy, but there werre pencils aplenty.

We live in a college town, so why not trick or treat at the dorms?! The students know where the fun is fer sure.

Pretend animals unite! The Runicorn pals around with Bucky.

Rockmama and the Rosebud sort out the loot. This is merely the tip of the candy-berg.

Pumpkin Patch

The first step to Halloween preparedness is a visit to the vast pumpkin patch and choosing exceptional Jack-o-lantern material. We joined our friends on a cold day, tromped around the very muddy fields, drank apple cider, pet the horses, and had an autumnal blast.

Rosebud and Double May mull over whether it's a keeper or a smasher.

Luckily, we found a couple of keepers.

Rockmama and Rosebud poking around the boneyard.

Out standing in her field (of many fine pumpkins).

After School

School is exciting for Rosebud and sets her eager, hungry brain into action. Learn and play, learn and play!!!! She comes home and collapses into a smart, nappy heap, and I get to wake her up upon my return from work. We love school.

Midwestern Autumn

This is what it looks like here. The colors are overwhelmingly vivid and gorgeous. I feel like I need to absorb them and store them up for the wintery white days that will come very soon.