Best photos of '07

On the last day of 2007, it seems that "best of" lists are everywhere. So here's my little contribution, a dozen of my favorite photos I've taken this year. One of my resolutions for 2008? Not to let great Kodak moments pass me by.

Every dog's a playa

Tonight, after a matinee showing of "Charlie Wilson's War" at Old Town Warren, Tony & Nicole invited us over for a tasty dinner of homemade pizza, complete with Tony's famous homemade Italian "gravy" (known by non-Italians as tomato sauce).
















We played an old favorite, Phase 10, and a new favorite, Last Word. I'd recommend both if you've never played them.

Brian got some love from Nanook, the crazy Husky puppy.



















And Nanook and Roxy posed for lots of cute photos:

I'm back!

After sleeping away 30 of the last 48 hours (with the help of some good antibiotics ... thanks, doc!), I'm back to the land of the living! Oh, how I hate being under the weather. What a waste of time.

The pets all hunkered down with me, too. Brian said that Dakota especially came to check up on me often. Here's Meow in some freshly laundered sheets.


To celebrate my recovery, Brian and I invited my parents and his brother Eric over to watch the Jayhawk game tonight. Dakota was especially thrilled that KU defeated Yale.
















Lilly helped Mom (a little too much, unfortunately) with a sewing project.









Dakota got a little too crazy. (Just joking. The bottle was empty. No Goldens were harmed in the making of this blog posting! He is older than 21 in dog years, by the way.)










Dad, the sports enthusiast, went catfishing.

Thanks, Santa!

I'm happy to report that Brian & I had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by family. And Brian's parents gave us a much-needed gift: a very nice Canon digital camera.

It'll take me some time to figure out the gadget's many functions, but here are a few snapshots from Christmas Day and this evening:

Here's my mother-in-law Janice with a quilt I made for her. She has a collection of family quilts, and mine will represent the fifth generation to contribute to it.

The pets each received a new collar for Christmas. They were plumb tuckered out from all of the holiday excitement.

White Christmas

After a blustery snowy morning, Brian and I joined Amanda and Jen & Ryan at my parents' house for our Christmas celebration. We enjoyed rosemary olives, ham, party potatoes, green bean casserole, spiced wine, eggnog and homemade candy.

We had our gift exchange, which was full of surprises. A few highlights: Dad gave Mom her first cell phone, a long-overdue gadget for her. Amanda gave Brian and me copies of beautiful out-of-print late-1970s children's books "Noah" and "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus." The latter was a book that my family always read together before exchanging gifts on Christmas morning. Last year, I tracked down copies to give to Jen and Amanda for their own homes. I'm pleased to have my own this year. Jen & Ryan gave gift cards, so we'll all be ready for post-Christmas sales. Brian and I surprised Mom with a few replacement pieces of China for her 1968-issued collection and Amanda with a slow-cooker (she's been wanting one for quite some time).

By day's end, our stomachs and hearts were full.

Holidazzle!!!

For at least a dozen years, my family has attended the Crown Uptown Christmas show and enjoyed its cheesy, goofy goodness. Amanda and I laugh at least half the way through it. (This year, for instance, we saw an actor pick his nose on stage before the lights came up.)

Here I am "Holidazzling" it up. Amanda, who drove into town this evening, is scared. Notice that she's hiding behind the wine list. Amanda was chosen by the cast to come on stage to be the Grinch's "assistant" during the audience participation skit on "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." She polished off her Fat Bastard Chardonnay right as they were selecting her. Then the actor announced to the audience (in jest, of course) that Miss Mandy smelled like Napa Valley. That's my sister!

I took photos of my parents, Jen & Ryan and others in our party, which included Brian's parents and grandma and Ryan's dad and step-mom. Those photos didn't turn out, though. :O(

Read in heavenly peace

Bonnie hosted our book club's Christmas meeting, which included delicious dinner and dessert and a discussion of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. Many members didn't appreciate the beauty of the book. I loved that the book spoke to the "life is a journey, not a destination" perspective. I shared with the group my personal goal of enjoying each day and not wishing away my life looking forward to Friday nights. Each day is a gift.

Afterwards, we had a spirited dirty Santa book exchange. We each bring a book we like from our own personal collection (but one our club hasn't yet read). We draw numbers. And then, starting with No. 1, each member chooses a wrapped package and opens a book. No. 2 can steal No. 1's book or open a new one (and on and on). I was quite pleased that my copy of "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle was stolen again and again by Carrie R. and Peggy. Fellow blogger Chris ended up taking it home. (Hope you enjoy it!) I bought it used for my college children's lit class, and I marked my favorite passages in the book. The fantasy is a great read.

I'm also looking forward to reading the book I brought home, "Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife" by Mary Roach. Our book club read her previous book, "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers." I found it to be strangely interesting and insightful.






First, though, I'll finish my more festive book of choice, "The Christmas Pearl" by Dorothea Benton Frank. I try to read a Christmas book every December. A couple of years ago, for example, I enjoyed "Skipping Christmas" by John Grisham. If you haven't yet seen the movie "Christmas with the Kranks," read the book first. It's cheesy and silly and has a very sweet ending.

Potluck-proven cornbread

We had our annual holiday luncheon in the newsroom today. I contributed my no-fail rosemary cornbread, which always receives compliments. I've told several friends that I'd post the recipe here. It's simple and quick, as promised:





Rosemary cornbread
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 8.5-ounce boxes cornbread mix
1 8-ounce container plain yogurt
2 7-ounce cans whole-kernel corn, drained
1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves
**
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. Stir all the ingredients together. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or just until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!
Source: Real Simple

All wrapped up

Meowsers, as I've been calling her lately, loves gift wrap. Brian and I got started wrapping Christmas presents tonight, but we didn't get very far. Who needs catnip when you have bags and wrapping paper and ribbons (oh my)?

PB & D

At our house, peanut butter & Dakota go together almost as well as PB & J.

Since he was a wee 10-pound pup, he's been a big fan of peanut butter. He didn't even mind when we switched this year to my new fave, Smucker's Natural. Whenever we scrape the bottom of the jar, Dakota's ears perk up. He knows that means it's time for him to lick it clean. See how he holds the jar upright with his front paws? What a smart (albeit totally weird) dog.

She's engaged!

It's official! On Friday night, my youngest sister Amanda accepted her boyfriend Kurtis' marriage proposal in front of a Christmas light display in Fayetteville, Ark. Wedding plans are pending. We'll keep you posted! In the meantime, this pretty ring is now at home on her left hand. Congrats, you two!

UPDATE: You can see a photo of Lights of the Ozarks, the Christmas light display in Fayetteville where Kurtis purposed, here.

White elephants

Connect, the young adult group at my church, had its annual Christmas party tonight. We started out caroling, had dinner and then commenced the much-anticipated gift exchange. Here's how it works:

We each bring a white elephant gift, something that we already own (the rule is you can't spend any money on the gifts). Last year, for example, some of the funny gifts were a sweet potato from my kitchen and a jumbo pack of toilet paper (as in 24 rolls) that my friend Brent had at home. Then we all sit in one big circle while I read the right/left Christmas story, which prompts us to pass our mystery gifts to the right or left.

At the end, you open the gift you're holding. (Unless it's one you brought. In that case, that person can trade for a gift of his or her choosing.)

Tonight I received this box of Boy Scout popcorn. Useful, tasty -- and the gift of complete power. In the lower left corner of the box, it says, "Anything's possible with popcorn."






Another gift that drew a lot of attention was this moose toilet paper holder, which was in Kirk and Jocelyn's home when they purchased it. It now belongs to Brent. (Notice a t.p. trend with him?) He was hoping to beat his roommate home tonight to install it in his bathroom as a little Christmas surprise.)

Other gifts included a fabric little drummer boy doll that Teresa started in fourth grade and never finished. We'll see what Nicole makes of the project. Ann is now the proud owner of an odd little trash can that sucks up your dust piles. And Tony took home a berry blast-scented candle. May you find something just as special under your tree this year!

Winter wonderland

After a beautiful snowfall overnight, this is the view from my back door onto my deck. Ice Queen, table for four!








Last night, Brian and I had a group of friends over to watch "The Nativity Story." Before their arrival, we spent our last vacation day of '07 having a baking marathon. Our creations included:

Lemon-Thyme Cookies










Nutty Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Bright lights

I snapped these photos in Eastborough on my way home from Operation Holiday. It's one of my favorite homes to see this time of year.

Tonight Brian and I ordered up a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, put Dakota and Lilly in the truck and went in search of beautiful Christmas lights.

A few others worth checking out on the west side of town: Candy Cane Lane on Azure Circle and the homes in Mere Ridge, Sterling Farms and Reflection Ridge. We want to check out more in other parts of town, with the help of The Eagle's interactive map.

Brian has a hilarious rating system that he gives homes, on a scale of one to 10. Homes earn points for precision, continuity of theme, effort and classic decor. And they get negative points for yard art, inflatables (barf!) and sloppy stringing jobs. He rates most homes in the four to six range. Our favorites get eight and nine. Tens are rare. (We didn't award a single perfect score tonight.) It makes me laugh listening to his commentary as we drive and gawk. Good times, good times.