Friends @ Wedding, Part II

And now for a video montage (so much easier to make on my new laptop!)

More Wedding Pictures

Yes, there are still more wedding pictures in the vault! You've yet to see the family photographs, and I'm determined to put together a Mike and Katie montage. But for right now, I'm going to share some great photo collages of our friends.

Here are the SU MIT graduates (and spouses):

Now for some of my favorite Eleise pictures:

And last but not least, the GISP (children's literature, Brown University... good, good times).

Our Honeymoon

I know this is ridiculously out of order, and that Mike and I have now been married for over six months... so it seemed like the perfect time to tell you about our honeymoon! (Does that mean that the wedding posts are over? Oh, no! That would be too logical!)

Mike and I did something lovely for our honeymoon: we took a whole week off, and we spent part of it at home. We got married on a Saturday, hosted a brunch on a Sunday, and didn't leave for Cannon Beach (Oregon) until Wednesday.

You don't need the details of our mushiness. Suffice to say that we had an excellent time. We spent a lot of it lazing around and just enjoying one another's company. There were also long walks on the beach and some truly excellent food. We took a trip to Astoria in search of Goonies memorabilia and ended up discovering the Lunar Boy Gallery. Artwork for our home--what a great souvenir! (Real paintings, not just poster prints sold in the college quad! It's like I'm a real grown up at last...)

Last but not least, what coastal trip would be complete without a stop in Raymond (Washington) to mock the rusty two-dimensional statues?

The Year Without Pants

Confession: I am absolutely infatuated with my brother's kids. Thanks, Dan and Renae, for giving me such adorable kiddos to spoil!

Yesterday was L.'s first birthday: cupcakes, party hats, and hours of play time! B. and I played "Toe Monster," a game that involves him running about and me crawling after him, trying to touch each of his tiny little toes. R. took a flying leap at me, and seemed pleased that I fully committed to rolling all the way back with him in my arms. At least, my assumption was that he was pleased--why else would he keep doing it until I was exhausted?

Meanwhile, Uncle Mike helped A. to compose a percussion masterpiece: yes, they were bouncing Mr. Potato Head parts back and forth off the top of a drum.

Niece L. watched all the crazy antics from the safety of her dad's arms, where she was glued for most of the party. I think all the birthday antics (to say nothing for guests) were a little overwhelming. That shy girl is such a cutie!

"Shy" is not a word I would apply to my nephews, especially since they've developed a delightful new habit. This involves stripping down to their diapers (although R. has grown adept at stripping completely, a habit that I'm sure his parents just love). I, of course, find this hilarious--especially when they grab the Swiffer after getting naked. These little guys could come clean my floor any time!

Zen and the Art of Knitting

Let it be known that I am not a knitter. I am, however, a grateful recipient of all gifts involving yarn, skill, and beautiful clothing. One of the coolest Christmas presents I got this year:

Thanks, Theresa! I love my new mittens! (Does this mean I have to stop wearing my PEI pair all the time?)

Auld Lang Syne

During my adolescence I thought it quite profound to discuss the question, "If you found out that you were going to die, who would you call? What would you say? And why are you waiting?" At the time, my answers (not surprisingly) always involved confronting the object of my latest heartbreak and/or secret crush. He would, of course, be moved to tears by my eminent demise and tragic love scenes would ensue.

Then I moved out on my own, and I was a bit too busy paying for electricity to worry myself with such matters. But now I have a husband, a house, and (gasp) steady access to health care. This is all wonderful. But I've discovered that with great security comes great complacency.

Don't get me wrong. I love my life. I love my husband. And I'm no longer gaining perverse satisfaction from imagining dire deathbed scenes. But it recently occurred to me that we've put off having kids specifically so that we can experience certain things and accomplish certain goals before we put our energy into parenthood. Sounds smart, right? And maybe it would be, if we didn't spend so much of our time (a) engrossed in the banality of everyday tasks or (b) whining about our lack of energy and lazing about the house.

So this year, I'm not making a virtuous new year's resolution. I'm not going to try to exercise more, or lose weight, or (heaven forfend) quit whining about things that annoy me. Instead, my resolution is to quit waiting. Quit waiting for the perfect circumstances. Quit plodding away at the daily to-do list and instead start crossing off things on a list I actually care about. Here are the top five things I'll quit waiting to do:

(1) Travel more. Mike and I want to take interesting vacations, but he keeps saying that we don't have the time or the money. To break us out of that mindset, I'm determined to orchestrate four mini-breaks to local destinations (one mini-break per season). In winter 2009, we will take the train to Portland, OR for two nights at the Benson Hotel. I've already made reservations!

(2) Spend more time with family. My grandmothers are getting older and my nephews and nieces are growing fast! Why guilt-trip over our lack of contact when I could reinvest that time in actual visits?

(3) Take classes. As a Christmas gift, Mike signed me up for an online writing class with Patricia Kay. I'm so excited! I'd also love to study some non-writing things. At some point (I don't know if it will be 2009), I would like to take Latin again.

(4) Finish Revising Mr. Right and submit it to at least four agents. This one's self-explanatory!

(5) Read five non-romance novels. (Aside from Water for Elephants, which many people have recommended to me, these are all books that I've started before and long to finish.)

• Dracula (Bram Stoker)
• Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
• Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen)
  
• Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 (David Kennedy)
  
• King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa (Adam Hochschild)
  

Whew! This turned out to be quite a long post (to say nothing for a long list). I'll wrap up with that most interesting of questions: what is your new year's resolution? Best wishes to you in 2009!

O, Tannenbaum

Not to steal a line from Mariah Carey or anything, but I look at Mike and I think, "All I want for Christmas is you!" Just look at how adorable he is, sawing down our Christmas tree! Who wouldn't feel lucky to cozy up to such a husband all through the Christmas season?

This past weekend we went to a tree farm out on Yelm Highway to find ourselves a tree. It's the same one I used to go to growing up, and I couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic for the days when Dan and I used to run through the rows of Douglas Fir together, pointing out the ugliest possible trees to our parents and/or holding back wet tree branches to slingshot rain at each other.

Of course, now Mike and I have started our own traditions. Thus far, these involve (1) matching Christmas stockings (Mike's made by yours truly in a VERY rare bit of sewing and (2) bickering as we try to get the Christmas tree level and secure in its rickety stand.

On a totally different note: thanks, Tara, for the recommendation about Picasa! As you can see from the photo collage, I'm enjoying it very much.