on the road to IKEA

Mandy, Brazey and I roadtripped to PHX to take Mom home and also to spend some Christmas money at IKEA.


Beau sat with Brazey for a bit. Brazey is so tender, just pats that little dog with his sweet little hands, like little starfish.


That's how Birdie and I like our coffee: by the tanker truck full.


Mom loves that baby dog like an she'd love an infant. She loves that baby dog so much that she spent two hours napping in the car with him while Mandy and I did our IKEA shopping.

Didn't picturee any of the actual trip, during which we ate at the cafeteria, shopped the showroom and then the marketplace, and waited in line for a LONG time because neither one of us is very "good" at self-check. Some of my purchases aren't going to work out, so I'll be needing to make a return. For replacements. And other stuff.

Christmas Day

As always I was the first one up on Christmas Day. I worked on Mandy's gift but realized I wouldn't finish it in time. Then Jack got up and dived into the bounty of his Santa-filled stocking.


He wasn't the slightest bit disappointed. His gifts overflowed into my stocking and Dave's stocking. I just like this picture of Jack holding a Spongebob magic washcloth. It expands in the water. I gave him those Super Mario Galaxy jammies on Christmas Eve. He loves them, and looks tall and lean whilst wearing them.

While we waited for the Tuckers to arrive we watched It's a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story. Dad laughed all the way through Vacation, which made me happy. Tuckers came while Christmas Story was on, so we laughed at the Bumpus hounds.


We had a nice, low-key gift exchange (I didn't take any pictures). But I got a picture of Cassie with her new Nylabone. She's happy.


Mandy made some sassy appetizers a la Melissa Trafton: crackers and cheese, dabs of caviar on cream-cheese spread crackers, these fabulous crabmeat and cream cheese pockets she's creating in this picture. Delish. I ate a ton.


For me the best part of Christmas was gathering all eight of us around the table for traditional turkey and mashed potatoes with turkey gravy, this time complemented by a grilled zucchini/mushroom/garlic medley, a green salad, and Sally Lunn bread. Cookies for dessert.


Evan took a cue from Jack and tucked into a "turkey bone."


Soon after the meal Dad packed his things and left early. He'd fielded a call from his dog adoption counselor sub, whose own dogs were sick, so he couldn't cover Dad's adoptions on Saturday. Dad went home Friday evening but we convinced Mom to stay.

Christmas was fabulously mellow and relaxing. Great way to wrap up 2009.

we had a good Christmas Eve

Mom and Dad drove up on Christmas Eve and arrived just before noon. That little dog Beau was curled up on Mom's chest in the front seat of the car, and that seemed to be his favorite place. He's a darling, sweet-tempered dog. We're happy to welcome our new brother.


Jack gave Oliver a little love. They sat together in the back seat of Mandy's van on the way to Agua Caliente Park for the traditional Christmas Eve picnic. Traditionally, the picnic is at Sabino Canyon and we dine on Hickory Farms Gift Pack from Mildred. We tweak the tradition to suit us. This year we had sandwiches and cookies and took the dogs with us.



The day was a bit chilly but so sunshiny and beautiful. There's Mom, Dad, Mandy, and Dave with most of the dogs, there underneath the palm trees.


Oh yeah. We also had chips.


Brazey took Beau for a walk.


Jack gave Beau some love.


Jack spreads the love. He had some for Jake, too.

After the park we gathered at my house and ate red beans with rice and cornbread. The Tuckers took off and the rest of us prepared for Santa's visit.


Jack left him a gingerbread house, some milk, and a nice note: "to Santa from Jack, dave, Becky, Casie, Dolly, and Piz I hope you have a happy new year!"

let it snow

"Instead of the untivity right here, we could put the Christmas houses because the dust looks like snow."

the party

Sixteen children attended, many of them Jack's classmates and their siblings, Evan and Brazey (of course), celebrity guest Xandar, Daniela from next door, Xander (Jack's birthday twin), and Rumur.


All but two of the kids used the slide.


Six cans of shaving cream got the yard looking like a snowstorm and smelling like a barbershop...


and got the water pretty murky.


Some stood on the sidelines.


Some brothers stick together.


Other brothers socialize.


Got a group shot with Patrick Pinata...


...before Jack lined 'em all up to take a swing. Just about everybody got to hit it. Patrick was still structurally sound, but his tether broke and the kids fell on him like vultures on carrion.


Best wishes for the birthday boy.


Jack got a lot of great gifts, including this highly coveted Space Police Lego set from fellow Lego devotee, Xandar.


This gift has received heavy rotation on our DVD player.


Evan demonstrates how to inflate a whoopee cushion.


Happy Golden Birthday, Golden Boy. Hope you enjoyed it.

birthday slide

When I asked the director at the preschool if I could borrow some of the school's big sensory bins for Jack's birthday party, she offered me the use of the school's new Little Tyke's Slam and Curve Water Slide. I jumped at the chance and gave her a big hug.

I didn't tell Jack about it.

Instead, 45 minutes before the party, I snuck out back and inflated it.

Jack was inside watching TV. "Wanna see Phase 2 of your birthday?" I asked him. For a moment he couldn't tear his eyes from his new Spongebob video. Finally, he looked out the window.


The glee.


Coming around for a test run.


Finding a foothold.


Top of the world.

Jack's actual birthday

Before choir we went to Boston Market for some mac-n-cheese and a chicken bone for Jack's birthday.


After dinner we ate cupcakes Jack helped me bake on Labor Day.


We like cupcakes. We took the rest of them to choir practice.


Happy Birthday, Jack.

we went to Bi'bee

for Bin's birthday weekend, but the kickoff was Friday night (I didn't get any pictures). We started with a nice, family meal at Sweet Tomatoes, then Major Panic when Mandy thought she lost her purse, a moment of faltering, and finally I made off with her while Mom and Dave took the boys into Bev Mo (because Brazey really wanted to go) and then to Barnes and Noble (where Brazey really likes to go, if you catch my meaning). Mandy and I had mere moments before the movie, so I dragged her into The Bamboo Club, where I told the bartender we were pressed for time so could we have a couple of Lemondrops. What I meant was shots, what we got were martinis. Damn tasty but cost a pretty penny. We walked into the theater for Halloween 2 right as the previews were beginning. We enjoyed the movie but couldn't get Bin back to her boys fast enough.

Saturday morning we met at The Loft for a free screening of Can't Buy Me Love. None of us won a raffle prize but we scored three tightly rolled Bookman's t-shirts. I felt slightly guilty watching the whole movie while Bin played with Brazey in the lobby, but I'd never seen that flick before. It was lots of fun. After the movie we went across the street to Guilin, a chinese restaurant with great lunch specials.


The big boys tried sweet and sour chicken.


Brazey tried chopsticks.


We stopped at the Ranch to pack a few sundries, then hit the road to Bi'bee. Brazey played with the chicken and egg tape measure for a good portion of the trip.


Entering the tunnel that says, "You've made it!"


The boys in the courtyard of The Jonquil, our lodging for the evening.


View of our little casita from across the street.


Brazey tests the bed.


The big boys test the TV.


We rested for just a moment, got some water, then headed off to explore. Too bad we couldn't have a Hearse Tour.


Cool house? business? just at the bend.


Walking down this road just about gave me conniptions.


Takin' a load off.


Our kind of store.


Wanna go in?


our table at The Bisbee Grill


Evan's chicken tender was shaped like a seahorse, or a Gila woodpecker.


Jack claims his chicken tender was shaped like a fish, but I don't see it.


The boys played a long time on this coal-mining train in front of the museum.


They all wanted to visit the museum in the morning (but when we got there Sunday we weren't willing to pay the price).


Back at The Jonquil (room #7), the boys had Cold Snack in the closet.


Typical.


The High Desert Inn, where we had breakfast.


Bin highlights some of their wares.


Another typical moment.


This butterfly bush attracted all manner of winged creatures. This is some kind of moth with a giant proboscis.


A hummingbird (a rare one, according to Evan).


A butterfly.


A dragonfly. He wasn't on the butterfly bush, but I'm pretty sure he was on his way.


We checked out of The Jonquil and began our exploration of Bi'bee.


The boys at Primitives, where I got my birthday present.


Brazey with Bin's birthday present at Bisbee Stitches.


We ate Mexican food at Santiago's for lunch.


And that's about it. We had a great weekend.