Back Again, With Lots Of Pictures To Woo You With

Hi! Remember me? I used to be a dutiful blogger, diligently posting stories and photos of my kids and family.

Then the holidays came around and unceremoniously used me to wipe down every last dining table, strung me across the top of the roof line and set me to "blink," and threw me away with the heaps of crumpled wrapping paper and empty boxes.

And then I was not.

But I'm back, and shit howdy do I have a boatload of photos to share with y'all. My new camera and I are taking things very slowly, setting the strong foundation for any good long-term relationship, and have been learning little bits about each other every day.

Camera: Doesn't warn you when the battery's getting low; instead, just shuts off in a huff -- game over -- slightly resentful that she's been ridden that hard, frankly, and just needs some time to heal and recharge now.

Karin: Hasn't taken the time to read more than 10 or so pages of the manual to find out if she's just not looking in the right spot to monitor the battery's remaining lifespan. Didn't mean to offend camera.

Camera: When shutter button is depressed halfway while set to Manual Mode, interprets this as an indication that user wishes camera to establish focus on subject.

Karin: After 20 years of conditioning, still thinks that the partial shutter depression will yield a light reading and that it is still her responsibility to set the f-stop and establish focus on subject. Has taken an embarrassing number of poorly exposed and awkwardly focused images as a result. Remains slightly nostalgic for familiarity of old camera. Realizes it's time to read further in said manual.

Camera: Goooooood lookin', so refined....

Karin: Wouldn't you like to know what's going on in my mind?

Anyway, the holidays were a lot of fun this year. Eddie and Amy were here, as was Grandpa Jack. We spent some time at Crystal Cove State Beach's adorable cottages, which were just restored to their early-20th-Century splendor. We celebrated our 13th-annual cocktail congregation on Christmas Eve with a record number of friends and well wishers. We got completely spoiled by Grandma Emely's wonderful cooking. We went sledding and rang in the New Year in Big Bear with the newlyweds, as well as Finney's best friend Logan and his parents. Best of all, John was able to take 11 days off from work so the kids basically ignored me while he was in their presence AND I got to sleep in past 7am on most mornings. I'm so in love with my husband.

Here, then, are the links to my photos of these various eating and drinking festivals, uh...um, I mean, celebratory events. I will think of this Christmas as the one when Shea finally realized who the guy in the red suit was (but never warmed up to him), when Finn garnered the courage to sing with his peers in front of an audience, and when my new camera and I first started to get friendly.

To view a slide show of Crystal Cove, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, click here.

To view a slide show of our trip to Big Bear to ring in 2007, click here.

Happy New Year!

For some reason I'm having trouble posting photos to the system right now, which is rather unfortunate because I'm compiling a Year In Photos entry that's comprised almost entirely of pictures, just like I did last year at this time.

Hmmmm....frustrating.

And we're moments away from heading to the mountains for a sledding and snowball break, so it looks like you'll be getting your photo post sometime in early 2007.

So, as Finney would say:

We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
And a Happy You Near!

One Year Later

This is the big bear in Big Bear.


His name is Kirby and he lives in our friend Trudi's cabin. Each time we visit, we greet Kirby (Hi, Kirby!) and he greets us (Welcome!), as he sits in the main living room, standing guard over us and our frivolities.

We also use him as a measuring stick.

This picture was taken last October, when Finn was three, Kirby was still noticably taller than Finn, and Finn was just a smidge afraid of him.

This picture was taken last weekend. (It appears at first that Finn's on his tiptoes, but his back foot is actually planted flat on the ground.) Finn was so excited that, now that he's "four and a quarter," he finally surpassed his wooden pal.

"Mom, I must be growing!" Indeed.

Wigging Out

Our good friends Chrissy and Jon (and their son, Frankie Dino), along with everyone's favorite Auntie, Christine, joined us in Big Bear last weekend.

I like to think of Chrissy as the Patron Saint of Good Times, as I can't think of very many encounters I've had with her in our 11+ years of friendship when I didn't have a total ball or at least a good giggle.

So, true to form, Chrissy and crew showed up at the cabin's front door with a Box-Full-O-Fun to keep us entertained and laughing throughout the weekend, including miniature musical instruments, a mobile karaoke machine that connected right to the television set, and--most over the top of all--about 10 different wigs and hats, including these very realistic mullets.

The karaoke festivities proved to be a well-needed celebration for us all and, after witnessing some downright inspired renditions of The Beatles' "Blackbird" and Frank Sinatra's "My Way," I decided to swallow my pride (along with a few extra glasses of red wine) and belt out my FIRST-EVER song on a karaoke mike. Pretty fun, from what I can remember of it.

The little guys had a ball, too, even when they weren't on the microphones.

Here, Christine shows us her groove thing.

While John and Chrissy do their wigs proud as they prepare to croon a duet together.

We also had a chance to take some beautiful walks and even attend the local Oktoberfest. No snow yet, but lots of clear, crisp weather to broaden the mind and clean out the mental cobwebs.

To see more pictures of our trip to Big Bear, click here.

POP! POP! POP!

We're back, safe and sound.

I'm hoping to have posts and photos tomorrow, so in the meantime you can keep yourself entertained with this bit of virtual GENIUS:

http://fun.from.hell.pl/2003-11-24/bubblewrap.swf

If Only

"All creative people should be required to leave California for three months every year."
--Gloria Swanson

Although Ms. Swanson's insightful directive remains a logistical and financial impossibility in our world, we're still grateful for the occasional weekend getaway--albeit within the state--every now and again.

So we're off to the mountains. For a breather. In the cool, fresh air. And some perspective. Ahhhhhhh.

Back soon.


In the meantime, you should know Shea uttered her first sentence last week:

"MOH TEE TEE PEEZ!"

Which, of course, means:

"More cookies, please."

Really, a smart girl in so many ways.

More From The Bear

Huckleberry Finnegan

The Gratitude Continues

Other things I'm thankful for:

Charming cabins in the mountains and the gorgeous scenery of Big Bear Lake

Leftovers

Hunting for pinecones for Finney's preschool class so the kids can turn them into mini Christmas trees, replete with gaudy, gilded decorations--and their parents can treasure them for years

Candy Land

The boundless energy that comes prepackaged in three-year-old boys

Coffee, that sweet, redemptive elixir

A crackling fireplace on a chilly night

Naps

Bacon--as much and as often as possible

Walks around the neighborhood during the last hour of daylight

Bundling beautiful babies in blue buntings

Johnny Cash's bass lines and June Carter's unapologetic warmth

The company (and generous help) of good friends and family

Digital cameras and rechargable batteries

Fruity drinks with little umbrellas while on "date night" with my hunky husband

More Big Bear Photos

First Snow of the Season

The last morning of our trip to Big Bear saw the season's first snowfall; the hills that were brown and orange on our way up the mountain had turned a patchy white by the time we made our way down.

We made a point to stop and let Finn out of the car to walk around a little in the fresh snow, as what's an annual fact of life for most of the country is a downright novelty for us beachfolk. He loved touching it and when he reached down for a pinch and brought it to his mouth he proclaimed, "Mmmmm, good. That's the best snow I've ever tasted!"

Given that he's only been in the snow twice before, that says a Southern California mouthful.

You can watch the video for yourself, below.

Change of Scenery

October has always been my favorite month to travel. In my mind, it represents the true end of summer, since September is still so gorgeous--and summerlike--in Southern California. It's a great time to take one last break before transitioning into the long fall/winter.

So this past weekend we took a four-day family vacation in the mountains of Big Bear--a welcomed break from the regular weekly schedule. We indulged in lots of walks in the gorgeous autumn scenery, ate more than our fair share of yummy treats, hunted for pine cones, and even reveled in some quiet time (a relative term, I realize, when a certain garrulous little boy is involved). We even received the first snowfall of the season!

The first night in town, however, while visiting the grocery store to collect our supplies, Finney took a nasty spill off the back of the shopping cart, right into the cereal shelves on aisle 14. He tore open a 1/2-inch gash just below his right eyebrow but, thankfully, didn't need stitches or injure his eye. John and I each sprouted a few new grey hairs right there and then.

As the rest of the weekend devolved into a series of uncomfortably close calls for Finn--he ran full speed into the sliding glass door and walked face-first into (bounced off of, actually) a wooden beam in the cabin--we realized that, with a high-spirited and sometimes absent-minded three-year old in tow, we were not only experiencing the first onset of colder weather--we're entering injury season.

The Big Five-Oh

This marks the 50th post here at Double Duty Diary...hope you're enjoying the photos and stories.

We're planning to take a few days away from the computer and will return on Monday with batches of new images and anecdotes. Enjoy the weekend!

I Got Your Seasons Right Here

People often say that California doesn't have seasons. That, instead, we have one continuous state of sunshine and glory and sparkles, where occasionally it rains for an hour or two in order to help the endless fields of flowers grow so our air can be floral-scented.

Of course we have seasons. They're just harder to notice than the seasonal changes the rest of the country experiences, so many of their subtle cues can be missed by the untrained observer.

The easiest way to tell what season it is? Just check your local candy aisle!

Spring: When Peeps and Cadbury Eggs are sold.

Summer: When red, white and blue candies are sold.

Autumn: When minature Snickers and Milky Ways are sold.

Winter: When candy canes are sold.