On Top Of The World

2008 In Photos

2008: The Year in Photos

In January the kids got buckled into the car for school, backpacks and lunchboxes in hand -- Shea, for the first time.

In February the kids got spoiled all kinds of rotten.

In March the kids and I climbed up Diamond Head together.

This is the view from about halfway up.

In April, still getting used to the whole concept of preschool, Shea cried through most of her Easter parade. Afterwards, her brother comforted her.

By May, Shea had long-since figured out which of Finney's friends were the cute ones and flirted accordingly.

In June, we posed for a family portrait in our backyard because I needed to submit something for my 20-year high school reunion brochure. 20 years.


In July, while visiting California, the kids got to wear fun hats in a photobooth at Frankie Dino's 6th birthday party.


In August Finn kept a keen eye on the competition at his school's jog-a-thon.



In September the kids watched The Red Balloon on my computer, wearing next to nothing and loving it.



In October John showed Shea how he shaves every morning.



In November we all watched history being made by someone who can actually bodysurf Sandy's.


In December I actually talked Shea into wearing a dress AND a hat.
Which she wore for about 10 minutes.


Here's wishing you a fantastic 2009!

Oh Yeah, He'd Like You To Know He Surfs Now

Waikiki, August 2008

In the orange rashguard: Finney

In the blue rashguard: his buddy David

In some of the backgrounds: Diamond Head

In my mind the whole time: He's so lucky to be growing up in Hawaii

Go West, Young Woman

The people in the photo below are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

They're certainly some of the nicest ones I've ever known.

Thankfully, when Vern and Mary Jo met each other back in the 1950s, they agreed they'd make a pretty good pair so they got hitched -- while still in their teens -- and last month celebrated their keen instincts, incredible luck, and 50 years of marriage.

Here they are at their golden wedding anniversary party, surrounded by their friends and family, having just been serenaded by one of their granddaughters who played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for them on the fiddle at sunset overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Yeah, it was one of those moments.

I was 10 years old when I met their youngest daughter, Cari, after the family moved from the San Fernando Valley to San Clemente. We had no way to know it at the time, but the blossoming friendship between the nerdy girl and the new girl would become an enduring one.

Now, thanks to sharing years of special times together, even our children show a heartwarming closeness.

Mary Jo and Vern have always kindly included me at their many family functions over the years -- whether a relaxed barbecue at San Onofre, a Sunday family dinner, their annual Fourth of July party or a Rockwellian Thanksgiving feast -- and even hosted my bridal shower in their gorgeous home a month before I married John. I think of them as my second family, and they've always treated me as one of their own.

This sense of warm inclusion has trickled down even to Finnegan, who promptly reported when someone announced at the party it was time for all the grandchildren to be photographed together. So here are all of Mary Jo and Vern's nine grandchildren, plus one extra Irish one for luck.

We were honored to be included on the guest list for Vern and Mary Jo's momentous celebration and even postponed our return to Hawaii this summer just to make sure we were there to raise our glasses in their honor. We wouldn't have missed it for anything.

You can see a slide show of the fun time we all had together at Casa Romantica by clicking this link.

Paying Our Respects To The Institution

If you read the last post, then the topic of this one will come as no surprise; after gorging ourselves at Philippe's, we drove up the hill to Dodger Stadium and took in a evening game from the top deck seats.

We were joined by Brian, Geri, cousin Reilly and Reilly's older cousin Danny...

...as well as Aunties Gretchen and Jody.

After weeks of preparation, Shea learned all the words to Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and made us all proud as she sang them during the seventh inning stretch.

And once again, we lasted a full eight innings.

Which was more than enough time to put the Giants in their place.

All Those Years Ago

Granted, it was a while ago, but I gave fair warning that there may be old photographs making an appearance on this blog at some point. Ancient, grainy photographs, scanned from many yellowing photo albums unearthed from my parents' house, that would appear here to serve a single purpose:

TO SHOW THE RIDICULOUS HAIR WE ALL HAD IN THE '80s.

I attended my 20-year high school reunion this summer, you see, which afforded me the luxury of getting together with many of my old friends and the dubious opportunity of looking back at some of the memories I had kept from The Aqua Net Era -- or in my case, the Era of 1,000 Peroxide Bottles, Crimping Irons, and Spiral Perms.

Yes, spiral perms. Good God, I am so glad I'm no longer a teenager.

Here then, are some shots that show me back in the day with my best gal pals, interspersed with recent shots of all of us. So sit back, relax and get ready to laugh and point, then gasp with shock at how impressed you are at how elegantly we all grew up -- and out of the Dare to Have Hair decade.

At our senior picnic, 1988.
Back row: Julie, Carolynn, Karri, me and Margo.
Front row: Gretchen and Abril.

San Clemente High School graduation, 1988.
From left: Cari, me, Carolynn and Julie.

Luncheon preceding our 20-year-reunion, 2008.
From left: Carren, Marty, Carolynn, Gretchen, Julie, Karri, me, Cari and Abril.

Here's a closer look at some of the changes of time.

Me and Abril in 1988...

...and in 2008.

Craig and Marty in 1988...

...and Carren and Marty in 2008.

Cari, Carren and Gretchen in 1988...

...and Gretchen and Carren...

...and Cari in 2008.

Me, Julie and Karri during the commencement ceremony in 1988...

...and Julie and Karri in 2008.

Back row: Carren, Lynnell, Julie, Gretchen, Carolynn, and Chele.
Bottom row: me and Margo.
1988, clearly. (Did you see the wash on that denim dress?)

Carren, Chele, Lynnell and Gretchen...

...and Carolynn, me and Chele in 2008.

Cari and Gretchen in 1988...

...and Cari and Karri in 2008.

And finally, my absolute FAVORITE photo from the entire reunion event, wherein Julie captured Carolynn and Karri buying classic '80s beverages that they would eventually smuggle into the reunion party to share with the rest of us.

Does anything else say '80s girly buzz better than Bartles & Jaymes berry wine coolers?

These, ladies and gentlemen, are my friends.