Why I Don't Do a Real Tree

Luvs Me Some Snow

Excitement Abounds

Yesssssssssssss.

Imperial Sugar

One last Dublin Dr. Pepper before getting back to the Rockies.

Mary Moore

We took the puppies up to Mary Moore for a final run before heading back to CO.  We used to do this a lot when we were kids.  The best memory was when we had Howard and Goldie and it had snowed a few inches (unheard of in Texas).  We took them up there and it was completely clean snow...until we got there!  It was so fun to watch them run through the clean snow and chase them as kids.  So going back there is a joy.

Firethorn Christmas

Our Christmas was actually Sunday - we had our Chinese gift exchange and stockings, which, as always, were awesome.

 Mimi pointing out the incredible wrapping job Du did - the flowers are completely lined up!

Of course...

 Crayola stocking goodness!

Recovery

After a lazy Christmas Day, we convened to the living room for The Family Stone, after which my mom and I had our butts litereally handed to us via Shanghai Rummy.  And Kona just tried to recover from the biz, wherever a spot could be found.

Christmas Digs

In honor of how our parents used to dress us, Nar and I bought quasi-matching outfits at Old Navy.  It was EPIC!

 Kona also got a holiday tie...

 Me & Mimi!

 I'm pretty sure this was shortly before Aunt Kristee took her jacket off and proclaimed: "You wanna piece of this?!"

 And what would Christmas be without Gwampa doing his very best Vanna impression?

Water Gardens

And a little bit of downtown Fort Worth thrown in!  Mike and I woke up and spent the morning exploring before my parents picked us up for more Christmas festivities...the week is flying!

Happy Birthday to Mike!

At Del Frisco's for the Love's birthday in downtown Fort Worth.  Great steaks, even better company!

Puppy Love

Maggie wore Kona out so badly that he couldn't even hold his tongue in...

Oklahoma sucks

And apparently, so does my nav system.  We got lost in the barrio trying to find a Jason's Deli, turned around on the stupid onramp, and finally just gave up on the state altogether.

Over the River and Through the Woods

We decided to pack up the car and leave a day early to drive to Texas!  It was a late afternoon adventure, arriving in Wichita at our new favorite (and dog-friendly) Hampton Inn.  All the while, Kona looking at us as though we'd killed his cat.  But he was a great car puppy!  We were very impressed with his travel abilities.

Furminator

We took the pup to Petsmart and were taken in by the grooming department.  Apparently we asked for the premium dog treatment, plus the Furminator, which I do have to say has helped with shedding.  He was also trimmed.  And by trimmed, I mean his stomach was shaved!  Right before I took this photo he was showing off his newly bald tummy ham.

It was pretty funny, but picking him up felt like picking up a different dog.  It was almost worth the painful debit charge when we felt how absolutely soft he was.  Almost.

Rad Mango

Mike and I celebrated my last day of work (and also one of the coldest of this winter) by...getting frozen yogurt!  Red Mango is a Greek yogurt bar where you fill your cup with as little or as much of their myriad flavors, top it how you like, and pay by weight.

Loves it.

Notice Mike is not wearing a coat on said coldest day...

Bump on a log

Oh Kona man, you have no idea the discombobulation that's comin' your way!  14 hours in the car, 3 new puppies to play with, and 4 new family members welcoming him to his first Christmas.  Good times!

Yep

4 days of work left; things get a little crazy.

Piece of Cake

Every time I'm in Rapid City, I eat lunch at Piece of Cake cafe.  It's in an old house on the highway that leads out of the city and 40 miles later, to Mount Rushmore.  I vascilate between triple chocolate and 1/2 banana bread / 1/2 chocolate cake with peanut butter icing and a dark chocolate ganache.

Oye.

Love that little house.

The Curtis

Such a wonderful birthday spent lazily exploring downtown with my Mike!  Staying at The Curtis was one of the best decisions we ever made.  Each floor has a theme (my personal favorites were "One Hit Wonders" and the 13th floor titled "Dun dun dunnnnnnn" and had a scary movie/book theme).  We explore every floor together with the guidebook!

We woke up late, Mike got lost on 16th trying to buy me a surprise camera (was terrible unsuccessful at that point, but we ended up at Wolf Camera where he purchased an out-of-this-world Sony camera for me while I was in the bathroom!), room service, and an overall feeling of joy for yet another year of life.  Loved today; love my Mike.

So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways!

We got a hotel with points in downtown Denver and invited all of our friends for a night out on the town in celebration of me turning 27 and Mike turning 29!  We stayed at the Curtis (more photos of that hotel gooeyness to follow) and had an amazing evening!  Starting with sequined shoes (my original wedding shoes - ended up going with white instead, but I love these!)

Raise Your Glass by Pink