A very Disney Christmas

Our friends Dean & Sheryl came to Southern California to take their daughter to Disneyland. It's nice to live near somewhere everyone wants to visit, yet still not live so close you hear the fireworks every single night. (Fireworks every night would drive me crazy.)

I love taking photos when everyone has the 3-D glasses on.

It lends a certain air of Jackie O. glamour.

Along with their child, Dan & Sheryl brought a few immature friends also with them.

Including a few familiar faces...

New Orleans Square was all done up in a very subtle, yet tasteful decor.

Main Street was done up as well.
The garlands that are strung across have a Mickey shaped wreath in the center of them.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle is an icy dream in LED lights. It's stunning to see in person.

I could not believe my eyes when I saw this stupid hat. It has all Disney character ornaments on it so he obviously bought it there. Every time he moved his head the ornaments went flinging about, back and forth. It was such a ridiculous hat that I had to take a "sneak" picture of it when he wasn't looking. I mean, seriously, who would put something so incredibly odd and dumb looking on their head?

Isn't it fabulous?!

Fun with things on your head!

Rachel is the Ice Queen!

Who wore it better....

Robb, Snow Princess #1

or Lyle, Snow Princess "A".
(you can't tell, but Robb is right behind holding up an extra tree of glitter)

Tony is considering wearing his hair in peyos for the holidays.

Okay, they have nothing on their heads. But I still like this photos I call:
"Two Nieces In My Tub."
(and yes, I kept threatening to turn on the water!)

So late one night, after being out for a little while (okay, drinking) I saw this guy and I fell in love with his hair. I begged him to let me have my picture with him so I could show my hairdresser that THIS is how I wanted my hair to look (only in my natural blond color, of course)

Through the miracle of photoshop, this is what I'd look like:

Uh, I think I may have to pass...

Happy Birthday Helen!

Today is Rachel's birthday! I can't tell you how old she is, a lady never reveals her age, but we did go to high school together. Now the problem is Rachel would absolutely tell you her age and that may imply mine. In which case I would have to kill her. To explain the title of the post, Helen is my pet name for her.

Helen wanted a spontaneous birth day. So I waited until we were all ready to go and only then phoned her to see if she'd like to go for breakfast. She is not an early riser by nature so imagine how perturbed I was to find her awake and chipper at 9:30 am. So much for ruining her special day by waking her up and making her run around in a frenzy.

We went to Palihouse for breakfast (which I've written about before) and we started with liquids. Aren't the coffees gorgeous? Mine is obviously the one that is too full as I added cream to it. I like my coffee like my men, blond, sweet and barely warm to the touch. Someone (I can't mention her name on her special day) had a bloody Mary.

The birthday girl had the cast iron eggs: fried eggs over short ribs and potatoes.

I had the thick cut french toast with sweet ricotta cheese and lemon zest.

The cupcakes there are divinely inspired.
More icing than cake! So we got one for the birthday girl.

Helen loves her lemon, cake.

What's that on your head?

Today on Carolyn's blog she wrote:
I have never seen anyone take advantage of a photo op like Jim. Here is what it must be like to walk down the street with Jim.

Carolyn: "So then this stupid bitch in my Bible study starts to talk about her big old King James and...

Jim: "WAIT!!! There's a huge pyramid of oranges over there! Take my camera!"

Carolyn: "WHY? I was just getting to the part when I opened my jacket to reveal my "Jesus is my Homeboy" t-shirt!"

Jim: "Whatever! If I stand in just the right way, I will totally look like Carmen Miranda!"

I take probably 100 photos A DAY when I am on vacation. Not all of them are things on people's heads. But many are. No one is safe from my critical eye for embarrassing pictures.

Here's how it really happens:

Jim: Ha-ha-ha... that's a funny story. Now just stand over here.

Carolyn: Why? Are they lowering a piano from a crane above?

Jim: No. Don't worry. A little to the left, little more, now stand on your tip toes... (click!)

Again, No one is safe!!!

My dad at Hollywood & Highland with an elephant on his head.

My friend Robb in Shanghai.

My friend Rachel at the Summer Palace in Beijing.

Lyle in Cozumel during Carnival.

It's not always things on heads however. Sometimes, you find yourself driving through Southern Alberta and you see a perfectly good opportunity just waiting for a photo at a rest area. Perhaps it's a rest area that has an exhibit. An exhibit on the natural wonders of history and fossilized bones of creatures that lived many years ago. And it comes to me, as if in a dream, with just the right positioning, and just the right camera angle, I could have the most amazing picture for my photo album. (click on it to see it larger) I promise you, this one is not photoshopped in any way...

Sad news

For those who read this and weren't contacted by Rachel herself, on Tuesday Rachel had to put her cat Kiko down. It was very difficult and she is understandably quite sad.

If you'd like to read her blog entry you can go here.

Of if you'd like to e-mail her: kikopyeandi@sbcglobal.net