Gambling at 30

Two reasons why I don't gamble: 1. I get excited over small winnings. Look closely at this picture. That says $35 which equates to a whole $15 dollars won pour moi. 2. That entire $35 was lost not more that 10 minutes later.

The friends and cocktails were fun though. Happy 30th to Ryan, one of our best friends. Nick has known him since before he can remember (approximately 1st grade) and I met Ryan when we were 16!! Love this guy like a brother.

Nick's 30th Birthday

Like last year Nick spent his birthday on the mountain skiing all day and night. This year the only difference was that this was his 30th birthday and we decided to make anyone crazy enough to join us come celebrate. I was just talking to friends and it seems to be a theme two years running that I become deathly ill at Nick's birthday parties. Last year - without any alcoholic assistance - I got the stomach flu and well...you can imagine. This year thankfully it was just the normal flu; nothing Day Quill didn't sufficiently mask. Let me say attempting to ski for a 24 hour period is both the stupidest and most fun thing I have ever done. We had a pretty good turn out given the mid-busy season timing and the birthday evite titled "Ski Marathon." Nick thankfully decided to take this year's competition less seriously so there were many breaks. In fact we spent most of the day on the back side of the mountain. It turned out to just be me and the guys during the day - I got to drink out of a flask on the chair lift and they even pretended that I was keeping up with them! Seriously good times. Here are the men! (Nick, John, Ryan and Pete)
The weather was a little foggy in the morning but it basically burned off by mid-day; perfect weather for my first time up in three seasons. I don't have too many pictures but in summary there was skiing, hamburgers, chili, skiing, bar lounging, hot tottie & beer drinking and some more skiing. That was just during day light!!

After the sun went down more friends joined us and the night skiing ensued. Codie's famous cup cakes filled our belly's but it turns out when you are exhausted with another 12 hours of skiing left, drinking the case of beer you brought up in a back pack just doesn't sound appealing. No worries though we rallied. My last runs were around 11pm and before I collapsed on (and later) under a picnic table in the lodge for about five hours. Here are the boys an hour or so before I passed out. You should have seen them at breakfast.



I am told that Ryan and Nick came back for an hour or two sleep but I was certainly not conscious. I woke up around 5am when the boys came in and after breakfast we all went out for a run at sun rise. AMAZING!


Think about it, what other time can you ski at sunrise? This made the whole crazy 24 hours worth it!! Nick said he had a blast so I believe we can call this birthday a success. We were home by 11am but no worries, Deven was well taken care of. In a couple of years (maybe not for a Ski Marathon) Deven will be up there with us...here is proof!!

Halloween 2009

It was Deven's first Halloween and I successfully picked a costume that will embarrass him when he's older and maybe appreciate when he's even older! His school had trick or treating for the older kids during the day so Deven and his buddies all dressed up for the occasion. He was a hit!!

The Wright's had a party so we ALL got dressed up. This was way out of Nick and my comfort zone but I guess we will do anything because of peer pressure. Here are some pics from the weekend.


1. Deven testing his costume out the night before his school debut. 2. Deven and me all ready to party at the Wright's. 3. Chip and Renee as skeleton's, Ryan as some weird news caster, Matt and Chanel as Scottish folk, Codie as a Geisha, Erin as a private school chick, Alex as the psycho from Clockwork Orange me as Dorothy and Nick...well Nick is the count from Sesame Street!! ; )

D's first UW tailgate

Although I don't think that any of us actually went to UW a bunch of us have embraced the college and the tailgating experiences it has to offer. As a fellow fan stated yesterday, "we are starting our little guy early." Thanks to our friends Ryan and Erin Deven was all ready to go in his Husky Outfit.

Deven had to take a pre-game nap to ensure optimum tailgate activity.

On our way in to the parking lot to meet up with the gang.

Chillin' under the tent, eating some ribs and watching football on the flat screen with great friends.

Not the greatest picture but here is Deven giving daddy one last hug goodbye before mommy brings him home for bedtime. We had a great time, he was a trooper!!

Father's Day 2009

So no baby yet but that didn't stop the celebrations! Last year we went to the Washington Brewers festival in Kenmore and we saw absolutely no reason not to attend this year. Beer is good, God is great and people are crazy.

Pics, Left to Right:

1. Us doin' what we do best: Listening to good music and drinking (just a few sips for the expectant mother though!!) 2. Baby holding his first beer (creative inspiration via Ryan Wright)

3. The Wrights, drinking obviously! 4. Al and Codie...awwww!!

Prep time!

Turns out we are having a baby in about 11 weeks so we thought it might be a good time to start the baby's room.

Our friend Olga gave us a great deal on all of her baby furniture and Nick has taken on the task of refinishing everything. Ryan came over today to help him out but according to the boys it is going to be a long project...hence the necessary beer.

The process is pretty smelly so the boys moved the project to the garage by the end of the day.
Here are the two paint colors side by side...again all kudos to Nick!

My contributions to the preparations are generally noted through my research and purchasing abilities. To relieve some "after exam stress" I stopped off at the local Babies R Us and purchased some bedding, decorations and a new outfit for the little guy.

It was certainly weird picking things out for us rather than off a registry, but I think I got the hang of it fairly quickly.