The Holidays

December has come and past. Just as always the case, the mark of the month is still upon us though -- both in the weight that we've gained and in the generosity of our families.

It's really the weight thing that bugs me, but you have to figure that in when partying with the Furtaks. The season starts with Dad's birthday, landing just before Thanksgiving. Then you actually have "turkey day". Just around the corner comes Erin's birthday....and before you can even recover from that you're headlong into the throws of office parties for the season. By the time Christmas day actually arrives, you're up 5-10 pounds without even trying. Make it past Christmas and then you have Rick's birthday followed by New Years. Total, up 12 pounds in just over 45 days. Ugh.

OK, so all of that is just to excuse the chubby look I am sporting in all the pics below. As you can tell by looking at them, I bitch now, but was more than happy to be in the party spirit then.

General merriment in the kazoo band.

Rick in his new cap.

A good portion of the Suss clan during KK.

Jamie & Lana on the sleigh ride up to Zack's.

Erin and I ogling at the port options for dessert.

Erin on her X-country trek.

The view from McCoy Park.

A cookie baking fool.

Dressed up for new years.

I should take a quick second to note that we had a great new years celebration. We started at Olivea for an amazing 4 course dinner and then went to the Vintage Theater for a reading of Sadaris' Santa Land Diaries. Just before midnight we popped into D-Bar (where our local Food Network personality works) for the countdown. Finding it too crowded there to get some bubbly, we lounged in Tastes for some 2010 prosecco. All in the hood. All perfect.