+31,000 words about Christmas

(Gee, thanks for the nose trimmer)

(OK, this totally makes up for the nose thing.)

(Perhaps the most surprising gift ever, esp. since I had no idea it was this big!)

Holly's jolly Christmas....party

Here's a little number to help keep the Christmas cheer running right up through the New Year: 

Berry Christmas to All from ronald weaver on Vimeo.

This was shot on Christmas Eve Eve at Claire's sister Holly's Annual Holiday Party. It's always a good time and this year she upped the ante by providing a new Wii with Rock Band for our enjoyment. As you might be able to tell, I don't think any of us had ever played it before. Fortunately, through the use of movie/Christmas magic, I was able to give the band, and all of you, a little bit of a present. Props out to Claire for her masterful rock'n'roll camerawork.

A little late, but still in season!

In all of the Holiday commotion, I almost forgot to wish everyone (all 3-7 of you) the very best this season. Onward to the New Year!

(And, hopefully more Christmas pics to follow, because that's always nice, huh?) 

oh what a night...

so, ron and i didn't end up at his work holiday party, we ended up going to El Burrito Loco with most of Geek Life  and had  a really GOOD time.  dinner turned into a nice evening at barb and dave's house drinking wine and eating homemade pray-lines made by nuns and drinking WOOT wine. 

i was so impressed with Barb's organized yarn collection and beautiful knitted works, that i am inspired to knit again and we will SOON get together with Rachel so she can bind-off and have an official finished piece of work. 

Thanks to barb and dave for coordinating great times every time!!

late posts

i keep making posts for the blog, but because ron adds to them, they dont' quite make it up too soon. sorry to disappoint our huge fan base!
tonight is ron's holiday work party at the Des Lee gallery. i wonder if we will make it?
stay tuned... {We won't make it--Ron}

A night of sparkling lights...

The first year ron and i met, before we officially started dating, Ron tells me the story of how he wanted to ask me to go drive around and look at Christmas lights. He even bought a vintage thermos for hot chocolate that we could drink from. Mind you that never happened, but it has every year after and we always end up drinking Starbucks and not from the Thermos.{But we still have the Thermos--Ron}

This past Saturday night, we went to eat at the Tap Room. They have a new menu and we wanted to see. After a short wait in the bar (i ordered the pilsner and ron ordered the Coffee Stout, a new favorite of his.){Yes the coffee stout is a new favorite(thanks, Barb). I haven't been a big fan of stout types of beers since I actually started liking non-stout beers. But I like this one a lot. A few years ago, I had a "beershake" at the Chocolate Bar. It was made with chocolate stout and cinnamon ice cream. Delicious. I can't wait to try it with this.}, we were seated. Same place, same set up, almost completely revamped menu. We ordered one familiar thing, the goatcheese rarebit. so good!! but all of our old standbys were gone including the salmon sandwich and match (fake meat) burger. we SPLIT a salad and the tilapia reuben. the tilapia was beerbatter-fried, a major dissappointment. so i took it off and ate the reuben by itself, the way i used to enjoy it there anyway.

After a quick stop back by the apartment, we needed to get the camera, and a drive-thru starbucks, we were off to look at Christmas lights.

First stop Candy Cane Lane (aka Murdoch Ave) in St. Louis Hills. This is a favorite street of mine. All of the families on this street decorate their homes and come out on the weekends in december to greet you. This year, they had a movie screen, set up, showing Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. They were collecting donations for salvation army and handing out candy canes.

Candy and Peanuts from ronald weaver on Vimeo.

We drove throughout the rest of the St. Louis Hills neighborhood. When my sister Holly and i go walking around that park, there is one house that we always get a kick out of. They have three big picture windows one to display the dining table, one the Big screen T.V. and the other the garage for some fancy car. they also have a yard full of fountains and gaudy yard ornaments and huge clock that hangs on the front of the house. this year for christmas, a yard FULL of christmas inflatables. {this house makes me wish more than ever for an official Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot range model air rifle --with a compass in the stock. I freaking hate inflatable lawn ornaments.!!! If I get one this year, I'm going back.}

It looks like Night of the Living Dead.

We drove by our old neighborhood, tower grove park, to see the house on Magnolia Ave.that has a flying santa every year.

We almost missed Gurney Court (which sits off of Magnolia), usually a delight, was quite a disappointment this year. the lights were turned off for the evening, but the light up deers were both tipped over and half of the houses weren't even decorated. We did have a great time anyway!!

i hope your christmas light search this year brings some great discoveries!!

two action packed movies in a week...

Monday

We went to see 'Quantum of Solace' at the HiPointe.  You too can rent out the entire HiPointe theatre all to yourself for just $16.  QoS is supposed to start up where Casino Royale  finished 

off. i don't think there is any need to see the previous to see this one.  Daniel Craig makes everything look effortless, everything he touches wants him, he just embodies Cool in this film.  My favorite thing about this movie, the White Jeans, navy shirt, and ankle boots!!  Very british, very mod!!

Thursday

Neither of us had seen North By Northwest.  What a great opportunity to see it on the big screen at the Tivoli for free to correspond with the 'Birth of the Cool' show at the Wash U. kemper Museum.  I think seeing both of these movies this week went very well together.  Hitchcock, how do you manage, to entertain, movie after movie after movie.  no need for hi tech gadgets, these movies still hold up with time.  you made me feel I was driving that winding road drunk like Carey Grant, i felt so anxious because no one believed his story (just like i felt watching Bjork in Dancer in the Dark) and i was so scared "Eve" was going to plummet to her death from Mount Rushmore. 

Both Movies have great titles, but could very well have been called "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!"  i've never seen so much travel in a week. 

Twilight

Ron went with me to see Twilight this evening.  it followed the book for the most part. 

i loved that ron kept asking me questions during the movie and i could impress him with my knowledge for once. ha!   he likes werewolves and while i was reading the books, i would tell him the stories of how the indian tribe became werewolves.   at the end he asked "aren't jacob and edward friends?"  next movie, ron, next movie!!

Not only did the movie end with a tease for the next movie, it ended with the radiohead song 15 steps!!

a baby boy...

ron and i had  a baby today.

he's a beautiful, chubby faced, wide-eyed baby boy.

welcome to the world Ronnoco!!

the annual girlfriends gift exchange 2008

i have been attending the annual gift exchange of hostesses and friends, maggie, angela, and jill for about 10 years.   there is always great food,  much to drink and lots of good conversation!

the first year i recieved a piece of village, but now i think everyone has the hang of things.

this year, one of my best friends, alice was in attendance. 

i decided to try a few items out before i chose what i wanted...

the dangle cake plate?  it was a big hit this year!!

                                             or

the beautiful fingerless gloves?  very warm!!

                                   the winner...

a purple-grey hawaiian print (swimsuit material) wine bang!! 

won't i be the stylish party goer!!!

Holly's Birthday!!

Today is my sister Holly's 31st Birthday!

Tomorrow, we are all going out to dinner for her day!

Happy Birthday, hole!!

the reason ron doesn't smile in pictures!