Long overdue Christmas photos!! Yes, I know it has been a long, long time. Ima be sorry now, a'ight? Anyway, its been busy since South Beach. Flew back to San Fran just to hop a plane to the UK and ran from city to city almost every night for work over the first two weeks there. Managed to avoid being sick (and I was terribly clobbered by a cold at the end of the year) during the trip, only to get home and almost keel over. I missed my work holiday party (a Bond themed Fancy Dress party) so I don't have any interesting pictures of myself or piggy in Bond-themed costume wear. I was going to be Jaws and I was to be accompanied by a very sexy 70s Bond Girl, but, alas, I couldn't get up from a one hour power nap to try to rally the strength to go on. From there, I recuperated a bit and then shortly thereafter it was off to Missouri for Christmas. We had a great time staying at the Lil' Otter's house in the new room in the basement and spending Christmas with her family and friends. Piggy got delayed on the way in and ended up in Salt Lake City overnight (of all places) and I myself was delayed getting in till almost 1 am. We danced around weather issues but ended up making it through fairly well with only a short period of good 'ol Missouri "ohmygawd" icy coatings. Even that could not tamp down the Christmas spirit and we had a heck of a night with good food, great people and much shared love. Truly a time to realize how blessed I am to have these people in my life and things working out for me the way they have. And now what you've all been waiting for...the photos!!

Cute, cuddly and fuzzy is always welcome.

The new art studio is all set up!

Dad all wrapped up for Christmas.

Two heart breakers!

Pawpaw and MaeMae

Proud of the finished tree!

You must be THIS intense to play the Wii.

The Little Otter's FIFTH BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Hey all, WOW its been a while. I was actually admonished for not keeping the blog up! Just when I thought no one was really reading it! Well, I have a certain VERY important update that has been due since April, so I'll get to that first. Piggy and I traveled to Missouri again for the little otter's fifth birthday party and we had a really good time. We managed to keep an air matress inflated long enough to sleep the night and were able to stay right there for a couple days and really soak up the time with my special little girl. It was a blast, a real milestone moment and a great party. Hats off to the organizer!

And on that note: The little otter is coming to CALIFORNIA!! Her momma and she are making the trip by sleeper train to SoCal where we will spend a couple of days at Disneyland, see the sights of LaLa land and then head down San Diego Way to the Zoo and maybe Sea World. I'm pumped. I felt like a little kid when I finally got to Disney. I can only imagine what it will be like through the eyes of a 5 year old!

Speaking of her being FIVE, here are some pictures from the party:

You can see now why I didn't fill this post with silly poker musings and other things. She is just WAY TO CUTE! Thanks to everyone that came out and HAPPY BIRTHDAY again to my sweet little otter!

Wherein I apologize lamely and post some holiday pictures. More to come, once I hatch them off my camera and find a second to get them up here. These photos are a selection from Old Bear Productions of Jackson, MO. Grrrr.

The Little Otter got to spend a day in her daddy's home town visiting Grandpa Bear for the Holidays. Yep, she was a pretty happy gal getting to explore the old office lair of the Old Bear. Check out the Dora the Explorer Pink Camo. All the fashion in the under 5 set I'm told.

This is one of the Old Bear's hunting dogs (of a much smaller number than the packs he kept when he had slave labor...er, children at home to help him care for them) named Nell. She told everyone about meeting Grandpa's white dog Nell.

The Old Bear and the Little Otter in Dad's office. We introduced the camera game of "close your eyes till we count to three, then open and smile" so you aren't blinking. So, basically, she looks really surprised in a lot of these photos. My bad.

Getting our grub on at the Texas Road House. Me with my crackberry and Little Otter with her never ending request for Chicken Strips. Nom nom nom.

Piggy, Old Bear and the Little Otter all upstairs in the old High Street Building. I got lucky that I got to hang out with a beautiful woman and a wonderful daughter and we made a old fella's Christmas a little bit brighter! Thanks for a real nice holiday day trip dad! And for letting Marie and I take out the old 63 Impala for a cruise down memory lane!