Rosh Hashanah 2005

Believe it or not, I don't have ANY exciting Rosh Hashanah stories to share. I can feel your disappointment. But I did spend it with the fam, which means I have adorable photos of my neices to share.

AND...here's my first attempt to post a VIDEO! Ashley (now 3) just started school and has learned the Pledge of Allegiance. Click here to watch her recite the Pledge...and note that she gets quite jiggy toward the end!!

Other than that...here's baby Chelsea (now almost 4 months):



And here she is riveted by her first trip through a car wash:



Alana (6) and Ashley dug up some worms in Grandma and Papa's (my folks) back yard:




My sister Jessica with Chelsea:




Sometimes love hurts:



During dinner, Ashley put on my mom's rubber gloves and said to my brother-in-law Jeff, "Bend over, daddy!". Disturbing, but funny:



Getting giggly at bedtime:



On the train back into the city, I met that Most Beautiful Lady, Karen Landes:



On a final, random note...here it a plate that I made as a child. Gee, who woulda thunk I'd turn out gay?!:



Um, happy new year.

Bay Area Bonanza, Part 4

So here’s the big wrap-up.

After the rehearsal dinner and hanging out at the wedding couple’s home, I got a moderately good night’s sleep. Friday I unpacked and re-packed and went to Crate and Barrel to get wedding gifts (a disastrous outing that I can’t even get into!) and then Carrie met me back at the hotel, as she was my date for the evening. Here she is enjoying a pear and a guffaw:



Then we picked up Craig’s Aunt Giselle and Nana and headed to the wedding. It was at a park called Heather Farm—or, more specifically, The Gardens at Heather Farm. The ceremony took place in a beautiful rose garden, and the weather was perfect. Here’s Vanessa walking in on her brother’s arm:



She looked absolutely beautiful, as did her adorable little sister who was the flower girl (also notice the Paparazzi in the back of the first one! And remember...as always...you can click on pictures to enlarge):




Carrie blowing bubbles (well, trying to) afterwards:



A few photo ops:




With Craig’s mom, Jasmine:



Jasmine and Frank:



Awwww…:



Meanwhile, Carrie stopped to smell the roses:



The party after was fun, with all of the usual wedding shenanigans:



Later Carrie and I returned to the hotel and promptly passed out. We must be getting old…even Nana outlasted us! Then this morning we had breakfast and went our separate ways: I left for the airport and Carrie went home (or, as I suspect, shopping in Walnut Creek…she kept eyeing the stores…)

So a wonderful time was had by all. It was great to see Carrie, Craig, and Vanessa, not to mention the rest of the great Pelletier crowd whom I haven’t seen in a long time (Carissa, Christian, Eric, Norma, Rick, Giselle, Nana). The wedding was fun and beautiful, and Craig and Vanessa seem really happy together. Now it’s back to the rat race for me.

A few parting shots:

When you stay at the Marriott, you can worship the God of your choice—even the almighty dollar:



I flew Song out here. It was okay…had its good and bad points. Cleanliness was not one of the good points. I sat in the same exit-row seat in both directions, and the flight home was on the EXACT same plane as the flight out. How do I know? Because this orange Tic Tac was still on the floor: