Our first Christmas Tree!

So it happened. For those of you that know, I've NEVER put up a Christmas tree my whole life on my own. (We had the artificial kind when I lived at home). Dan started taking me to the pumpkin patch for Halloween a few years ago and I loved it. This year, he took me to the Christmas Tree yard and we picked out our first tree together. It was fun and it was sweet...
The cats loved it. Like the love anything that is "new." I have been worried all along that they would climb it, knock it over, destroy it, whatever. But they just got under it, drank the water, and boxed the ornaments a bit. Otherwise they left it alone!
She hates me right now.
On DEC 13th we had the annual HaasHalladeIlmaNewmanBohm Family Christmas party at Amanda and Brian's home. It was SO much fun... (the families that have made this Xmas party a yearly tradition since Dan was a child)
The men belt out some Christmas songs...
Then the women... (I tried to fade into the backgroun... nobody needs to hear my singing voice, really)
It was so much fun and we enjoy every single person in these families so much. They are the "families" we chose for ourselves...
Brendon Newman, John Heilman and Dan the man
John was going around "aligning people's shakras." He's hilarious...
Another shakra-aligning technique...
Ashley and Brian singing the "Twelve Days of Christmas"
The whole group singing the "Twelve Days of Christmas"
The end of the night. I mean, the END. I do not remember this well. Amanda, I'm sorry if I was smothering you right here. What am I doing? Don't tell me...

Heather Heilman and I enjoy some tunes from Dano by the fire
Our hosts: Brian and Amanda Haas.

Some may still be too much...

If you are ever in Thailand and need a tour...



Although I think even SOME might be... too much

Happy Birthday John Hallada!

It's a November Luau!
On a sunny, warm, Sunday morning in NOVEMBER (gotta love California) we took Johh (Dan's dad) to the Luau at Kona's in Sunset Beach for his birthday...
So sweet. Dan and Nancy and my man in the background, enjoy the Polynesian dancers and some Hawaiian buffet
Chuck is a fixture in this place...and he carves fixtures... Tikis!
In the "Secret Garden"
Happy Birthday John! We love you! (He's so cute. He's my little buddy...)

THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope this finds you well, and hopefully you were able to spend the holiday surrounded with loved ones!

For a lot of people, Thanksgiving has become a day they look forward to all the food (eat a lot), watch football, or watch the Macy's Day Parade. While there's nothing wrong with this, we need to not forget the most important part of Thanksgiving is giving thanks to God for our many blessings!!!

We are so thankful to have our families and friends in our lives both close by and those far away... Thankful for our blessings, our jobs, our health and the roof over our heads! (Even if it sometimes may leak and flood your bedroom...;)

This year, we were invited to spend Thanksgiving day at Dan and Lara Horgan's home. It was really nice. Their home is amazing and a great place for a party. They are the nicest people... This is Lara and I, somehow we didn't capture Dan Horgan on film...

The Huntingon Beach Halladas and the Lake Forest Halladas... we missed the rest of our family members!
I'm SO thankful for the love of my life... The nicest, kindest, smartest, sweetest, funniest and manliest man I know!
The 3 Horgan boys. SO cute and so much fun... A handful, for sure!
Their backyard. Nice place to do some lounging... Not too, too shaby if you ask me... :)
Thank you for having us over for the feast and company...

Random shots I never posted...

I didn't have a camera that night but I finally got some pics from Amber from her Bday party at Tantalum a few weekends ago. We had SUCH a blast... she was even smiling as I punched her boob... what is my hand doing there?
And a classic shot... One of my coolest friends ever, my little Kenpo dahling, Stephanie and I, in the rickshaw... which, by the way, what is HER hand doing there? Anyway... Sake + rickshaw...

The Palladium

This past weekend we went to see Augustana LIVE at the Palladium thanks to our friends Dean and Amber . This is (from LT to RT) Sarah, Amber, Dean and us! See Dan's beard is starting to come back! I love it...

Bottom's up girls! Thanks for inviting us, we had a great time! :)

Visit to Nevie's

Dan and I went to visit Nevie and Eden (and their parents, too, of course, but they are just too cute to not take pictures of them! Neveah is getting so big... and twice as gorgeous (and sassy!)

Oh, yeah, another thing, Dan decided to take part in this year's "NovemBeard" or "No Shave November". Dan shaved clean on November 1st... I had NEVER seen his clean-shaven face before!

This is Dan and Nevie going for a ride on Ivan's Cooler Scooter... so funny
Eden had to go on a ride with uncle Dan too! So cute.