ooo, the pretty lights!

lights, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

After a delicious bowl of noodles at the ramen shop, Heather and I took a stroll around denver's botanic gardens. The gardens are supposedly built on an old cemetary. Apparently, some areas of the garden have produced more bountiful plants, while others nothing. The lilly pad pools were created because nothing would grow in that soil.

It all reminded me of a time when i was excavating in Israel and put my tool through a limestone rock. I cleaned out the interior and called my professor over to see my "hallow rock"! what an amazing geological find! He scratched his head and said, "that's not a hallow rock, Deb. That's a skull".

What an interesting way to leave your mark upon history. I often wonder who that person was (presumably, a bedouin) and if they would mind being discovered so awkwardly and talked about (and blogged about) 5oo years later. My professor loves to tell the story to all his new students. This was certainly one of the strangest experiences of my life.

UMMM

mom, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

my mother is eccentric. her approach to christmas is getting rid of old things or giving thrift store treasures. While it's odd, there is a real sense of anticipation when the christmas package arrives. What shocking thing for the stocking will be enclosed this year?
So, let's have a look at the unique things in this year's christmas stocking:
1. My old winnie the poo watch given to me from one of my first boyfriends. why do i (or more accurately, does my mom-but now me again) still have this? it really is a horrible thing to have ever possessed.
2. my high school field hockey mouth guard. eeew. where was this hiding??
3. a kitty figurine. um. i guess that speaks for itself. but let me restate: a kitty figurine.
4. a package of flavored coffee. with the price tag still on. i do like coffee, although i'm not so much a flavoring sort of girl. but hey, it's perfect for hosting guests... when is my mom visiting again?

It's fun to joke about eccentric presents. my mom is the sort of lady who lives to make herself laugh and whether anyone else gets the joke or not is irrelevant. i love that about my mother. it makes her presents (almost) precious. it also reminds me of how ridiculous christmas has become. i have a feeling that this is my mother's way of protesting something she hasn't an inkling of believing in. what matters is love, family, the celebration of Christ, and a reminder that good-will on earth has nothing to do with christmas presents.

I feel most blessed this christmas, once again.
(oh, and she did include one sentimental gift - my father's class ring.)

Christmas dinner

dinner, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

last weekend, friends gathered for a family christmas dinner at the home of ma and pa hayman's. together, we played christmas games, read the christmas story, and enjoyed the joviality of friendship.

festivial

dinner2, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

sara and me

sara, originally uploaded by staarkidd.