Ready or not, it's finally here....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

After several busy Christmassy days, and there is no way i could possibly exaggerate how jam packed they've been with festive fun of all varieties...

cute homey stuff....

and crazy drunken stuff too...

...looks like it's finally here, ready or not, snow or no!

Spent a sweet Christmas Eve with Darin's fam and with my last minute preps finally done at 2:09 a.m. I guess I'm ready for the madness of Christmas morning. Can't wait, actually!

SO...MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL -

AND TO ALL, A GOOD NIGHT!

Christmas Caroling through the Foresty Night

How adorable is my sis the hostess?

Her Christmas party at her cozy forest home in Grass Valley was just right...we ate soup, we watched every Christmas movie you could think of, we played poker, we christened the first bottle of their home-brewed beer, and best of all we went CHRISTMAS CAROLING OUT INTO THE NIGHT!

Here's their gnome home all decked out:

And here's our jolly cold-air caroling with mugs of mulled wine!

Addie says her dream finally came true. We sang every Christmas song we could possibly think up, and even threw in some Little Mermaid for good measure.

Darin and I pose awkward-prom-pic style by the tree because, yes, I really did wear THAT DRESS.

I got it at the thrift store years ago and have never had a chance to wear it, so now that I am never embarrassed about anything, I went with it, cause why not?

The bodice is so tight it felt like a corset. I had a total "Meet Me in St. Louis" moment with that.

Addie showing Jocelyn around: did you ever see a cuter pregnant girl? I think not.

Art and his brother Cameron making merry.

Grabbypants' way of celebrating is to plop right there by the fire all night.

Addie and Art's first bottle of home-brewed beer using fresh hops grown in their garden.

SO GOOD! Each bottle has a different name, this one is "Hoppin a Feel."

We want to open our own family-run brewery and lodge someday!

I love their retro-style tree.

The whole house was so damn sparkly festive it was like a Christmas explosion!

We even watched the Thomas Kincaid movie "The Christmas Cottage." Which - wow. Just wow. TK, if you are really trying to celebrate the "specialness" of our good old hometown Placerville, maybe you ought to actually film the movie there and not some lame ass replica. It's really sort of hilarious.

Saying good-bye to the most celebratory person I know.

We had a lovely sleigh-ride home in Ryann's comfy big old Cadillac with Nick at the wheel, all of us snuggled in and chatting cozily through the canyon.

And when I got home these tiny hoodlums were asleep in my living room, joy is me!

And tonight is Christmas Karaoke, can't wait!

Now I'm off to do a ton of holiday baking. I can't believe how fast this Christmas season has gone.

It's actually scaring me how much I still want to do, so off I go!

Film Lovers Unite!

I am proud to announce that our first annual Unicorn Brew Film Festival was a MAJOR SUCCESS!

After a frantic day of getting everything ready, things truly went swimmingly. Darin and I were running around like two chickens with our heads cut off all day and I remember while setting up all these chairs (below) thinking, how sad if only like five people show up and so many of these chairs stay empty.

HA! Couldn't have been farther from the truth.

So, here is the set up inside the venue, and during the film screenings this room was bursting at the seams.

There is no exaggerating the crowds that showed up. People we didn't even know, not just friends and family although they were all here too!

Our lovely dear Ryann working the door alongside all the homemade trophies for the awards ceremony.

A row of watchers gets comfy on the blankets and pillows we set up in the front. We wanted a cozy vibe, and I think we got it. I am especially proud of my twinkly lights (not pictured). I think they made all the difference.

The arrival of our esteemed hosts, Edgar Hope and Mickey Hoohaw. Aka IT Speaks.

They are a comedy duo that is ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS. They played competing film critics who just basically don't get anything. Their introductions of each film were priceless.

Matt and Amy are here! The festivities are complete!

Awards Ceremony: after the films were all screened, the hosts presented the "Uni's" to our talented filmmakers. Darin's is, yes, proudly displayed now upon the mantle.

Did I mention COZY? so warm and inviting that a damn massage train happens.

And then, of course, MUSIC. Making the night complete.

Joey and the guys getting their rocks on with Dark River and i am not kidding, people go crazy for this shit.

And then, the cutest stage persona ever, my own

ADORABLE sis who hasn't played a show in months, finally back at it with her amazing song creations of Coal Beautiere. Also, she covers Enigma's "Return to Innocence." Um, could anything possibly get better than that?

Artists.

mmmmmm, life.

and there is so much more to come this week.

The Rockstar Life

Last night's show was AMAZING.

Like, you want to cry the songs are so good; you want to write everything down and make little drawings to go with the lyrics and then ride your bicycle up into the december sky.

Here's adorable Kaitlyn as frontwoman of her band "The Pretty Littles" singing songs that get straight into your blood and bones.

 

And then my brother's band Dark River played and our hearts paddled in canoes down watery riverways into mystery swamplands.

Here's Emily singing back-up vocals.

My hubby on bass, looking hot as hades.

And stanny on drums, wowing the ladies.

That's Jamie on the right with the accordion. Nothing beats a band with an accordion/trumpet player. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Like a groupie, I had to get my picture taken with the stars:

Find out more about Dark River music here or here.

It will make your heart explode into a million brilliantstar peieces.

Scatter Joy...

...says Emerson, and so LET THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN!

i.e. nerding out at the holiday party with literary friends and a couple of my amazing professors from school and wondering if Katie's baby might suddenly make an impromptu Christmas arrival!

then heading up to karaoke at Powell's for stanny's birthday party:

Check out addie's pretty festive stylz.

Adam brings some hip hop in the house!

Darin's bustin out the professor coat. And some sillies in the back are merrymaking.

And now on to another night of fun: Joey's offical Dark River CD release show tonight at the art walk in downtown Placerville. And the kids are here! So much fun is washing over us from now until the New Year, I'm all sparkly with joy.

What are you guys up to this busy, festive weekend??

Unicorn Brew Film Festival and holiday haps

As you probably know, my hubby is passionate about art and filmmaking. He and his collaborators have been planning this upcoming film festival for months. Today we're in the paper!

It is going to be so much fun and it's a big night for my fam. My sister is in at least 3 of the films. And my brother Joey is having his CD release show after the film screenings for his new album Dark River, which has the most haunting beautiful foresty folksy songs you could imagine.

With beautiful cover art from the talented Mister Z.E. Pangborn:

Here's a close up of our wonderful creative team that put this crazy exciting event together:

Stan, Jamie, Darin:

If you happen to live near the Placerville, California area come to the Cozmic Cafe Sunday night. Have a locally brewed beer and watch some enigmatic and totally CREATIVE films and music.

Yeah for arts during the holidays!

Now I'm off to get ready for tonight's Literary Holiday Party with my scholarly friends...which translates to BRING ON THE NERDY FUN!

Let there be LIGHT

I have to admit it: I get a little twinge of diappointment when I drive by and notice the lack of Christmas lights in our neighborhood this year! Maybe I sound like the Grinch on Freaky Friday, but where's the cheer folks?

I rationalize my feelings thus: it's supposed to be a time to celebrate the midwinter season by bringing light into a time of darkness. I figure that's been the idea for hundreds of years, all around the world, whether candlelight, firelight, or LED light. So let's bust em out neighbors.

So tonight I am celebrating those festive folks around town that warm my Christmas-addicted heart. I wish all my neighbors read this blog so they'd get inspired!

Here's what I LOVE to see, a little pair of matching houses down the street who are full-on festive:

My momma and I took a little drive last night and I showed her my absolute favorite, this adorable little old-fashioned cottage all decked out:

I want to go put an anonymous note on their door telling them how bright and lovely their house looks for everyone that passes by.

And of course, the local Bed and Breakfasts have the right idea:

This huge Christmas tree is across from the city park:

And our town has the BEST tradition of having lines of lit up Christmas trees all along the highway. When I was twelve years old and we were first moving here and I was a very nerdy little bookworm obsessed with Anne of Green Gables, I named them "The Lighted Ladies." The name has stuck.

Here they are, whizzing by on their way to the ball:

And I am lucky to work in a downtown diner with a downright cheery boss who has a big decorating party every year. Yeah, Mel's, that's what I like to see when I drive by at 11:00 at night! (The part of myself that cares about conserving energy seems to vanish during the holidays, hmmmm)

And finally, of course, my own humble abode, the only beacon of light at nighttime in my neighborhood this year, and thanks to my honey for putting them up.

"And the prettiest sight you'll see is the holly that will be on your own front door."

Simple stuff, but at least it's bright and shiny! HOME SWEET HOME.