Non-Stop Party People In The House

SOUNDTRACK
Radiohead, Bjork, Tortoise, Christmas themes, unidentified tango marches

BREAKFAST WITH THE CRANES
Friday morning Mom, Dad and I met up with Scotty, Michelle and Jack Crane at The Hi-Life in downtown Ballard for some yummy breakfast. I think this is our 3rd time there and we just love it. The breakfast served as our holiday get-together because the Crane's couldn't make it to an evening we were hosting for them last week due to illness. They gave me a very neat onesie from Clover that has the image of Ella Fitzgerald on it. How cool is that?!

IQ BEATS COMPANY CHRISTMAS PARTY
OK, this is all heresay as I was not there, but here is a PG-rated account of Mom and Dad's night out. After dropping me off out in Issaquah for the night, Mom and Dad went to The Buenos Aires Grill to meet up with the rest of the IQ Beats team members and their significant others. It was everyone's first time there and the feedback is that they were all very pleased. Mom and Dad ordered a mixed grill of meats called a parillada. It consisted of: skirt steak, hanger steak, sweet breads, chorizo, and chicken... All grilled and quite yummy. This is a bit differnent than the Brazilian churrascaria-style that they love so much, but great none the less. Dad picked out a yummy Argentinian Cabernet that went over well with everyone. Karen Vander Weide, one of the singers IQ Beats uses, coerced a patron in the bar to give up one of his Vegas Robaina Cuban cigars for she and Dad to share. Then someone started ordering cake shots (Absolut Citron with Frangelico). Things went downhill from there.

The restaurant is very cool though. At different points throuhout the evening the staff cranked up the music and a beautiful couple tangoed through the restaurant to cheers and vigorous clapping. Eventually their parade ended up with a scorching romp back and forth atop the bar. The whole time Mommy was suggesting that tango dancing might just be something they need to learn how to do. Daddy became engrossed in a coversation with the owner about his love for a Brazilian-style churrascaria. Marco then handed Daddy a stack of business cards for his next venture, The Ipanema Brazilian Grill. This will be opening at 1st and University by the Harbor Steps and will be serving steaks on swords at your table in the churrascaria style. Brazilian music and caipirinha's will assure a good time. Mom and Dad can't wait!!

Mom and Dad finally arrived home at about 4AM after a few more rounds of cake shots and a couple more barhops to the Nitelite and Scarlet Tree. Mom claims that she would have been up for more, but had to get home because her boobs were so hard that she could crack a walnut between them. Ahhh, the joys of nursing.

MEET THE GRANDFOCKERS
Since Mom and Dad were whooping it up in Seattle for the night, I got dropped off with Grandma H. and Papa. It was the usual affair of a lot of snug time with the grandpeeps. They had invited Anne-Marie and Brett to come over for a hang session, so it was a fun group of my favorite folks. And this time around everything was OK in the food department as Mom had left us with 9 bags of her boob juice since last time she came up short. Grandma H. gave me a bath in the morning, which is a nice idea but not as comfy as at home since she doesn't have the ergonomic bathing tub like we do. But alas, at least I was clean for 5 minutes before my next blowout.

CHRISTMAS GIFT TIME AT OUR HOUSE
Since Mom and Dad weren't going to have a free night before now and Christmas, they decided to open their gifts for one another on Saturday night. It was fun for me to watch the wrapping fly for the very first time in my life. But that was short-lived since 90% of the gifts they had for one another were in gift bags - They both absolutely suck at wrapping gifts. Here are some highlights for Mom: pretty lingerie, a pink iPod mini, pizza cutter (something she's wanted for a few years now), and her custom-made Ella sweatshirt. Dad scored with: several CDs as well as the Nirvana box set, new Nike golf shoes, a beautiful black velvet jacket, and both a framed photo and photo album containing old pictures of Dad's dad.

HOLIDAY CHEERS WITH THE HASAGAWOTTS
Sunday night gave us the pleasure of a visit by Geoff and Miyuki Ott. Mom put out an assortment of cheese like you've never seen (I'll be talking to her about cutting back on her cheese expenditures so that I might have a chance to go to college someday) and they all enjoyed some champagne. A very nice time spent with friends during the holiday season.