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December 27, 2011: Snow Monkeys are World Champions! Finally getting around to unwrapping those gifts!

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SNOW MONKEYS WIN!  SNOW MONKEYS WIN!

My Snow Monkeys are this season’s RIP Stargate Fantasy Football Champs!  After failing to make the playoffs in their first year in league play, the Snow Monkeys made a better showing this season – but it wasn’t easy.  After starting out an impressive 5-2 and knocking off the undefeated I Have No Imagination, the Snow Monkeys went 2-4 to finish the regular season.  Fortunately, their 7-6 record coupled with a crushing victory in a must-win game to end the regular season saw them snap up the last playoff spot.  Clearly, they were a team of destiny.  Their first match-up was in the wildcard round, a return match against I Have No Imagination – and another victory.  Their following playoff game saw them face off against the hottest team in the league, Popular Vote Pentunia – and score yet another victory.  But they faced their toughest match-up yet in the championship game when they faced off against the #1 team in the league, The Pigskin Pirates.  It was close but, thanks to big performances by the likes of Cam Newton, Kevin Smith, Rashard Mendenhall, and CJ Spiller, they captured the 2011 RIP Stargate Fantasy Football League crown!

Snow Monkey dance time!

We were too tired to open gifts Christmas Eve, then still too tired to open them Christmas Day, so we ended up opening our presents Boxing Day.  I ended up snapping about 150 pics.  I’ll spare you about 130 of ’em…

Another candidate in our ugliest Christmas ornament contest.
Roxy sleeping off all that eggnog.
My sister's creepy headless nick-nacks.
Felix kicks back and relaxes.
For my sister – two of my favorite recent reads, both by Iron Chef America judge's table regular Jeffrey Steingarten.
Mom is "in the zone".
Sis is thrilled with her Christmas gift = booze!
My sister's "Hey, mom – didn't I get YOU this for Christmas last year?" look.
Aspen gets into the holiday spirit.
Akemi feeling camera shy.
Socks!!!
Now mom can carry her dog Felix around with her wherever she goes.
Caramel checks out Akemi's new slippers.
More Christmas slippers.
Mom
Akemi's new baking ensemble.
I know Carl's gonna want to borrow this.
Inspiration for Akemi.
I'm going to need another drawer for my growing cufflink collection.
Chestnut cream. I used to have this stuff on vanilla ice cream all the time – about fifteen pounds ago.
It's spread made out of those little tea biscuits. Seriously. Needless to say, this one was a hit!
What more could I ask for? A framed picture of my sister that I can display – right between the comic collection and my resin Doctor Octopus statue.
That's a wrap on the unwrapping. Maximus is exhausted.

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36 responses

  1. Lisa R Avatar
    Lisa R

    Congrats on the championship!! It’s been years since hubby played, but I remember him being very excited when he won one year.

    Have a great day!

    Reply
  2. Airelle Avatar
    Airelle

    woW, What a nice bunch of presents, I hope everyone got something they wanted. Are Sis’s nick- nacks headless on purpose? You can never have enough slippers or socks or booze, Aw Max looks wiped out, naps are good. Thanks for sharing Christmas and your family with us. And way to go Snow Monkeys!! Hip Hip Hoorah!! 😉

    Reply
  3. Sg1efc Avatar
    Sg1efc

    Cool pics, the Maximus pic is best though. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Tam Dixon Avatar
    Tam Dixon

    What wonderful presents! I’m so glad you are all having a good time. Hugs to Max!!!

    Reply
  5. tatianajb Avatar
    tatianajb

    Congrats on the win! The Wraith did not do so well….but we are somewhat statisfied with 2nd place. Next year we will be victorious!

    Also, Merry Christmas! it sounds like you all had a wonderful time!

    Reply
  6. PBMom Avatar
    PBMom

    Crap, just had a big message posted & accidentally went to look something else up and lost it.

    I’ve been busy tending to my minor problem that turned into a major problem, a 14 cm x 5 cm of infection creeping from my kidney biopsy site. Yeah, that big. The antibiotic I was on wasn’t working. I wound up having to call the doctor on Saturday & he was kind enough to help me avoid the ER by just calling in a new antibiotic. It spread still on Sunday, and I decided if it didn’t get any better by Monday, I’d go to the ER. I didn’t need for it to get totally out of control like my arm thing in Aug/Sep. Fortunately I woke up and it had not spread & the redness was less. It was looking downright beautiful last night. Feeling much better today.

    Let me get caught up on comments from where I left off in posts–

    I’m so sorry to hear about Maximus. People say “you know” when the time is right. I didn’t with my last 2 goldens and they had heart attacks and died on their own. I’m hoping Maddie follows that tradition so I’m not faced with that decision. I think I would be guilt-ridden and question my decision for the rest of my life. But if I had to do it, I would go all the way (staying through the procedure). I know some people can’t stay because it is too heart wrenching, but I would. Not judging, just a personal choice. You are a great dad to the dogs. Look at all you do for them. I don’t think this is going to change now at Maximus’ end of life. XXOO

    Great job Akemi wrapping the gifts.

    Maximus walks faster on his walks than *I* do. Loved the jingle bells.

    I have no ugly Christmas ornaments.

    What are we up to this holiday season: I tried to get out 500 Christmas cards to anyone on Facebook who are friends with me who didn’t get a snail-mail card. Having the infection in my back hampered those efforts, but I finished my task yesterday, though late. Christmas Eve I kicked Jeff out of the house to go spend time with his friend (they went to see MI-4–Mike Dopud is in there!). We were supposed to see this on Friday, but alas had to cancel our plans. He spent all of his vacation time this week taking care of Patrick while I was going through my thing. He needed the time away. Patrick slept until 10:30 Christmas morning. Very unusual for him. In fact, we had to wake him up so that he would go to sleep at a decent time Sunday night. Maddie opened her gift. See her tear off the paper on the gift and open the box and then take her gift to her secret lair (about 3:30 minutes)

    http://youtu.be/uwzboR9Bp7w

    Patrick opened his gift, a clownfish AirSwimmers that I got for him because it looked like Nemo. You know how parents forget the batteries for presents? I forgot the helium tank. However, I put Winnie the Pooh DVD on for him, something he hasn’t seen in a year, and that put a smile on his face. He also loved watching Maddie & enjoyed playing with his Birthday balloon (about 26 seconds).

    I talk real high when I get excited.

    Jeff & I opened gifts. I got him the new Tom Clancy book and a Totes table tennis gift that allows you to turn any table into your ping-pong paradise. I plan to kick his ass. I do so in Kinect table tennis, so let’s see how this translates into the real world. We, of course, intend to pull out the dining room table into the living room so we don’t break the hanging lamp. I got Chris Daughtry’s new CD and a $15 Itunes gift card that will allow me to go get the David Cook CD. He told me my other gift 3 nights previously (which I thought was a way of throwing me off the trail): A Bike of my choice. Now, sure, that is a great present, but I need to be able to walk a mile consistently before I feel like spending the money on a bike I may not quickly use. A local sporting goods store is selling exercise bikes for $90. However, I may decide to buy this instead: http://www.yonanas.com/

    I took more video, but I can’t post it because Jeff and I are arguing a lot on them. Like how he told Patrick what his gift was before Patrick was even done opening it. The kid gets one gift. I said something like, “You really love to ruin Christmas presents don’t you?”

    Now onto the next blog post where you told pg15 you were about to put an APB out for him. You see, when I got to sending Peter his card because he is one of my Facebook friends who didn’t get a snail-mail card, I attached a note saying he should come visit because we miss him, so Joe, the psychic attachment was yours and mine! Glad he stopped by. I think we’ll be calling him Dr. PG15 before you know it.

    And finally current blog: Congratulations Snow Monkeys. I still have no clue about Fantasy Football. I don’t like football to begin with; I don’t want to have any fantasy about them.

    Reply
  7. PBMom Avatar
    PBMom

    Just in case those links wind up embedding into your blog, in all fairness to my dog (who comes from a proud line of hunting dogs), the balls are in a vacumn-sealed container, wrapped in an old t-shirt of Jeff’s, put in tissue paper, wrapped in a box, and wrapped with wrapping paper. All four boxes had T-shirts worn by Jeff to be completely fair in her abilities to search.

    Reply
  8. Ganymede Avatar
    Ganymede

    I think I found the “Ugly Ornaments” *MOTHER-LODE*!! Was at BOMBAY COMPANY today… One of the tree racks in the back was just covered in those brightly-painted-probably-radioactive-mercury-glass-blown bulbs similar to the ones you had posted! When I saw them, I thought of You! 😀

    Reply
  9. shiningwit Avatar
    shiningwit

    You mean you’re not putting you sis’ pic on your supervillain shelf? Everyone looks well and chilled. I’m going back to my Kindle, got the entire Wheel of Time series on there and already on book 4.
    Best wishes to you all

    Shiningwit

    Reply
  10. gforce Avatar
    gforce

    Congrats on the Snow Monkeys win! It seemed like only yesterday that they were almost out of contention. What a comeback! (That now exhausts the sum of my knowledge of fantasy league football. Wait, that’s what that was, right?)

    Christmas looked great for you guys! Loved the pics. After a somewhat downbeat Christmas Day, I went to PEI yesterday to visit my best friends but unfortunately had to come back today for work tomorrow. Still, it was great to see them.

    I think I want that Awkward Family Pet Photos book. Dibs after Carl!

    Reply
  11. DALLAS MARSHALL (@MrsTigercat) Avatar
    DALLAS MARSHALL (@MrsTigercat)

    Check out this totally cool visual Fx video: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=XVTga6GmbGw&vq=medium#t=74

    Reply
  12. Lexxye Avatar
    Lexxye

    Congratulations Snow Monkeys!

    Your mom looks great. Beautiful picture of your sister. I like all your sister’s Xmas decorations. Thanks for all the pictures and Happy Boxing Day.

    Reply
  13. dasndanger Avatar
    dasndanger

    Congrats to your Sea [Snow] Monkeys! 🙂

    Booze! 😀

    Socks? Wow. Just think of all the puppets you can make! 😉

    I really want that awkward pet picture book. I’ve been to the awkward family picture website and laughed my fool head off at some of the crazy crap people do in pictures, but the pet ones seem to top them all.

    Akemi got all the cute stuff! 🙂

    Went out for dinner tonight, had a delish piece of ginger-glazed tuna, with Asian slaw and wasabi mashed potatoes…and finished with chocolat pots de creme. Very yummy!

    Ugh. Mr. Das has just summoned me. Gotta run. Will try to say more later. Have a good one, sir! Huggles Maximus for me!

    das

    Reply
  14. Ponytail Avatar
    Ponytail

    Congratulations to your Snow Monkeys. Do you think they could help the Cowboys win the Championship, or maybe their division, or even just a game?

    All those Christmas pictures look great! Love your new cuff links, the picture of your sister, etc. Your mom looks fabulous! Why is beautiful Akemi hiding? Love her new slippers and especially her Bento Box book. Looking at Aspen sleeping on the couch makes me want a big dog again. And Maximus is the sweetest little boy.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  15. Debra Avatar
    Debra

    I cannot imagine being too tired to open presents!
    Great pics, but tell Akemi we like to see her cute face!

    Reply
  16. dappy Avatar
    dappy

    i’d be lying if i said i expected the snowmonkeys to win. nicely done, sir.

    and why is your (tres jolie) lady friend so camera shy?

    Reply
  17. dasndanger Avatar
    dasndanger

    Heh…I just realized that the apron-enshrouded Akemi looks like a Dalek…with oven mitts. 🙂

    das

    Reply
  18. DP Avatar
    DP

    Fantasy football is so not my thing, but the expressiveness of the snow monkey pictures is all about awesome.

    I’ve been resisting the urge to get my kids a beagle puppy. My parents and my sister each got one. Any doubts I had about whether my kids could refrain in the long term from tormenting a pet were moot since my toddler screamed when a puppy would get near. Then, she’d go face to face with the adult beagle who deals with a puppy every day and she’d jibber jabber her complaints and he looked like he understood.

    Reply
  19. archersangel Avatar
    archersangel

    congrats to your snow monkeys!

    Reply
  20. Mike A. Avatar
    Mike A.

    Ok, Aspen and Roxy are way too cute! And that book of awkward family pet photos….I must have that. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine!

    -Mike A.

    Reply
  21. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    Mmm…Lotus Speculoos are the best….we always make sure there are at least 2 packs in the cupboard and visit hubby’s family over there regularly to shop and stock up…the chocolate covered biscuits are well worth buying too…:)

    Happy New Year!

    Reply
  22. Maggiemayday Avatar
    Maggiemayday

    Huzzah for the Snow Monkeys!

    Mmmmm, Frangelico, love it. And that cupcake apron is adorable just like Akemi.

    Reply
  23. Airelle Avatar
    Airelle

    @PBMom, glad to hear you are better, and thanks for the yonanas idea, sons bd is coming up and sounds so yummy and healthy. maybe I want one for me.
    Joe, how are you doing with leftovers, any left.? Your mom is such a wonderful cook, love it. Can’t wait to see Akemi’s bento box creations. Have a great day!

    Reply
  24. Nola Shingledecker Avatar
    Nola Shingledecker

    Yum – Kahlua, one of my favorites! Next to that, Akemi’s slippers and your cufflinks are at the top of my list. I’m happy for you that your Snowmonkeys won. Didn’t look like it for a while there. That is an awesomely ugly ornament, which begs the question – aren’t ornaments supposed to “adorn” the tree rather than scandalize it?

    Oh, and I got socks too. Nice warm cashmere ones!

    Reply
  25. JimFromJersey Avatar
    JimFromJersey

    Joe,
    Congrats on the Snow Monkeys! Looks like a fine Christmas was had by all.

    I just learned of a nifty little shot using Frangelico called a “chocolate covered pretzel”: Add equal parts Frangelico and whipped cream vodka to a shaker of ice. Shake to mix. Pour into shot glass. Lick some salt from your hand (like if you were doing a tequila shot) drink the shot. Viola! Chocolate covered pretzel. Have fun Sis!

    Reply
  26. Tam Dixon Avatar
    Tam Dixon

    PBmom: I’m so sorry that your incision is infected. I can’t believe your rotten luck! Sending good health vibes your way.
    Plus, you stuck to your gift limit and found some great presents for your hubby and Patrick. A few of our friends took the “Dave Ramsey” class. One of the rules they had this year was to only buy gifts from Goodwill stores. If you have the time to shop at a second hand store, you can get new, unopened products at good prices. It’s all about the time and thought you put into a present that really makes it special.

    Das: I’m glad you took the TV back. I read in today’s paper that TV prices were going to plunge.

    I’m a little jealous of Akemi and her slippers. I asked my hubby to get me slippers for Christmas and he completely wigged out. I believe he was having “end of year” work stress. He was spending hours “online” shopping for slippers! I took pity on him and let him off the hook. I’m hoping to pick up a good pair of slippers at a post-Christmas sale this weekend.

    Reply
  27. Shiny Avatar
    Shiny

    Yay to the Monkeys, gotta say that one is a shocker. Hugs to Maximus, cute little fella. Christmas was fun but flew by, best part was went Santa came, worse part were the airport delays, so happy to be home.

    Best present was flannel pjs, I’d like to wear them to work. Worse present was the flu from the tots who oozed germy germs but were so adorable that it was well worth the misery.

    Reply
  28. Elminster Avatar
    Elminster

    Hey Joe

    How long are you staying on this side of the country?

    @ anyone who can help My daughter gave me George R.R. Martin’s A Dance with Dragons for Christmas. It appears to be part of a collection called A Song of Fire and Ice which includes A Game of Thrones. Should I, or do I need to, get the first 4 books to get anything out of it?

    Thanks
    Elminster

    Reply
  29. Sue Jackson Avatar
    Sue Jackson

    YAAAAAY!!! SNOW MONKEYS!!!! CONGRATS!!! 😀

    Well…Joe…looks like you had a wonderful Christmas! 🙂 Love Akemi’s cute baking outfit. And…those bento boxes are just adorable. I’ll be looking forward to see more of Akemi’s bento box creations! 🙂

    *hugs for Maximus* How’s Maximus? I he feeling better? I still pray for him.

    Reply
  30. Tam Dixon Avatar
    Tam Dixon

    Sorry for posting again, Mr. M.. I forgot to post a recipe link. It’s for a traditional Southern dish called “Hopping John”. This dish is supposed to ensure that you have mula in the new year. http://twitpic.com/7zw1lt

    Reply
  31. josephmallozzi Avatar
    josephmallozzi

    Elminster – Yes, the book you received is the latest in the Song of Ice and Fire series. You should start with the first book, A Game of Thrones.

    Reply
  32. PBMom Avatar
    PBMom

    @Airelle Any time!

    @Tam I’m feeling much, much better. Should know biopsy results on afternoon of Jan 13.

    Reply
  33. PBMom Avatar
    PBMom

    @Shiny I actually do wear my flannel pajamas to work (I telecommute 100% for my employer). Jealous? In fact, I’m wearing PJ bottoms right now with a regular shirt, just because they are more comfortable than my jeans.

    Reply
  34. Thornyrose Avatar
    Thornyrose

    Nice haul. And nice job guiding your Snow Monkeys to victory. When you get home you can throw a celebration to rival the upcoming Superbowl Doings. (stuck working that day but my shift won’t be deterred by sick people and burning buildings; our plans are already falling into place). Hope you enjoy the rest of the week and have an uneventful trip back home.

    Reply
  35. Elminster Avatar
    Elminster

    Ok, Joe, I guess I’m off to get the first book.
    Thank you, I appreciate it!

    Elminster

    Reply
  36. Squishy Avatar
    Squishy

    Yay Snow Monkey’s! Every online league I attend i’m doomed from the start…Doesnt matter if its The Tour de France or Football (soccer).

    Speculoos! Thats made from Speculoos biscuits, or Speculaas if you like it. Typical Dutch/Belgian cookie. Her in the Netherlands we got like 100 different speculaascookies/cakes/pie’s etc. Can’t get enough of it 🙂 Yum!

    Great to see Max doing better. Hopefully the prednizon (?) will keep his appetite up to date.

    Although I don’t post much, i’m reading your blogs everyday Joe…Thanks for taking the time and effort to write them! Happy Newyear to everyone, in advance 🙂

    Cheers,

    Squishy

    Reply

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