Goodbye 2007

I thought it was appropriate that the final picture this year should be nearly the same as the first I posted on this blog. There are a few subtle differences, but in essense, it is the same. This is probably the only thing 365 days later that is the same in my life. I never thought going into this "project" that so many things in my life would be different. The threat of being laid off at Chrysler was always there, but looking back at my earlier posts, it's funny to think at the time I wrote it I had no idea that 12 months later I would be an expectant father. There have been other, smaller changes in my life, but nothing is comparable to that one thing. Even with the potential loss of my job looming on the horizon, this has likely been one of the best years of my life. I'm sure it will be surpassed very soon-- in about 4 months.

Abandoned

Today Dad and I took another trip to Poplar Grove to pick up some furniture for his new place. The last time we did this, we passed by this old abandoned house. It was incredibly foggy that day, and when I saw this place, I kicked myself for not having my camera on hand. I guess earlier lessons slipped by me today. Anyway, this time I was prepared. Even though the fog wasn't there today, I think there is still a very eerie quality to these images. It makes you wonder what happened to these people to just abandon their home like this.


We hit another milestone today. Well, it was more of a personal milestone, but it was pretty important nonetheless. Today was the first time I felt my daughter kick. I have to say, that is one of the most incredible things I have ever felt in all my life. It seems like such a simple thing, and it's something Steph feels daily, but for me to feel it was pretty special.

Out With the Old....

... in with the new!

We got the car today! After getting to the dealership at noon exactly, we rolled off the lot about 2:30 with this shiny new car. It took a lot longer than I had anticipated, and since I woke up a little late this morning, I hadn't had anything to eat. I was feeling pretty crappy by the time we got done, but it was nothing Portillo's couldn't take care of. Mmmm.... Italian sausage....

Steph's really going to miss the "stump", and we'll both miss the amazing gas mileage it gets, but we simply had to have something bigger. The payment is only about $10 more a month than the Scion, so there really isn't much of a difference as far as that is concerned. I'm certain this will be a great car for us when the baby comes, and it's something we could keep if 5 years down the road we decide to expand the family a little more.

Whitewashed

Today I woke up to be greeted by one of the bigger snowfalls we've had this year. It snowed pretty steadily for about 4 or 5 hours, then petered off to a gentle flurry. The snow is pretty heavy and wet, which made for some great shoveling. We didn't get a lot of snow, but it was enough to blanket all the trees and make it look very "seasonal".

I called the dealership this morning, and told our guy that we are indeed going to get the car. Considering my job situation, it was a very difficult decision. At the end of the day, we are going to have that payment no matter what, and we really need something bigger and more family-friendly than Stephanie's little Scion xA. Pics to come!

New Baby is Born!

Well, I screwed up today. We went to visit our newly born niece, Lilian Alaine, and I left my camera at the hospital! To top it off, it's highly likely that either tomorrow or Saturday, we'll be trading in our 2005 Scion Xa for a brand spankin new 2008 Jeep Patriot. Hopefully I'll have my camera back by then so you al can see the new ride.

I'll be editing this post tomorrow or the next day with the photo I took. It figures. 4 days left of this thing, and I probably won't have my camera for two of them....

*EDIT*
Okay, once again I'm an idiot. Turns out by when I said I left my camera at the "hospital", what I really meant was "Steph's car". Anyway, here's a really great shot of Steph holdning her new niece, while her slightly-less-new niece Juliana poses for the camera. Cute!

Building the Baby Bed

Steph and I braved the nearly 2 hour drive through Chicago traffic today to go to the giant blue box, also known as Ikea. Our intention was to look for a bed for the baby, since the prices there are pretty good for furniture and we were okay with the styles. What we came home with was exactly what we wanted-- something affordable, that will convert to a "toddler bed" in a few years when the baby gets bigger. We also picked up some decorations for the room, 12 really nice glasses (for 6 bucks!), and other assorted odds and ends.

Opening the box was a bit intimidating. There were tons of parts, and the hardware bag was full of what seemed like far to many screws and bolts for something so simple. In the end, it was far easier to put together than I had anticipated, and to be perfectly honest, I kinda like doing stuff like this. Am I a freak or what?

Christmas Day/The Third Shot

Not only is today Christmas Day, but it's also been two weeks since I took a baby belly shot! It's now been 6 weeks since I took the first one, and you can clearly see a difference from then, and also from the second shot. Steph says she can now feel the baby kicking on the outside, but I have yet to be lucky enough to be around when it happens.

Today Steph and I drove all over creation. We started by stopping in at my Aunt Linda's house to visit my Dad's side of the family. I don't get to see them very often, so it was nice to go and see everyone. We then drove all the way to Pecatonica to Steph's Grandma Eaton's house. We got there a little late, so every one wasn't there anymore, but we did get to see almost everyone. I had a great conversation at one point with her Uncles, Mike and Jim, about Mac vs. PC. I love talking about that stuff.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Eve

Tonight is Christmas Eve! I spent the evening with family in Poplar Grove, and shot mostly video. Since I've bought the video camera, I've been neglecting my SLR a little. This picture was actually taken with my video camera, and it will likely be one of the last I take with it. It's pretty clear it's not really made for that. Steph and I usually separate on Christmas Eve, since both our families have gatherings on that day. With the baby coming, this will probably be the last year we do it this way. I really don't want to be separated from my family at this time of year. I think mom mentioned something about having it on a different day, so hopefully that will happen.

Oh, and yes, I did miss another day. I think 2 days out of 365 is acceptable, right?

The Leg Lamp

Everyone knows where this thing comes from, right? If you haven't, turn your TV to TNT on Christmas Eve, and watch one of the greatest Christmas movies of my generation.

A few weeks back, Steph, her Mom, Sister, and Sister-in-law went to see the Nutcracker at the Coronado. It was nice for them to do something like that together, but it was all part of a master plan cooked up by Steph's dad, Matt. He had placed an order for this iconic piece long before the day of the show. When they arrived back at their house it was on display, much like the aforementioned movie, right in the front window. Obviously, it didn't stay there long. It's now been relegated to a window in the back of the house, where it's not quite as visible. I think it's a shame.

Greatest. Tee. Ever.

Okay, this is awesome. When my dad went to visit my sister and her family in California, he brought back a suitcase full of stuff from them. It was mostly maternity clothes for Steph, but there were also Christmas stuff and a t-shirt for me from my brother-in-law, Josh. Is that awesome or what? I like quirky, sometimes odd t-shirts, so this is right up my alley. Steph got some pretty funny ones too. I think we'll be taking a picture with both of us wearing them before the end of the year, so stay tuned.

Christmas Spirit

This is really the first time this month that I've felt the "Christmas Spirit." For some reason, seeing trees like this really strikes me as some sort of Christmas/December/Winter stereotype. Not that that's a bad thing. Walking out of work this morning and seeing all the trees covered in this thick layer of frost was really beautiful.

Speaking of work, I did indeed get of early this morning. As of this post, I've been awake for 24 hours straight. I usually do this on extended periods off, but it's always a struggle in those final hours. I'll likely stay awake for another hour and a half, maybe 2 hours. We'll see how far it goes.

Here's a couple more shots from this morning:

6 Days and Counting....

They days are slipping by, and we're getting really damn close to Christmas. As usual, I haven't yet finished my shopping, so I'll be braving the teeming masses tomorrow trying to get a couple more things. Tonight is my last day of work for the next 12 days, and I'm really excited to have so much time off. Not only am I off for so long, but I get to actually sleep at night for a change. That may not seem like such a big deal to most of you, but believe me, it is.

This shot is something I've seem done before, and I really wanted to try it for myself. I've seen it most recently from my photography/Mac/Xbox buddy out in Oregon, Nathan. He's got some really great stuff on his blog, and I was inspired by his time lapse styled slide show. You basically take a really long exposure, about 8 seconds, then in the last second, you zoom out with your lens. This created those streaks, and still keeps the ornament in focus. It's a really cool effect, and it makes for some pretty cool pictures.

Late Shipments

I'm a procrastinator. It's just a fact. I'm not proud of it, but I think we all procrastinate to a certain extent. This little 'problem' really manifests itself this time of year when I have packages to ship. I have one to send to my sister in California, and another to send to my brother Jon, who's stationed in the UAE as a member of the Air Force. I know that Jon's won't get to him by Chrstmas, but Kathie's package still should get there on time. Fortunately for me, I have a pretty understanding family, so hopefully it's not a big deal.

Well, it's pretty much a done deal that I'm not working Friday. Added to my other time off, I'll have a grand total of 12 days off, most of which will be paid. I can't wait. Just the opportunity to sleep at night and actually see the sun will be great.

New Camera!

I stopped in at Best Buy this morning and picked up my new camcorder. It's a little smaller than I expected, but it feels realy good in my hand, and it's very light. I haven't really had any time to shoot with it, and unfortunately, my Mac doesn't like the video files it creates. I had intended to edit and burn DVDs with iMovie and iDVD, but iMovie HD won't recognize the files this particiular camera spits out. Looks like I'll have to upgrade to the newer version, which I've heard is not nearly as good. I could always convert the video prior to bringing it into iMovie, but that's kind of a pain. I'll figure something out.

There's nothing for a photographer that's quite as exciting as getting new equipment. In this case, it may not be a still camera or a new lens, but I'm really stoked to give this thing a spin.

Favorite Shots #22: Punk in the Grass

It really helps on cold, bitter days like today to look at shots like this and think of warmer days. Punkin really loves going outside, and it's fun to try and catch shots of him before he goes running of in a random direction or tries head-butting my camera. I really love the contrast of this shot between his ginger fur and the vivid green grass.

I've been researching and investigating camcorders pretty intensely the last few weeks, and I've finally decided on the camera for me. I've decided on the Panasonic SDR-H18. It combines all the features I'm looking for in a camera, with a very affordable price point. Best Buy has this particular camera on sale, and although I really don't like supporting places like that, I have to go for the best deal. I've put the order in, and I'll be picking it up either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Dead Again

I love these headphones. They sound fantastic, and at work they block out virtually all the noise of a fully running assembly line. Unfortunately, they just don't work. I bought these beauties in February. I was looking for something that sounded good and blocked out a great deal of background noise. These things block more decibels that the earplugs Chrysler provides. About 5 months after I got them they failed. No big deal, right? They were under warranty. Now, another 6 months have passed, and they've failed again. They are still under warranty, but I on;y have one month left. What if they fail again in 6 months? For headphones that cost this much money, they should not be failing at this rate. I have an email in to their customer service. Hopefully they can extend the warranty or something.

Too... Many... Magazines

I've gone a bit magazine crazy. I've always been more of a book reader, but recently I've found myself reading more and more magazines. I've always had a subscription to EGM, but that's really been the only one I've consistently subscribed to. Recently, I decided to subscribe to Newsweek. It's a really great magazine, but it comes weekly. I often find myself not finishing it, and the unfinished issues have been piling up. Add to that a free sub to Wired, and I simply don't have the time to read them all. They're nice to have at work for breaks and downtime, but that's about the only time I read them. There simply aren't enough hours in the day.

The Second Shot....

As I said in a previous post, we're going to be taking pics of Steph roughly every two weeks so we can look back at her progress after the baby is born. Yesterday was two weeks, but considering the news from yesterday, we obviously waited until today.

Well, the job search still continues. I check the websites daily, but it's pretty slim pickings. There's usually about 5 or 6 jobs posted daily, but either I'm unqualified, or the pay is way too low. I just keep looking, and hopefully something will come up. I've heard the Lowes Distribution Center is hiring, and I've filled out my app for them. Hopefully I'll hear something soon.

It's A Girl!

Horray! We had the 20 week ultrasound today, and fortunately for us, the baby decided to cooperate. We got some great looks at her various "parts", and this fantastic "4D" shot of her face. Steph says she looks like me, but I can't really see it yet. Everything looks great, and she is exactly where she should be at this age. It was pretty amazing to be able to see her spine, ribs, organs, fingers and toes. I really wish that we could do an ultrasound every month-- it's my favorite part by far. We've decided on Violet for her first name, but we haven't yet picked her middle name yet. I guess it's a good thing we're having a girl, because we had absolutely no idea for a name of a boy.

Icy Night

Having to do the bulk of my photography at night is a real pain. The literal translation of photography is "writing with light," so obviously the fundamental part of that is light. No light, no photographs. Sometimes, that lack of light can make for some amazing spectacles. Tonight, after some pretty serious ice and rain, everything around is covered in a thin layer of ice. When I took the trash out tonight, I saw the light passing through the ice on these branches against the shadows of the branches themselves, and I couldn't pass up the shot. Beautiful.

Well, tommorow is the big day! At 8am, we have an appointment for Stephanie's 20 week ultrasound. This is the big one. If the baby cooperates, we should be able to see if it is a boy or a girl. I've said all along that is doesn't matter to me either way, and I still very much feel that way. I just want a healthy baby with an easy birth for Stephanie. If I can get those two things, I'll be happy. Look for an ultrasound tomorrow!

Little Shirts

It's so odd and exciting to see stuff like this around the house. It's such a foreign thing, to see baby clothes laying around, but it's something I'll become all to acquainted with over the next few years. We've started looking for some of the "big ticket" items we'll be needing to buy. This is the ideal time to be getting them, since I really have no idea what kind of job I'll be getting, or what kind of money I'll be making. Steph has picked a pretty nices stroller/carseat combo, and I've started researching video cameras. I know a video camera may not be a necessity, but it's something I want for sure. I'll also have to invest in some serious external storage for my computer, as the 160 gb external I have now is nearly full, and digital video takes up some space. I have to admit, it's nice to have a valid excuse to buy "toys" like that. It's for the baby!

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is something we've been thinking about getting for a while. If you sign up for it, you get 2 day shipping for everything Amazon sells. You can also get discounts on things by signing up for "subscriptions" of that item, like diapers or toilet paper. It's a pretty good deal at $80/year, and since I did so much shopping last night on Amazon, we decided to sign up for it. Now would likely be the only time we could afford to do it, with my inevitable release in February. We found some affordable biodegradable diapers that we'll be using, and that company provides a series of affordable, "green" products on Amazon--from baby wipes to paper towels. I know it will be difficult and a little more pricey that normal, but we'd like to try to be as environmentally friendly as possible with the baby.

Late Nights, Laundry

Sometimes it feels like the only thing I accomplished on a weekend was getting a few loads of laundry done. Is that normal, or is that a "I Sleep During the Day" third shift thing? There's really not a whole lot you can do at 2:14 am, so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad about it. I also spent about 2 hours on Amazon doing some Christmas prep. At least now, being the self-imposed recluse that I am, I can still get some shopping done. Oh, and laundry too. 2 months to go....

Overcoming Illness

The last few days have been rough. I've been battling a particularly nasty cold, and it's forced me to miss a couple days of work. I'm feeling much better today compared to yesterday, but I'm still not out of the woods. My voice has dropped a few octaves, and I'm coughing up some spectacularly green stuff. Not a lot of fun at all.

Oh, and you're not imagining things. I did indeed miss a day. That day I was really sick, and I actually spent the last two hours before leaving for work asleep in the recliner. The way I was feeling, posting on the blog was the last thing on my mind. Had it been in March or some earlier month, I'd have surely posted something. Considering how close I am to the end of this thing, I think I'll let it slide....

Snowy Roads

We got hit today with our first major snowfall of the year. We got about 5 inches, and sitting on top of a layer of ice, it's a little nasty. The first sonwfall is always so beautiful, but that is soon shattered by the cold reality of winter.

I'm still pretty damn sick today, but to avoid any disciplinary action at work, I'm going in tonight. Hopefully when I get there I'll be able to get an early out.

Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure that streak in the upper left is actually a shooting star! It only appears in three shots I took, and I took those shots in rapid succession. Pretty cool!

Favorite Shots# 21: Crazy Corn Face

I know I've been doing this "Favorite Shots" thing a little often lately, but considering how awful I feel today, I don't feel a bit guilty. I decided to stay home tonight and try to rest. I'll likely get in trouble at work, but at this point, who cares? They're going to lay me off in 2 months, with absolutely no hope at a call back. Does it really matter at this point if I get a write up? Yeah, I didn't think so either. I'm usually not like this when it comes to work. I like to think that the one good thing (and probably the only good thing) that came out of having Dennis for a step-father was my work ethic. He may have been a work-a-holic, but for some reason it stuck with me that it's important to put yourself into your work. I dunno. Maybe I got it from him, maybe I didn't, but the bottom line is I really don't like the fact that Chrysler is driving that out of me. I can't wait to get out.

Oh, the picture! You're probably wondering what the hell it is. All I can tell you is that I think it's a sign for sweet corn. As to why is so incredibly creepy and potentially frightening to small children, I have no answer. I thought it was cool.

Christmas Prep

We've never really decorated that much for Christmas. When we first started living together, we had a full sized tree with all the decorations. That soon went away, as the cats simply would not leave it alone. The tree got smaller and smaller, and now we have this 3' Christmas Shrub that we put up. We have to put it up high so the cats can't get to it, but it's good enough for me.

Reading Material

Steph and I stopped in at the new Barnes and Noble at Cherryvale Mall on Friday night. I was looking for one book in particular, but ended up getting two. I had heard on NPR about a new translation of Beowulf, and after watching the new movie, decided to pick it up and read it. In the process of browsing, I also discovered the new movie with Will Smith, I Am Legend, is also based on a book. I've been interested in the movie, so I picked up the book so I can compare the two. I really haven't read many books the last couple years, and it felt good last night to sit and read for a couple hours.

Hot Tea

I don't know what it is about hot tea, but the only time I really want to drink it is when I'm sick. Nothing soothes my sore throat like hot tea with a spoonful of honey. I've been feeling pretty crappy for the last 4 days or so, and this weekend has probably been the worst of it. Constant draining sinuses has given me a pretty upset stomach. It should be fun to go to work tomorrow night.

Well, my new project- a family driven blog- has gone live. I've invited my 5 (computer owning) siblings to contribute to the site, and I've also invited my dad. I thought he'd get a kick out of it. It should be a lot of fun to read what everyone else writes.

November: In Review

Brrrr! It's damn cold. It's that time of year, and my intolerance to cold is starting to get to me. It never seems that the good weather lasts as long as the winter months, but I'm sure that's my imagination. Nevertheless, winter is certainly here, so I guess I'll deal with it like I usually do.

Well, I have one more month of this thing left, and at this point, I've decided I will not continue into next year. It's gotten to the point where it's become a real chore to try and force myself to photograph something every day. I feel like it's having a negative impact on my photography, and that's something I don't want. On the other hand, something completely unexpected has happened in the creation of this blog. I've learned that I really enjoy the writing of the blog. Never for a moment did I believe that would be the one thing that I took from this. So what does that mean? That means that I will be continuing to blog in some way. I haven't yet decided what that format will be, but I was thinking about creating a blog not only for myself, but one all my siblings could also use. It would be a great way for all of us to keep up with each other, and it would be great for me to read about you guys for once. I'll keep you all updated on what I decide, and hopefully I have something up and running by the end of the year.

Here's my favorite shots for the month of November:

Super Mario Galaxy!

I try to avoid as much as possible writing about video games. They are a big part of my life, and by far my favorite pastime, but I'm keenly aware that most of my readers are not quite as interested as I am. That being said, for those of my readers who do get into games, I feel I have to talk about Super Mario Galaxy for Wii.

I originally wasn't going to get this game, but when there was a killer deal on Black Friday, I decided to give it a shot. Considering the glowing reviews this has been getting, at the very least I could always sell it on eBay. Considering the cost, I would likely make money on it anyway.

I've never really been into the 3D Mario games. I guess I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to platformers, preferring them to come in the "classic" 2D style. I didn't like Mario 64, and I hated Mario Sunshine, but this game has made a believer out of me. It's really unlike anything else I've played before. I'm not going to get into the specifics, since there are a lot of reviews out there that do that already. Let me just say that if you have a Wii, there's no reason for you not to have this game. If you don't own a Wii, this is a great reason to get one. Today. No, I mean it. Go right now.

Veggie Soup

Tonight Steph treated me to a bowl of some really great vegetarian soup. The recipe was given to us from my sister Kathie, and it really brings back memories of the vegetable beef soup Grandpa used to make. Except, of course, the beef. Frankly, I really didn't miss it. The only thing I recommend is to cut the recipe in half, since what she made was enough to feed a small army.

Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 Cups Kidney Beans
1 Cup Onions
1 lb Fresh Kale
1/2 Cup Carrots (diced)
28 oz Can Chopped Tomatoes
4 Cloves Garlic
1 tsp Thyme
2 Quarts Vegetable Stock
1 lb Red Potatoes



Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot. When hot, add carrots and onions. Cook 5 minutes.
Add garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium.
Add stock, potatoes, and thyme. Simmer 15 minutes.
Add tomatoes and beans. Simmer 10 minutes.
Add kale. Cook 5-8 minutes.

Note: Cut Kale crosswise into 1-inch ribbons.

Showing

18 weeks along, and Steph is staring to show. She's actually been showing for a few weeks now, but this is the first picture we've taken of her "belly." I think we've decided to take a shot from here on out every other week, but we'll see how it goes. We may go monthly. Next week Steph has an ordinary check-up next week, then the following week is the big one- the 20 week ultrasound. This is the one where we may find out the sex of the baby! Yes, we are going to find out. Steph and I both like to be prepared.

Favortie Shots #20: Happy Anniversary!

Today was our 3rd anniversary. Happy anniversary Steph!

3 years ago today, Steph and I stood in line for about an hour in the hot Las Vegas sun to get our wedding certificate. With me in my suit and Steph in her dress, we were by far the most dressed up in the entire crowd. It was a little surreal to be standing amongst all those people dressed like that. I really don't dress up very often, and had I known it would have been that long to stand in the sun, I likely would have waited to put on that suit.

We were married in the "World Famous" Chapel of the Bells, and the surreal atmosphere carried on into our ceremony. The woman that married us reminded me forcibly of the old woman from Poltergeist, not only for her overt creepiness, but she actually looked like the woman. It was bizarre. The photography session consisted of about 6 shot in the chapel, and that's the only thing I regret about our wedding. We have virtually no shots, and the ones we do have that were shot by them are pretty bad.

After the ceremony, we were treated to dinner by Steph's aunt Suzy's father-in-law, Dick. He lived in Vegas at the time, and we won't soon forget the hospitality he showed us. He's really a great guy, and took us on a tour of Vegas that was really great.

Marrying Stephanie was the best thing I ever did. I'm really lucky to have someone so wonderful to me, and so understanding and patient of all my flaws. I couldn't ask for a better person to spend the rest of my life with.

Happy Birthday Nathan!

Today was my nephew Nathan's 2nd birthday. Jennee and Jason had a nice get-together at the local Grange hall, and even though I didn't get there until around 4, it was still nice to see everyone for a while. I was only there long enough to snap off a few shots, but I think I got some pretty good ones. The last one would have been my favorite, had I not gotten a little fuzzy around the edges. The shutter speed was a little slow. I know that's just one of my nit-picky issues, so sue me. It's my shot. Anyway, I still like it.

Here's a couple more:

Shooting You, Shooting Me

Deja vu! I have seen this somewhere before.... Apparently, this is something Cory and I do often enough that I now have a few shots like this. Oh, and for the record, I got off 5 shots to his 1.... Figure that thing out, dude!

Tonight I had a nice dinner over at Cory and Harmony's house. There were a few of us there, including Rich, Brandy, Mia and Addison, Tim James, and our hosts, Cory, Harmony, Emily, and Brook. Steph wasn't able to join us, but it was probably for the better. She's been sick for about a week now, and the last thing I would want to see is those little girls getting ill. It was really nice to see everyone again, especially Rich and Brandy, who I rarely get to see anymore. We talked a little about Belvedere Company, and I told Tim to pass it on that I'd come back to build the Mirage. I was only half kidding.... :)

Beowulf

Tonight I went to see the movie Beowulf with my Dad and sister Amanda. It never ceases to amaze me how every time I go to the movies, the price seems to have risen by a dollar or more. It was $9 for the show, and of course the concessions are what the concessions usually are- crazy expensive. Regardless, I do enjoy going occasionally, and going with my Dad and sister was pretty cool too.

The movie was stunning. A visual masterpiece, it was often that I forgot completely that it was animated. The writing and acting were quite good, but it was a long movie, and I didn't really feel like it needed to be. This story has been around for 1,600 years, they managed to turn it into a pretty great action flick without lessening the historic aspect of the story. Unless you're on a larger HDTV with killer sound, I'd recommend seeing this one in the theater. It's one of the few movies that would be worth the price of admission.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, and just like every year, I stuffed myself beyond breaking point. We didn't do the traditional meal this year. Instead, it was much more casual, much more like a simple family gathering instead of an elaborate dinner. It was great. Steph's sweet potatoes were a hit, and the deep-fried turkey was awesome.

Tomorrow Steph, her sister Melanie, and her Mom will be braving the hoards of bargain shoppers in Rockford. I used to go out in the morning to snag a couple specific deals, but since many of them are now available online, I'm not going this year. Frankly, I really didn't see much that interested me this year. Maybe next year will be better.

Here's a couple more shots: