the photo journal...a year in pictures

Another year has come and gone - here is some of the fun we've had in 2006.

Some January stir-craziness with the DeAtleys in PA

Fridgid February work for Junlge Camp. I seriously almost lost my toes that day to frostbite.

A springish March walk with my beloved. I smell the "roses", he takes their picture.

In April we were engaged - what a wonderful road we've started on!

May in PA was a beautiful awakening of living things.

June and July rolled together into one big ball of busy-ness - with wedding plans and visits from long lost friends...and babies taking baths in the kitchen sink.

Wedded bliss began in MA on the 22nd of July.

We saw whales off the coast of Maine on our honeymoon in August.

We once more took up our pastime of chess upon arriving in Missouri in September.

We turned 24 and 26 in October.

We tried to make the best of much snow in November.

...and had a very lovely Christmas in Chicago.

wedding bells for someone else

some friends and classmates of ours, Ginger West and Chris Mackey, got married yesterday. Ginger was my neighbor, as well as my Jungle Camp partner, for those of you who would know what on Earth i'm talking about, and Chris was my brother P.J.'s roommate.

it was fun for phil and i to attend their wedding, and remember fondly, our very happy, not so distant wedding day.

we will be celebrating 6 months of wedded bliss this january :0) and i am beginning to get used to my new last name. going from Ryan to Svoboda has been quite a leap.

polar express

Of all the things to choose from on a snow day to occupy some time....this is the one my little brother chose. P.J. is the one in the hot orange trunks - maybe he thinks his newly grown beard will keep him warm - Fat chance.
I wasn't there to see it myself, but here is the proof. He, along with 4 others, whom I will refrain from describing, jumped into the lake on December 1st - A day with high temps in the teens. There are just too many things for me to sarcastically make fun of here to even begin. Overload...Must.....make....fun.....Must.....pick...on...someone......

winter highs ... and woes

All day yesterday and into the night last night, it snowed and iced and snowed and blowed - until we were buried - in true New England fashion. We were happy to leave this stuff behind - But here it is... The Missouri residents keep claiming that this "never happens" - It must be us. Fabulous.

It was 68 degrees on Wednesday morning - and here we are with a high of 8 today.
But, no matter the weather, we'll make do.