New Year's Eve 2010

We were busy on the last day of 2010.

Kelly got a last-minute 'change of plans' phone call the night before. She was scheduled to go to a birthday party Early Bird Special beach ride for a friend who turned 13 today, but the mom had been diligently watching the weather, and realized that the storms were going to be moving in, and New Year's Eve morning would have much better weather. Could we possibly make it a day earlier?

Of course!

Anything for the horses (and her good friend, of course)

Because we were on a bit of a tight schedule, I offered to meet the other girls out at the ranch. I thought we'd left in plenty of time, but I didn't count on the delay of ending up behind a very slow-moving truck going over the hill between the bay and the coast, which slowed us down by at least 5 minutes, getting us to the ranch early, but not as early as the rest of the group.

Kelly's friends are all older than her, because she jumped a grade. So they're all going through (or nearly done) their growth spurts, and she has to do creative things, like jumping up when I say "Cheese!", so she can try to be as tall as them.

I was worried about being late, but all was well, even though everything was already in place. Horses were out, and the girls were on their steeds before the official opening time, anyways.

It was nice. They got to go out by themselves, with their own guide, and didn't have to wait, even though more people were arriving at the ranch as they were saddling up.

The weather was glorious. Kelly's friend (the birthday girl) has a dog, and her mom had brought the dog along, to play on the beach while we were waiting for the riders. We nearly lost the dog in the undertow, when the thrown tennis ball took a crazy bounce off a berm of sand, and went into the waves. But Zoe is a strong doggie, and only got completely drenched, although we had our hearts in our throats for a few seconds.

Good dog, Zoe.

I tell you, mornings don't get much better than this.

Back at the ranch, we had a few minutes to play with the horses.

And play with Wrangler, the new ranch doggie.

But then it was time to head for home. I had gotten up early to squeeze in a shower before the beach, and the wind had given me 80's teased-hair without any styling products whatsoever, and I had to tame it into submission before going back out into polite society. And Kelly wanted ringlets

Skip and Ken hadn't gone out to pick up his driving learner's permit by the time we got home, and they were still hoping to get there before the (one o'clock) wedding. I just shook my head. They'd had all morning, but didn't leave the house until 1130. I wondered if they were going to have success, but they took their 'going-to-a-wedding' clothes with them, and were planning on going to the DMV closest to the church.

I wanted to get to the church early to take some pictures, so we left the house at noon (after a frantic search for my high heels, which had decided to hide out somewhere that wasn't obvious. There I go again wtih my "Very Safe Places". Argh.)

With a half-hour to go before the wedding, I got to the church parking lot in time to see the groom in jeans and a t-shirt, taking the trash out to the dumpsters. He didn't look in the least flustered. I love that their wedding was so low-key that they could just putz around a bit before things got going.

Our friend Nick had completely restored an old Cadillac, and it was ready to go.

So shiny, I can see myself!

I staked my claim on a row in the church, and got the camera gear out.

Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man. And there were many sharp dressed men this afternoon.

And there were some not-sharp-dressed men. If I ever become a famous wedding photographer, I vow to never wear a toque. And to tuck my shirt in. And to shave.

Ooh! And there's the groom!

Time for the wedding to start! And aren't these kids CUTE?

Love, love, LOVE her dress. And the little green rose petals she's dropping.

And aren't they cute?

It's official!

Ooh. And don't my pocket squares look fine!

Time to check out the Caddy.

And my favorites! (and maybe theirs, too, as their photographers had already zoomed off to the courthouse steps, where the wedding portraits were going to happen)

A friend of mine borrowed my camera, so here is a (rare) photo of me:

Their reception was at the restaurant where they first met. (She'd actually noticed him, and gone over to his table to introduce herself to him. That's BOLD!)

While everyone else was getting their panini, I wandered down the street to the courthouse, where the photos were happening.

Yes, outside, on December 31st. And the women are wearing strapless dresses. I still can't believe it, sometimes.

And in the realm of crazy and amazing things?

Skip and Ken made it to the wedding with 4 minutes to spare. He finished getting his DRIVING PERMIT at 12:55.

But even MORE crazy and amazing?

Skip, in honor of Starbuck's wedding...

Wore...

A....

SHIRT WITH BUTTONS!

I know! I almost couldn't believe it either! (oh, and by the way? We're sitting on the restaurant patio. Outside! In December! Also? That is not wine. It's Martinelli's. We may be bold, but we're not THAT bold.)

So much cuteness!

It was a beautiful afternoon!

And then I came home and crashed, and then took Kelly to a birthday party sleep-over, and brought Skip's buddy Cole back to our place for a sleepover, and then opened the house for a NYE party where our friend Tim brought over his new PS3 and Scott Pilgrim on BluRay, and Nick brought over THREE DOZEN leftover cupcakes from the wedding.

What am I going to do with three dozen cupcakes?