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

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.