Out on the Links

On December 31st Monica, Luke, Mark and Rick played out their semi-annual golf challenge. Playing for high stakes the pairing of Morey & Morey took on the vaunted two-some of Murnane & Scouffas. While the actual scorecard mysteriously disappeared right after the round was completed... observers of the match recall it was like all other such head to head battles between these two pairings: another easy victory of Murnane & Scouffas.

Which team went home the winner? While no proof of the actual score exists... first hand accounts of Morey & Morey walking off the course empty handed (once again) seem to leave no doubt which is the superior golfing tandem.

Christmas Morning at the Morey's!

For Christmas morning this year we all got together at Monica and Luke's house! We kicked the day off with Pa's famous breakfast (and a few Chuck's donuts) before letting the kids attack the huge pile of presents under the tree.

Bella checks out all the presents.


The breakfast that has made Pa famous around the world.


Mark, Pa, Ma and Maria (holding sausage on a skewer) get ready for a huge breakfast.


Is there a better way to start off the day....?


After breakfast the kids went to work!


Monica shows off her new club.... The "BIG MO!"


Mark's favorite gift: a Van Halen concert tee-shirt! (Note: Mark saw Eddie and the boys live back in 1984 and even quoted D.L. Roth in his senior write-up in his High School yearbook)


Once again: Ma and Pa reduced to tears.... :-)

Our Annual Family Dinner

On Sunday, December 23rd all the Murnanes (along with Luke's parents and Brett's dad) had our annual Christmas dinner at the Soleil restaurant in the Westin Hotel in Palo Alto. This is the 6th or 7th year in a row we've had our dinner together... and once again it was excellent!

Lauren, Bella and Ryan pal around before dinner.


What is going on under this table?


Hi Bella!


Dinner time! The little ones ate together first.. then retired to a private room to watch videos and play while the adults had dinner.


Ryan, Jordan, Michele and Maria enjoy the evening.

Let's Go Bowling!

School is out for the winter holiday... to celebrate a bunch of the Murnanes went Bowling last Friday!

Brooke shows little Bella the "drop the ball 2 feet from the line" bowling style.


Luke and Ryan ham it up at the lanes.


Maria shows she is ready to join the LPBA!


Brooke shows excellent form!


Another gutter ball sends Ma to the ground....

Friday Night Fun!

Last night Mark and Icha braved the throngs of kids and parents and took Bella, Jordan and Lauren to Chuck E. Cheese in Cupertino. The girls had a great time and Mark and Icha loved the high class food... we especially loved the 'imported cardboard flavored crust' that came with our pizza!

The three girls wolf down some pizza and hot dogs before running amok amongst the endless games on offer at Chuck E. Cheese.


Bella shows Jordan and Lauren how to drive a wave rider!


Jordo takes the controls and shows she is ready to hit the open seas!

Deck the Halls

On Sunday evening all the Murnanes came over to Ma and Pa's house for our annual tree decorating party. Everyone had a great time decorating the tree, watching the Colts crush the Ravens and eating a huge spread put out by Flo. This year we even played a bit of charades. The kids all watched "Frosty the Snowman" together while eating dinner and a seemingly endless supply of homemade chocolate chip cookies!

Bella gets ready to put a little Santa on the tree.


Ryan fired up and ready to decorate!



Maria and Michele smile next to the tree while Ryan hides some goodies under it!


Charades! Is that "M & M's" or "Eminem" Michele?


The next generation of Murnanes goes old school and watches "Frosty the Snowman."

Christmas is Coming!

Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree! Ma and Pa found a huge tree at the ever traditional tree hunting spot: Target in Mountain View. Bella, Pa and Mark pulled the beast inside and set it up in the living room. Tonight all the Murnanes are coming over to Pa and Ma's house to decorate the tree.

Bella and Pa lay down a plastic tarp on the ground.


Bella helps Pa spread out the tarp.


Pa and Bella contemplate how to bring the tree inside.


The tree is ready to be set up!


Mark and Bella smile in front of the tree... while Pa sweeps up in the back :-)