Christmas Tree
We got a real tree this year from a local church (again). They smell good, but are messy. We also got some indoor snowballs – heavy enough to throw fast but light enough to do zero damage to anything they hit in the house. A slippery slope of allowing throwing balls in the house, but we had fun playing.
around the house
Having a few weeks off from school had them climbing the walls a bit. We didn’t go anywhere but enjoyed each other by playing games and trying to relax and be content at home.
Christmas Day
Everyone was excited to wake up and open presents. We got shoes, cowboy hats, accordion, drums, and Joss got enough bath supplies to turn the oceans into a bubble bath spa.
Stacey made an amazing Christmas meal.
scooters
Each kid got some kind of human powered scooter. The younger boys got crazy carts but the carts are big enough for us all to ride on too.
Work Visit Over Break
Since the office was really light between Christmas and New Year, I brought some friends to join me for a bit and finally get to see where I work and what I do. They all were impressed with what the team does, but feel I don’t actually do much that adds value. Rough year end review by the people I care the most about their thoughts.
dogS
Well, I guess just dog. Asha is too happy and excited so all her pictures come out blurry. Millie will just lay there on her pillow, or sit on the couch. They aren’t allowed on the furniture, but she is so big, she kind of just sits her rear end down and we let this small rule bender slide.
new to us car
The minivan was getting tired. With nearly 200,000 miles on it, we had a choice – drive it until it dies or trade up. Stacey really missed her suburban we lost when a drunk driver hit her and totaled it and this also made us appreciate the relative safety this vehicle provides the family. The Yukon is used but with half the miles of the minivan and is 14 years younger. We do miss the minivan and I feel it wont be the last (can carry so many people comfortably, seats fold so it can carry plywood or other big items, fuel efficient, drives like a car, easy to park, reliable).
Built a new AV Stand
The last home project of the year (besides fixing some leaky sink valves). I needed a more space efficient computer and amp rack that could hold a lot of weight. Everything I could find commercially was either particle board or extremely expensive, so I just built this. It is 3/4″ black all-thread with nuts separating baltic birch plywood shelves. This allows the shelve spacing and overall configuration to be more flexible. The picture looks small, but it is 5 feet tall. Ignore all the picture holes being patched on the walls!
The boys helped me make it over the weekend.
The Buckeyes
We got the rare experience of watching Ohio State play our local team, The Tennessee Vols. We were happy to watch them play angry after loosing to xichigan, though our local friends weren’t as enthused.
Elvie was excited about playing Oregon (and as of writing this now, was great to watch us also played with a similar fire).
I can appreciate this Ohio State team this year as many of them are Christians and are influencing the campus in a really positive way.
Reply