Well this is the last post for 2008! Wanted to wish each and every one of you a very happy and safe New Year! We are ringing in 2009 with some friends, lots of food, and of course, fun in the form of adult beverages. :) We hope you all have a fabulous night! I hope the New Year brings you all good health, happiness and prosperity.
On a side note, Way to go Beavs! An incredible 3-0 victory over Pittsburgh today in the Sun Bowl. (The sarcasm is OOZING if you can't tell.) Hey - a win's a win!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Goodbye 2008!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Christmas Pics - Finally!
Okay, so you know how it goes. The week after Christmas is hectic ... polishing off the leftovers, (cheesecake was finished off yesterday, very sad moment), finding places to put the new gifts, going back to work, yuck, and to top it all off, we're all getting over colds. So ... at any rate, pictures of Christmas are finally here! We had such a great time this year. Christmas Eve was full of all the hustle and bustle it usually brings, and we decided to try and balance that out with a quick and easy dinner - Pizza! which was accompanied by the family favorite classic movie Christmas Vacation. It was a great dinner, and quick enough so the kids wouldn't DIE of anticipation in opening a few gifts. And only in Arizona, we had s'mores for dessert. :) Got our light saber fights in, skateboarding and pogo-sticking. Very late night for all of us - you know, tipping back a few and waiting for the kids to go to bed. Not a problem for Kailee and Alex, Cameron, well he was determined to wait up for Santa this year. Christmas morning was early for some of us, but Cameron and I seemed to be the last ones up. In fact, I had to wake Cam up. Guess he stayed up a little too late waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa. Christmas morning was great - we opened some more gifts, checked our stockings, and our mimosas tasted fabulous with the great homemade Sausage/Egg McMuffins Bryan for breakfast. After playing with our new toys, and attempting to clean up some of the paper mess, we finally got our prime rib dinner going. All in all a fantastic Christmas!
Posing before opening!
One of two new boards!
And the other one:
Theresa modeling the fashionable glasses that came with one of Cam's boards
Mom trying to show Theresa up
Everybody got light sabers! Well Uncle Bryan is using Alex's here ... thinking now we should have gotten him one also.
"Putting together" Cam's new toy
Okay - we have our jammies on now... WHERE ARE THE S'MORES?
Looking good!
Round two ...
FIRE!
Where the *bleep* am I supposed to put all this crap? 
One of (I swear) about 6 garbage bags full of paper and bows
CHRISTMAS MORNING! SANTA WAS HERE!
Cam's MyVue glasses
And wearing the new glasses:
Daddy waiting patiently for his turn to play...
Ummm, yeah. This was BEFORE Christmas dinner. ;) Typical Grandpa!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
It's a Major Award!
Just had to post. I love it! Cam wants one. Saw it in the SkyMall magazine on our flight back from Portland. Maybe when your older and have your OWN house you can get one! :)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
'Twas The Night Before Christmas
I know some of you have seen this before, but I love it. And it always makes me cry. Go figure. I cannot imagine being away from my family at Christmas, let alone halfway across the world fighting in a war. Certainly makes you thankful for what you have, and for all they do to allow this freedom that may occasionally be taken for granted.
Twas the Night Before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
And to see just who in this home did live.
I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the mantle, just boots filled with sand,
No stocking by the mantle, just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.
With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
A sober though came through my mind.
For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,
Found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.
The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone
Curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured a United States Soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?
I realized the families that I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these solders who were willing to fight.
Soon 'round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas Day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.
I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry, this life is my choice;
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more,
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."
The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent and still
And we both shivered from the cold night's chill.
I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark, night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.
Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, "Carry on Santa, it's Christmas Day, all is secure."
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.
MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.
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