Ugly sweater

Well here we go again. I have posted pictures of the attempted family portrait during our time in Washington. As soon as we began to take the picture the kids went ape. There was a lot of crying and kids acting like...kids. Out of about 20 pics we got this as the best one. At one point Brenda and I acted as if we were crying, but I do not have that pic (I just have the one of us acting like we are having a great time).

This is the best shot...but don't look to close.Or...is this the best shot.
Beer Pong on the dinning table.
Our two hosts.

We went to a ugly sweater party on Friday at one of my co-workers apartment. We arrived at 8:45 and were the first ones there. We were worried that there would not be anybody showing up, but people trickled in and some did not show up till we were leaving at 11:00. It was not the friendly get together that were are used to, seeing as there was a keg/beer pong/ and jellow shots, but we had a great time and saw some awfully ridiculous sweaters.

Jason is showing off what he thinks the lady looks like who wore it before he got it from the goodwill store.

On another note, I wanted to comment on the writers guild strike that seems to riveting to all of the news channels, but does not make a mouse turds difference to anyone else. Do we really care if the mindless crap that hollywood normally puts out is no longer available for us not to watch. I am devastate that those award shows, that only the people in them actually care about, are no longer going to be able to put on. Can’t any of these actors write a 15 second bit by themselves? Give me 20 bucks, a couple of beers, and nothing to inspire me but a couple of goats kicking each other in the heads and I could come up with a better script than any of those shows have ever had. Guilds/Unions are excuses for overpaid below average workers actually get paid more than the rest of us for doing a lot less work.

Family, Family and.....more Family

We spent the last weekend up in Washington for my grandmother in-law’s 90th birthday celebration spectacular. It was a great time seeing my sister and brother in-laws and nieces. We even found out that Paula is going to produce a nephew in May. There were a lot of people in the house so Brenda and I volunteered to sleep in the shed (Jim built a new shop and there is a nice office area where we slept). We volunteered so we could stay onsite and not have to go to a friends house, but also because we wanted to get a good nights sleep and not be woken up by screaming kids.

Brenda and Kevin at the game. The Dekkers are smiling in the background.

Here is Abby. She is a spitter, but I held her alot and had a great time. Only one shirt got totally soaked, but at least she didn't crap on me.

We went to the Sunnyside basketball game on Friday and had a great time. The game was very close and despite the 10 to 4 fouls calls in the second half of the game Sunnyside won. Great game.

We went to a big family get together at a Chinese restaurant in Yakima on Sat. to celebrate Grandma’s birthday and the food was great. There was a flu type bug going around in the house starting on Friday and with two bathrooms and everyone but me and Kevin catching some form of it they were very busy and the family fun times were kept to a minimum. We played as many games as we could. Sat. night we played imaginIF and once the game was done it was evident how Jim felt about the game because he was puking in the sink (I guess he didn’t like it).

Maggies birthday celebration two days before her birthday. Notice the park ranger badge with her name on it. Also notice the spit on Dans soulder (not an uncommon sight).
At the celebration
This is a collage of Brenda grandmother and family. It was very cool to see some of these old pictures.
Brenda and her grandmother.

Oh ya, I got a 8mm Mauser with a 2.5 Lyman Alaskan scope on it from Jim for my hopefully soon to be hunting trip next fall. The rifle is awsome and I will post picture of me shooting it when I go to the range...which will be very soon. Guns are awsome.

Epic

I went skiing this weekend with Kevin Schenk. Yes we have been hanging out with the Schenks a lot lately, but we always have a great time when we are there. Having them 1.5 hrs away has not seemed to restrict the number of times we get to hang out.
We went to the Ripon Christian(RC) homecoming basketball game on Friday and then off to the slopes on Saturday. On the narrow road up to the slopes I was the roads were clear, but there was occasional snow and Ice chunks in the middle of the road. The second that I mentioned it to Kevin there was a shuttle bus coming down the road and slowing down to take the upcoming curve. Right off of the top of the bus a 3’deep 4’x4’ section of snow flew headed for our car. I guess I know now where those Ice chucks were coming from. Our lives flashed before our eyes as the ice block threatened to blow through our windshield and talk our heads clean off of our body. At that exact second I was able to swerve and avoid the killer ice chunk so Kevin and I could live another day.


It is always a good idea to keep hydrated while skiing. Moderation of course.

Kevin exiting the trees right before a big jump.
Kevin out of the trees again

Skiing was a great time. I snowboarded, but just refer to it as skiing because it is easier that way. Kevin and I enjoy going off trail and seeing if we have the skills to avoid the killer trees. We now know that we do not posses the skills, but we needed to find out. The last run of the day we were seeing how fast we could go and make it down. I was behind Kevin as he flew down the slopes and we were passing this snowboarder on the right with plenty of clearance then out of nowhere he went right as fast as he could (it was obvious that he was unskilled and this move was not planned). At that exact time Kevin passed him and his left ski was caught under the bottom of the board sending Kevin airborne for a few second then the skidding down the slope about 75 ft for a complete yard sale. After I stopped laughing I asked Kevin if he was alright. He was very sore, but no broken bones or anything missing. I bet he was a lot sorer than I was today.

This is about the best picture of Kevin I have ever seen. Wow...this guy is my friend...Good times.
The new lodge at Dodge.

The first video is Kevin speeing by me at a crazy pace, and the second is me in the trees having a good time.

Christmas and New Years

This Christmas we had a great time with the in-laws coming down from WA to spend some time in the sun of California. Christmas day we had Brad and Karen (our pastor and his wife) along with their baby Haden(about the cutest kid I have ever seen) over for dinner and Brenda’s rents as well. It was more of a thanksgiving dinner menu, but we had a great time.
The day after Christmas we went to the bustling metropolis of Ripon CA. We stopped by mutual relatives houses (if you don’t know about Brenda and I don’t ask), Kevin and Lyndsay’s(spelled correctly) house and then spent the night in Merced. We stayed in Merced because it was the closest hotel to Yosemite where we were going the next day. Yosemite was great and new to us because we had not been there in the winter before. The water in the falls was freezing on the way down and forming ice. The ice would break off occasionally and when it would fall to the ground it was so loud, but very cool.
On the way home we stopped at a “Horseless Carriage” garage and looked at a couple of old cars which were very cool. There was actually a 1914 ford T coupe there and that is the exact car that Jim (my father in law) is rebuilding.
Friday I took Jim out golfing with guns as the ladies went shopping for bargains. I will just say we did real good, but will not say what our score was.


Seafarers of Catan was played so many times I can't even count.
The Ahwahnee hotel in the winter is very nicely decorated and a must see while in the valley, but rooms starting at $426 it was not in the budget to stay there a night.
Brenda and her mom by the mighty merced river.
Jim and Sandy pose in front of halfdome.
El Capitan...no need to explain.

Half Dome.

The Model T like the one Jim is restoring.

Saturday we went out to Maggianos (an Italian restaurant) and were told that there was a 3.5 hour wait for a table. I guess we should have made reservations. We ended up getting a table in the bar section in about 15 min. and having a great dinner with tons of food. We had enough leftovers for another full meal for four at home on Sunday and Brenda and I just had the rest of the food tonight so we will just say that they give you a ridiculous amount of food.

Jim and Sandy out for a night on the town.



New Years Eve we went to Lyndsay and Kevin’s and hung out with them and then had a family get together the next day. A very busy time, but all in all we had a blast and it is hard to go back to work.

EJ it very smart and like me to...the latter is more valuable to him in the future.You may be asking what this is a picture of. Well it the the makings of a nutritious, healthy, robust, flavorful, barley and hops filled beverage that has a special place in all of hearts. Yes, you guessed it...Beer. Just a few weeks and we will have a special home brew fit for a king.

If you listen you can hear EJ sayiing no no when asked about the Christmas tree. He was told not to get close to it and stay away (baaahumbug) and listens well when uncle John is not around.