Christmas time.

The snow is really coming down today at about 1”/hr and the office is closed so I have time to write a post. Christmas was good to us and we got to spend a lot of time with my parents and Brenda’s parents. Of course first things first, we had to get the Christmas Cards ready. By “we”, I really mean Brenda. Of course she went way overboard and sent out about 80 cards to all of our friends and family (only about 5 actually like me and the rest like Brenda). I think she does this because she also loves to read Christmas cards and kind of hopes to get one in return (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Since we sent out so many, and if you did not get one, you may be thinking that you are not important and we couldn’t care less about you. This is not the case. I apologize in advance, although there are only a few people who actually even read this blog and I know I sent them cards. My job for the cards was to lick the envelopes and put on the stamps…right about at the top of my skill set.

On the weekend before Christmas we went down to Brenda’s parents house to see Brenda’s mom’s Christmas program. It was really good and it is always fun to see grade school kids and speculate as to their inelegance level and what crazy things they do. Of course it was great to see Ben and Laura and we are pretty pumped that they are going to be coming out here this weekend.

Check out the kid in the sweater showing his belly. At one point in the show he tried to get the kids around him to smell his shoe laces...real genius.

Fun time with the twins.

For Christmas Brenda’s parents came up along with my parents. I made multiple huge meals and must say that they turned out quite well. Hornado, llapingachos, and pork hominy soup were just a few of the great things on the menu.

Christmas Eve Dinner

Here is Brenda and I with out Friends Chris and Izumi.

Brenda's parents getting cookie fixing for Christmas.

For Christmas I gave Brenda tickets for Jim Brickman tickets and last night that is what we did. The concert was great and just flew by.

No Photography was allowed so I had to sneak this crap picture.

For the last two weeks I have been out of town for work in Seattle. There were a few sites over there I had to visit and fix a few things so off I went. the weather was actually pretty good. the first day I was there I woke up and I knew I was sick again. I went to the local urgent care facility top confirm that yes once again, I had Strep throat. That makes twice in the last four months that I have had Strep...not very common for me. After a few drugs I was fine and of course without anyone to sympathize over me I just went along my way working. The faster I got the stuff done the sooner I could go home.

One day when I pulled up to one of my job sites, I stopped at the well I had to work on. the well I had to work on happen to be in a handicapped spot and I parked next to it per usual. I was going to open a hole in the ground in the handicapped spot, it would be unusable for the next ten minutes, not a big deal. Right when I got out a guy took a picture of my license plate and asked me where my handicapped placard was. I let him know I was there for work and he immediately got pissed off and said he was calling the cops. He continued yelling and saying something like "you can't park there I don't care what you are doing" and "that's bull s***, you sorry blahblahblah...." and other yelling. I then went to put up my work cones and started to laugh a little at him and the absurdity of the situation....he took offense to my obvious amusement of his ranting. He then proceeded to run out get into my face and kick my cones over....I calmly put them back up and he would yell and kick them right over again. He then told me if I thought it was so funny maybe he wouldn't wait for the cops and would just kick my a** right there. I let him know if he was going to call the cops then he should ask them to send an ambulance as well because he was going to need one in the not so distant future. It all ended up with him leaving and nothing really happening, but I have not seen someone so mad in a long time. Next time I think I will just reach into the back of my truck (about 2' away) and grab the axe I got back there and ask him if he needs anything else...idiots are all around...be careful.
Here is a nice view of Rainer from one of my sites....it was much better in real life.

My work truck just passed 100K on this trip. I think it had about 40 when I got it just over a year and a half ago.

Random picture of the week.

This is a 4wheeler that some guy in Idaho has totally make up to look like a jeep. He has a jeep front on it and so much crap hanging off this thing it is amazing....Oh ya and it is for sale as well.

This weekend I was home so I thought that it would be a great time to go out into the deep woods a pick out a Christmas tree. Brenda and I stopped by the Forest Service office and for 5 bucks go the permit to cut down any tree we wanted for Christmas. We drove up to the mountains and were off.

Here is me dragging the tree out of the woods...that snow was very deep and the truck was quite a distance away.

Here is my wonderful wife being a great sport.

And here we are back at the homestead in front of the fireplace. That is one cute little stocking, but I am afraid it will be to small for our kid right off the bat.

And the tree after we got it up. I know it is not a "full" as those trees you may get in the lots around you, but I think it is not that bad for picking one out covered in 3' of snow and paying 5bucks.

Some of you may be wondering how Brenda broke the news to me about her "situation"...I was sitting on the couch, after having a very long week out of town for work, sipping a cold one down and relaxing when she told me she got me something and handed me a bag. Being a complete idiot and not ever looking into anything she is saying or catching the subtle hints..I had no idea until I pulled this thing out.
It took about 10minutes of deep breathing to catch my breath and realize what she was trying to say...I was shocked.



A short video of a cycle ride I took on Friday and one also of Brenda when we went to get the Christmas tree. It was a great weekend....we are very blessed.