Category: pictures

The point of the whole thing was that I don’t want to talk politics on this blog and I was really sending that link to show you all a video that I think is amazing. I likewise don’t appreciate the uber-partisan bickering in the commentary on whatever site that was.

My intent was to share “a funny cartoon” or “an outlandish sight” that also happened to have (and be hosted on) a really partisan blog.

Most of you already know what I think of the current political climate in America and I enjoy talking about it. It is a big part of our lives and impacting all that we do and say everyday BUT my views on those types of events are usually not going to be posted here.

Why? Because I see this blog as a permanent fixture in the life of my family and I intend to attempt to maintain it as documenting that part of our lives that no one else will write about. It will be around for my family and friends to peruse well after the current political winds have changed ten more times and I hope it will mostly discuss those things that they can’t find on Wikipedia or The BBC.
So, I appreciate the dissertations on my post. I love the feedback that shows I am not just throwing a bottle out to sea with a note in it for whomever. I am glad you value blief enough to read and put your well made points and thoughts into your responses but mostly you are going to get stuff like this.

This, in a nutshell, is how our christmas panned out.
Angela, Abby, and I are very lucky to have such a wonderful family, wonderful friends, and a very fortunate life.

The one Abby-ism that can’t be passed up:
Laying in bed at 08:30 waiting for Abby to wake up. I have been awake since 07:00…waiting.
08:30 and Angela and I are BOTH awake and growing more impatient.
So we start coughing loudly to no avail. Abby is sleeping more soundly than she did when she was an infant. Finally, I throw some weight behind a cough.

What is THAT? The Christmas Yeti!?

She is right and we start to giggle, which turns to muffled laughter and then a squeaky voice from the far side of the room.

Hey you guys, go back sleeping.
What…Why?
Cause Santa has to come.
(together) Honey, it’s morning-time. I think Santa has already come?
(pause…and then getting to her knees.) Pbbbbbllllgghghg!

As if SHE has been the one lying awake for the past hour and a half waiting for Santa.
We went downstairs and welcomed the morning.

This is a snapshot from before we watched the Nutcracker yesterday.
Abby was very excited and she enjoyed the show very much.
I got a tear in my eye as the show opened as I was so excited to see her so entranced by the lights and the production.
She was very engaged and with the exception of some fidgety minutes where she attempted to give Momma her belly button halfway through Act II she followed the drama closely. Her attention was clearly not held during that bit.
I think she expects to attend again next year.

The quality stinks on these images, they are only slightly better when they are moving (video) but you get the idea.
The recital went over very well. I know there were tears from Auntie Pam perhaps even some from Momma.
Abby was cute, beaming with the fun of it all, and she did very well to boot.
She even got in her full length bow at the end.

Think you can pick her out of the crowd below…I put in a subtle hint to assist where necessary.

Happy Thanksgiving all.
I am giving thanks this morning for 30 something, 45 degree, Turkey morning, hack football.
Some guys from work arranged a Turkey Bowl in Tacoma for this morning at 8:30. We had 18 hacks with beer-guts, three day beards, stocking hats, and our best football skills.
Since we all had family dinners to be at later we started early. I think we were all up and running way sooner than we would be on a work day. We all seemed to question our motives repeatedly in the early morning freezing fog and then we put it on the line.
The 2nd play from scrimmage I had my bell rung (full tackle football) and once I realized it was going to be like THAT I got into it.
I am now thankful for a turned ankle, bruised ribs, and the inability to raise my hands over my head. Aint life great! Let’s celebrate!

See if you can pick me out of the crowd.

Abby started ballet a little while ago. She calls it, bear with me now, “Lullabligue”. This is three year old slang for Lullabye League which, as everyone knows, is a 25 second bit in The Wizard of Oz immediately prior to the Lollipop Guild’s famous welcome to Dorothy in Munchkin Land. As everyone knows? You all watch The Wizard four times a week at least right? Okay, maybe it’s just me. Rather, maybe it’s just her. She is in OZ four times a week. You can just catch the shoes at the bottom of this picture of the proud owner of a Dorothy dress which Monya made for her birthday.

But I digress. So, she is enamored of the Lullabligue despite their short shrift in Oz.
(Digress again, if Angela ever read this blog she would probably have a better spelling for however it is that Abby refers to the Tutu clad munchkins. I nearly miss it every time and only every really hear it on the “igue” part.) And here is our little Lullabligue. You can see just how excited she is by the twitchy fingers and the set of her mouth…her eyes always look like that.

To make a short story long, Angela and I decided to thumb our noses at our creditors near and far and with luck create some early memories for a Lullabligue this year at the Pacific Northwest Ballet. We bought tickets to see Nutcracker. Music by Tchaikovsky, with sets and costumes by Maurice Sendak (Where The Wild Things Are) you can’t go wrong.

I have never seen a professional ballet but always wanted to, Angela has seen a few and would love to see more, and if her character and form hold true, Abby will be entranced.

Here is a picture of The Purple Dragon I made using papier mâché. It comes complete with eyelashes (it is after all a girl dragon), candy delivery device (CDD, as seen in the picture at the nose, there is a 1.5″ PVC tube running her length through which I poured candy and other favors), a functioning mouth that when closed covers the CDD and can be closed from behind the curtain ala The Wizard of Oz. It was a big hit, for those Princes and Princesses that weren’t too scared to approach.
I think I will keep it around to pass out candy next year on Halloween. Queen Angela isn’t too thrilled about where we might keep The Purple Dragon but keep her we shall.

Abby seen here in her natural environment making a magic wand.

Abby seen here in action with a birthday cake. Cousin Jamey can be seen in the background.