Go Trail Blazers!

Saturday night Mark and I are watching TV, just hanging out, and Steven comes in to ask if we'd like to go to a Trail Blazer's game.

"Sure!" we say.

"How about right now?" He replies!

Jennifer's friend had four tickets he was willing to give her, but it was for that night's game. Time was a wasting, so we got ourselves ready, picked up Jennifer, and high tailed it out to Portland. We made it at the beginning of the second quarter. Not bad for last minute planning!

And the seats were AMAZING!! About 10 rows back from the court. AMAZING!!

Here's my view. How cool is that?

BRANDON ROY!!! How can you not LOVE him? Okay, how can you NOT love him if you're a Trail Blazer fan?

It was a fun game. Brandon was on fire the final quarter, Oden played really well and did a great dunk at the basket in front of us (awesome!), we won, and the Trail Blazer scored over 100 points, so free Taco Bell chulapas for everyone in the house! I think Jennifer was the most excited fan about that in the house!

Must be Christmas.

I bought this little Santa house, and the two little Santa dogs, many years ago when Cari was a baby. They're such a part of my Christmas. I love having them in my kitchen, right there while I cook or bake.

And penguins. There have to be Christmas penguins around.

I bought this little kitty, with her batch of Christmas cookies, years ago as well. I leave her up year round cause I love her so much. I love the little Christmas cookies on her tray as well.

Our tree holds so many memories.

The angel at the top isn't that old, but she's still pretty.

Penguins AGAIN. Nuff said.

This 'stained glass' ornament (fake), from 1982, is another favorite.

When Mark first moved to Yuba City his parents sent him a gift package from Swiss Colony, or some company like it. I don't remember which it was. But what I do know is there was a Santa Claus in the gift and we have put it on our tree every year. I love this little guy. He's been with Mark and I from the very beginning, and Christmas wouldn't be the same without him.

Christmas Fun.

On Christmas Day we decided to take the dog outside and play. Man, was Deacon EXCITED! He was one happy dog.

Steven came out for a moment, but he wasn't as excited as the dog, and went back inside.

But Richard, Cari, and I were excited and went out to enjoy the Christmas snow.

We ended up at Metzer School and checked out some of the new exercise equipment. I had driven by it several times, wondering what it was, and it seems to something kids climb on.

Or should I say it appears to be something kids and adults climb on. Cari, leave Richard alone!
Who raised you? Wolves?

Run Cari run! Run Deacon, run!

Okay, don't run.

Richard in his new Oregon shirt. Go Ducks!

While most of the playground equipment seems to be new, the swings seem to be the same ones that have been there since Cari was at Metzer. If not, then they're twins. Brings back memories. We used to go to the playground all the time so the kids could swing, climb on the jungle gym, and slide. Fun times people, fun times.

We wondered the school, and the mist over the snow looked surreal.

Very pretty. I'm rather tired of the snow, and trying to get around, but these were good times.

Giant snowmen DO exist!

Every year at this time I purchase the 'singing snowmen' that Hallmark displays. I waited this year for a deal, and I'm glad I did. And not just cause I got a deal.

Mark and I wandered through the mall, and came across Santa's village. How quaint. How cute. Love it, but there is no Santa around. Must be having a coffee break: after all folks, this was on Christmas Eve. The guy needs to rest once in a while! He was going to be very busy that night.

We admired the tall tree, towering over Santa's little house.

We even admired the little tree in front of Santa's house.

And we admired the snowman standing outside of Hallmark, greeting one and all. While I purchased my little snowmen, the gal at the counter told us the snowman was really the chairman of the company (I'm guessing the group that owns the local Hallmarks) and that he was playing the snowman because he'd lost a bet. That gave us a chuckle, and made it even more fun to buy the snowmen. And the fact that the little snowmen sing and dance make it even better. Not sure if the big ole snowman sings and dances. Guess we'll never know.

Christmas Eve celebration!

Tonight we ventured out and took ourselves to Red Lobster for dinner. Thank you Mom and Dad W and Uncle Tom for providing the funds so we could go out for dinner and have a wonderful time! And we did. Here Richard, Doug, and Cari think about what they're going to have for dinner. Lots of seafood to choose from. Hmmm. Wonder what they'll have?

Jennifer, you are so silly!

Mark is silly too, but here he's explaining something to Richard. Must be important. Must be.

Steven is shown here enjoying his Long Island Ice Tea. Hmmm...thanks Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle Tom! Booze is good. Hmmm......

Cari looks perplexed. Must be wondering about if booze is really good. Hmmmm....

Aren't they cute?

So we took ourselves on home, still pondering the booze question, and Doug watched himself some TV.

Steven and Jennifer got on the computer.

AND THEN, to really celebrate Christmas Eve, the kids decided it was 'dog pile on Dad' time!

Ah, the celebration of loving dad. Look at the joy it brings!

And doesn't Dad look like he's enjoying the celebration of LOVE? The togetherness? The pain? After this Mark decided he thought having some booze WAS a good thing. Maybe to forget the pain of the celebration of love of Dad? Hmmmmm......

I know Richard is just enjoying the fact he wasn't a part of the celebration of the 'Love of Dad'.

Now that's a view

Here's a view. Normally, this is a nice little plant on our patio. Now, it's just strange. Plain ole strange. A 'Cousin It' type of plant now.

For a different view, waking up this morning this is the first thing I see outside my living room window. We've lived in this location over 27 years, and I still love this tree. Just love it.

And standing at my front door, here's my view. Isn't this tree amazing? Beautiful? I love it.

Looking out the window of my bedroom I noticed how lovely the red apples on the tree next door look with the snow on them.

Pictures just do not do this view justice. Not at all.

And our little tree out in the back. Not much is left from our old home, and I'm glad this little fellow is still here with us.


And views like this: man, I was SO glad it wasn't me! The kids got a real kick out of it, watching the entire process, and debating their methods. That part of it was very entertaining for me.

Adventures in the snow

This has been ONE crazy weekend! Lots of snow, lots of Steven's friends over, and lots of snow. Oh yeah, and lots of ice. I took myself out to walk on the snow, and it was covered with a lovely layer of ice. Crunch, crunch!

And Hooper thought it would be funny to pile up snow next to the car. Like it wasn't bad enough to start with! Moms, watch out who your kids hang out with. If their name is Hooper, kick em out now before you start to like them (and we do like Hooper, darn it) and they end up covering your car in snow.

Mark decided that we needed to have an adventure in the winter wonderland, so we decided to walk on over to a close by tree lot and get ourselves a real tree.

So he got out his old sled and we took off.

We even saw bears out in the snow. Cute little bears.

Frozen ponds.

We found a great tree and headed on back home. Folks were driving by, and you could tell they were getting a kick out of someone walking down the street with a big ole Christmas tree on a sled, with snow falling all around. Nice to see stuff like that still happens, eh?

Our penguin wasn't so sure he liked what he was seeing.

Sure enough, he REALLY didn't like what he was seeing by the end of the day.

A man and his tree.

A woman and her tree (and no, I didn't pull that thing at all....no friggin way!!!). All for looks baby, all for looks.