Ushering the New Year in with Daylen, Curt & Julie

Curt and Jules stayed with us for a few days during the break. We played games and ate and sat by the fire. What a relaxing way to spend the day. Daylen spent the night with us and even helped usher the New Year in by sitting faithfully by Julie's side while we watched The Great Escape with Steve McQueen and others. Curt has a unique way of playing with Daylen but I don't think Daylen liked his Uncle Curt's game.

For more pics of Julie, Curt and Daylen, go to http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047488&l=ce297&id=161502582. You don't need a Facebook account to look at my pics.

Daylen and Poppe

What an unusual day it was today. Can you believe that it was 64 degrees in Indiana? I mean it's the end of December for crying outloud. Where is our snow??? Marlin and I went for a walk on the Walkway today and I was in short sleeves believe it or not. That will all change tomorrow as the cold front is coming and it will be back in the 30's. Joe brought Daylen over tonight. They're going to go watch some fight on Pay Per View at a friends house.

Christmas 2008

On Christmas Eve this year, Marlin, Emilie and I made treats to give to our friends. I made fudge, sugar cookies, and Starbucks Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins. Marlin made his annual mice and helped frost the sugar cookies. Emilie made Peppermint Bark and Marble Bread. We celebrated that night by attending our annual Christmas Eve service at McGrawsville. It was a really nice and meaningful service. Christmas day was spent preparing our meal of Rosemary Herbed Roast, Dijon Carrots, Roasted Potatoes and Onion, Green Bean Casserole and of course, our traditional cornbread stuffing. Grandma brought her custard, my personal favorite. Emilie made an apple crumb pie and a key lime pie. After dinner, we all played Apples to Apples. Marlin one both rounds. See more pictures at: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2046742&l=eede8&id=161502582.

No Snow for Christmas Here

Tuesday was my last day at work for the year and it ended on an icy note. My boss let us leave early because the rains that tormented us all through the day turned to ice and the cars as well as the parking lot had turned into an icy mess. The drive home was a little scary in spots where there was water sitting on top of the already iced over roadways. I had to drive 20 mph all the way home. When I got home, the ice had already formed a shell on the drivers side and when I opened my door, it fell off in one big piece. On Wednesday, Christmas Eve, I awoke to the sight you see in this picture. The temps continued to rise and the sun even came out a bit later melting all the ice off the roadways.

Christmas Morning On Sunday Night

Emilie is the Queen of themed parties so this year, she planned a Christmas Morning On Sunday Night Party for some of her high school friends. Everyone was supposed to come dressed in their "jammies". Emilie made waffles, pancakes and french toast. The boys brought sausage and the girls brought milk, juice, monkey bread and snacks. They played games including Risk, cards and Telephone Pictionary followed by their Annual Christmas Tradition...Watching Home Alone. They even took pictures representing the cover of the movie. Follow this link to see more pics: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2046578&l=80953&id=161502582.

Christmas Party at IWU

Each year our President throws us a big Christmas party. The activities include the kids getting presents from Santa, free Christmas movies in the Globe Theater, a jazz band playing in the background, food and plenty of fellowship. We took Daylen this year and he was certainly the center of our attention.










Afterwards, we stopped to watch the Musical Christmas Tree. I don't have any pictures of it other than this one taken of Emilie and Daylen watching from the backseat, but it was really awesome. A professor at IWU puts it on. Each song takes about 30-40 hours to program according to his wife who comes out to the car and brings you a program and cookies. Daylen was mesmerized and pointing at the lights until I took this picture. As you can see the light from the camera gave him a scowl....funny!

More pictures can be found at: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2046576&l=2a4dc&id=161502582.

The Grinch Appeared at IWU

Emilie is an RA in North Hall Complex this year. It is the Freshman Mentoring dorm and she is loving her position in leadership. The University throws a Christmas Party at the end of the semester and leadership activities always involve contests. Needless to say, it is evident that their dorm won the coveted Costume Award for 2008. Her RD (Resident Director) in the the Grinch Costume and all the rest of the girls are the RA's. For more pictures, check out this link: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2046574&l=ffa91&id=161502582.

It's beginning to look alot like WINTER!!!

Farmer's Almanac says: "After a mostly mild November, snow at Thanksgiving will signal the coming of a very cold period, especially in the west (of the state of Indiana, that is) . Temperatures will seesaw from January through March. Precipitation will generally be below normal, with above-normal snowfall in the southwest and below-normal snowfall in most other parts of the region. The coldest periods will occur in December, early and mid-January, and in early and mid-February. The snowiest periods will be in early and mid-December, early to mid-January, early February, and early March." Well, so far, they are right on the money. There's only one thing to do when the weather's like this. Walk to the mailbox and look for your latest installment of Netflix! Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

For more pictures of what you're missing, click on the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045937&l=fc033&id=161502582