Christmas Cookies

The boys helped JP make a batch of cookies. They are actually almost helpful now that they are getting so big.

This year's gingerbread house came out looking great. The boys completed most of it themselves.

Christmas Picture

Here's our 2008 Christmas picture.

Geologist Badge

CP completed the Webelos Geologist requirements at a nice program put on at Pioneers Park. We had a beautiful day compared to the last time we were here. The sun was out and the wind was nonexistent.

CP's friend is into hunting as much as CP is into WW-II, which is how much Forrest's friend Bubba was into shrimp.

Quiet Day

Today was a quiet day inside. It was cold (but sunny) out, and we are all still recovering from the long Thanksgiving weekend. This morning we cleaned up the basement. I took 5 huge cardboard boxes to the recycling center - their usefulness had been used up after being cars, planes, bunkers, etc. This afternoon, JP had the boys assemble their foam gingerbread house.

We put up all the Christmas stuff this past week. The house looks great. All we need is some real snow and it will really feel like Christmas. We had snow last week, but it only stayed around long enough to make driving hazardous in the morning.

Today I worked on the Tempest cabinet all day. I ended up giving everything a second coat, due to the translucent paint. I still need to install the glass properly, but all in all, it is looking pretty good. One of the guys at work gave me a non-functioning 60W receiver that is now functioning and pumping out the sounds of Tempest. Next step: upgrade the speakers and add a bigger hard drive so that it will function as a jukebox.

With the Tempest machine installed, my man-cave is nearing completion. I need to find a beer fridge...

Thanksgiving 2008

We went back to Illinois to the Grammas' house for thanksgiving. They had all the Christmas trimmings out and ready for the holiday season.

I took the boys for our obligatory trip to the dollar store in Savanna. We scored an H&K 94, a S&W 459, and two MP-5's all for $12. The boys took them on our hike (mission) to the top of the sentinel at the Palisades.

After the hike, we broke ice in the river for an hour.

We woke up to snow on Sunday for our drive home.