Traditions

Traditions are important. When I was a kid, every Christmas began with mom and dad waking my sister and me up. We'd open our presents and then go over to my Uncle Dick's and Aunt Grace's for breakfast. We'd then go to our grandparents.

We I grew up and moved away we had to create new traditions. We now go to dinner on Christmas Eve before going to our church's candlelight service (the last song is Silent Night and the congregation holds up lighted candles). On Christmas Day, we go next door to Charee's mother's home and then visit with friends from church.

This year we went to a really nice restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs - The Famous.

Outside the restaurant after dinner - It was a beautiful Christmas Eve evening in downtown Colorado Springs. No snow!!

We sing "Silent Night" to close the Christmas Eve service. Both Bradford and Jackson look(ed) forward to the candle lighting ceremony. As they have become older, I think that they both have an understanding of the powerful symbolism of the Christ Candle in the darkness of the world.

We don't dress up a lot. Christmas Eve has also been a night that mom has been able to see her two handsome boys in nice clothes!

Jack has a more artistic flair than I (not that that is saying much....). When he took this picture he was holding the camera in a funny angle. I thought that he was messing around and said something like "just take it please!" He was trying to get a different effect. Not bad really given the "point and shoot" equipment!

It's a Good 'Ol Hockey Game!!

We live in a town that has a pretty good college hockey team - the Colorado College Tigers. I used to take Bradford to games when he was younger; now, the torch has been passed to Jackson. He's a huge CC fan; the only team he roots over the Tigers is the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves (in honor of his big brother who goes to school there). Tonight, CC beat Nebraska-Omaha 5-2 and one of the Tigers scored a "hat trick." Jack tried his hand at "chuck-a-puck" but no luck tonight.

Last week, the Country Club of Colorado has a gingerbread house event. Charee picked up Jack from school and they went to make their own creation. The head chef from the Cheyenne Mountain Resort made all of the gingerbread pieces plus, all of the other candies and frosting were provided. Charee said that Jack had a lot of fun making it (took two hours). The candy corn "icicles" used to go completely across the front of the house, but dad has been secretly picking it apart.

I think that it turned out pretty good! About 20 or so families showed up for the festivities and there were only a couple of cranky dads who were apparently dragged there against their will...

Finally, here's a picture from a "Christmas Past." I'm pretty sure that this is from 2002 when Bradford was 12 (the last one before Jackson was born). Jack and I are really looking forward to seeing him in just 11 days in Alaska.

Jingle Bell Walk to School!

Today, was "Jingle Bell Walk" at Broadmoor Elementary School. The kids were encouraged to walk (three meeting places). We got there early and chatted with others until it was time to head to school. We were promised hot chocolate, but, the "burner" wasn't working so no go. We were lucky in that we got our first snow of December last night!
I was happy because I got to wear my new Shearer Hat. Made in Canada!



When I came home from work today/tonight, I was greeted by about six does and one young buck who were bedding down in our yard for the night.

Looks like the plumbers have been busy in our basement. We tired of our washing machine constantly breaking down in the unheated room; so we hired our plumbers to "make it work" in the basement. For "only" $4,500 they have blasted a huge hole to hold a sump pump. You can't just pump the water from the machine directly into the sewer line - one must pay a plumber $4,500 to pump the water into a hole in the ground from which it is then pumped into the sewer......We just want a place to do our laundry when it gets below freezing!


One more Saturday to work before Christmas....

J'ai le cafard

This is the Christmas season and I'm having a hard time "getting in the spirit." Tons and tons of work at work (which, is good) but it has meant working on Saturdays and long weekdays. Caught a cold today so I'm sucking on the Coldeeze. I'm really looking forward to the long Christmas weekend (thursday thru Sunday) and then going to see Bradford in Anchorage.

Reading a new book on George Washington (through audible.com). Great book.

First, and Maybe Last, Taco Bell Taco

Today was a beautiful day in Colorado Springs. A few weeks ago, at the CC hockey game, Jackson won some coupons for free Taco Bell food. We don't go to fast food places so he was intrigued to try it. He decided that he didn't care for it. Later, I took my mother-in-law, Evelyn to Mountain Mama - an organic grocery store. We finished the evening with dinner at her home. Plan on spending some time with my uncle Ben and aunt Billie tomorrow.

Today is Thanksgiving and I have so much for which to be thankful. Family, friends, country, health, faith, and so many other blessings. Each day that I wake up I thank God for the day ahead of me and ask that I be able to help someone in some small way.

I love Saturdays!!

Took a bike ride with Jackson at Cheyenne Mountain State Park today. Beautiful day. Three or four big bucks with their does spent the day in the yard today. Jack and I are looking forward to flying to Anchorage on December 29th to visit with Brad and Mel.

Went to an orchestral concert

Colorado Springs Philharmonic is auditioning five conductors for the position. Today we saw Shizuo Kuwahara. Charee, Jack, and I really liked him. Lots of energy. The older (even older than I...) didn't seem to like him. My sunday school class did some yard work for a church member today. It's amazing what nine people working together can do. Imagine if a country pulled together like that...

Finally going North....

It's been over a year since I've seen my son Bradford. He lives in Alaska and works at a restaurant. Really hard for him to come home. So, I decided that I could not let a calendar year go by without seeing him. Jack and I leave on December 29th! It will be Jack's first plane ride. Charee cannot go because of her sinuses. I'm really looking forward to it. We get to meet his girlfriend Mel too. Life is good, isn't it?