Gingerbread House Party

Every year Sidona invites: friends, their children, relatives, aquaintances, neighbors, associates, and the mail man to a gingerbread house party. This year we had 40 in the house making gingerbread houses.

Everyone brings some candy and Sidona has premade the houses. The kids enjoy being able to decorate their houses with all the different types of candy.

The scene has been described as being similar to a piranha feeding frenzy.

All in all, the kids seem to have a great time. For me, I unfortunately need to work late the same time every year. Maybe next year I'll be able to participate.

Four Wheel Sledding - again

Well, we were out sleeding again tonight. The boys drug me out to pull them around the streets again in the bitter cold. The temperature measured -13F. Factored for sledding around 30 mph that equates to a wind chill of -44F. Yes, how stupid can we be. We had to take a couple of breaks to thaw out our goggles. I was having a tough time seeing with my goggles with a thin layer of ice.

We like to do this when it gets dark. There are fewer cars on the road and it seems to be more fun when you can't see as well. Paul has this method of sledding where he will simply hold on to the back of the sled and slid on his body. Kind of like body surfing or water skiing without the skis. It is my job to try and dump them.

We didn't last as long tonight. We all got pretty cold and decided to come in. We still managed to use up the better part of a tank of gas. Right now I'm thawing out in my office with the heater going full blast. I hope they pick a warmer day for the next time.

Christmas Preparations

Christmas means chocolates. Every year Sidona and her mother make lots of chocolates.

This is the pool table that is used to put the chocolates on when we start boxing.

Although Sidona and her mother make the chocolates. We have the very difficult task of eating, oops, I mean boxing the chocolates.

After about 10 minutes of boxing chocolates. I have eaten my fill.

Matt did a little chocolate dipping this year.

Paul helping set up the Christmas tree.

Sidona installing the lights.

Beau helping.

Dad helping.

Four Wheel Sledding

We have had a little snow recently. That usually means - four wheel sledding.

The person behind the camera was a little upset at the time of these pictures. We had made a mess of the house getting ready to sled and had tracked mud all through the house. I'm not sure what the big deal was, but oh well. These two pictures show the goofy outfits. It was kind of cold out when we were sledding. It was -6 F and dropping.

Getting ready to have some fun. We often wrestle and push each other out of the sled or hang off for fun. Paul would often drag behind the sled sliding face down.

Saturday Fishing at Lake Elmo

Paul and Thomas fishing at Lake Elmo. Paul is trying to catch the fish with his feet.

Winter in October- October 10-12

Brad, Paul, Matt and Smokey by our giant snowman. (Brad added the rope around his neck and the rake in his head)
The snow was gone about three days after this and we haven't had any since.

Matt, Paul,Brad and Smokey by their snow wall

Matt, Paul and Beau

Our Zoo

This is Beau. He is our Bulldog. Otherwise know as boo boo, beau beau, or as I like to call him - fathead.

Smokey.

Paul's Bearded Dragon. He was allowed to have one after he worked so hard to expand our basketball court.

The evil cat we inherited

Socks

What an ugly creature!

Trip to Yellowstone

Road through the Beartooth pass in June

Paul, Matt and Cammille

A rare geyser that we almost walked by without stopping. The man in the hat stopped us and said, "Don't you realize that it is 5 min. until this rare geyer goes off".

So we stopped.

A grizzley sow. Her cub is somewhere in the trees nearby.

Cammille in front of the elk horns in Jackson Hole.

An overlook of the Tetons.