HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Today was fun! Dad's birthday started out with him walking into the kitchen this morning to find a gallon of chocolate milk, yummy donuts and orange juice on the table! It wasn't until later on in the day that we found out that Joe and kids had been over early in the morning to delivered the treats. It was fun for dad to call Ryan to wish him a happy birthday as they share birthdays. After Dad, Jeff, Grant and Matt Shinall went to the 11:30 a.m. showing of "I Am Legend", Joe and Allison took Dad and I out to lunch. It was fun to try Japanese food. We liked it! We had an afternoon birthday party, some nice visiting and then a wedding reception in the evening. Driving there with freshly fallen snow on the ground brought back memories of Jana's reception!

Jeff gave Dad one sox! Guess he'll have to wait till Christmas to get the other one! Hum...where have I seen that done before?!!! Tradition!!!!

Dad got an age appropriate ornament: the ROCKING chair says Grandpa on it. It was nice to see Matt Shinall. He spent the afternoon with Grant. He lives about an hour north of Julie.

The kids love to sing along with the cowboy Santa Aunt Jean sent. Santa's rope lights up and his mouth opens real wide as he sings about keeping "those reindeer rollin'- tonight" to the tune of "Rawhide". We are all looking forward to Christmas...we're about 90% ready! The snow mostly melted and I decided we probably wouldn't be having a white Christmas...until this afternoon. Dad was out shoveling the driveway again....we are excited Julie will be coming. She flies into Pullman Christmas Eve! Yeh!! Now if the rest of you would hitch a ride here on Santa's sleigh, we'd be REAL happy!

In the lane...snow is glistening

Considering all the cold and snow we've been having, it's time to realize it really is December! The days are flying by and it will soon be Christmas! We have had a fun month thus far....This week, Joe and I went to three Christmas parties. Decagon's gift exchange was fun as usual. Joe's office party was classy as it was at the director of the Entrepreneur Center's gorgeous home half way up Moscow Mountain. The Ward Christmas party was "Traveling to Bethlehem". And of course we enjoyed it as Jeff and the grandkids were part of the program!

Joe, Jeff, Joey, Hans and Austin met Derek and Aubree in Grangeville to pick up a car Derek sold to Joey. They had a great visit and enjoyed lunch together.

Oh my! Look what happened when Jeff, the boys and scotch tape got together.
Jeff got made a ward missionary. We have some neat elders in our ward for him to work with.
Jeff and the boys had fun at the ward Christmas party. Jeff was part of the Nativity scene and the boys sang with the other Primary children.

The boys each dug a tunnel in the mound of snow...their tunnels met in the middle and they sure have had fun crawling in and out of them!

Joe and I went with Angela and Brent to Spokane to see Manheim Steamroller. On the way, we stopped at a house that had great decorations and got a few pics. The concert was OK. We actually like the tape we have of them better than the live performance.