25 years since...

...I was in 2nd grade and the Challenger blew up.  My class didn't watch it live like some did.  I remember them talking a lot about the teacher that was on it.  And Punky Brewster did a show about it.

odds & ends

Last week while eating lunch I was noticing the different shades of the kids' eyes, so I tried taking pics to compare.  The camera didn't capture them the way I wanted, of course, but it still makes for a kind of cool and freaky composite (kids are in age order top to bottom).

After Christmas we thought our bank account would be safe from big purchases for a while, but nooo.  The bills came in for Zach's December procedure and...Yowsa.  Then the dumb dryer decided to go on the fritz, so we forked over some moolah for a new one at the scratch-'n-dent joint this weekend.  I suppose you're ultimately pretty lucky if spending some cash makes your problems go away.  Things could be worse.  The dryer could have caught fire and exploded.  They do that sometimes apparently.  That woulda' been a bigger bummer.

Nate and I also celebrated anniversary #12 this weekend with a trip to Orchestra Hall.  We saw Mozart's opera The Magic Flute which was a bit fruity and weird but I'm no authority on the subject.

Was hoping the Jets could have pulled it off yesterday, and then bested the Packers or Bears in the Bowl.  Don't care much about the Steelers 'cept they have that one guy who's proven to be a bonehead in his personal life.   Guess there's always the commercials.

pre-blessed food

At church this week, the middle school faith formation guy showed this to us at one of those annoying mandatory parent meetings...

Huck Finn coincidence

A new version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is coming out, minus the "n" word and "injun." 

CNN story

We happen to be reading it now.  Nate and I have gone through several books together.  The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings trilogy, some Harry Potter, Mere Christianity, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, among others.  We's brawd-minded and edumacated.

'Cuz Christmas is always coming

Yay for 75% off...finally bought some 'o them 'spendy' LED lights.

For Auld Lang Syne

A little late getting my holiday pics up.  Not sure if I like our new little camera.  Blurry pics sometimes, and crazy neon robotic red eyes on everybody.  Oh well.  We had a nice Christmas at home, and the weather cooperated this year for our drives to extended family celebrations.

Nate had most of last week off so we've been chillin' out.  We saw The King's Speech.  Really good.  Happy 2011 y'all.

Merry Christ's Mass

tastes of the season

Adrienne had dibs on lickin' the puppy chow bowl.

We sort of went to the Holidazzle Parade (on Nicollet Mall in downtown MPLS) last week.  'Sort of' because it was a bit too cold for the kids that night, and Zach wailed loudly & constantly so we left early.  Also, traffic wasn't stopped for the parade so the floats had to wait for the stoplights.  We didn't have that kind of patience in single degree temps.  Nate and I previously had pleasant memories of Holidazzle - the last time we were there was 13 years ago when we'd just started dating. 

This is what a school holiday party does to a kid-

Josilan Mihiret Renee

We have a new niece!  Erik & Kim waited 2 long years for a referral.  They have to make 2 trips to Ethiopia and Josilan will come home on trip #2 likely this spring.  Prayers for them all that as they wait and make arrangements, their new daughter grows well and stays healthy and safe!

snowmageddon

Another snow event going on here.  What is it now, 3 so far?  But they've been on the weekends, so as the song goes, 'since we've no place to go...' yadda yadda. 

At least the roads were fine yesterday when we needed to get up to Children's Hospital - St. Paul for Zach's outpatient surgery.  Everything went fine and he's doing great, except he won't take the yucky tylenol w/codeine.  Can't blame him, it's 7% alcohol and reeks.

And Adrienne successfully broke her back-up glasses so she's half-blind wearing her very first pair.  Had to go ahead and order a pricey replacement lens.  Oh well.  Not a biggy in the grand scheme of things.  She might be wrecking the car in 7 years.