In the x-mas mood

Well Greyson said he wasn't feeling in the Christmas spirit so he went into town and got us a Christmas tree. It is a beautiful 5 foor noble fir of the live, plantable variety. We decorated it and Greyson got the stair banaster part way decorated. We also went over to a Christmas gathering at my co-worker's house. Greyson is leaving early tomorrow for a 6am flight to Lousiana. He is staying the week there at his mom and dad's new place in Baton Rouge. So I will be home with the Pooey to guard me at night. I think I will let her sleep on Greyson's side of the bed with her head on the the pillow and the electric blanket on about 4.

I have started practicing some christmas songs on the guitar. The about.com site has a bunch with cords if anyone out there also wants to practice. We could have a concert on Christmas eve. I also saw a couple of short plays for kids that I think the newphews and nieces should practice and perform. I have all but one person shopped for; the last on the list is giving me a hard time.

Our doggy slumber party got booked up. Ada is 4th on the waiting list so she may have to attend Christmas. I may bring my portable heater that I have at work next to my desk. If I set that up in the garage next to a doggie bed Ada may be much more content outside.

We went shopping for some replacement fish last night and got a leaf fish(that looks like a leaf), a knife fish (that looks like a knife), three clown loach, and a pink tailed something. It is fun to have more fish but they are pretty small right now and need to do some growing to fill up the tank.
-Melanie

star wars battlefront

Now that battlfront 2 is out, the first one costs $19.95. It's a huge multiplayer game. All kinds of vehicles and roles to play. Most of the things you saw in the old starwars movies are pilotable. That includes the 4 legged walkers, tie fighters, x-wings, and taun tauns to name a few. Check this out:

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/starwarsbattlefront/review.html?page=2

So for our next tourney, I recommend you guys pick up a copy.

Dean meal

WE are bringing a corned beef dish, side dishes of cabbage, baked potatoes (with fixings- boys like these), and a green salad.  Desert will be a pumpkin cream pie…if I have time I’m going to try out another chocolate pie and white chocolate covered pretzels (unless mom is making those for me)…Brian insists he’s doing the pumpkin recipe..that’s his cooking territory.  The only day he says he’ll have time for the three hour baking process is Saturday.  But we’ll take whatever day is not spoken for- and I’m sure I can handle putting it in the oven and starting the timer.  Although- remember in the day- (to my sister Traci) mom would ask us to take out the cookies when the timer went off…and no matter how hard I tried to remember…I’d miss the timer and smell the burning cookies.  Its one of the few vivid memories that remain for me of the time at the house in Castle Rock….besides chasing you with baby snakes.  So speaking to mom here…why didn’t you buy one of those timers that keeps going off?  My boys get quite annoyed at the one for our oven…and what’s really nice is the oven turns itself off.  Well now that I’ve gotten completely off topic..back to the meal list.  Brian wanted me to post this…and I’m sure we’ll bring much more than this.  My weekend is packed with basketball, shopping, watching Narnia and decorating the house and Christmas tree…so I probably won’t revisit this topic until next week.   FYI:  Nicholas, Emma, Gabe and myself got the chance last night to enjoy sitting in the hot tub with snow still on the ground and the sky was so clear---Nicholas asked why the constellation is called the Milky Way…and I don’t entirely know the answers to all the astronomy question that they have…and how to distinguish stationary satellites vs. stars/planets?  I’d love to get this book that shows what the sky looks like on each night in our area- the presenter at the Goldendale observatory talked about it- it sounded really neat. 

death in the family

jack
Originally uploaded by wgrudd.

I had to pause in my project development to lay a dear friend to rest. Ada and I had a brief memorial service. She watched and I had to remind her that we are holding a celebration of his life, not mourning his death. I have a few pictures of him not but a day or two ago.

I just added 45 min. to my day

Well, I really mean it this time. I am finished cooking. It is a job I really don't enjoy and don't do all that well. And it is a big waste of time. You slave away for most of an hour then poof, the food is gone in 10 minutes. So on Sunday I decided the heck with it. We don't have enough money to eat out every night but we can get takeout for a reasonable price. So I hit the Chinese resturant and got a family style meal for 2 to go ($35). Then I hit Safeway up for 3 foot long sandwhiches ($24). That was Sunday and it is now Wednesday night. We have finished 85% of the Chinese and only 1/3 or 1/2 of the sandwhiches. I think by the end of tomorrow (my limit to how long I will keep the food) we will have eaten all of the food. That just leaves Friday, but we have a decent take out burrito spot ($8) in Stevenson to take care of that. So from Sunday night through Friday for just $67 plus some milk and a box of cereal, so let's call it $75. Not bad. Plus there is no rea cleanup. $75x4=$300/month plus Saturday and Sunday till lunch. The chickens give us weekend breakfast and I get free bread at Jujutsu class. So I can spend $300 a month and not cook but a couple of eggs. I am really on to something. The only addition I think I need is a casserole of some sort to cook on Thursdays for some variety. Costco has some nice lasagnas and pot pies for under $15 that last us a couple days. Besides the obvious lack of vegetables it's briliant.
-Melanie

books I want- Jennifer

Our school is having a controversy over this book “Chocolate War”…so I’m adding it to my wish list, so I can read it for myself and I also want to read “Their Eyes Are Watching God”…so if any of you have a used copy- please bring over the break.  Thanks.

RE: [SPRAD Family Blog] Themes

Dean family dates/plans;still not firm on these but; I have a game on the 20 so we are coming on Wednesday the 21 and Brian has to leave on Christmas day (he's working early the next morning)..if we bring up two cars or if someone in the family could loan him a commuter car;then we wouldn't have to leave until around the 26 or maybe even the 27I am looking at this practice calendar- and I'm inclined to cancel this practice for the freshmen that is the day after Christmas. Yikes- are these coaches crazy! Either way I believe Brian has to work on that Monday. Dad could have-well maybe.

Themes

From Mom: Now did you really think Dad had the theme idea??!

I really need to know the dates you are all coming and going. We can probably change the pool date if needed.
The Rudd-Sharps have committed to Dec. 23 through Dec. 27.
How about the rest of you?

So, Italian Day could include sculpting (clay), art work, pictionary game and--soccer?
Give me the days you'll be here and I'll get the themes going and plan activities accordingly.