O' Tannenbaum...

So yesterday we put up the Griswold family Christmas tree. Mom and Dad nearly always cut a tree down from a farm and it's always nice and fresh and green. This year the tree is awesome but has some intersting holes in it's structure. The other thing about this tree is that it bites...like the dog! So because of this my Father put on thick, blue gloves to help. I found this incredibly funny and had to document it. we finally decorated it today and it looks gorgeous. I'll post pictures of this tommorow.
We've spent the last two days baking cookies. It's been a blast and there are LOTS of great things to munch on. I love all my granny's old recipes and although she isn't here to make them we do our best because we know she's watching and will have something to say if we do it wrong! Tommorow we are going to Church. They are doing a version of the Nativity. More about that tommorow!

Big Boy....

So my parents have a dog named Big Boy. He has that name for a reason as you can see below. He is a Cane Corso Mastiff (Italian Mastiff) and weighs over 125 lbs. He was a stray that my Father rescued. Little did he know that the dog was crazy...literally. They actually had to call in a behaviorist because the dog was a wack job and was going to eat them...seriously. So although he's still crazy, he's more manageable now and was allowed to stay...for now. He has to behave and be good in order to remain. He really is nuts, today he bit me trying to get the tissues in my hand. He was playing but his head is bigger than mine so you can imagine the teeth. No blood but a little sore. He's so freakin cute and sweet when he's not devouring you....

Shopping at Short Pump...

So part of my trips back home are usually spent shopping...Christmas or not. This shopping is done at Short Pump. Short Pump is a large area of Richmond where most major stores and then some are located. Not only is there stip type malls with your Best Buys, Circuit City's, and Borders, but there is also an open air shopping mall with stores like Saks 5th Ave. and Macy's. It's quite the experince and I have to say that although I like to shop, Short Pump is even too much for me sometimes. Below is a picture of just one SMALL part of the traffic situation around Short Pump. You spend most of your time there in traffic, not shopping!

Johnathan's....

So when my niece (who is now almost 18) was a child she used to call squirrel's Bruce's and Seagulls Johnathan's. Now I don't know where the Bruce idea came from but Johnathan's came from of course, Johnathan Livingston Seagull. I'm not sure how or why she came up with this in her little 4 yr old brain, but I hadn't though about it in years until I saw a seagull walking in the snow in Omak, WA. I made a comment to Honey about watching the Johnathan's. I'm not sure if she heard me/correctly or just blew it off as being not important (which it wasn't) and not needing clarification. So today while at Wendy's the Johnathan's made an appearence and I couldn't help but snap a picture of them in all their infinite wisdom yet ignorant all at the same time. Their little bird brains not even allowing them enough thinking power to move out of the way of cars or fly away from the 200+ pounds of Italian Mastiff wanting to eat them. In fact, one was so bold/stupid (depending on who you talk to) as to stand on one leg and stare at him. I wonder what he was thinking.....

Home....Day 1...

So today began the great pre-christmas adventure. I got up at 10 and talked to Dad for a bit then got ready to go....SHOPPING! By the end of the week I will have shopped EVERY DAY! I both love and hate christmas commercialism. I hate it because I think to a point its ridiculous and obscene even. I love it because I love giving gifts and seeing people's faces when they open something they weren't expecting or were wanting but never thought they would get. It's great....
We went to the base to the commissary and PX to get food. I got lots of yummy things I can't get out in Okanogan or even Washington. Then we had Wendy's...another thing that Omakanogan lacks. Big Boy had chicken nuggets and fries with us. Then we came home and set up the xmas tree. Big Boy thought that was great fun! After that was making dinner and online stuff. Mom came home and we had dinner and watched TV and were in bed by 10pm. I'm now laying in bed blogging and listening to an episode of the OFFICE. I love that show...we all have a little Dwight in us...UH! That's what she said....heh heh!

Home again, Home again....Jiggity-Jig

So this finds me home again for the holidays with Mom and Dad. I love this time of year and the trip except for that whole having to leave part of it...it sucks. Todays travels were full of drama, delays, aggrevation, and interesting observations. First the delays, drama, and aggrevation...

This photo shows what it looked like at 5am this morning at Spokane International Airport. Shortly after taking this photo I was informed that the flight was being delayed at least 1 hour for "numerous mechanical issues", which of course always makes you feel safe and comfortable. So they gave us meal vouchers and an hour later we were told it was delayed indefinitely and to make our ways to one ticket counter or another to get booked on other flights etc. So I call the Telephone reservation line and get on a flight to Denver that was leaving in 4 minutes. I was standing in front of the door and they closed it on me and told me that it was too later...flight number two down the crapper. So then it was a trip downstairs to wait for an hour to get booked back on the same flight from the morning that was now leaving at 11am. It finally took off at 10:30am. The flight to Chicago was not too bad...Harry Potter, lots of room, and a great view of the snowy, snowy Mid-West.

So then I get to Chicago and find out that there was in fact an earlier flight to Richmond, Va than what they booked me in so I attempted to get on that flight only to be told that yes, they had seats BUT since I had a checked bag, I was not allowed to fly on a flight without said baggage. I fucking HATE airtravel. How many people fly without their baggage on a daily basis? So it's ok if they fuck up and we have to do it then but if we actually WANT to do it, then it's not ok? UHG! So I got some italian beef and an ice cream cone and paper. It was a simple solution to keep me from ending up in jail. I finally arrived in Richmond, Va at 9:17pm. Over 12 hours after the start of my day. *Sigh*, I'm glad to be home.

Now for the interesting observation. Has anyone else noticed men who seem to stand semi-hunched over with their pelvis' sticking out while they are engaged in conversation? It's like they are talking with their penis'...it's very strange. I don't have a photo but I will attempt to get one on the return trip.