Cool new toys....

...Who says that kids are the only ones who get toys for Christmas? Emily and I got a really really really cool toy this Christmas.

We got an Exilim EX-Z700 digital camera from mom and dad. It is very nice. See....this picture is of the Christmas tree at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago. I had to go down there this morning to get a city sticker for the car. That was a complete bust, but I did have fun with the new toy. The building in the background is City Hall.

This next picture is of the windows at Marshal Fields...well at least it SHOULD be Marshall Fields...instead it is stinky Macy's....the windows were not nearly as good this year but I liked the costuming on this one. It was the Nutcracker this season.

The last picture is of The Chicago Theater. Emily and I are headed back down to Indiana this evening (assuming the weather permits us to do so.) for the New Years weekend. I hope everyone has a great weekend and stays safe. This is my last blog for the year of 2007. Lets hope 2008 finds a more consistantly update blog for me...eh?!

Merry Christmas !!!

Thanks for all the prayers for my stinkin back. It is feeling much better. (Not 100% but MUCH better.)

Today is Christmas Eve!!!! It is a Christmas miracle...both an eve and a day all at the same time! I hope that everyone who reads this are surrounded by those they love tomorrow. I am heading down to Indiana after work today. May you and yours be safe warm and happy this holiday season.

Thank you God for allowing your one and only child to come down to this troubled earth and be born as a baby to grow into our saviour. Amen!

Merry Christmas !!!

Words I like right now...

co·deine /ˈkoʊdin/[koh-deen] –noun Pharmacology.
a white, crystalline, slightly bitter alkaloid, C18H21NO3, obtained from opium, used in medicine chiefly as an analgesic or sedative.


a·ce·ta·min·o·phen /əˌsitəˈmɪnəfən, ˌæsɪtə-/[uh-see-tuh-min-uh-fuhn, as-i-tuh-] –noun Pharmacology.
a crystalline substance, C8H9NO2, used as a headache and pain reliever and to reduce fever.



Can·a·da /ˈkænədə/[kan-uh-duh] –noun
a nation in N North America: a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 29,123,194; 3,690,410 sq. mi. (9,558,160 sq. km). Capital: Ottawa.


What do these three things have in common...I am not in pain from misc. back pain for the first time in 24 hours because I have taken acetaminophen plus codeine that a dear friend brought back from Canada. God Bless Canada! (Even though they are planning to attack and take over the world...)

Randomness....

1.) I am blogging after only 4.75 hours of sleep. Last night was the big gala fundraising event for the place my sister works and in true big sister fashion she offered up my services for the evening. I didn't truly mind and I got to hear Denyse Graves, Sylvia McNair, and other opera wonders for free. It was an incredible concert.

2.) Today is Sunday. After church we (emily and I) are having two little girls (Brianna and Olivia) over for the day. It is partly for Olivia's birthday back in April. My gift to her was a certificate for a movie and popcorn with one guest at Emily and Cindy's house, she chose Brianna to bring with her (she said it will be the two sisters with the other two sisters) Well things just didn't work until now to do that. So after church I will be bringing them back with me to the house and we will eat lunch together, make a gingerbread house, watch a movie while we eat popcorn and drink hot chocolate. All this on 4.75 hours of sleep...sigh...I am so glad they are well behaved children.

3.) I could have had more sleep but my stupid body is used to waking up at a certain time and it didn't seem to understand that today was NOT one of the days it needed to get up at that time...grrrrr.... So I got up went to the restroom, and laid back down, but it didn't work, I was awake...mind you my entire being was complaining loudly that it was very tired and needed more sleep...it was just that some part of me that the rest couldn't conquer kept saying...NO! it is Light out we need to be up! *!#@&*#@! I am really not happy to be up.

4.) It snowed about 3-4 inches last night. Granted most of that fell before we managed to get home last night around 1 a.m. so atleast the car shouldn't be too hard to clean off, but that does mean that the streets will be crappy.

5.) I just re-read my blog thus far and it seems to have definite negative overtones...I did not mean for that to happen except for #3....I am happy that the girls are coming, and that last night went well...I am just tired. So if any of you actually read this please pray for energy for both Emily and I today. It doesn't matter if you don't read this on Sunday, God is not constrained by silly things such as our measurement of time, pray whenever you read this and I believe that He honors it.

6.) This week is the last full week of work for two weeks for me...next week we work monday only then we dont come back until Jan. 2 While I am very excited about the break and having time off I am also scared because that means I will have no income for that time. I am not full-time so I don't get paid for the break. I am choosing to focus on relaxing and enjoying my time off, but part of me will still worry about rent. Did I mention I have like 8 days in a row off...bliss....

7.) is the number John Elway wore when he played football with the Denver Broncos.

8.) is enough...I am ending this and hope you all have a great day.

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Today is my friend Colleenie-Weenie's birthday. She is 30!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEENIE, welcome to the next decade!

Colleen is on the far right in the picture standing next to our friend Julie completeing with each other in the chubby bunny game with Justin the Ref in the background. I have no idea who won but man was it fun to watch two loud mouths stuffing their mouths with marshmellows...giggle...

I gotta go to work now, Hope you have a great day today Colleen!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

I love this time of year, and here is why: (Listed in no particular order)

1. Snow. I love snow. Being born in Denver Colorado may have something to do with this love, but whatever the cause I love snow. The first big snowfall also signals the beginning of the end of allergy season for me. (I love fall but the mold and yuck doesn't like me) I love watching it fall gently down to earth, I love tromping through it to get to work I love the white blanket that illuminates the sky at night and brightens the day with blinding light. I love snow. I love curling up with a good book, a warm blanket, and some hot cocoa or hot tea and watching it come down.

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2. Football. I love football, the NFL. Again being born in Denver Colorado may have something to do with this love as well. See when you are born in Denver they give you a shot, it is orange and blue, and you are a life long Denver Bronco football fan...so really I had no choice in the matter. I love watching it, and occasionally (oh so occasionally) going to a game. QB's, RB's, FB's, and the ever amusing tightends.....giggle... I love football.

3. Preparing for Christmas. Both physically and spiritually. I love the songs the lights the decorations, the buying of gifts...I LOVE giving people gifts. I love picking out what I think they would like and seeing their face when they open it. I think that that is SO much more fun that receiving gifts. Don't get me wrong I love getting things but I just love giving them more... however I don't know what I would do at Christmas if I didn't get my boot socks from mom...I think I may cry... Moving on... I also love the old Christmas movies...White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Sound of Music, It's a Wonderful Life and all the others. Bing Crosby has the most wonderful voice...sigh... Moving on (again)... I want to go back to the aforementioned songs. I was raised on music. All kinds of music. Music plays a large role in my memories of past events so it is natural that music is a large part of my "Christmas Spirit." It doesn't matter what kind of mood I am in if I turn on Christmas music (anytime of the year) I am smiling within five minutes. I can't help it, it just makes me happy. (Except for the Beach Boys Christmas song..Little St. Nick...I hate that song...of COURSE Christmas comes each time this year, it isn't like it is a traveling holiday...honestly...)...Moving on (for the final time)... I love thinking about the love God our Father showed to us when He allowed his Son to come to earth. If you think sending your kid off to college is hard imagine sending your child off knowing, in truth planning, the exact time and way of His death . God knew the pain the anguish Jesus would face and yet He still let His Son go into the world so we could be with Him after death. Wow. How amazing is that love? I cannot truly fathom it, I just trust in it.

So that is why I feel this is the Most Wonderful time of the year.