Rise and Shout...

Alana and I had the opportunity to attend the Las Vegas Bowl while returning from Utah for the holidays. The Cougars didn't disappoint demolishing the Oregon Ducks 38 - 8. Along for the ride was Naomi Nardotto, a friend from Switzerland. She enjoyed her first collegiate football game and loved seeing all of the fans dressed up in their Cougar blue and Duck yellow and green. It was a great time with some great friends and capped off my undergraduate football experience in perfect fashion.

Falls in a Well and Eyes Go Crossed...

If you have never seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, then this article may not be all that funny. However, if you have seen it and remember Cousin Eddie's little girl you will find this funny. Have a read.

This is a Christmas Party!!

Every year neighbors of ours have an Open House for their friends. Mary is a professional food stylist for major corporations so everything is done expertly. These two pictures are just the dessert table (and she decorates everything herself). Her husband is a woodworker and their gift to the guests is a handmade wooden ornament. . .this year it was penguins (yes, James and Ster, we saved you one because you have been to this incredible party before). Hats off to Mary, Dan and their family for all of the work that they put into this holiday masterpiece. We really enjoyed ourselves.

 

Our Stake Presidency Rocks

Tonight the Magnusson, Cornwall and Steimle families came caroling at our house for Family Home Evening. . .their singing was only surpassed in excellence by the outstanding treats that they left for us. . .thanks for a great treat!! (Sue, I posted this as quickly as possible so fewer people would see the "dancing Santa" routine as the latest blog. . .if my constituents ever saw it, I'd be recalled). Merry Christmas!! 

Dancing with Santa

Here is a funny video of Mom and Nantie getting their groove on with the Santa on the street. Nice moves!

NLC 2006

Auntie, Mom, and I all had the chance to ravel to Reno, NV this past week to participate in the 2006 NLC Conference. Due to the fine hotel accomodations that we had, most of our time was spent outside of the hotel traveling to places such as Virginia City and participating in the Habitat for Humanity project. We also had the opportuity to bowl in the National Bowling Statidum (this place had more than 100 lanes). The pictures shown here are of Mom and I at the National Automotive Museum where we had dinner one night. Next we have Darrell (City Manager of Duarte), Auntie, me, and Mom at the National Bowling Stadium. Finally there is a picture of Auntie, me, and Mom working hard at the Habitat for Humanity site. Good times in RENO!

 

Weekend in Yosemite

Last weekend, Dan and Helen journeyed to Yosemite so that Dan could attend an Academic Senate conference at the Ahwahnee Hotel. This hotel is quite beautiful and rustic, built at the park in 1927. We enjoyed the Native American charm of the hotel and loved that fact that Yosemite National Park wasn't very crowded. On Saturday afternoon, Dan and Helen hiked part of the way to Upper Yosemite Falls and were able to view the entire valley floor, with Half Dome in the background. The weather was clear and cold, but very invigorating. It was an outstanding time of the year to explore Yosemite National Park.

Snow Leopard

Today was pretty exciting for me. Since my mentor at the CVM is the veterinarian at the Zoo here in Lansing I was able to go and help with a physical exam on a male Snow Leopard. It was a really neat experience. Basically this leopard is going to be shipped off to another zoo since they don't want him to mate with the female here since his genes are "over represented." All animals shipped across state lines must have a bill of good health so that is what were were checking. We did an ultrasound, dental cleaning (done by yours truly), blood collection and a direct/indirect arterial pressure measurements among some other things. This cat was an amazing creature. Despite having a not so great odor, I still wanted to use it for a pillow.

Dan's Stocking - It's Finally Done!

After 18 months of working on this cross-stitched stocking, I finally have finished it. . .good thing too because Dan's stocking last year was a plastic bag. . .Santa didn't quite know what to make of it!