Christmas Day...

After playing the 11pm service on Christmas eve, I got into my car at 12:20am Christmas day. A very surreal 20 minute drive back home, deserted streets with no commerce establishments open, always a special time for me. Since our Minnesota plans crumbled like a house of cards because of the weather, we had no plans for Christmas morning. We did presents with the kids a few days ago thinking we weren't going to be here.
Kim made her way too rich and way too good cream cheese coffee cake so after sleeping in a bit Kim and myself shared a nice slice. My Mom and Dad were having all the kids over to their retirement home around 2, so we cleaned up a bit and crashed that party on the South side. Some nice food and family catch up time...very nice.







Seven of the Eight Grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa, Missed you Jen!




John explaining that the present this year from he and Donna was a donation in all our names to a foundation that fixes cleft pallets for kids, enough for a surgery, ones of the coolest gifts I have ever seen...




Donna on post knee surgery Vicodine pretty much says it all...


After leaving, Kim, Evan and myself caught the Christmas day release of Sherlock Holmes. A well done flick.

Christmas 09 didn't quite go how we planned, we terribly missed having Christmas with Kim's folks but were thankful my family was doing something so close.

Merry Christmas!

Bitter sweet...

Seems like this has been an odd year for us, why should Christmas be any different?
We were supposed to leave today to spend Christmas with Kim's folks and Sibs.
Why does the the worst storm in years have to hit Minnesota/Wisconsin/Iowa on Christmas Eve?
Kim's folks and Kim made the call to postpone our trip over to see them.
We are pretty bummed, Kim's family is fun to hang with AND Kim's Dad, Paul makes the best ham on BOTH sides of the Mississippi! One thing that can make a sad situation better is a wee one. Kim gathered her cookie making supplies and grabbed Amelia for an afternoon of baking.









A good way to spend an afternoon...

Eve...eve

Tonight was our Christmas Eve, eve service at our potential new venue Wentz concert hall at North Central College. I didn't have to do anything but show up and take a few pictures...a very nice evening, nice job Carson on producing.

The Dark Side...

Wow, that a night I had last night. If all my bar nights were like last night, I'd have to find another job.
My bar partner Mary and myself had more than our fair share of drunks and nut jobs stop in and stay too long. I can't describe how uncomfortable our shift was. Not a great night at all.

Bar Tending - Helping the socially challenged become more challenging...

Le' Poop...

Pardon my French...

It seems I have been thrown into the deep end of a shit pool with the new PART TIME Church gig.

What a mess...

Meema's tree...

Kim has been the holder of the tree decorating for a long time.
Feeling it time to involve the girls more, last year Amelia joined her. This year Olive came over to lend a hand to her big sister. You've got to love seeing dozens of ornaments all on the bottom branch...