The Interim Period

What do you do in that interim period of time between Christmas and New Years? It's too early to take the lights off the house, and too cold as well. Lots of television - too many reruns though and after eating all the cookies and candy, funeral potatos and hams, laying on a couch makes my stomach look like Jabba the Hut.

Who decided there could be 35 bowl games anyway? Who wants to watch two .500 teams play in the Meineke Muffler Bowl? All the rain outside makes it cumbersome to plan a fun outing. I hate to drive all over the Pacific Northwest with four 20-somethings in the car - it's just not that exciting for them. Me, I'm entertained easily. Them?... they want instantaneous adrenaline or just to be left alone. I'm betwixt.

Melanie let me buy a camera for Christmas to replace my Pentax ME Super. It took a couple weeks to put it together, bartering for the body from B&H in New York and gambling on e-bay for the lens from someone who didn't know what they had. It's a Nikon D90 with a Sigma 17-70 f2.8 macro lens. We stretched our dollar pretty far though, getting this for about half the normal cost by using a little creative purchasing. Melanie gave up a lot of stupid gifts that I normally would have bought for her. She must have figured the camera would be better used than the socks, kitchen gagets and purfume, for which I have no nose nor taste.
Here is the first photo taken with the camera. I know... it's out of focus. You would think I could at least use the auto-focus, but I messed it up on the first 2 shots. However, I'm looking forward to learning how to use it and already have a couple projects in mind.

But here is the 3rd shot from the camera. It's passable and the subject matter was worthy... but keep it clean - there are teenagers around.

We took a walk along the Theler Wetlands near Belfair. While working at US Bank during the 1990's, I help finance this conservation project by selling some of the real estate owned by the Theler Trust. The money went to the North Mason School District which built an outdoor classroom on these wetlands. If you are ever out this way, this is a very interesting walk, easy to get to, perfectly groomed trails - and flat with several interpretive markers to explain the value of this resource.

Maybe I'll do a Happy New Year post as well.

Christmas Time Is Nice

From our home to yours, we hope you all have a Joyful and Merry Christmas.

Tom and Mary Ann came by for a few minutes. They use any excuse to celibrate their affection for one another.

It snowed in Seattle - 2 weeks ago and it's still here. We've never had so much snow for so long as we have this year. Only our 3rd White Christmas we can remember while we've lived in the Seattle area - 20-1/2 years now.

A Merry Christmas to our Family and Friends.

Our hope to for our family and friends is a Merry Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year. 2008 was a good year for us and we pray 2009 will bring us just as much gratification and joy. We hope to remain close to you and continue to pray for your happiness everyday.

The traditional band picture. Brandon wanted to be the front man - whatever that means.

Four angels fell from the heaven and landed in the snow in our yard.

Steve and Melanie with Mr. Snowman in our backyard.

Brandon and Curt graduated form BYU-I in December. They are both trying to tie down their first jobs out of school.