Christmas 2013

Christmas was quiet but nice this year. We opened a few gifts, snacked on all the goodies and called family to wish them a Merry Christmas. Jasmine was still recovering, so we didn't go anywhere or make an extravagant dinner. We were together and that's all that mattered. 

The girls put out some cookies for Santa, but maybe we should have spread some corn instead? Our visitors stayed in the backyard for most of the day and have returned many times since. 

Our four legged kids were happy with their gifts. 

Our Christmas tree with all our new toys. Yes, that's another bike for me. A single speed I'll be using next year during cross season. 

 

Tonsillectomy

Jasmine had her tonsils removed yesterday and she's doing a great job dealing with the pain. Maybe it's the drugs? The doctors told us day three and four will be the worst and then it'll slowly taper off afterward. If she doesn't start bleeding during that time, life will be back to normal in no time.

Catching Up.

Our weekend was pretty busy and we started it off on Friday night with Bekah's last play performance "Bang Goes Christmas". Saturday morning was an early wake up for breakfast and then it was off to Hunters Tree Farm to cut our Christmas tree and feed the goats.

Our annual family picture in front of the tractor, 

Jaz and Bek with Santa,

and the devil goat. 

Saturday night Susan and I went to the Emerald Queen Casino to watch Carrot Top perform and donate a few bucks to the Puyallup Tribe. That is one ugly dude. 

Sunday was my last CX race of the season and I almost decided to sleep in and skip it, but I forced myself out of bed and I'm glad I did. The course in Enumclaw was in great shape and the run up proved challenging once again. Good job to Steve and Mark for setting up the course. Team Double Check has encountered several injuries this year, so our numbers were low but we still had a few riders representing. 

Amos on the left racing Masters 55+ taking 3rd place. 

Sunday afternoon we watched the Nutcracker in the Pantages Theater in Tacoma and then ended the night with dinner at The Rock.

Susan and I with the King and a couple Prince's. 

Jaz with a Prince. 

Bek with a couple unnamed characters. 

High School Choir

Steilacoom High School hosted a choir performance for us last night and in addition to the high school students, they had elementary and junior high students singing too. To say Ms. Witham is an outstanding instructor would be an understatement because she had over 200 students singing at various times of the night. Even during group transitions. Pretty incredible. Her junior high students were selected as the number one women's choir in the state and several high school students will be going to Yakima to compete in the Washington State Championships. Good luck to them all!

Bek and Ms. Witham posing for a historic blog photo. 

Breakfast Anyone?

What better way to start the day off? 

$240 Million Dollars

I don't know how people justify the amounts professional sports players earn, but after hearing about Robinson Cano's deal with the Mariners the only word I can think of is: Ridiculous. A $240 million dollar, ten year deal. Are they out of their fricken mind! No one is worth that kind of money and his pay check will be passed onto the fans attending the games. I know they have to earn a paycheck, but when do we say enough is enough?

CX Fort Steilacoom

The weather was near perfect for cross this past weekend and the course was the same. Thanks to Steve Skeehan and Mark Lambie, they made sure the riders had to work a bit to make each loop. No run up this year, but the hills to get to the back side of the course made you wish a run up was in place. Our down hill decent was a steep one with multiple washboards that made you apply a few pounds of pressure on your brakes to keep you at controlled run. Scary, but fun.

My mom was over for the weekend and I talked her into coming out to watch me and several others cough up a lung. 

Me, on a straightaway. 

Roland with an after race smile.