Roise Christmas

Here are a few pictures from our traditional Roise Christmas celebration yesterday. I'm sorry I missed some people, and I didn't get a pictures of the spaghetti.

Here are Grandma, Jean, Grandpa, and Dad (from left to right).

Sisters (in-law).

Here's the obligatory pinochle game. I think the Dave Roises, as is typically the case, bid high and won.

You can always count on Jon for some antics-- being a dad has just provided him with new vistas of possiblity.

This is the rightful owner of the pacifier above. Also in the picture are my cousin Maria and Jon's wife Victoria (I think that's the back of Anton's head).

We all met up at Jean's (she's coach) basketball game in Grand Forks on the 22nd (the rest of the celebration was on the 23rd).

The most wonderful time of the year....

Here are a few catch-you-up pictures from the last week or so.

Winter Graveyard

Christmas Presents

Here are a few pictures from our Idaho present opening.


Lewis got some play tools and a tool box.

Ingrid got a Fisher-Price barn, some animals, and some people. Lewis got the tractor and a few other people and a couple animals. I had one of these barns when I was a kid-- I remember climbing into my crib on it.

Michelle is sucking the shoe from Aunt Rose (we used Rose's presents for our "Christmas Eve" opening). Thanks, Rose!

I think this pictures illustrates why things can be noisy and exciting around here.

Putting them to work...

This picture is also from Inge's birthday. This set (ironing board, iron, and vacuum cleaner) has a story, and as you can see, we put them straight to work.

Happy Birthday Inge

Here are some pictures from Inge's birthday which was this past week.

Here she is blowing out the candles. We had a joint Birthday party with her friend Payton. Payton blew her candles out as soon as we were done singing. Inge took a little longer.

Crystal (Payton's mom) brought some gloves for the girls to wear, along with their fancy dresses.

Inge and Payton examine the play food that Payton and her family gave to Inge.


Pizza for lunch. I think she liked it.

A Sabbath Picture

This picture is actually from last week. We're going to be busy tomorrow, so this might be the only picture I get to post.

Jubilee!

Hannah finally has a (-nother) little sister:














She made a leisurely entry into the world. We're all excited she's finally arrived. Congratulations, Bentons!

Ubuntu

I'm posting this picture with my computer running off a booted Linux release that runs off the CD drive, if you want it to. This is Ubuntu, and so far I think it's cool. Blogger works as well or better than Windows.

Sunday Icicles

Christmas Tree Decorating

This is the first ornament Claire gave me (before we were married).

I'm showing the kids the Noah's Ark ornament (from Grammy and Grandpa).

Inge can now place ornaments.
It was snowing *WHILE* we decorated-- wow! Thank you, Lord, for snow this Christmas.

Candy canes were the favorite ornament-- especially for Lewis.

Hannah Says

So, Hannah says: "You know, the thing I'm gonna remember most about this house is kids on the toilet. Kids on the toilet, singing."

And the comment rings true, because just thirty seconds ago Inge barely got out of the way in time to let Lewis take her place; and from the bathroom right now proceeds (over and over again, and getting higher every time) the chorus from the Little Drummer Boy, with a few extra pum-pum-pums thrown in for good measure.

Excerpt from The Parent's Giant Dictionary of Scenarios

Unhelpful Solutions, on Proposing:

Child in bath: "Mommy, my eye hurts. Can you bleach it?"

First Person Plural Pronouns, on the Unclear Use of:

Child at dinner, apropos of absolutely nothing: "We haven't lied to Hannah and Anoma in a while. That's a good thing."

SNOW

Princess Inge

In order to get her to stop biting her lower lip we had her say "Thank you Namma." This is what that looked like.

Here is the princess dress and "Tahara" which Namma made Inge for her Birthday.

5th Anniversary

The 25th was our 5th wedding anniversary. It was grand, and Claire and I are happier than ever to be stuck with each other.

Thanksgiving and Post-Thanksgiving

Here are a few pictures from Thanksgiving and one from the morning after. I think you can see that we had a fun time-- with much to be thankful for.

Michelle and John are now friends. Ironically, and seriously, she seemed to relate to him better when he was making scary faces than when he was trying to be charming-- we dont' quite know what this means yet.

Jamey thought the fire would be a good place to nap and stay warm. I'm not exactly clear on whether Hunny didn't want him there, or whether she just wanted him to pull up his pants (which are perpetually falling down). Whatever the case, this was photo op not to be missed.

Pre-Thanksgiving Update

Here is beautiful Mt. Hood. The weather has been great for seeing the mountains this week.

Here we are with Claire's good friend Montimarie and her boyfriend Ray. We met for coffee today.

This is Scott (center), and Bob (left) and Jim (right)who with any luck are (with the help of some people not shown) going to turn the datamining world upside down. This upstart Business Intelligence company has our attention, anyhow.

This is Uncle John's self-portrait. We all wonder why Michelle is still kind of afraid of him.

This is the picture that Rose likes. I have a much nicer picture of both, but I guess this one is rather charming in its own way.

Joe and Hunny-- Tosti to Tosti conversation about how to create Italian cuisine.

Here's Inge trying on a dress Hunny made for her--a Norman Rockwell moment.