We made it to Butte.

We're in Butte, MT.
I'm getting a pretty sweet download speed.
Ummmmm.
Ok.
Signing off.

Snowmobiling

Oh what fun it is to grab a handful of throttle and FLY!!!

Three reasons why snowmobiling is such fun:

1. Floating through deep powder, flipping the sled from one side to the other
   
2. Throttling off a steep slope into nothing but pure adrenaline, then touching down in a blur of flying snow
3. Drifting around a corner at full speed, then throwing your weight to one side and feeling one ski clear the ground

Good times...

=^)

Whew...

We of the Bomberger clan, all ~27 (+/- ?), attended church Christmas Eve. We enjoyed seeing the first childrens' service to include our own grandchildren! Kade and Elanor did very well for the nearly three year olds that they are. The little children sang a song and later were part of the flock of sheep in attendance at the Nativity.
After meetings and greetings of old friends home for visits and driving through the city to see the light displays, we headed to my brother in law's house for our family party. This year we had 27 stockings over the fireplace, all crossstiched by my mother in law!
Well fortified by the traditional Christmas treats such as pfefernusse, oyster stew (or chicken bisque for the faint at heart) and pumpkin roll, we headed to the livingroom to have the gift exchange. This year there was some trouble with the name drawing procedure and so two people recieved two gifts instead of the one and others didn't get a gift from anyone... lest you should worry for those hearty Bombergers, there are always more than one gift anyway, so it was really all good.
I stepped into the frosty night at about 11pm to take my mom home (she's not an *official Bomberger*, but one of the honorary ones none the less, the category reserved for our offsprings' intended spouses...we have, sadly, scared off more than one faint hearted young lady after they get a look at us all together ; ) ) We are a formidable group indeed!
Upon returning to spend the night at the bil's home we had time for a cozy visit in the glow of the tree. Christmas Day we were up early and went to my mom's house to cook breakfast fro the Bernhardt crew. Far fewer in numbers, we eat a leisurely breakfast, open our popers and don our tissue paper hats for the Christmas tree. That is what my mom calls giving the Christmas gifts out. All the children were more sedate and enjoyed each toy or book as it was presented. We readied for Christmas Day church and were seated in the pew by 10:00!

These hectic few hours of celebration and bonding with family, a raucous merry assalt to the senses, pales in comparison to the sweetness of attending church, both the Chrismas Eve and the ChristMas Day services. We hear the story from Scripture once again, we see the beauty in the sanctuary that reflects the beauty of the Babe of Bethlehem, we smell the snuffed candles' smoke rising gently, we touch and taste the elements of the Lord's Table. Christmas Blessings to you all, my dear ones!

lol again

credits to some guy on an irc channel for the title, i think (irc.freenode.net, #sabayon-social).















Mom















Dad















Grandma and Grandpa















Uncle Bob















Aunt Janet

lol - all these from last night
love you

Parker Christmas Break!

Well! It's that time of year again folks.
Christmas is here. We got out of school yesterday. truthfully, it was a genuine relief. The chance to stop and take a breath was so very beneficial. I feel healthier :D. On the other hand, the antics of the boys, and conversations of our young ladies at school, and our teachers as well, will be much missed.
The first day of break: I went caroling with the Tollys, Moffits, and the Kemps. We caroled for a couple different individuals. We caught Alan in the midle of afeway and sang to him. Lol, it was quite the experience, singing in the middle of Safeway! We caroled for Mrs. and Mr. Roddey, and for the dear elderly at the nursing home.
After this, I came home and set to furious relational work at my computer. (Emailing ;). In the midst of this, somebody knocked on my window. I looked over to see a guy peering through the window in the night staring at me. Unnerving? I think so too! He was wearing a Santa hat. I was only to discover that the stranger was my favorite person in the whole world...my brother! Yes, that is right. Eric randomly showed up at my window, having decided to come home early this year. So that resulted in a big twirl and hug, and a long late night of silly conversation.
Since then, I have been cleaning,and decorating the house, and consuming excessive amounts of chocolate. Can you say, "MMMmmmm!" ?
This week will hopefully only bring the best. Eric and I plan to learn some complex swing dance moves and take lots of pictures.
The season also brings its frightening aspects. Every year at Christmas Eve, my Parker reletives hold a party. There are about 100 of us in attendance. We gather around the piano, and my grandmother plays as we sing. This year my grandmother told me I had to take over the piano for her, so she could "retire" from it. I told her I couldnt do it, but she would have none of that. So in a couple days I will be playing in her place. I could back out if I wanted too, and just refuse to do it. I have that option. On the other hand, Mrs. Tolly told me I should consider it an honor. I am thinking, that if I decide not to do it, I will miss a major blessing. It will be like running away, and I would later regret that. I should face my fears and good will result. I know it. Now, if only I could convince myself. :D..
Okay. Will let yall know how that goes.
Miss you all!
Merry Christmas!
Ashes

Joy to the World!

Our Savior is born! Let us rejoice!

So, thanks everyone. We made it to Christmas break. Sweetness.

Things seem to be going relatively well. Feel free to post about your doing. Put photos on. Have fun!

I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow, but I plan to be posting at Lostine Photography (while I'm gone, even though my camera is away again.

Ta, see you all later!

Life after school!

Well, here we are in for the next installment of my life after school!

I got home and listened to the message from my youngest, their Christmas presents arrived, they OPENED them already and called to say thanks. KIDS!

Then I did some house work while fighting with my printer trying to print a few pictures of the Weddin' for a man at my church who plans to make something for the new Mr. and Mrs. Ives. . . There isn't much in this world that I hate (bananas, liver, trashy lit.) but I have developed a STRONG hatred for my printer! It is SO temperamental and I am ready to throw it out in the snow! I had to shut everything down about 4 times and start all over and even then the temperamental thing acted up, it won't feed paper correctly or it stops rolling but continues inking, or it keeps giving me the 'out of paper' message when there is paper in the feeder! AAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

The hubby got up about 5, he must have been sleepy and apparently my fight with the printer didn't disturb him! He was heading to a dinner with the other Elders and I was heading to orchestra practice so I didn't get to tell him that the printer is soon to be murdered.

So, I got to Enterprise for Orchestra, different rehearsal location this week, and had to wait for about 20 min with other reed players, for the key to show up. When I got there, I noticed my radiator was steaming and it smelled like anti-freeze, nothing I could do but pray that I would get home and go in to practice.

Then we had a thin but successful rehearsal, not a lot of people came but we worked well and got a lot accomplished.

As we were leaving one of the little elderly lady violin players tripped and went down hard, right in front of me and several others that were going out the same way. She was pretty shook up but seems to be ok, we gathered her and her things up and got her in the car. Luckily she had car pooled with others and didn't have to drive home alone.

I got home at the exact same time the hubby got home from his dinner, just in time for him to leave for work. I did tell him that my car seems to need attention, but praise God, it got me home OK! I have had more miracles happen to me with that car!

He went to work, I ate a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner, wrote this and am now ready for bed!

Good night all!

Hurley Vacation

I'm in Boise, ID.
I'm getting awesome internet speed.
I drove here, and it was murder.
The freeway from LaGrande to North Powder was closed, and there were a bunch of cars parked at the turn-off to the freeway.
But we outsmarted them all.
We took the road through Union to North Powder, and then had the freeway to ourselves!
But it was slushy.
I've never driven in slush before.
It was.......exhilarating.......to say the least.
Evidently the road after Baker had been closed, but just as we got there, cars started pouring onto the highway.
Then the roads were coated with snow and ice.
Everyone shifted into 4-wheel and slowed to 35mph.
It was fun.
Then it was raining so hard there was standing water on the roads......another fun one.
I love hydroplaning.
But we're still alive.....
This is a weird posting format.
Ok.
That's it.
=^)

My weird life!

After school, I had intended to stay for the auditions again but needed to run home and let dogs out first. When I got here, there was a really weird message on my answering machine which took a bit to figure out. By the time dogs had finished I understood what i was hearing. . . a message from a taxidermist in Elgin who had finished the elk antler mount that the DH had taken out a week or so ago. I was trying to plan how to get these things done and paid for without the DH trying to pay for it or pick them up and find out they were already paid. I needed a Christmas idea for him in the worst way so after he left for work and to deliver the antlers one evening, I called this man and we set it up that he would call me at school, not tell the DH when they were done and not let him know how much it would cost. Luckily, the hubby was still asleep when I got here so I was able to get the message before he did and call the guy to set up pick up. phew. . . .THEN, as soon as I got off the phone, checked the time and started for the door to go to the auditions, number 2 daughter called to let us know how they'd survived the ice storm in OKC. They live in Norman which was apparently the hardest hit of the greater OKC area and we hadn't heard from them. They ended up stuck at my son in law's parent house, with cell phones but no power to charge them! The family's phone lines were down due to ice so they couldn't call the old fashioned way and they couldn't get to work or anyplace where there was wireless Internet! WE hadn't been fretting about them but I was really glad to hear from them. They were able to get home today, the power had been repaired and all is improving. Both plan to go back to work tomorrow. Matt works for the OKC courts and they have been froze out since Sunday night, Lacey works at an office max a mile or so from their house but when they got stuck at her mother in laws house, it was about 25 miles north whit a frozen and closed freeway between her and work. So, I missed what went on but look forward to a wonderful Shakespeare production later this next year!

Then it was time to feed the now awake hubby and do those daily evening chores. While we were having dinner the Antiques Road Show, UK version came on and it was being broadcast from Edinburgh, Scotland in the Assemble Room on George Street in the New Town, way cool because when Lacey and I were in Edinburgh we went to that same place for dinner; neeps, tatties, cranachan, haggis and dancing and piping and all that goes along with said haggie dinner! Boy it was fun to see somewhere you've been shown on TV! Then after getting the hubby off to work I had a few minutes to try chess against the computer, been wanting to try it but haven't just been able to sit and do nothing but play a game against Vista. . . needless to say, I lost.

I think it's past my bed time now that I am humiliated in chess and ready for my book!

Wednesday after school

I put my pumpkin spice cream cheese in the fridge and called a friend in Cove about her chickens. She left me a message that her Bardrocks are loosing their feathers and she's concerned that they would freeze over the winter. I gave her some suggestions about possible causes, and what to do, then we visited about all our kids, grandkids and some friends we don't get to see too often anymore. It was nice to talk to her!

Then I scoped out ticket prices and schedules for plane fares to Kansas City in January. My daughters have a plan and hopefully I'll get there as well, surprise one for her 30th, visit with both and have a nice but fast weekend visit together, if we can coordinate prices, times, days off, and all the other little things that can cause travel troubles.

Then the DH got up and called the Brother In Law in Joseph to give him a hard time because he's sold an old horse to a family, mostly because the horse is too old for what the brother in law wants, not because it's too old for life, it will make an excellent kids horse, BUT that isn't stopping the DH from giving his BIL a rough time about it. So, I eavesdropped and added my 2 cents worth about that being his wife's favorite horse and now it's gone, boohoohoo! In Laws are fun to mess with.

Then I checked e-bay to see if the gift item the DH is getting his Mother for Christmas was still his, it is. Then UPS delivered the gift I had ordered for my sister in law's Christmas present. I thought she'd like some breading pans to cook with so I found a nice set on the JC Penny website Friday and ordered them, I was tickled they came today! I opened the package, then opened the box with the item description, 'set of 3 stainless steel breading pans' and out slid a pair of men's slippers! Imagine my horror! So, then I called JCP customer service and got that sorted out! They were very helpful and apologetic.

Then I put left-overs in the oven for dinner, sat down and tried to read the paper. Last week when I made lasagna for dinner it apparently dripped a bit into the oven and I missed it, until tonight's dinner began to smell of burning cheese! I headed in the kitchen to put out what I thought was a fire and found a black liquid science project forming under the bottom element on top of the tin foil oven liner. Boy, it's FUN replacing a hot piece of stinky tin foil under a hot element that has a bit of burnt cheese residue on it while the oven it also hot! Everyone should get a chance to do that once in their life! But, disaster averted and the yams and ham didn't even taste of burnt lasagna when we ate them!

Then I decided I'd better do this before I forget what I did today!