Christmas Holiday 2009

JRQ and SRC are engaged!

On Christmas Eve (or was it early Christmas morning?) Jake proposed to Samantha.  As you might guess from this photo ... she said yes.

In a manner befitting a gentleman, the Monday before Christmas Jake flew to Kansas (unbeknownst to Samantha) and met me for lunch (unbeknownst to Helen) where he asked for Samantha's hand in marriage.  After he properly responded to serious direct examination, I consented.  Jake then flew back to Colorado in time for dinner.  Wow!  How cool is that?!

Here is a summary of our Holiday: Christmas Caroling on Potwin Circle; JRQ and SRC arrive the 22nd; blizzard the 24th; Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange with Oma; Christmas Eve engagement and celebration; more snow; Christmas morning with Granny and Granddad; snow and work schedules prevent the Springfield Crows from joining us here; quite Christmas dinner and gift exchange for 4 at home; six of us drive to Smithville for Christmas gift exchange with Nancy and Heidi at Heidi's house on the 26th; we all drive to Springfield that night; Christmas gift exchange with SACII, Cheryl, Andy, Donna, Melissa and Priest Bobby on the 27th; drive home to Topeka on the 28th; JRQ and SRC host a casual dinner party that night; JRQ and SRC pack the car and drive to Boulder on the 29th.  Whew.  Photos follow.

Potwin Christmas Carolers ... before the snow.

To Oma's house for Christmas Eve.

Salmon sandwiches and lentil soup.

Group photo at Oma's on Christmas Eve.

The snow begins.


The engagement party happens at home and Champagne is consumed.  Unfortunately, I fail to get a photo of the newly betrothed.

Aftermath of the party.

Off to the Gs' house for Christmas morning.

Ring shot.

Group shot.

More snow.

Gifts from Beth.

Christmas the 26th with Nancy and Heidi at Heidi's house in Smithville.

Christmas the 27th with Donna, Andy, Priest Bobby, SACII, Cheryl and Melissa at SACII's and Cheryl's house in Springfield.

SACII and Cheryl.

Melissa, Jake, Samantha, Andy and Donna.

Men with electric fly swatters.

The Springfield Group.

After driving home on the 28th, JRQ and SRC load the car on the 29th and drive to Boulder.

Merry Christmas to all.

Happy New Year too.

HRC's office Christmas Party

Tonight we attended HRC's office Christmas Party.  It was memorable because it was the first Holiday Office Party HRC has attended in .... many, many years.  Here are GIRLS IN SCARVES:

And here are GUYS IN TIES:

It was fun.

Law Firm Christmas Party

Last night we attended my law firm's Christmas Party.  The highlight for me was this fabulous Chocolate Bag Dessert.  Yummy chocolate bag with fruit inside and out.  Helen ate the fruit.

For the archives, here are some of the people I work with: 

Oh yes, we were there too.

Let it snow

It snowed today ... and it's still snowing.  Here is a night shot taken from our bedroom window.

AFS Holiday Party - Potwin Holiday Party

This afternoon we hosted the AFS exchange student Holiday and Dessert Party.  High School students from all over the world bring stories of a holiday celebrated by their families and also bring yummy desserts from their homeland to share.

This year we had 8 students representing Germany, Italy, Chile, France, Switzerland and Hungary.  Here are 7 of them.

This evening we attended the Potwin Place Holiday Party.  It was fun.

If you want details you'll have to ask her, but HRC lost the "Bigger Bottom Contest."  Congratulations are in order.

Oh yes, while it will win no such contest, we got our modest Christmas Tree up and decorated.

Fun Sunday to all.

Ellis Paul and Adam Ezra

Last night we attended another folk concert at West Side Folk in Lawrence.  This time it was Ellis Paul.

Although we didn't get front row seats this time, our 4th row seats were just fine.  If you are interested, you can get a feel for his music, and the intimate setting, at this You Tube clip.  In fact, he performed this song.

HRC liked the opening act better.  Adam Ezra appeared solo and later accompanied Ellis Paul.  I think HRC liked him because he was hot.  He even performed barefooted which also appealed to most of the women in the room.  He lives in a basement apartment in Boston and HRC asked me to post his Basement Song.

It was fun. We drove home smiling.  Maybe we're becoming folk music fans?

Thanksgiving Weekend

After months in Hawaii and Japan, SRC and JRQ return stateside as they prepare to move to Boulder, Colorado.  They stop in beautiful California to visit Jake's mother then on to sunny Kansas for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

We gather family and friends to give thanks.  While the Springfield Crows are not able to join us, the Gs and Eddie do

as does Oma.  

Mark and Daya drive from Minnesota

and our good friend Carolyn treats us to a harmonica blessing while Lei, a Washburn University exchange student from China, experiences his first American Thanksgiving.

No surprise, we gather for a group photo:

While the quality of the Thanksgiving Dinner was only mediocre, the love, joy and friendship was truly outstanding.

After dinner, we explore and admire the recently constructed Stickwork Art at Washburn University.

On Friday, while Nancy and Heidi visit,

Daya builds a gingerbread house.

That evening, we host an enthusiastic marathon game of Trivial Pursuit.  The men win ... of course.

Saturday morning we install the Christmas decorations on our Potwin Circle after which Daya and Lei re-decorate our Christmas wreaths.

Sunday morning saw people leave.  Lei went back to the dorm at Washburn University, Daya and Mark headed to Minnesota

and SRC and JRQ packed the car (really full) and drove to the Promised Land.

We stay here and hope that everybody spreads good cheer and smiles wherever they go.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009.