Just got back from vacation. Overall the week away was very nice, Arizona weather was unseasonably cool but quite warmer than Indiana, the kids were good and air travel is over. We got packed and out the door on time last Monday and reached the airport in plenty of time for the flight, and we brought plenty of toys and such to keep the kids busy. Switching planes in St. Louis was a pain in the neck but no harm done, even though the SWA employees didn’t even seem to know how their new boarding system was supposed to work. The timing of the flight was poor, too, as far as mealtime because the kids were getting hungry and the honey roasted peanuts didn’t do it. We ate at a restaurant at the airport in Phoenix and got the kids to bed as soon as we could, as excited as they were. Laura and Thomas were already there for a few days. The next morning was Christmas, with all the typical stuff involved when there are 3 and 4 year old kids there. Missy tends to focus only on the toy she just unwrapped and ignore the rest, and Alex wants more and more and winds up opening Missy’s. The biggest thing for Alex was the remote control helicopter (tethered) and for Missy it was the 2 Backyardigans dolls she didn’t have yet. Gift cards were the biggest things for Beth and me. In the evening we went to the Zoo Lights show, in which Missy was mainly interested in the talking giraffe (it was fake) and Alex just wanted to ride the merry-go-round. Laura and Thomas left the morning of the 26th. Dad and I took the kids out geocaching in the afternoon. There is a series of 5 caches not far from their house, which involves a good hike in the desert that the kids were able to handle. We couldn’t find the first one (I think I know where it should have been, but I was NOT going to stick my fingers in there), but did find the second one about a 0.4 mile hike from the first. Missy got a string of beads out of it. That was about all they could handle and we hiked back to the Jeep. We all ate dinner later at the Pinnacle Peak Patio (the place with the ties). On the 27th we all went to an animal rehab place where they had pumas, bears, coyotes, wolves, birds, and other animals that were either injured or illegally being kept as pets and had been rescued. Alex and Missy had a race with a puma...they would run back and forth on the sidewalk in front of the cage, and the puma ran after them inside. Giggle giggle. Dad and I went out geocaching again on the 28th, trying first to get to the top of a rocky granite mountain at the end of a very bumpy Jeep trail on state trust land. There is no trail up, and we didn’t make one. About halfway (if that...probably a lot less) up, we turned back because Dad’s knees were giving out and it was getting dangerous. There may be a better way up but we sure didn’t find it. So we Jeeped out and went looking for another one, after another half-mile or so hike through the desert (not one we could have brought the kids on). We found that one, but the container was filled solid with water and writing on the log book was a little difficult. I got 2 trackables out of it, though. On the 29th, Mom and Beth and I took the kids to visit Grampa (Alex’s middle namesake) at the assisted living place. The place is nice, but the kids were bored, and Grampa is as hard to talk to as ever. Later on Beth and I left the kids with Mom and Dad and went out on a date. Dad let me drive the Prius. We went to see a movie ("I Am Legend," which we both liked but though could have been a lot better) and have dinner (Outback). We also browsed the stores nearby and saw an incredible TV at Circuit City for $3000 which would have been worth every penny. But no. We came back empty-handed and watched the Patriots win their last game of the season to go 16-0, while I packed the bags for the return trip. We were up early, got everyone moving ok, checked in with plenty of time, through the zoo of security intact and were away. No changing planes this time, but a rough stop in Denver. Still bad timing for the kids getting hungry on the plane. In Chicago we got everything together and managed to get everything out of baggage claim, then I went to get the van while Beth waited. I went to pick them up and the police honked at me to MOVE IT, and I had to round the block while Beth struggled to get everything to the curb and corral the kids. I double-parked and threw all the bags and car seats in as fast as possible and got to a McDonald’s as soon as I could and we hit the road home. As I was unpacking, the sinking feeling was the realization that one of our bags was missing. The one with the camcorder, digital camera, GPS, Beth’s glass Christmas presents, and Missy’s favorite blanket. Lost. Stolen. Whatever. Gone. Gone is the video of the Christmas program at church, Christmas morning, riding the merry-go-round at Zoo lights, Missy talking to the fake giraffe, the puma race, geocaching in the desert with the kids, all the kids and Christmas photos since early December...it breaks the heart. But we’re home.

The tooth fairly visited Alex this morning (I snuck some change under the pillow after he got up) before church. We went out after church with the Johnsons to Golden Corral, then tried to get a little work done at home to be ready to leave for Arizona tomorrow. We also gave the kids their Christmas presents from us. Alex almost lost one or more presents due to unauthorized opening a few days ago, but we gave him another chance to earn it back and he’s been good for a few days. They got some games, some books, a pirate ship, cars, and a Dora couch. Tonight was the children’s Christmas program, and for the first time in a while we both got to see it. The little kids part of the show was over fairly quickly (which involved Alex free form dancing again, and almost knocking another kid down in an attempt to corral him), and afterwards the kids sat with us to watch the show. Alex and Missy were restless, but did all right with a lot of shushing. The play was very nice. Virgil and Sherri came over again afterwards for dinner (pizza), so we’re leaving a lot of stuff for last minute tomorrow.

Today Beth and I and the kids headed up to Kalamazoo for Jim’s memorial service. I almost stayed home with the kids because Missy has been sick, but at the last minute we decided they were ok and we all went. Which worked out well, because they really did seem ok and they got to play with their cousins for a while. Alex’s loose tooth fell out in the van on the way, or more likely he swallowed it eating lunch and didn’t notice for a while. The service was at the Healing Arts Center, and the kids played almost the whole time in the yoga room, which was essentially empty. They had a couple lunch boxes of toys that they brought to play with, and they did fine. Julia was there the whole time, and Ryan, Sam, and Lauren came later. They had a great time playing. The service was a little chanting and mostly stories about Jim. I shared the DVD player trick story (Jim pressing the button to close, me pressing the button on the remote to open, over and over again). Beth and I found the "ho ho ho, Santa knows" picture negative from 1992 and made a poster size print of it, and it was such a hit. Cleora loved it, and Troy did too, so much he asked to keep it and Judy let him have it (since she got the negative). Everyone was very gracious and very nice. We left around 7:00 or so (dinner was catered).

The prize I won in the ornament contest at work turned out to be an iPod shuffle. Cool. I was tied for 2nd place with 4 others; there were also 5 1st place winners so I don;t know why I fell so far back. I thought I had it. I ducked out of work a little early today, figuring there was no reason for me to be there. Toni asked if I’d ever been to Maple Lane (her sister wanted her to get some frozen bread dough there) so we went on a small road trip before I took off. Virgil and Sherri came over with dinner tonight and we had cake for her 50th birthday. We watched Madagascar from the table as we were eating (new movie for the kids...they were captivated) and "Night at the Museum" after they went to bed.

Today at work was the innovative Christmas ornament contest judging. I had made a little angel out of a TM monoblock hip cup and some miscellaneous TM parts, and I heard I won something. I don’t know what yet. Tonight was the church elders and deacons party. Once again, it was held at Stonehenge, and I thought the food was very good. The white elephant gift exchange also went well, I would up with a pair of Grinch boxer shorts, and Beth got a church building tree ornament. There was a singing trout that Virgil brought so it could have been worse.

Tonight was Missy’s preschool Christmas program. We dropped off Alex at Kids Klub while we were there so he wouldn’t distract us while it was going on. Missy had been saying during the day that she was a little nervous about going up on stage, and it got severe enough that she cried, and clung to me, and hid behind me when I took her up to her classroom to drop her off. She recovered enough for me to leave, finally, it time to get ready for the show, and she did go out on stage with the rest of her class, but she did not do the motions or recite the words, just stood there and scowled with her head down the whole time. And she wouldn’t wear her hat for the finale. Well, she hasn’t been feeling well lately. We’re racing to keep the kids ahead of being sick for travel next week. Alex’s preschool show was Monday. (The kids have actually had only one day of school out of the last 6 because of the weather. Today was it for this week) Alex was antsy and hyper for pretty much all day (just because that’s how he’s been all the time lately) and was the first one out with his class (so the teacher could hold his hand). He did do the motions, sort of, and kind of took off in free form dance a little bit too. He also shouted hi to mommy and daddy just as they were starting. Overall, though, the whole thing was very cute for both classes (the show was about the same both nights).

Today the weather that held off while I flew home made it here. When we woke up there must have been 15 inches of snow on the ground. Plus there was a car stuck in the road (not off the side of the road...ON the road) smack in front of our driveway. Someone had tried to dig it out for a while then gave up and left it. Church, and everything else that could be cancelled, was cancelled. Beth and I got to shoveling early and took at least an hour and a half to clear the driveway (with some help from the kids...and Mr. Neer).

I got back this morning from Orlando, where I had been attending the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement conference, which overall was a good experience. I pretty much never left the conference center (not much time for touristy stuff) the entire time. I and a few others flew to Florida on Wednesday, leaving Fort Wayne at 6:00 am (which meant I had gotten up at about 3:30). Not sure why so early, because we got there by noon and had not much to do. So we got lunch, toured Downtown Disney a bit, and went back to the hotel to nap until dinner. Then presentations all day Thursday and Friday, during which I don’t thin Zimmer came off very well, and Melinda and I made fun of surgeons (one sounded just like Dr. Evil, one had really long ears which he kept pulling on, one hardly moved his lips and we thought should have a little dummy out there with him, one looked a little like Joe Pesci and a little like Adrian Monk, and one had really enormous lips and looked like a duck when he looked right at the video camera). There was dire news about weather for the flight back, but it held off until after we got there. I was back in FW by about 11, which meant I missed Alex’s last basketball game, but at 1:00 there was a birthday party at Joy Jungle, which Alex has been looking forward to for a few weeks. It is an enormous indoor playset (habitrail) with the slides and ball pits and all. Missy got to go too. The party lasted a couple hours, and the kids did NOT want to leave. Later on we hired Katie to babysit while we went to Virgil and Sherri’s house to have dinner and watch "Hairspray" which we had correctly predicted they would love. A few inches of snow fell while we were there.

Tonight was the research department Christmas party. Beth and I rented Katie to babysit, then hurried to get there and were about an hour early because I read the announcement wrong. The party was at Eagle Glen golf course all the way on other side of Columbia City, for some reason. They were doing a luau theme, which meant some people wore loud shirts and there was pineapple cake for dessert. It also made me realize how cliquey the research department is, but maybe that’s just because I’m getting old.. The food was just ok, which apparently was a disappointment for some who said the food there was supposed to be pretty good.

For the first time in a long while, we just blew off church today. Everyone slept late, and there wasn’t time to get ready so we just didn’t. Lazy us. But we went to the evening service, the lighting of the greens, and were enjoying a nice choir performance when the kids just got too restless and rowdy (no child care) and we had to take them out. So we went home early.

This morning Beth and I took the kids to Breakfast with Santa and Lakeland School. They had eggs and sausages and pancakes for what I gathered was a lot more people than actually showed up. Not sure why, but the crowd seemed really light. Missy also seemed to be not feeling well, and while Alex was willing to go as far as standing next to Santa, Missy would not go near him. So Alex got to tell Santa what he wanted and to remind him to bring it to Gramma and Grampa’s house, and had a photo taken with him to put inside a little crafty construction paper wreath. Beth took Alex to his basketball game later in the morning while I stayed home with Missy. In the evening was the departmental Christmas party at Hallie’s. Missy seemed to be fine by that time, so we brought the kids and let them play with the other kids. Alex, as he is wont to do, went off to play by himself (with Jonah’s toys) quite a bit. Missy brought 2 horses to play with. By the end, however, they were pretty tired and were just sitting staring at the TV at a movie they said they didn’t like.

Tonight was family fun night at church. But first, I drove through the garage door. Not all the way. We were getting ready to go and somehow I backed into the garage door with the van. I had to unscrew one of the rollers that jumped the track to get the door up enough to get the van out, then left it crooked because I couldn’t get it straightened out. We took the kids to church and there was an evening of building and decorating gingerbread houses. Actually, it was graham crackers, but let’s not quibble. Alex and Missy (actually Mommy and Daddy) attempted to glue graham crackers together using icing and then stick various candies onto it with same, and turn it into something resembling a house. I got Alex’s to stand up by tying licorice strings around it and using flying buttresses out of suckers. You should have seen Scott’s. Just what you’d expect from a contractor...Meticulously detailed, and everything plumb and straight. He even had it landscaped with candy and icing, so it looked just like a nice 2-story Amish farmhouse with a big front porch and shutters. Alex’s even won a prize (A box of malted milk balls) and we got to take the things home. Then I spent the better part of a couple hours getting the garage door up, straight, and propped on both sides with some old closet doors. We decided to leave it open all weekend and avoid the emergency weekend repair charges.

At some point in the last 24 hours Alex discovered the off switch for the freezer. He showed it to Beth and was so proud the he had helped Mommy by turning it off. Such a nice boy. Something like $150 of food was ruined. Such a nice boy.

Today Zimmer bussed almost everyone who works in Warsaw (at least all the salaried) to Fort Wayne for a presentation on corporate compliance and the DPA. (Google it if you don’t know). We all were told sharply to be on time. The buses leave promptly at 6:00 am. DO NOT be late. Well, I was on time even though there was snow on the ground from overnight, but the buses didn’t even show up to get everyone on board until about 6:40. Then the trip to FW was slow due to the slippery roads so we weren’t there until nearly 8, then had breakfast and started the presentation around an hour late. At least I didn’t drive myself and go through bad roads to get there too early. Anyway, the presentations lasted until about 2 or so and we were back on the buses for Warsaw. It hardly seemed worth the trip.

Tonight was McTeacher’s night, or the evening when all the teachers at Presby Preschool work and serve at McDonald’s as a fundraiser. I have never seen the place so crowded. We took the kids there for dinner and had a hard time finding somewhere to sit and eat. Everything was fine though, until Missy and Alex both dropped some of their cards (from the ridiculous, stupid toy they had in the happy meal) on the floor, and Alex thought I picked one of his up and gave it to Missy (No, it was hers.). The resulting tantrum resulted in the cards being thrown in the trash and the kids being carried out quickly. I’m not sure what that was about.

Got home late yesterday from VBC. Amy at work had changed the flight to so early I couldn’t make it; luckily I got it changed again. Geocached in the Park. Delays. Subaru Outback coming home. Beth had the carpets cleaned while I was gone because the allergic reaction (hives) was still going on. They came clean nicely.