Wasemiller Christmas 2010

We had our gift opening this afternoon after the kids returned home from school because we have plans to travel to Oregon to spend time with Mike and his family real soon. Here are our pictures from this year...

The kids always make really cool stuff at school for us, here is Payton displaying hers this year.

Here is Gregg reading Austin's.

Payton got a bunch of clothes. But she really wanted a kindle (because Gregg got me one and she has enjoyed using mine these past few weeks). She was really hoping that the last few boxes of hers had one enclosed.

Austin got a DS lite. This was a selfish gift on my part. The trip to Oregon is more than 24 hours of driving time, so keeping these two busy is priority #1. Look at that goofy smile, he was *very* happy!

It's blue and everything!

He even got some games and some accessories along with the DS. I am hoping for much silence in the truck on the trip.

Payton was upset when she realized that the last box for her didn't have a kindle in it. The #1 item on her christmas list was a violin, I think she had decided that wasn't happening when she saw this big box with Gregg's name on it. Surprise, surprise, it had 2 tags on it - one with Gregg's name and the other with hers. He started to open it, after her heartbreak on not getting either of her big ticket items on her list, and let her know it was really hers. She was *super* excited.

In this picture she noticed that the side of the cardboard box said something about music...

Yes, those are tears of joy in her eyes.

It may have been a cruel joke looking back on it, but she was so very happy.

It is purple inside the case and everything. We got the violin at a local shop up in Omaha that hand makes them, it is gorgeous. The people at A. Cavallo Violins were great.

We even got a bit of playing in before she and Austin ran off to set up his DS for the trip.

I cannot wait for the beautiful music to fill our house once again.

Jolie even got a present. She's a very spoiled kitty. Here she is in her new dog bed, wearing her new dog harness for the trip, yes she's going with us. She's a large kitty, so we have to buy dog items often for her.

I think she's happy. Hope everyone has a very delightful holiday season!

Now I just hope this trip goes smoothly. We are stocked up on tire chains, extra gasoline, bottled water, and emergency blankets. The roads between here and Oregon don't look very good, but as Gregg says, "It's an adventure!"

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Random Videos

Found these on my phone the other day. The first is from November, about a month into Payton starting to play flute. The second is more recent, from the beginning of December.

So now Payton can play the flute, violin, and piano. She made up her christmas list the other day (which was sent via text message, how weird is that) and a violin was at the top of the list. Why not something cheaper and easier to get my hands on, like, say and ipad?

Just kidding Payton, you know laptops, ipads, and computers are a no go so don't get any ideas...

Black Powder Season in Nebraska

Gregg, before today, had a pretty depressing hunting season. He had the chance to shoot really nice deer on one of the first days he went hunting that was the biggest he'd ever seen. That deer got him all anxious and he made some fateful mistakes. He never was able to track that deer down.

Anyway, move on to this morning...

Gregg finally got himself a deer, during black powder season at that. So, congrats to Gregg on his first Nebraska kill.

I'm not a fan of killing (aka hunting) animals period, so just the post about this is pushing it for me. I'm just happy he's happy. We'll have plenty of deer jerky though, the kids will be happy about that. Here in Nebraska today it's snowing, 16 degrees out, with 40+ mile per hour winds. You couldn't pay me enough money to go out in this weather. Not to mention go out in this for hours on end.

Wasemiller Thanksgiving in OKC

Mike has often said that he and his family were going to make it to Oklahoma over the years, I had learned to believe it when I see it. I'm still surprised that they showed this year. We had planned on making it to Woodward for Thanksgiving, but when Gregg got Mike's flight info, all plans changed. We headed to Oklahoma City to spend some time with Mike and his family instead.


After much waiting, the West coast Wasemiller family finally emerged from security.

I see you Casey!

Justin and Cole had grown so much.

Payton remembered what a crack up Mike was, so she didn't hold back on giving him hell. We made it back to the hotel after this to catch up a bit before Thanksgiving dinner.

The kids really didn't know what to think of each other - that didn't last long though.

Mike & Casey.

Gregg had such a great time. So good that I think we are heading to the West coast in a few weeks to see Mike again!

We were lucky enough to get our hands on a newspaper on Thanksgiving so we could check out the ads. We didn't find anything we wanted really, it was fun looking anyway. Cole, Payton, and Justin took to running around the hotel playing hide and go seek while we sat here chatting away. Payton had such a good time she really didn't want to leave.

The kids even joined in on going through the black Friday ads.

Boys never really grow up, do they?

Dawn, Gregg, Mike, Dwane.

I'm not sure anything could explain away this picture.

Friday Rhonda and her family showed up at the hotel to spend the day with everyone, sure was good to see them too! I stuck around to take a few pictures, then Austin and I left with my Mom and hit the stores until dinner time.

Here are all the kids: Cole Wasemiller, Payton Wasemiller, Austin Wasemiller, Justin Wasemiller, Faith Merrifield, Hope Merrifield, and Grace Merrifield.

Such a good looking bunch!

I thought this photo was cute how Payton and Justin were looking at Austin. You can't quite see how much the two of them look alike, but it was striking, there is a photo later that really shows that.

Here's the whole group.

L to R Back Row: Charlotte (Dwane's Girlfriend), Dwane (Gregg and Mike's Dad), Johnathan (Charlotte's daughter's child), Mike, Casey, Cole, Gregg, Leslie, Rhonda (Gregg & Mike's Stepsister), John (Rhonda's husband).

L to R Middle Row: Justin, Payton, Faith, Hope.

L to R Front Row: Austin, Grace.

Everyone (aside from Austin and I, who were shopping with my Mom), went to lunch and then headed to Pole Position for some racing...

Gregg took my camera and snapped some pictures. Here's Payton racing, Gregg did a great job! Austin is too short to race, so I figured it would save a lot of whining if he just came with me shopping instead. He was so good about shopping most of the day, later that night at dinner, he had a HUGE brownie sundae. I think he was happy with that trade off.

This was the following morning before Mike and his family headed to Woodward, and we started our 8 hour drive back to Nebraska. Here you can see just how much Payton and Justin look alike. Being that they are both 12, I think they could pass as twins.

We had to get a Wasemiller picture before we all headed out. Don't mind my OU attire, I was in comfort mode for the long drive.

Gregg and mike before leaving. I didn't get a single serious photo of just the two of them.

I just don't think it's possible.

We had a great time in Oklahoma City and it was really good seeing everyone. Wish all our trips to Oklahoma could be this fun.

Kind of Wordless Wednesday

I was going through Payton's writing notebook this evening and found this item below. I thought it was so funny I had to scan it in and share with everyone.

If you open it up big, it says in the shape of a big question mark:

ELEVATOR DUDE

Questions are answers that you don't know yet.

You would if you asked, but you never get the chance.

When you ask a question who answers?

Not a person you know,

Just a random guy in an elevator

Who wants to look smart,

But he really just works

In a gas station bathroom.

She's so funny.