End of Watch

Police Officer Shawn Schneider

Lake City Police Department, Minnesota

End of Watch: Friday, December 30, 2011

The greatest gift

“To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.”

- A C Grayling, Financial Times

If you know me you likely know how much I enjoy reading. I come from a long line of readers and have been able to share this love with Josie. Fortunately, she has many others in her life who support literacy, including her Great-Aunt Barb and Great-Uncle Jack. Each year they've sent some special gifts for Josie (beautifully wrapped, I might add!) and each year I'm not sure who is more exited to open them- me or Josie. This year she received two very special books: an amazing Peter Pan pop-up book and a classic Gertrude Stein book that is tricky for an adult to read but certainly very fun to listen to as evident by Josie's giggles.

Josie may enjoy the gifts and the idea of having family that lives near Disneyland, but I hold dear to my heart the message behind the gifts that they choose. Then again, the fact that they live near Disneyland certainly doesn't hurt either.

Thank you Barb and Jack!



A prayer for Officer Schneider

Praying for you, your family, the law enforcement community and all impacted by this senseless act.

Our light is on in his honor

She made the nice list!

Josie was very concerned that Santa wouldn't be able to track her down on Christmas Eve so she was sure to leave a note.

Turns out Santa found her anyway!

And a few photos from the Weber Christmas....

Princess Pez

Ice fishing for everyone!

Aren't they cute????

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours.

Josie and Uncle Ted

Her special Christmas dress

Brent and Heather

Grandma and Great-Grandma

Three generations



Mom and Dad

Mom and kids

Dad and kids

Happy family

  

Bad Ted!

That's better

Figgy and the catnip

Some assembly required

Awww....

And a special Happy Birthday to Great-Grandpa Denny

Or as Josie says: Happy birthday Grandpa Denny, Fa la la la la, la la la la



I'm a stickler for tradition. Things in my world are black and white. Celebrations are to be held on the actual holiday. Period. And my side of the family traditionally gathers on Christmas Eve for food, gifts, and a visit from Santa.

Flash back to this past weekend. Saturday was not Christmas. It wasn't even Christmas Eve! But yet we somehow gathered in our Sunday's finest (well, at least Josie dressed up) to enjoy a Christmas celebration with my side of the family. An Un-Christmas celebration as I like to call it.

First there were footprints in the yard

Some from the neighbor's cat (much to Figgy's disgust)



And some from Josie

Along with some ice skating

Then there was an unhappy kitty

Bah humbug!

Followed by drinks, snacks, and drinks

And Josie in her Christmas dress

Then there were presents, intermingled with more drinks, snacks and drinks

Ted loving his gift from Josie



What could it be?

Topped off with lots of laughing, thoughtful gifts and and enjoyable time spent together

So here we are, a few days later, and the food has been eaten, the presents have been opened and the toys have been played with. Humph.

But here's the deal: our Un-Christmas celebration wasn't so bad afterall. It included all of the import elements of our normal celebration, excluding Santa of course! But hopefully he'll visit soon enough. We were relaxed, enjoyed our time together and didn't have to cram too many things into one short night. No tantrums, no fighting, and Josie was well behaved too. We pulled it off!
 
But here's the catch: Its now bare under my tree, half the Christmas goodies are gone, I'm tripping over the new toys and I really have the urge to take down the tree and put everything away. My tree is usually down the day after Christmas so I guess we're lucky its still standing 2 days after Un-Christmas. All bets are off for what's left standing on December 25th!  Like I said- my world is black and white.

I Spy- Christmas Edition

Christopher at Kari's House

Josie in Santa's lap



A new visitor to the manger



Who knew the Joker was there?!?!?



Christopher in the fireplace



A princess convention on the tree