The Train Museum

The Butchart Family (as presently constituted) in front of the giant Christmas Tree in Old Sacramento. We drove down there this morning to see the Train Museum, and the weather was beautiful.

The light was in the wrong place (okay, I was in the wrong place) so the sun created havoc with this shot. But it has some important people in it, so I included it anyway.

This is probably my favorite photo of the day - the three kids all holding hands and walking down the boardwalk along the river in Old Sac. It was actually a staged shot, but the girls were holding hands of their own accord, and Michelle asked Atticus to join them (which he did). How can anybody say they have cuter grand kids than we have? The rain coats were absolutely unnecessary. By the time the museum opened at 10:00, the sun was so warm everyone had stripped down to their T-shirts.

Inside the museum, Elizabeth got fussy and camera shy, but I managed to get a couple of poor quality photos of her and Jane (in the blue) as they sat in the engineer's seat on one of the MASSIVE trains.

And of course, the day became spectacular when we stopped at McDonalds for lunch. Atticus downed copious quantities of McNuggets, and the girls did their share too. After the main course, we had warm chocolate chip cookies - which Lizzie mostly got in her mouth.

Mom bought a Family pass that's good for a year, so everyone needs to plan on getting down there with us sometime during the next year (you too, Kim and David).

More Good Stuff On Christmas

Here's a link to one of the new Church websites on celebration of Christmas. It has downloadable Tabernacle Choir music, video clips, and a link to the Church's Bible Video site. It' a good place to send people who want to celebrate Christ's life with us. Click the link below.

Christmas Joy

Race Day

Last Saturday was the 4th annual Hand of Hope "Turkey Trot" 5K race. It's held this same weekend every year, and the first two years the weather was relatively clear and cold. Last year was rainy, but only enough to get a little wet by the time the race was over. This year was quiet a different matter. It was the nastiest weather day of the year I think. Wind howling in from the south, heavy rain drenching everyone who ventured out after only seconds. The picture below, and the video below that, don't do it justice.

But I had paid my $15 (going to a good cause) and I didn't want to cheat myself out of any of the action. I was completely soaked through by the time I'd run 10 yards. Well, okay, I had on a good, light weight rubber rain coat with a hood and a hat, but everything from the waist down was drenched. Into the wind I trudged (along with the other 200 crazies) and around the streets we ran till we ended up back at River Valley High School. It was not fun, but the free pancakes and sausage afterwards made it worthwhile.

Me. After the race. Still wet, but glad to be home.

The Butcharts Visit

When I got home from the race at 10:00 Trevor and Michelle and their cute kids had just arrived. They drove though the night (a smart thing to do with young kids), and it was great to see them. Later in the afternoon, just as it was getting dark, I was up in the twins' room playing with them on the bed. Jane is bouncing on the bed with the cow pillow, and Lizzie is at the window looking at the sights.

Below is Lizzie playing with the dress-up glasses from the diaper bag. Where did she get that look?

A This an' a That

A few photos and comments on the passing scene (a la Thomas Sowell). 

First, a short, very poor quality, video from the gathering in honor of Peter O's birthday. I just used my phone, it was shot in low light, and there's not really much going on at this point in the proceedings. But you get a quick view of all the major players, including: Leigh-Ann, her mother Katrina, sister Abby, brother Thomas, James holding Chelsea, Peter, Grandma, Melody and Sabrina.

I think the really funny part of this was when someone was describing Peter asking Leigh-Ann if he could have a few family members over for cake and ice cream for his birthday, to which she replied: yes Peter, you can have a birthday party. I don't know how they managed to do it, but all of the Rich and Peter Hall kids have married wonderful spouses, and into great families.

Now for the really important stuff. FOOD! (Like from the musical Oliver! Food, glorious food!) Anyway, Mom and I spent most of the day down in Sacramento, Citrus Heights, and Roseville shopping (well, she did the shopping, I did the waiting), for Christmas and what-not at stores that are only available there. My favorite stops were IKEA (see the hard bread and cheese below, yum!) and World Market (see the two ginger items at the bottom). We also hit Deseret Book and the Distribution Center, and the Hobby Lobby in Roseville. It's a good thing we don't live closer to that place. I think Mom and I  both would spend too much money there. Her on crafts and gifts, and me on solid fuel rockets, rubber band driven airplanes, DNA and other molecule models, mini-observatories, solar cars and robots, and etc., etc., etc.

The label says to pour it over pancakes, waffles,
or ice cream or in hot water to make a tea. Wow!

Absolutely the best ginger drink I can find, bar none!

So to reward me for being a good peanut and waiting patiently for her, Mom took me to "The Habit Hamburgers" in Roseville. It's a kind of an up-scale burger place, with food at least as good as In-N-Out, but a bigger menu. Even though we got home later than I had hoped, it was a good trip.

Halloween 2012

To start the festivities, I present my favorite cartoon on my favorite day. 

On the front door I hung my cool skull lantern that glows with different colored lights in sequence. 

I got a new specter  with eyes that glow red. The idea for the Jack-O-Lantern eating the legs came from Kim. I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. I got the two lighted skulls last year as part of a set o 5 that can be staked in a line in the lawn.

This idea came to me at the last minute as I was setting up some of the other tricks. Doesn't he look good there? But that's only half the story. I reprized a gag from several years ago. See below.

Yes! The old man slammed under the car hood, and Mr. Bones looks like the culprit.

And as it got dark, the light under the dashboard added a great effect. 

Unfortunately, it started to rain hard before any Trick-Or-Treaters could arrive. Only four brave little kids showed up. So I almost went to all this work for nothing. On the other hand, the biggest reason I do all this is because I enjoy it so much. I wish you could have seen it in the dark. Very nice. Purple lights around the door, orange rope lights lining the walkway, the lighted skeleton, the glowing specter. I real Halloween treat.

Family History Just Keeps on Giving

For an interesting story and photos about Grandpa (one legged) Hall. click on the Our Family Stories link located on the right side of this blog page. Then enjoy.

Conference Weekend

We really enjoyed General Conference this weekend. Though I didn't get "conference pastry" (Mom only makes it for you guys), I planned ahead this time and had some donuts for a backup.

But seriously, I was thrilled to hear about the change in the minimum ages for missionaries, and I felt the speakers were moved by the Spirit in very powerful ways. Elders Cook, Christofferson, Holland, Oakes, and President Packer all had stunning remarks.

For those who weren't at Priesthood meeting, I recommend downloading those talks and listening to them. You won't be sorry.

Of course, President Monson did wonderfully also, and I got to thinking that my children may not know, and have never seen the little bit of personal connection we have to that great man and his kindness. See the letter below. (Grandma, my Mom, has the original)

The back-story on this is that my Dad was on the stake High Council with responsibilities over Family History work (formerly the Geneology program). The stake had just built a Geneological Library (which is still there on the Gridley stake center grounds), and Thomas S. Monson, as the General Authority over that program, had come out to inspect it. I was 6 years old at the time, and he stayed in our home over on Second Street. My Mom always says how embarrassed she was that all they could offer him to sleep on was a "roll-a-way" bed (the kind that folds up in the middle and has wheels so that you can store it in a closet). Of course, Pres. Monson is well over 6' tall, and the bed was well under 6' long. But as you might imagine, and can see in the letter - he never complained.