An unorthodox Christmas

Christmastime in a few words and pictures:

The eighth? ninth? annual gingerbread house tradition.... Well technically graham cracker constructions...
1997? maybe 1998








2004













and 2006















Ashton's castle and moat
J.P.'s same creation that he slaps together in 5 minutes every year. This year he says its "Santa's workshop"... that's the secondary name for it, but I'd offend people if I wrote the primary name here...

Interesting... then and now














































This year's creation... It's a tribute to my dad and the family business of owning trailer parks... excuse me, manufactured housing developments... haha

Then we bowled, got kicked out of the bowling alley for ordering pizza to lanes 7 and 8, and enjoyed pizza in the parking lot as well as poor dancing. Then it was time for supermarket games...











Then off to the Grandparent's. It started with Ash, J.P., Grandpa, Grandma, and I having honey-baked ham and a 30 min. feast of stovetop stuffing, ready-made mashed potatoes, and rice a roni that Ash and I picked up. It was low maintenance and delightful! There was....

kindness to animals














...and cruelty to animals

































sweets,















lots of sweets


















































mmm and rootbeer tasting...

Good: Frostie's, Big Bear
Bad: Rat Bastard, Captain Eli's, Sioux City




















Very interesting times...

I learned my mom is an incredible woman, a very brave and wise diplomat. I learned a lot about family hostilities and keeping peace. I learned that you can't change people, but you can change the way you act and respond to things.

Presently I'm enjoying Muppet Christmas Carol with a glass of Pine Ridge chardonnay.