It's Christmas

Christmas is here and my first Christmas Eve and day with Natalia. It was a great day and Natalia woke to many presents in addition to her earlier ones last night from her grandparents and me. Christmas Eve spent with people I love and care and ended with a big smoked turkey and some unique gravy my dad prepared.

"Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more..."

-Theodore Geisel

No snow or any weather during the week as we were expecting some light flurries. However we woke Christmas day to a very light dusting of snow for that white Christmas. A day spent by the fire building Legos, racing cars and learning new games to play later. Even Yuli received a new toy from Santa. To our surprise Santa seems to have left his bag (or at least one of them) full of toys for Natalia. More Legos, magicians cape and a bingo game among other things. Only Takenoko hit the table and didn't get the love I was hoping for from my mom. However, the bingo game and big turning wheel was a hit and somehow Natalia managed to win the most games.

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time"

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

This Christmas season my goal was to put myself in that spirit and regain the energies, feelings and thoughts from times past to maintain through out the coming year to share and instill inside the souls of those I care, love and share life with.

 

Christmas Week

Christmas week is here and I am looking forward to Christmas Eve. Lots of ice and getting ready as we may get some light snow a few days during this coming week and during Christmas day. One never knows up here what we will get.

Sunday Natalia sang as part of the Christmas program and said the  opening prayer at primary. It was a very nice time. During the week I had the pleasure of spending a few days with company relaxing by the fire, watching fun movies and playing games.

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances"

- Martha Washington

I decided to stop reading the current superhero comics as it has been a waste of my money. So many lame stories out there to make money. I started to read the more "independent" titles and so far out of my four reads, all have been good and I will follow them. Marvel's latest reboot of the universe and remake with Secret Wars have not caught my interest and from what I read thus far, it is just lame.

This week I started to read another McDevitt book as I find him to be one of my favorite authors. Hope to have this finished by years end. This weeks classic comic book was Fantastic Four #5, where Doctor Doom made its first appearance.

Check out this great documentary about the Galactic Civil War.

Santa, Han Solo & Washington! What A Week!

Warm temperatures during last week and by the end of last week it all turned around. No real amounts of snow but the roads were very slippery. It was very dangerous in the mountain Friday and I found myself crawling at points to not slide.

Natalia had her church Nativity show and the Christmas dinner and after delaying it due to the few caught in accidents and traffic it went very well. As always a small great group of people and children that Natalia knows well. Santa made another surprise visit this year which it is always great.

The following day, Sunday Natalia and I made the wet cold drive to recreate the first continental congress with the Mountain Fife & Drums. That was a great evening with great music and short history lesson. Even got to see General Washington in his pony named Macaroni.

"Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble"

- George Washington

This week I received a great surprise y being taken to see Star Wars Episode VII with some great fans. I was not disappointed at the movie but shocked to see the theater was more than half empty. In all it ended up being some great days accompanied by great people. I even go to sit in Deadpool Santa's lap for my Christmas list. I look forward to this week as it will be my first Christmas day with Natalia as due to schedule and my deployment I was unable to spend such a magical day with her.

This weeks classic comic book was Fantastic Four #13. This comic introduced us to the Watchers and this is a race I hoped made more appearances and is used today in current story lines. Hoping to see the Watchers make a obscure appearance in the movies. Also read this week Batman Hush again and find this to be a good story with many characters that I believe would make a good movie. Finished reading Valley Forge and found it to be a very good book. This last book completes my usual new years resolution of reading 30 book by years end. Now I am back with one of my favorite authors in Jack McDevitt and his newest novel, Coming Home.

Check out the Dice Tower gameplay of the new Warhammer Age of Sigmar game between Rob Oren and Sam Healy .

'Tis Beginning To Look Like Christmas

After two weeks not seeing Natalia, I was very happy to pick her up on Friday and be with her. A little late for my usual decorating and house transformation and may not get everything out this year. Slowly getting in the Christmas spirit this year. Natalia was able to see Santa twice this weekend and her joy and spirit cannot be described. Times like this I feel very lucky and happy.

Drill weekend and no drama this weekend but amazed to be asked to help. Nope, I am just sitting here doing "me". Also this week I was not able to go on a ride but did manage to make it to a game night with just 2 others but always fun. Played Sushi Go and the basic Carcassonne game along with Ticket to Ride. Again two new games I would play again.

"Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation"

- George Washington

Saturday at March ARB while helping a few guys with some issues I had a great surprise to see 2 soldiers I served with and sent many a days with in my deployment. I was very happy to see them and talk a little. But as usual in the military life we quickly depart and move on and hopes to come across each other again.

This week comic book read was Captain America #1. Another of those "holy grail" comics and found it very good and long. A few stories of Captain America during this historic time. Also read a few other comics this week and still interested in the new Howard the Duck series and the new Captain America series. Still reading Valley Forge and thus far one of my favorites in the series as it shows the struggle of this new nation and the struggles with its brand new government not really wanting to help. I can already see why our government is the way it is now as it was like this from inception.