Goodbye 2008!

Well, here is my last posting for 2008. It's been a fun ride but it's time to keep moving forward. This year saw many changes. Some good, some bad. Only time will tell what 2009 has in store for us, but it's only what we make of it..right?

Tonight, we are taking it easy. I have to be at work at 6:30 am tomorrow so I'll either be watching the back of my eyelids or be almost there at midnight. Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year's. See y'all next year!

Wood Family Christmas 2008

Just a "few" of us at the Wood Family Christmas. These pictures do not do any justice as to the number of people that were actaully in the house. There are many more that are not pictured.

Christmas with Zeke and Violet 2008

Here is the yearly Christmas picture of the pups.

Tagged

This is for Barbara since I saw the tagged picture you posted. This is some sort of ice fish from a cruise we took in March of 2004 to Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. It's not exactly the fourth picture like the game said but it was the first one that was not blurry. The fourth picture was actually a picture of Brian and I in a dance class learning to dance like Austin Powers. Brian's dad took those pictures but they didn't turn out too well.

Laird/Precise Family Christmas

Brian and I had Christmas with his family yesterday.

Brian's dad, Mike, putting batteries in his camera.


Aunt Beverly, Brian's little sister, Shango, and Anna (mom)


Brian having some banana pudding.


Granny, cousin Kaitlyn, and Uncle Kenneth

Christmas lights

Brian and I took these pictures on Friday, the 19th. We have had a heck of time with our lights this year due to stuff shorting out and vandalism. Twice now, someone has cut strands of lights and the cord to one of the blowups. Luckily, we were able to buy a replacement plug for the blowup for about $2 but we had to buy new light strands. People can be so stupid sometimes!

Cold

I absolutely, without a doubt hate cold weather! It's frigid and windy outside and my toes feel like they just might have frostbite. Is it summer yet?

Turkey Day at the Cowboys game

Cheerleaders

Announcing the players before the game.

Dallas just got a touchdown!

The Jonas Brothers in the box above us. They also did the half-time show which didn't sit well with a bunch of the Cowboys fans. We need some grown-up entertainment!

Me and Brian

HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2007

This was kind of funny so I thought I would post it on here.

Scenario 1:

Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.

1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:

Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2007 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged them with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3:

Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.


Scenario 4:

Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5:

Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.

2007 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:

Pedro fails high school English.

1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Thanksgiving Day Plans

Brian and I had Thanksgiving dinner with his family this past Saturday. The food was good and after a few hours, we left and did our usual thing on Saturday, grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. What fun! Since my family does not celebrate Thanksgiving, (Dad's side: Men go down south to Terlingua on Thanksgiving Day or the day before to hunt for 10 days. This happens every year. Mom's side: Aggravated with the food leftover from last year.) we decided to make our own plans this year. After a couple of days of EBAYing, we finally won the winning bid to attend the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Seattle Seahawks football game on Turkey Day beginning at 3:15 pm Central Time. This is the last Thanksgiving Day game EVER to be held at Texas Stadium since the new stadium will be open next football season. If you look closely enough in the crowd, you may see us there. I promise, I'll wave. :)

Carpet

We got new carpet installed on the 7th but I am just now uploading the pictures to the computer. It's a lot better than the berber carpet we got rid of.

Brian's closet with the old carpet out showing the bare concrete.
Our bedroom to the left and the hallway below with just the mat.

The living room with the new carpet but still a work in progress.
The spare bedroom with the finished product. It had not been vacuumed yet at this point.

I will post pictures later with furniture back in place but I am cleaning right now and holiday decorations will be up (hopefully) later this week.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Well, it'a new day, I'm a year older (27), and we have a new president-elect. I didn't get my birthday wish but does one really ever get what they wish for?

Election Day

So, the day has arrived that we have all been waiting for, ELECTION DAY! Hopefully, everyone has made their decision and if you chose not to vote, please don't gripe when the person you wanted for president did not get elected.

Guffey-King Wedding

Last Saturday, Brian and I had the privilege of attending the wedding of my friend and former roommate, Kristi. Here are a few pictures I took of the new couple. After the wedding, they rode off to Dallas to spend the night and catch a flight the next morning to the BAHAMAS. I'm so jealous! All I can say and did say to Mike, the groom, is that Kristi must already have him in check to get married on the opening day of deer season. Oh, and yes, it is still warm enough to have an outside wedding in Texas this time of year.

Mike and Kristi making googly eyes at one another.
The Cake
The Wedding Party
Mike and Kristi King

One More Day

Well, tomorrow is the day we have all been waiting for for so long. That's right, ELECTION DAY! I hope everyone has cast their ballots or will do so tomorrow before polls close. All I can say is that I hope the best man wins (or the right man for that matter).

Happy Birthday Brian!

Today we celebrated Brian's 27th birthday after I got off of work. Nothing fancy, just dinner at home and for dessert, the carrot cake I made him.

MT (ASCP) Certified

So, it's official. I am certified as a Medical Technologist by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (otherwise known as ASCP). I took my Board of Registry this morning and passed. I am also officially through with studying! Hallelujah! This in conjunction with my nice salary adjustment at work means that I can't complain, at least for awhile anyway. Brian will also be receiving a nice little bump in pay as well. He currently works for Classic Toyota and they are in process of building their Mercedes dealership. He is training for the time being because he will be Assistant Manager over Parts once construction is complete around January/February.

Lazy Pups

And, of course, my blog would not be complete without more pictures of the pups. Yeah, I know, but this will have to do until "human kids" make their appearance.

Violet

Zeke

Decorations

After the Heart Walk, Brian and I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some decorations to add to what we already had.

American Heart Association Heart Walk

Brian and I attended the AHA Heart Walk last Saturday with some coworkers. I helped raise money for the cause for about 4 weeks.
Rhonda, ?, Dexter, & Carol

Brian in the brown shorts and sunglasses walking with Terry (his coworker).

This is how long it took us to walk the trail. We got behind some slow people. :)

Me, Yolande', Barbara, & Carol. All from the Health Center.

New "do!"

I got my hair cut yesterday because it was time for something new. Kind of flat at the moment but I just got off of work so this will do for now.

East Texas State Fair

Last Saturday, Brian and I invited Mark, Ashlee, and the kids to go with us to the fair. Jordan had a blast riding the rides while Peyton rode in the stroller; he is just a bit too young this year.

Jordan coming down the big slide.

Mark following Jordan on the big slide. I think he enjoyed it more than Jordan. LOL!



Mark being goofy with Peyton. Do you see his cute little mohawk?

Dreams

Dreams can be so weird sometimes. Take for instance, my coworker. She had a dream last night that I had a 5 year old daughter that I left with her to babysit so I could go to the fair. When she got to work today, she told me of this dream and wondered why I didn't take the girl with me. I thought to myself and said, "Self, you don't even have kids yet but they're already getting in trouble and being grounded from the fair." Man I hope my kids aren't bad! I also hope my dreams or feelings of having triplets isn't what is in store for me either. And no, I am not expecting. We're thinking possibly in the next year but everyone has babies on their minds because we just had a baby shower at work for another coworker of mine. Anyway, I think Brian's dream from a year or so ago was the funniest; riding down the interstate while sitting backwards on a toilet and using the handle to make it go faster. Now that's funny! I don't care who you are.

Rain, Rain, and more Rain!

Brian and I both had yesterday off of work and this is what we woke up to.


A river runs through it...


And a lake forms in it.


In the front yard; still raining.