winter carnival

Today at work was the holiday potluck that I organized. There was lots of great food and like always I ate way too much. Games were played including a cookie decorating contest and a little "pin the nose on Frosty." We go all out for our potlucks! I also organized a food drive for the week leading up to the potluck. There was a challenge associated with the food drive to help motivate people to participate. If we collected over 500 items of food (last count was 568 but people were still bringing stuff in) then the head honchos have to buy donuts for everyone in the building on Monday morning! I think they are getting 10 dozen donuts! I'm glad that all the hard work and planning I put into this holiday party and food drive payed off. We will get to enjoy some tasty donuts and those in need will get to enjoy some macaroni & cheese!


never too many pictures with antlers

day 4 of Miller visit

1. breakfast at Val's
2. watched a little of the Packer game
3. airport

It was a great visit! Can't wait for the next one!

day 3 of Miller visit

1. Mike and Dad went bowling at Sunset Bowl
2. Mike and Dad took Nollie to the dog park
3. breakfast and lattes
4. shopping in old Ballard
5. lunch at el Chupacabra
6. Dad finished up painting the front door
7. Mike caulked the front of the house
8. Five Crowns
9. Christmas presents
10. Steve came over
11. salmon dinner
12. bedtime

day 2 of Miller visit

1. breakfast
2. Dad painted front door
3. Dad finished painting trim in living room
4. lunch at Norm's
5. Pike Place Market
6. original Starbucks
7. Dad installed new front door knob
8. dinner at Brouwer's
9. beer at Prost
10. bedtime

day 1 of Miller visit

1. breakfast
2. Dad hung Roman shades in living room
3. Dad installed new front porch light
4. Mom and I decorated the Christmas tree
5. lunch at la Carta de Oxaca
6. errands
7. shopping at U Village
8. Dad hung shades in basement windows
9. dinner at Jolly Roger
10. Pass the Pigs
11. Steve stops by for a visit
12. bedtime


Mmmmmm. Mike's socks.

Pineapples. Lots and Lots of Pineapples.

The Pineapple Express came to Seattle today, straight from Hawaii. It brought us an abundance of sweet, sweet......................rain. We got 3.8" of rain today in Seattle with a high temperature of 59 degrees.

Many of my friends were having significant problems with flooding in their basements. We did OK, but I cataloged all the areas of the house and drainage in the yard that will need to be dealt with. Apparently the southwest corner of our house needs a bit more caulk.

There were numerous landslides and lots of flooding in Seattle. The road to work (Westlake Ave) was closed and the road to the dog park (Golden Gardens) will be closed for awhile. I had to go back to the house for something, so I decided to ride my bike through the monsoon style rains to get to work faster on my way back.


Awwww, she thinks she's a person.

Snow-

Boarding:

I went snowboarding for the first time this season this Saturday with Steve and Nollie. We went up to Snoqualmie Pass. None of the lifts are open at the pass, but we drove to near Keechulus Lake and hiked around in the national forest until finding something to screw around on. We set up a small run off a hiking trail involving a couple of stumps and a log. Nothing epic, but it was a lot of fun and some good exercise.


Steve and Nollie hang out on a stump.


Steve shreds said stump. Steve shreds said stump. Steve shreds said stump.


In Seattle:

Coming back from the pass on Saturday, we arrived back in Seattle to heavy snow, which is a very unusual sight.


Sometimes the rainy season brings snow.

The nice thing is you don't have to shovel or salt your sidewalks because everyone in Seattle seems to assume no one knows what to do when it snows in the city.

Boarding II:

Sunday I went to Baker to ride with Steve and Nels. The snow was good and deep but the weather was not all that cooperative. They shut down the mountain a little early because of white out conditions. I don't have any pictures to share, but trust me the weather got pretty nasty near the end of the day.




Tonight the Patriots will try to match Nollie's 12-0 record. Good luck.

Contest.

If you can guess what I was doing when I looked like this...



You will receive your third night's stay free, for up to two people, at the Swenson's House - Seattle. Please submit entries by posting comments to this post, and be specific.





Also,


My friend Tyra would call this high fashion. Don't worry Gehry may learn, in time.

574s

Nice try.

Say Uncle!

Congratulations (and thank you; thank you very, very much) to Namy.


In 8 months we can all stop pretending Nollie is a grandchild, except for you, Mom and Dad Swenson (sorry, but not really).

Thanksgiving dinner was excellent. Steve made cranberry sauce from scratch. Sarah made turkey, mashed potatoes, asparagus, garlic green beans, rolls, and chocolate pie. I bought a bag of chips; they were Ruffles.


View of the kitchen on Thanksgiving.

162, 211.

Sometimes cute is more how you act than how you look.


Nice!

Happy Thanksgiving

This morning's sunrise over the Cascades and Green Lake from Phinney Ridge.




By the way...


You're ugly and you smell bad!

goings ons

Last night we finally ordered a mattress for our new bed (which was delivered 3 weeks ago and is still in the box). It's a Tempur-pedic and I can't wait to sleep on it! We will be sleeping like the Swedes do. So comfy!

We also ordered a dishwasher last night. Can't wait to not have to wash dishes. Did you know that you use 75% more water when you wash your dishes by hand? Plus, we are getting an Energy Star washer. The Swensons are saving the earth!

Today at work we had a potluck with the medical examiner's office. I brought cheesy vegetables, which everyone loved. There was so much food and I ate way to much. We all had post lunch disorder and had to try to stay awake for a lecture on methamphetamine. Ironic, huh?

Oh, and I almost forgot - Mike installed a rainmaker shower head recently. I am in love with it! It's like showering in the rain (that explanation was in case you couldn't figure out what a rain maker shower head is). And it's always a positive when you don't have to bend your knees to wash your hair.


You stink!

166

You know what it means. It's been a couple weeks since I last broke 200, which is not a good way to end my "season." Bowling season, and skateboarding season, ends for me when snowboarding season starts because that's where priorities lie. Unfortunately this year snowboarding season is getting a later start than last year.

The session at the Ballard Bowl was pretty good today. I had some pretty good switch runs and did some backside grinds in the deep end a few times. For those who haven't seen the Ballard Bowl, which is probably only 20% of our fan base (Hi, Mom and Dad Swenson/Miller!), I found some pics on the web, since I have yet to take any. Here's a shot of the whole thing and some other pics from around when it first opened. The picture doesn't show the bottom of the deep-end, but I think the top of the tombstone on the right is about 13 to 14 feet above the flat bottom. Don't worry mom; I'm too scared to try to grind on that. I stick to the lower part of the deep end.

As I was looking for some pics of the bowl I recognized a couple scenes and found this random shot of me, I think. That's me in the background, in the green shirt, southeast of that guy's right butt cheek. This is a picture of a backside grind; I don't think I need to explain why. Frontside grinds are a bit more photogenic. Anyway, is that what I look like? Seriously. Oh, you don't believe that's me? Well, take a look below.


Me in the same shirt at the Wonder Spot. Don't worry the mustache is just an illusion. A moment of silence for the Wonder Spot, please.


Same shirt. How can someone who's about to have so much fun look so angry?

Other than that Sarah and I went mattress and dishwasher shopping today. Soon enough we'll have a guest bed, which means a free place to stay for anyone who wants to visit (Hi, again, Mom and Dad Miller/Swenson).



P.S.


In your face!

Don't be a Hero

On Friday night we (Sarah, Justin (Sarah's friend from work), and myself) went to the Jolly Roger and waited for a table for about an hour. After being slightly groped by the drunken brewmaster and with no prospects of a table in sight after an hour, we decided to go to our house, order pizza, and play Guitar Hero 3 on Justin's new Wii.

Justin recently purchased a Nintendo Wii, which we played at his apartment last weekend (I spanked everyone at bowling on the Wii though in the real world last week's bowling efforts were subpar). Justin had big plans to go to Best Buy first thing in the morning last Sunday to buy a Wii and Guitar Hero 3 before they sold out from their new shipment. I suggested we go to Fred Meyer and buy it right away on Saturday night. Needless to say Fred Meyer is Justin's new favorite store. For those wondering, Fred Meyer is like a grocery store (ala Woodmans), a Kohls (ala Kohls), and a Target (OK, maybe more like a Shopko) all in one. Not to mention there's a jewelry store attached at the front (in the midwest you only get the Fred Meyer jewelry stores in your malls).

We drank some of the recent stock of Christmas time ales to recently hit the shelves and played a guitar video game, all the while listening to me explain how it's not like playing a real guitar. Before this post turns into too much of a snooze-fest, here are some pictures.


Justin wails on his fake plastic guitar as though it were a real guitar with real music emanating from it.


Sarah assumes the power stance and considers Justin to be a footnote on her epic ass.

Today, or yesterday by now, there was a tournament at the Sunset Bowl, so there was no open bowling. I just wanted to let you know that me not posting the bowling scores was not because I suck but simply because I didn't get a chance to suck. Well that's all for now.

Oh, I almost forgot.


Suck it!

Happy Vet's Day!

I had today off, you know being a state employee and all. I spent my day searching for window treatments for the living room. Yuck and boring! I'm not very excited about curtains or drapes or shades or any of that.

I also stopped at the yarn store to pick up some supplies for a couple of new projects. I just finished knitting a baby blanket that I will be giving to Baby Rice (my friend Jen is expecting!). I hope she's got only one in there because this stupid blanket took me almost a year to finish and there wasn't anything difficult about it.


Count it!

Time for Chili

This baby's wasted on you.


I know there were some errors with the pictures from my last post, and I did not have any time to fix them what with the 12 hour workdays this week. By the way, if the above picture gets screwed up, don't worry. It's just a picture of a red X like the one that will replace it if the link gets broken.

Well, I know you've all been on the edge of your seat since last Sunday, so let me just tell you 162, 203. It was close because averages under 160 and highs below 200 will not be posted.

Following Sunday's bowling was skateboarding in the bowl (no relation (I swear that joke will never get old)). Nels and Hoen showed up after I was skating for a little while. We three did a sweet bones brigade run and shared some high fives afterward (per our definition/interpretation a "bones brigade run" is when a group of skaters skate around the bowl simultaneously with each person taking the exact same line and following each other as closely as possible through the bowl) . The first time Nels and I did a bones brigade run everyone was cheering for us the whole time. This time we upped the ante by adding a third skater, and no one seemed to care. Good thing we're not really in it for the fans.

Monday I got my first two fillings for my first two cavities, ever. Turns out our fancy dentist uses some fancy fillings that our insurance only fully covers if they're used on specific teeth. Needless to say, my cavities were not on the right teeth.

If you're wondering, the title and first line from this post are from an episode of the Simpsons. As Sarah has duly noted (since I like to use the first line quite a bit) the proper quote is "this baby's wasted on an idiot like you." Considering one, maybe two people, might have gotten this reference I chose the less offensive route.

Finally, I hear Jeff and Danna got a puppy. Well I've got news for them; the "cuter than you" battle has just begun.



Boo-yah!

ferry

Today I went to Kitsap county for work and rode on a ferry. It was my first ferry ride. I loved it! I can see why Dr. McDreamy loves them so much.

Hello...

Kitty. Topher did not make the mega-post from earlier this week because I ran out of patience. Anywho... Topher left in September to move his girlfriend, Heather, out to Seattle from Minnesota. To follow the life and times of Topher and Heather visit their blog (Partytime-Excellent as seen in the right hand margin of this blog). Topher and Heather had a Halloween get together, and somehow Sarah and I got invited (Nollie got invited initially but was then uninvited only to be re-invited once it was too late). Topher dressed up as Hello Kitty.



Due to the extreme tightness of Topher's pants this photo has been cropped just below his belt.

The only costume tighter than Topher's pants at the party was my 6th grade C-squad Bristol Renegades basketball uniform, circa 1992 (though the jersey was probably made in the early 1980's). The nice thing about me taking the pictures is that you don't have to see me in my tight-ass uniform.

I hope no one was too disturbed by the last picture I posted of Nollie. Here are some more gentle images to soothe you, if you were upset by the last image.



Nollie pouts after learning she is not welcome in Topher's home.



Tiny puppy claws are extremely efficient at puncturing many things, including human skin.


It's moments like these that make you forget all the crying, explosive diarrhea, and eating Ed's corn.



In case you didn't know, one of Nollie's many nicknames is Chompers. Now you know why. Fact: Nollie's full name is actually Nollie Chompers Miller Swenson. For the record, I wanted to name her Nollie Chompers of Zanzibar, but Sarah wouldn't let me.

Well, enough of the past, I guess. Anyway, today I went bowling at the Sunset Bowl in Ballard, as I normally do on Saturday and Sunday Mornings. Average 171, High 204. Then it was time for skateboarding at the Ballard Bowl (no relation). Finally, I removed the final slabs of concrete out of the back yard. In all I recycled 6 tons of concrete, which amounted to lifting 12 tons of concrete (load and unload). No pictures yet, but just imagine the previous picture of the backyard with bare dirt where there used to be concrete. Well, it's time for a new beer, which means it's time to go downstairs, which means this is all for now. Happy standard time eve; I can't wait for the hour of sleep.

Happy Halloween!

toxes that dressed up this year

We had a Halloween party at work today with the Crime Lab. Brianna won best costume for her cat lady outfit. It consisted of a hand knit sweater that her mom made to look exactly like her cat and she also carried around a clump of her cat's fur. Justin won second for Napoleon Dynamite. He wore the same costume last year, but this year he graced us with the dance. I was lame and only wore scrubs (at least I dressed up). And my prize was that our lab manager is now allowing scrubs to be worn all the time. Hooray for wearing pajamas to work!

Hello.

So, "we" have had a blog now for almost two years, yet the only contribution I've been able to make had to be approved by Sarah (see comment to "our 2nd anniversary"). Well, just today the blog czar has granted me permission to make posts on "our" blog. A picture of the blog czar is provided below, though I've blacked out Sarah's eyes like they do when trying to protect someone's identity.


Blog Czar. See, who's that? I don't know; there's a black bar over her eyes.

Anyway, Sarah has kept you apprised of most of what happens out here. But in case you didn't hear (in no particular order):

Steve's now a gun toting, republican voting militia man, as seen below.

Steve votes with his gun.

The prodigal son, Hoen, moved back to the Pacific Northwest.

Hoen: One-foot-plant maneuver.

Nollie turned 3 but still can't beat Lulu in a fight.

Lulu sports the double-dunce cap for fighting with Nollie at her birthday party.

Willie and Eron had a kid.

Hi, Leif.

Tony and Miriam got married.

Wheeeeeeee!

Nels wore a belt to the wedding.

Classy.

Steve may have been the best man, again, but we all know that his friend was the best dancer.

Sweet moves.


Steve asks if he can get a picture with him.

Mike continues to take pictures in an attempt to show he shouldn't have gotten C's in art class, but the pictures only seem to show he's just an engineer.


Is this art?

And, after being the experimental subject of hundreds of pictures, Nollie finally says, "Enough with the damn camera, Mike!"

Nollie gets mad.

YO-HO-HO!

Jolly Roger is back for the Christmas season! It is my favorite winter brew by far and the 9% alcohol isn't too shabby. Mike and I picked up a 6 pack last night. I'm can't wait to get over to the Jolly Roger Taproom to get it on tap. Christmas will be here soon!

Nollie's window

Mike is making a window for Nollie in the new gate he built. She is quite the porch monkey and right now just stares at the fence. When Mike is done she will have a little window to look out at the traffic.