Adam Miller and Family

Holiday Game Sales

December 30, 2012 by Adam in Adam's Games

This is the traditional time of year for game sales. Sam and I have been salivating, picking up all sort of games for a pittance. We both got a mix of indie games, mainstream blockbusters, and some oddities here and there. So far my favorite is Sleeping Dogs, which makes me feel like I'm in some asian action movie. It's essentially Grand Theft Auto in Hong Kong, with the atmosphere to go with it. As usual with the genre, I can run around in silly outfits if I want to. Sam and I also picked up some 4X space games, and played a bit. Sam got an interesting indie game that involves exploring an island and researching plants for a plague cure. I think he likes the realism.

Wonderful vacation

December 30, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

I posted a big long message about our trip, but somehow also made it disappear. We had a delightful vacation. We got to see Robbie, Isa, and Seraph's school, the winery where Seraph works, and go shopping in Santa Fe. We got to see Hanni's very pretty apartment and spend Christmas Eve with her. We got to meet Chester, the new dog, and snuggle with the kitties and Shiloh, the ever patient pup. We got to eat one of Seraph's wonderful dinners with Hanni and the gang on Christmas day. On the 26th, we had a wonderful soak at a hot springs resort called Ojo Caliente, followed by a tasty dinner at the resort restaurant. All in all, it was a most satisfying time!

More Jan

December 28, 2012 by Lohring in Lohring

I couldn't add this in comments.

There's more about Jan here:http://sailinganarchy.com/?s=jan+gougeon I especially liked the "lessons from Jan" post.

End of the Year Mocha Friday

December 28, 2012 by Adam in Family

I'm not at work yet, so I only have a cup of tea next to me. The chocolate covered espresso beans are just a pleasant memory of Christmas. Sam and Emma return tonight for a weekend of family and continued playing with presents. I really need to get those kids running around after all the chocolate of the last few days.

Joanna and I went out last night on our hot date, beginning with sushi and sorting out our insurance. I think we're going with Allstate, which was slightly cheaper. Next we were off to get a leather jacket, my Christmas present from Joanna. I suddenly became 50% cooler once I put it on, plus all their leather jackets were on sale.

As for the weekend, I continue to have a bunch of house projects to work on. I'm unfortunately getting quite good at recaulking the tub. Sam and I have been blowing our Christmas money during the video game sales. Hopefully the two of us can play a little.

Oh, and I finally uploaded our video from Christmas morning. I liked Emma's reaction to Sam's present.

Jan Gougeon

December 27, 2012 by Lohring in Lohring

I was shocked to learn that Jan Gugeon died. He was only 67 but had respiratory problems. His memorial service is today. See http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2012/12/bay_city_boat_builder_sailor_j.html for details. For you younger readers, Jan was the brother of Mead Gougeon, friends of the Steane family. We were racing with them on the day Adam was born. They built Bill Steans trimaran that he and Edna saild for years in their retirement. Mead attended Betsy's wedding and gave me a signed copy of their boatbuilding bible. I remember talking to him about innovative sailboat designs. He was an impressive person.

Emma's New Bow

December 26, 2012 by Adam in Emma

Sam got Emma a new bow for Christmas. She was very excited to give it a try, though it's right on the edge of her ability to pull it back.

Post Christmas Cleanup

December 26, 2012 by Adam in Family

Okay, I just ate half a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans. While it does indeed give me the mental fortitude of a thousand men, it admittedly makes me slightly scattered with my focus. I ended up redoing the web site's editor, for example. I figure I should refresh it every few years to keep up with the latest standards. I suspect there are some kinks to work out, though.

Sam and Joanna continue to sleep away, staying up late watching the Doctor Who Christmas special. I'm hanging out with the little kids who are dutifully playing with Minecraft and Christmas presents. It was funny yesterday how they all opened a huge pile of presents and then went back to playing on their computers.

Christmas went well, other than an annoying headache on my part. Before Sam awoke, Joanna played Christmas music on the ukelele. Joanna made delicious scones, and the kids ate goodies through the endless unwrapping of presents, skipping breakfast entirely. I think I finally ate some eggs in order to ingest something not chocolate or butter based. Berry loved her She-Ra shirt and action figure. Duncan loved his pillow pet. Emma loved her compound bow. Sam loved his money. Joanna loved everyone's happiness. I loved my chocolate covered espresso beans.

Emma and I went out shooting her bow in the back yard later that day. Both Sam and Emma really got into the new Zelda game. Sam was showing how he could leap left and right in order to have his character jump. The sword controls are quite impressive as well. I think he's opted to do that instead of the treadmill for exercise. Joanna finished book four of Game of Thrones and has started in on the fifth, Sam's present for her. I keep eyeing various video game sales and succumbed to a couple.

Dad, Jenny, Jordan, Destin, and his girlfriend Brandi came over for Christmas dinner. Joanna made all sorts of delicious food, which was cheerfully eaten. We Skyped with Seraph, mom, Bob, Hanni, Isa, and Robbie. The connection was poor so mostly we made faces at each other. Eventually I said my farwells and laid down for a nap. The rest of the evening was fairly low-key.

Emma really wants to use my gift to her today, PF Changs and a shopping trip for pants. I'm feeling a little better after my latest dose of espresso and chocolate, so we'll see if I can manage. Hopefully Sam and Joanna will wake up soon for breakfast.

Christmas Eve

December 24, 2012 by Adam in Family

Happy Christmas Eve to everyone. I'm hanging out with Berry and Duncan early this morning - they're Minecrafting away, sending notes to each other between computers and building massive structures. They've been trying to convince me I should let them open one present early, and then debated which present they should get. I informed them they have to wait, as Joanna and I need to discuss our early present tradition.

Sam and Emma went off to Portland on Saturday. It's been relatively quiet since then. There seems to be a critical number of kids between a sit down meal and random snacks throughout the day. I did manage a number of errands and projects.

The upstairs shower is leaking again, so cut open Duncan's bedroom ceiling and started with the grout/sealant/caulk process for the tub. I covered the chicken coop with more plastic sheeting. Joanna finished the last of the present wrapping and put up some more lights outside. I think we're good to go.

Last night we took the younger kids around to see Christmas lights. I admitted upon our return that in comparison, ours were understated.

Too Much Coffee Friday

December 22, 2012 by Adam in Family

We went out to Berry's performance at the Little French School last night. It was wonderful madness, with tons of kids running about giggling. Emma ran into her old teacher, Sierra, who used to watch her after school. She's married with a kid now. Still, Emma remembered her and they had a nice chat for awhile.

Work was relatively short and completely full of meetings. I've had some nice recognition lately for my work getting the SouthWest integration working properly. I basically dropped everything and went outside my normal job to make sure these new employees could sign up for benefits. It was crazy and rewarding, though I don't think I want to be the password reset king in the future.

Sam and Emma should be arriving shortly for a pizza and Bang Goes the Theory evening (Mythbusters is on hiatus). It's a cool science show that everyone enjoys, plus it's English which makes it cooler. Sam and Emma head to Portland for a couple days, leaving the rest of us to make our final Christmas plans. I'm getting increasingly excited for the days off work and spending time with my family.

Not Much Further

December 19, 2012 by Adam in Family

I passed out the last of the Christmas cards to my coworkers. Hopefully they enjoy our MadLibs inspired humor. Joanna's been furiously wrapping presents. I still have a fair number that I plan on wrapping this Saturday. My mom has been dropping off presents for various people as she left this morning to go visit Seraph, Robbie, and Isa. All-in-all, I think we're relatively well prepared.

Berry's had a bad cold all week, which finally spread to me yesterday and now it seems Joanna's feeling under the weather. I cured mine with a mocha and Advil, as usual.

Joanna and I are going out for a date night today, probably checking out the new waffle place downtown. There's a winter thing Thursday night at Berry's school. Friday we'll do Mythbusters before they go to Portland for Jamie's family Christmas. Then our little bit of madness begins.

Good times.

Cirque de Noel

December 18, 2012 by Adam in Family

I took the younger kids to school this morning and all they could talk about was Cirque de Noel. My mom bought tickets and after some shuffling, it turns out that we could make it. The kids weren't sure what to expect, but once they saw a woman hoisted high above the floor, swinging from long ribbons, they watched with rapt attention. It was a fun adventure and I'm glad we could do it.

The rest of the weekend was relatively uneventful. We went out Friday night for sushi. Saturday morning we gathered up the kids to continue our decorating. At one point Joanna looked up at the glittering streamers and muttered, "It's still understated." I laughed hysterically.

Sunday morning was a little exhausting, starting at 4:30 when the chickens woke up. Clearly the raccoons were back, though I couldn't see anything. I tried to go back to sleep, but was woken up again. This time I found the door slightly ajar, one of the chicken's heads pulled through the opening. I opened it up and it shot out into the yard. Eventually the chickens calmed down and I got them back in.

Emma went out with me the next morning and we started with our fortifications. I had some latches handy, which I installed on both the door and the nesting box. I also covered the nesting box with plexiglass, envisioning comical raccoons sliding off with a satisfying thud. I wasn't woken up this morning, so hopefully it was successful.

There were other events, mostly hanging out with kids and playing. Sam and I managed a bit of Arma II, mostly involving ejecting out of helicopters. He also continued berating my skills at Dark Souls, yet strangely couldn't stop watching me. Ah, the joys of parenting a teen.

Sad Friday

December 15, 2012 by Adam in Family

With the news today, I'm too sad to post.

Christmas Approaches

December 13, 2012 by Adam in Family

Joanna is tiredly filling out Christmas cards as I type this. I think we're down to under 30 at this point. Pretty much all presents have been purchased, if not wrapped. Seeing as we only have a couple weeks to go, I think we're in a relatively good state.

Work has been particularly crazy and sad lately. We're integrating with another group, and it became obvious last week that nothing was ready. I stepped in to fill the void and think things are more on track, though it became apparent quite quickly that no one was in charge of the process. We also got news that my manager of 17 years wasn't going to be my manager anymore. The reorg is going to force out some really good people, I'm afraid.

Getting Ready for Christmas

December 10, 2012 by Adam in Family

We're slowly getting ready for Christmas. We tromped out to mom's tree farm on Saturday where we cut down a huge, misshapen tree and used the top half. We returned to civilization for lunch with my mom, and then home to decorate it. Sadly the stability was off, making Joanna extremely nervous about all the ornaments until I sorted it out the next day. Clearly my Christmas tree stability sense is way off.

There was present wrapping, card filling out, and general preparatory work. I think we're generally doing okay. In the afternoon we saw part of Joanna's holiday show at church, which was quite nice.

Sunday was pretty lazy, at least as much as we could manage. I did a couple quick shopping trips, but otherwise hung out with kids.

Patient Mocha Friday

December 07, 2012 by Adam in Family

I think I'm still five hours away from a mocha, as it's crazy early o'clock in the morning. I was woken up by Duncan around midnight, as there was an incident and he needed his sheets changed. Some time before five I swear some other kid was crying, but I couldn't get back to sleep after that.

I'm meeting Jason Riedburger and Jason Kronholm for coffee this morning. I used to work with the first Jason and he was wanting to stay in touch. The other Jason I've known since I was 18, and it'll be nice to catch up with him. Plus coffee. Let's see if I can wait that long or I end up getting two.

The week has chugged along. It looks like Berry is going to be in the TAG program. We were discussing her intelligence over dinner has she tried to stick a chopstick in her mouth and touch Emma's finger with the tip. She excused herself in caveman talk as well. Admittedly Berry made a pretty sweet cardboard spaceship, complete with pipecleaner controls.

Sam had his choir event this Wednesday. Joanna and I went down with Berry and Duncan to watch him. The little kids made it a few songs before they had to go run in the hallways. Sam did a pretty good job, and I verified that his lips moved for all of the songs. The music was great and full of various sea shanties.

Dark Souls

December 05, 2012 by Adam in Adam's Games

I've been playing a variety of games lately, as has Sam. First off was finishing up X-Com, which was quite satisfying. The original is always a classic, but this one had greatly improved graphics and the gameplay felt pretty well streamlined. My favorite part was the stories that came out of the game, and how I could name and customize my troops. Because of this, Denziel Washington saved the planet. Thanks, Denziel.

I also finished up the Walking Dead, and had Sam play it too. I hesitate to call it an adventure game, though I guess that's what it technically is. The main strength is how it draws you into the game, and the intensity of the difficult choices you have to make. The main character ends up having to take care of a nine year-old girl. Even Sam got choked up and emotional at the very end.

My latest obsession is Dark Souls, which I've played far less than Sam, but still continue to sink tons of time into. It's incredibly hard and long-ranging. Sam's finished it multiple times, and likes to watch me play, berating my sad skills as I go. I'm getting better, though some of the fights continue to be incredibly hard. Never have I had so much fun playing such a brutal game. It can be quite pretty sometimes, though.

Tuesday Already?

December 05, 2012 by Adam in Family

It somehow became Tuesday, and late at night at that. I had a wonderful, lazy three day weekend, full of hanging out with kids and doing very little. Emma was off in Bend with her mom, so Sam and I spent an awful amount playing video games. He somehow got me hooked on a game called Dark Souls, which is one of the more challenging games I've ever played.

We did some practical things along the way. Sam and I went out and work on the chicken coop, reinforcing the places where the racoons clawed through the chicken wire. I haven't been woken up by squawking in days, so I think everything's okay.

Saturday afternoon I took the little kids to Fifth Street Market to pick up pizza. They loved the Christmas lights that had gone up, and had a great time in the glass elevator. Joanna was off at a gala for work. She bought some raffle tickets to support the cause and ended up winning a couple baskets of goodies. Plus she had pictures of herself in a pirate hat, which somehow supported healthcare.

Monday came and went, the usual work madness continuing on. Poor Duncan came down with something and Joanna picked him up from school. Emma returned that night, and I had a wonderful time just hanging out with her after a weekend without her.

Today Duncan was sick again, but seemed much better tonight. I had a headache all day, cured by my usual Cafe Madvil remedy. Berry got the results of her Talented and Gifted test, scoring in the 99th percentile. We have proof that she's a big smarty pants.

Happy Birthday Robbie!!!!

December 01, 2012 by Seraph in Cortez

Lordy, Lordy, Rob is 40!

(And better than ever!)

Mocha Friday

December 01, 2012 by Adam in Family

It was an exceptionally lazy day. I took the day off, hung out with Sam, and played far too many video games. My biggest accomplishment was hanging a heater on the wall. It was glorious.

Mid-Week Update

November 28, 2012 by Adam in Family

I woke up early Tuesday morning to the sound of chickens screaming bloody murder. I got up and thought about going out, but they eventually quieted down. The next morning one chicken was missing, a trail of blood and feathers leading through a hole that was clawed in the wire. I'm pretty sure it was raccoon.

I ended up in my work clothes, pounding heavy staples into the wood to try and repair things. The chickens were still here this morning, so it worked well enough. On the plus side, the eaten one was one that wasn't laying anymore. Instead of feeding it to a human somewhere, we're supporting our local wildlife.

Sam and I had our boys night yesterday and watched The Walking Dead after a ton of homework. I managed to get Duncan and Berry to bed while Joanna went to choir practice. Tonight Joanna and I have a date night.

The only other exciting thing going on is that I'm thinking about taking Friday off work to hang out with Sam. He has no school that day, and a testosterone fueled gaming session sounds somewhat appealing.

A Happy Thanksgiving Indeed

November 26, 2012 by Adam in Family

I can't remember such a wonderful Thanksgiving as the last few days. It was low-key and involved a tremendous amount of hanging out.

The kids were at Jamie's on Wednesday night, so Joanna and I went out for a hot date. We were celebrating three years together, which started the day before Thanksgiving on the dance floor at Agate Hall on the day the dance was cancelled. We first had dinner at the Agate Street Bistro and exchanged gifts, as we decided jail food was probably lousy. Fortunately we didn't have to break any windows, as the door was open and we quietly snuck in and danced a little before leaving.

I picked up the kids Thursday morning and we enjoyed the day until it was time to go to mom's for dinner. Emma played Guitar Hero, getting pretty good at it. I think Duncan and Berry kept their PJs on until it was time to leave. Emma and I went over early to help set up, with Emma staying to cook all afternoon. She was quite proud of her creamed peas. We eventually all arrived, eating and chatting our way through dinner. Sam and Duncan played Mastermind. Berry played with toys. Emma flitted about. I talked to my sisters on the phone. No one had a melt down and everything was pleasant.

Friday morning was when we decided to celebrate Sam's birthday (his actual birthday is today). We had a delicious breakfast of crepes and sausages, followed by treats picked up at Sweet Life and Metropol. Sam got a sticky bun with a candle. He also ended up with a book, an Adventure Time Mad Lib, and Castle Panic, a boardgame. Plus he got X-Com and The Walking Dead video games. The latter he played obsessively over the next few days and declared great.

Jamie texted to let me know she was sick, so I kept Sam over the weekend. I took he and Emma to Thanksgiving dinner at Dave's house. Duncan wanted to come along too, though we sadly informed him that probably wouldn't work out. Sam hung out with Josh. Emma was loved to death by Finn. I think they had a good time.

The next couple days were fairly low-key. I went shopping and got pizza for Mythbusters. Joanna and I got to some tidying up, and I fixed the chicken coop's storm damage. Sam and I played a lot of video games. I got into Dark Souls, which Sam has playing obsessively for weeks. Sam also bought Crusader Kings II, with the highlight being the time we figured out how to marry off a relative to strengthen our ties with another kingdom.

Sunday morning we took everyone but Sam to see The Rise of the Guardians with Jenny, Jordan, and mom. Emma loved it, and I thought the special effects were pretty good. We puttered around until it was time for Joanna and Duncan to go to Berry's ballet performance. Sam, Emma, and I ate weird dinner food, played Nerf guns in the basement, ran around playing hide-and-seek, and then got ready for bed.

Now we're back at work and school, filled with pleasant memories that will hopefully sustain us until Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving

November 22, 2012 by Seraph in Cortez

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We're there with you in spirit and gluttony!

Another Pleasant Weekend

November 20, 2012 by Adam in Family

It was actually a pretty great weekend as weekends go. Friday night we hung out with kids and ate Tasty Thai, followed by a breakfast of pancakes in the morning. We hadn't had pancakes in ages, but Berry asked for it specifically. I think it had something to do with Curious George.

I took Berry and Emma to the library while Duncan and Joanna went off to Target for a shoe shopping spree. A very grumpy Berry calmed right down and we had a great time. Berry was mesmerized by her Wonder Woman book. Emma read A Practical Guide to Wizardry for the tenth time. We snacked in our usual area, then wandered home for lunch.

Emma was especially sweet all weekend, playing Littlest Pet Shop with Berry, joking with Sam, and playing pretend with Duncan in the basement. She even lured me downstairs to play music. I ended up banging on the drum and having a remarkably good time.

Sam came home a little early after a doctor visit. I picked up endless meds for him as well as a pizza for Mythbusters. He continues to play Dark Souls more than any video game except perhaps Minecraft.

Berry yanked her own tooth out on Sunday. She casually came into the living room with toilet paper stuffed into her mouth. I was a little worried she'd start in on the teeth that weren't loose in order to cash in. It's also the end of an era as Duncan had a chat with Joanna, telling her that he was pretty sure the tooth fairy wasn't real. I guess we'll see how Christmas goes.

We're gearing up for Thanksgiving and Sam's Birthday. He usually seems older than his almost fourteen, mostly because he's bigger than me now. He's gotten pretty funny too. Hopefully the trend continues.

Christmas! Christmas! Christmas!

November 17, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

We're going to visit Seraph, Robbie and Isa for Christmas! A friend posted about a Southwest Airline pre-holiday sale, one day long. Since the one day was yesterday, I scurried around and talked to Robbie and Seraph a couple of times.

More later, Mom

X-Com

November 17, 2012 by Adam in Adam's Games

There's a new X-Com game that came out recently, a remake of the classic "fight against the alien invaders" game. There are mysterious UFOs you can shoot down, a team of crack soldiers you can advance in rank, base building, research of alien technology, and of course tactical fights against the foe themselves.

I'm having an especially good time naming soldiers after various family members. Emma ended up in a support role, especially good at tazering aliens to bring back for interrogation. Sam's a heavy, blowing up buildings with his rocket launcher. More than once he's saved my team's bacon.

It looked grim for awhile, but I think things are improving.

Survived Mocha Friday

November 17, 2012 by Adam in Family

Okay, it wasn't that bad. I did seem to have endless meetings, crises, and assorted craziness. I think I managed 30 minutes of work on my projects at the very end of the day.

We had all the kids last night, the usual madness of homework, silliness, and emotional trauma. Emma was particularly sweet, wishing me a wonderful day as I took everyone off to work.

I'm excited for the weekend - full of library trips, ballet, and Mythbusters.

The Madness Continues

November 15, 2012 by Adam in Family

Work continues to be crazy. Yet more people leaving, though fortunately none from our team. I'm really swamped after taking on a lot of responsibilities from our lead who left a couple weeks ago. Everyone who walks by my cubicle wants to sit and talk. It's nice, though difficult to get things done.

Life on the home front has been generally positive. Berry was very excited to lose her tooth the other day, along with the dollar that came with it. The actual tooth removal part, which she did herself, involved a lot of tears. Fortunately the excitement overcame the momentary pain and suffering.

Emma made it to school after almost a week away. Whatever illness she had has finally passed. She also has a new obsession of Monster High, obtained after watching lots of Monster High YouTube videos while she was sick. She ended up blowing nearly $100 on toys over the last few days. Hopefully it sustains her with happiness and joy.

The holiday madness is slowly approaching. I think we can do Thanksgiving with the kids on actual Thanksgiving. I'm also trying really hard to have all the kids Christmas morning, something that hasn't happened before. I need to start gearing up for Christmas presents too.

Fortunately Joanna and I have a hot date tonight. I think we're going out to a fancy place to eat, as she's all gussied up from some work event. She even curled her hair this morning.

Go-live Monday

November 12, 2012 by Adam in Family

We had a big go-live at work this morning. The best part was when things went horribly wrong and I accidentally sent out 28,000+ emails. Fortunately only a couple thousand went out and I managed to purge the rest from our email queue.

The kids are out of school, and I managed to come home to hang out with them for a little. Around one, Sam and Emma are going to their mom's, with Sam returning after dinner. Haylee is coming to watch Duncan and Berry. I'm going to keep working away, trying to get things done.

I did get a kinda-sorta promotion today. I'm the temporary functional lead of the developer group. There's not much of a pay increase, and I worry I won't have time to do computer programming. Hopefully I can give our team some stability in the madness ahead.

The weekend was good, if uneventful. Some highlights include taking kids to Toys-R-Us, discovering a warren of small mammals under the chicken coop, and playing the new X-Com game. I think Emma is finally on the mend and may actually make it to school tomorrow.

Good Morning!

November 12, 2012 by Seraph in Cortez

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! It's been a few whirlwind days of work and fun, but today is quiet. It's my first day off in a month, so I'm still in my PJ's and gearing up for some house cleaning. Love you all!

Happy Birthday, Seraph

November 10, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

A card and small present have been wending their way to you. We all miss you!

Have fun with your sweet family,

Mom

Happy Birthday Seraph

November 10, 2012 by Lohring in Lohring

I'm getting really senile and almost forgot. Ana, with her younger brain reminded me. Have a great day.

Sickly Mocha Friday

November 09, 2012 by Adam in Family

I'm generally okay, but Emma's home from school and Berry and Sam have a persistent cough. Joanna and I are working from home and Duncan has the day off for parent-teacher conferences. It's a quirky day.

I worked from home yesterday as well, getting a tremendous amount of work done and hanging out with no-school Duncan.

I dropped off Berry this morning, giving her plenty of jumpies, and then swung by Full City for my delicious Friday mocha. Tonight is date night, though I'm not quite sure what we're up to. I suppose I could holler across the room to find out.

Another Monday

November 05, 2012 by Adam in Family

We stumbled to work and school this morning. It was nice having the extra hour, though it felt that we needed it to some degree. Emma in particular was moaning and groaning from over an hour playing Wii Fit on Sunday. I think she'll survive.

The weekend was generally productive. Friday night Joanna and I went out, listening to English folk music at the library and then off to vegetarian Chinese food. Saturday morning I hooked up a second security camera, much to the amusement of the kids. Later that night, Sam and I tried to sneak by them in the dark, which didnt' work very well. In the afternoon I took the girls to the library. The evening wound up with pizza and Mythbusters.

Sunday was pretty busy, with the little kids going to a couple birthday parties. Duncan really had fun at Splash. I managed to get Sam through his homework, which ended up being pretty tedious. Hopefully he's caught up from when he was sick. I took Sam and Emma for a walk that afternoon. Otherwise we hung out, with Emma playing Wii Fit for hours. My mom, Yayoe, and John came for dinner, which was exceptionally tasty.

Post-Halloween Mocha

November 02, 2012 by Adam in Family

Busy today, my mocha fueling me forward through the work madness. There's so much work to do, and so many organizationally weird distractions.

I had lots of fun on Halloween, going as a job applicant. I ended up winning the department's costume party, I mostly because I put together a fake resume that I handed out. Of course, it's all true.

We took Emma and Berry out trick-or-treating. We hit the main houses, and then Berry and Joanna went out again to return with a huge pile of candy. Berry sat there and kept eating while Joanna went to fetch Duncan from his party. I think Berry didn't really want it towards the end, but felt obligated to try.

Jamie and I had our parent-teacher conferences for Emma on Thursday. Emma is adored by her teacher. She's doing well in everything, with the recognition that Emma's spelling is pretty marginal. On the plus side she's started to read and write lots more this year, so hopefully it's a self-correcting issue. Emma strangely rated herself as poor in math, even though she's doing great (and Sam was successfully teaching her Algebra the other day).

Sam's been slowly catching up with his homework. We made Fimo and magnet molecular models last night, showing off ionic bonding. I also picked up a 2-pack of Orcs Must Die 2 and we've been playing co-op together. Great fun.

Looking forward to the weekend. Joanna and I are going out for dinner due to the Wednesday Halloween festivities. No big plans, except perhaps to clean the minivan. I suspect someone's having a birthday party - they seem endless.

Happy Halloween

October 31, 2012 by Adam in Family

Since we all have to apply for our jobs here at work, I'm going as a job applicant for Halloween. It sometimes takes people awhile to figure out why I'm wearing a suit and tie, and directors are confused when I tell them I'm looking forward to the interview. Eventually they figure it out and have a good laugh at the absurdity.

Joanna and the little kids look great, and were very eager to go to work today. Joanna is doing reverse trick-or-treating at work, dressed as a care bear. I think it's a childhood dream finally fulfilled.

I have a parent-teacher conference with Emma's teacher tonight. Berry, Emma, Joanna, and I are going trick-or-treating while Duncan hangs with friends. Then we shuffle everyone around to settle into the evening routine.

Everyone remember to print out game coupons for Plants versus Zombies and hand them out tonight. It's an awesome game.

Pumpkin-Filled Weekend

October 29, 2012 by Adam in Family

I think we mostly got over our illnesses this weekend. Sam got really sick Friday night, but had transitioned to an annoying cough by this morning. Today was the first day all the kids made it to school in over a week.

Friday night Joanna and I went out to dinner, getting massive amounts of Thai food that lasted the weekend. Saturday morning I went into overdrive, cleaning up after the chaos of the previous week. Emma arrived late morning and she dragged me downstairs to play. I found a new hide-and-seek spot above the TV cabinet that I can actually fit in. We mostly puttered around at home for the rest of the day - at one point Emma and I wandered around finding spell components. She also excitedly picked up a calligraphy pen at Oregon Art Supplies. Emma and I went food shopping, and then Sam arrived for dinner.

Sunday was a little busy. We saw Adam Miller play folk songs at the library - I eagerly introduced myself. Sam and I did a ton of homework, and we still have more to come. Joanna organized a pumpkin carving activity, which I sadly didn't have time for. Somewhere in there I said my final farewells to Sadie, who I begged not to drive into Boston in the middle of the hurricane. She will be missed.

Perfect preparation

October 28, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

for the perfect storm. I talked with Sadie this afternoon. She says they are well prepared, with a propane stove and lots of matches and that she will remember to open the window when they use the propane stove. Also, in preparation for having no refrigeration, she drank up all the white wine, which of course should only be served cold. It's such a relief to know that you children can face all crises with aplomb.

Scruffy Mocha Friday

October 26, 2012 by Adam in Family

It's been a crazy few days. I spent most of Wednesday throwing up, as did Joanna and Duncan. Sam got sick, but never nauseous. Emma missed school all week. Yesterday I was better, and worked from home being amazingly productive. All sorts of systems crashed and I helped put it back together again.

I did my best to get Sam and Emma to school today, feeding them and giving them painkillers. Sadly it didn't work out and I dropped them off on Jamie's door step with instructions to get some rest.

One of the side effects of my extended illness is that I haven't shaved for a few days. Emma told me I needed to shave soon. Joanna's rather fond of it. I compromised and let everyone know that I'd keep it through our date night tonight.

Duncan's been quite cheerful lately, which I greatly appreciate. This morning he lit right up when I told him there was a new version of Minecraft. Berry was sweet when everyone was sick - tucking Joanna into her bed. Emma's been loopy, as has Sam. Sam got his midterms and mostly got A's and B's. I need to follow up on the one C in his advanced science class. He evidently missed a couple days before a test.

Looking forward to the weekend and taking it a little easly.

Still Alive

October 25, 2012 by Adam in Family

Last night was a mix of Joanna, Duncan, and myself all repeatedly throwing up. Berry still has a bit of a cough, and Sam feels crappy still (his description). Emma stayed home today too, according to Jamie.

I'm only now starting to feel vaguely human again. My headache is fading and I managed to do the dishes and take out the recycling. I haven't been able to keep much food down, though. Soup, apple juice, and an orange are about it. I think I was getting somewhat dehydrated for awhile there.

Joanna's been really sweet to me. She started getting sick last night, so she was feeling a little perkier this morning. Berry had moments of sweetness as well, the one healthy person in the house.

We'll see what happens tomorrow. Duncan's staying home. I may work from home as well. Looking forward to being healthy again.

Sickly Monday

October 22, 2012 by Adam in Family

The kids were pretty sick this weekend. Emma had a fever all day Sunday. Berry was throwing up last night. I've got a bit of a cough, and both Joanna and I were up with kids most of the night. I worked from home and kept an eye on everyone. Now I'm sick of sitting in front of my computer.

The weekend was relatively low-key. Saturday was my usual busy day of shopping and laundry. I ran network cable between the top floor and the basement router, improving connection speeds considerably. We took the kids to get their flu mist vaccinations. Pizza and Mythbusters was had.

Sunday was extremely lazy, as most everyone was sick. Joanna performed with the choir and took in her scones and cookies for sale. Fortunately she brought the leftovers back, which I promptly devoured.

Mocha Friday

October 19, 2012 by Adam in Family

It's the end of the day, and I'm about ready to head out the door. Work fallout continues due to my functional lead leaving. Lots of conversations about what we're going to do next.

I'm really looking forward to the weekend, hanging out with kids and taking it easy. I have a project that involves drilling holes in walls that will hopefully improve the upstairs Internet connection. There are birthday parties, flu mist things for the kids, overnight play dates, pizza and Mythbusters, and pumpkin patches to look forward to.

Joanna continues to be cute and awesome. What else could I ask for?

Another Wave of Illness

October 18, 2012 by Adam in Family

I left work Tuesday afternoon, feeling feverish and shaky. The pain meds helped, but it wasn't until after a long nap did I feel mostly human again. On Wednesday, Emma was sick, so I picked her up and kept an eye on her until Jamie was off work. We're all at work and school today, but my tummy feels a little off. I ran at lunch, but I'm not sure I'm up for fencing tonight.

I just found out that one of my co-workers is leaving PeaceHealth. I fear this is the first of many. Strange times ahead.

Knee Injury

October 15, 2012 by Lohring in Lohring

I got in a hurry at work Friday and tripped over a computer cord. I fell very hard on my left knee, the one I heart years ago. I was afraid I would have serious problems, but it seems to be a lot better today. It's still swolen and I don't have all the movement back yet, but I can do one leg squats and get into my car.

New Scale Boat

October 15, 2012 by Lohring in Lohring

I've been slowly building a new model boat for the Gas Scale Class. I picked the $ Bill, an obscure 1962 unlimited hydroplane. However, it has a duck and a $ on the side, perfect for a U of O graduate. With a lot of help from my friends, especially Brian Buaas (the big , bald guy with a beard and a cute daughter at the wedding) we finally got it running the morning of the Northwest Scale Championships. There it proved to be the fastest boat, but Brian blew it off while leading in the final. I was still very happy.

See the final here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=82pIvJowIZQ

Where'd My Mocha Friday Go?

October 15, 2012 by Adam in Family

Thursday night was fencing night, and pretty fun for both Emma and I. Sam's dropped out, so I started taking saber lessons with Emma. I ended up getting paired with another guy who was pretty good, and getting very sweaty along the way.

Friday was a little nutty. The kids didn't have school, so I was rushing about keeping them fed and managed while I worked away. I did manage to make myself a mocha, which hit the spot. Jamie showed up to take away Sam and Emma. Then Haylee arrived to watch the little kids. We headed out to Joanna's doctor appointment after lunch. Her back x-ray looked good, and everything seems fine.

We worked away in the afternoon, and then went out to Agate Street Laboratory for dinner. Afterward was Arsenic and Old Lace at the Very Little Theater. Quite entertaining.

We got Emma in the morning, ate breakfast, and then went out on our adventures for the day. First was the library, then Saturday Market for lunch and the farmer's market. Emma cajoled me into buying her a bansai plant, helping me work away doing yard work in the afternoon. Sam, Duncan, and I went food shopping in the late afternoon, followed by scooping up Sam for pizza and Mythbusters that night.

Sunday morning had my mom picking up Emma, Duncan, and Berry for breakfast. It was Berry's half birthday, so she got presents for breakfast and cake for dessert. We managed a fair amount of hang-out time, and I actually got to play video games in between the laundry, homework, and house projects.

Mid-Week Update

October 11, 2012 by Adam in Family

Nothing too exciting happening, which is nice for a change. Sam was sick for a couple days. We spent yesterday following up on his story for school. Tomorrow Sam and Emma have the day off school and we're getting Emma Saturday morning. Tonight I'm hoping Emma and I can go fencing. Berry is learning how to tie her shoes. Small victories, all around.

Another Weekend, Come and Gone

October 08, 2012 by Adam in Family

It was a generally pleasant weekend. We had all the kids Friday night, and a hearty waffle breakfast the next morning. Saturday involved a lot of running around for me - we went to the library, I went food shopping, and we picked up pizza for our traditional Saturday meal. Sam and I worked on his long list of homework, papers, math, and Spanish. The amount of homework he gets is sometimes daunting.

Joanna took all the kids but Emma to church. I had Sam work on finishing up his story for school, and went through my "Winter is Coming" checklist. I got the fireplace working, put away the air conditioners, mowed the lawn, turned the compost, and generally was very productive on the remaining caffiene buzz from breakfast.

In the afternoon we all went down to Skinner's Butte park and hiked to the top. It was a little grueling, especially as Sam was starting to get a cold. We made it down and played on the funky whale sculpture until it was time to return home and get ready for family dinner.

It was nice seeing Yayoe, John, mom, and Bob. We ate way too much food and followed up with Joanna's apple pie. I think I'm done eating for a few weeks now.

This morning was a little crazy - Sam and Emma both claimed illnesses, and Berry didn't want to get dressed. The end result was that Sam stayed home, Emma went to school, and I robotically dressed Berry and got her teeth brushed in 60 seconds flat.

Busy, busy.

Mocha Friday

October 05, 2012 by Adam in Family

I just finished the last of my fine beverage and I'm about ready to put on headphones, zone out, and write code. I'm giddy with anticipation.

The week has been relatively uneventful. The kids have had mild illnesses all week, but seem to be doing relatively well now. It was fun having Emma over last night. We ended up not going fencing, as she wasn't feeling great, and instead we did "homework" out of a workbook Joanna got her. It's funny how much she enjoys me asking questions, writing her answers down, and then grading her.

It's a kid-ful night tonight. I've suggested a park-in-the-dark run after dinner. I don't think we have any firm plans for the weekend. I'd personally like to put kids to work getting the yard ready for wet weather. Sam has a writing assignment. We've got family dinner on Sunday.

Life is good.

Personal Day

October 05, 2012 by Seraph in Cortez

Robbie and I are taking a personal day tomorrow (Isabell has the day off at her school). We're going hiking in the 4th of July Canyon - look for some beautiful pictures in the coming days!

Quick Family Update

October 03, 2012 by Adam in Family

We're halfway through the week, which seems hard to believe. I swear it just began. I'm at home with Duncan and Berry this morning. Yesterday they got headaches after school and a bit of a fever. This morning they're gorging themselves on My Little Pony and seem mostly improved.

Sam's been slammed with homework this week. We did math and most of another paper. He has a story he needs to write by Monday. Busy, busy.

Hot date tonight. Not sure where.

Remembering Colette

October 02, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

The last year has been sort of sad for us "old girls", losing Colette and having Hanni move.Yayoe and I will try to be extra funny to make up for it. (You play and sing, Yayoe, and I'll try out comedy routines.)

Joanna, I tried to make my donation to Volunteers in Medicine so they would send you a nice note, but given my skill with billing formats, you, Adam and all the kids may each get a bill for $50 and a request to donate your teeth.

Birthday!!

October 02, 2012 by Seraph in Cortez

Happy, happy birthday Greg! We miss you, and Sadie too!

Back to Work

October 01, 2012 by Adam in Family

It was a bit of a struggle getting everyone out of the house this morning. There seemed to be a general consensus that it would have been far easier to simply stay at home and spend the day playing and enjoying the sunshine. Alas, my sense of duty was too strong and we all arrived at our respective schools and work places. Even poor Emma, who complained of a stomach ache all morning.

The weekend was fairly routine, which was quite nice. We swam at Tamarak on Saturday, to everyone's delight. Pizza and Bang Goes the Theory as a rousing success. I continued on my bedroom rearranging, repairing an antique table to put in front of the window. Hopefully I can resurrect Yayoe's computer to use up there - a hopefully key part arrives today.

Friday night had Duncan, Berry, Joanna, and I going to Mazzi's to celebrate Colette's birthday. It was pretty nice and low-key. I got to do some crayon drawings. We raised a glass in Colette's honor.

Sam had some homework over the weekend, so we worked on a paper and did math. Emma had an urge to buy a dragon pendant, so she worked away for money, quite diligently. Duncan had a touch of a headache last night. Berry's constipation returned. Still, everyone seemed to have a generally enjoyable weekend. I managed a fair amount of video game playing, which is a sure sign of success.

I walked kids over to my mom's house, where they loved playing in the gravel mound. Emma wanted to pick up my mom's cloak, which evidently my dad had made for her, forty years ago. I think it's part of a Halloween costume.

October 01, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

Trying to post photos

October 01, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

Hi,

I'm trying to post photos of the house digging.

It feels like this has been a hard or tiring ...

September 29, 2012 by Seraph in Cortez

It feels like this has been a hard or tiring week for everyone I've encountered. Here's a little inspiration.

Mocha Friday

September 28, 2012 by Adam in Family

It's a busy day, my mocha long gone. Everyone wants me to fix something or do something, which today seems a little more exhausting than flattering.

I took Sam and Emma to fencing last night. For Sam, it was his last time. I'll get him on the treadmill for a half hour when Emma and I go in. I threatened to make Sam go until he could beat me, but I settled for a casual bout after practice. Emma seems to be enjoying herself still, though she was complaining about being sore this morning. I completely understood - I woke up in the middle of the night to take pain killers and eat two bowls of cereal. It's exhausting.

I took the younger kids to school, lauching them out the door at their respective places of learning. Emma had to run the gauntlet of hugs before escaping. She has a run at school today to raise money and I plan on going over to show support.

Tonight we're celebrating Colette's birthday with a dinner at Mazzi's. Tomorrow we're doing brunch with some friends (parents of kids' Duncan goes to school with). Sam has homework. I want to try to put together the upstairs office/workshop area, as last weekend I frantically rearranged to create some space.

Broke ground

September 26, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

Hi, we don't have a mountain behind our house any more!

And I got through the League of Women Voters Luncheon at the Hilton with many compliments. I'm grooming two people to take over my job as Lunch Lady.

I talked to Yayoe and it sounds as though she had quite a fall. She says she's feeling better.

And Anita had major surgery to remove a malignant tumor; the prognosis is pretty good, but it was very sudden.

I'm missing everyone.

Belated Weekend Update

September 25, 2012 by Adam in Family

This is a little late, as I was home with two sick kids yesterday. Emma was a little draggy over the weekend, and Sam started getting a little sick Sunday night. Fortunately Sam perked up last night and we went for a walk to the reservoir to watch the sun set. I think Emma's on the mend too. Berry was a little cranky yesterday, but I think she's doing okay today.

The weekend was relatively uneventful. Saturday involved a library trip with Duncan and Emma. After lunch, I took the two to the Level Up arcade and Emma played her first old-fashioned video game (Joust). It was very nostalgic and the kids both had a good time.

Later in the day I went food shopping and picked up pizza for dinner. Sam arrived relatively early, so we all watched Bang Goes the Theory and had a good time.

Sunday was very low-key, with the only outing being Duncan and I going to the used book store. He loaded up on Pokemon books, sweetly getting one for Emma. I got a couple books for Sam. It was nice to be a little lazy for a change.

Zombies, Spaceships, and Wastelands

September 21, 2012 by Adam in Adam's Games

As usual, I have more games than time these days. Sam's been playing Lost Souls constantly, badgering me to play. I've seen the many hours he's put into the game, and sadly realize that those days are behind me.

FTL arrived last weekend, a cute indie game that's all about spaceships in trouble. As you jump across the galaxy being chased by the rebel fleet, you run into pirates, aliens, and other odd things. Ships get upgraded. Your crew becomes more skilled or eaten by space spiders. It's incredibly hard, even on easy, and I've yet to win the game.

The Walking Dead is a mostly adventure game based on the comic book series of the same name. You end up surviving a zombie apocalypse and taking care of a little girl. Mostly the gameplay involves making really hard decisions, along with building empathy for all the characters. Some of the choices are really hard, and I occasionally need a break after making them.

Borderlands 2 came out a few days ago, a cartoonish shooter that doesn't take itself too seriously. I'm waiting for Sam, Matt, and Josh to get it so we can all play together. In the meantime, I'm building up a character so I can be vaugely helpful.

Mocha Friday

September 21, 2012 by Adam in Family

I'm sore today - fencing yesterday was pretty grueling. I need to work on more subtle, precise movements. Emma got to gear up and have some practice fights with an opponent, which she really enjoyed. Sam learned how to judge a bout. I'm not sure how long I'll keep Sam, but I'm forcing him to go for a month before he can switch to another activity.

Joanna and I finally caught the cold that the kids have had. I've come in to work, though Joanna is at home today. Mostly it's the dry throat that's annoying at night - otherwise I'm mostly okay.

It's been a typical week of homework, school events, and managing kids. Duncan really enjoys Coyote Kids and wants to go around our yard gathering nature things and taping it into his notebook. Berry wants to take chess. The three younger kids were so sweet to each other last night and this morning. I foresee lots of good play time over the weekend.

Back to Work

September 17, 2012 by Adam in Family

We had a great weekend - low key, beautiful, and pleasant.

Friday night Joanna went to church and I got the kids to bed. They conked right out and I obsessively played FTL, the new game Sam and I picked up. Eventually Joanna returned, and I sadly stopped my epic journey of a little ship facing incredible odds.

Saturday morning I picked up Sam and Emma and helped change Jamie's flat tire. It was a little busy with food shopping, laundry, homework, gardening, dishes, and the like. We ended up watching a BBC show called Bang Goes the Theory which people really liked. It's very Mythbusters-like, with a bit more actual science (though with flame tornadoes and a vortex cannon).

Sam and I got around to playing Elder Sign, a dice-based Lovecraftian game that we saw on Tabletop. It's co-op, and Sam and I barely managed to beat back the elder god and save the world. I did manage to drive four of my investigators insane, so Sam ended up doing most of the work. I think we'll try it again, depending on the homework load.

The kids were generally sweet and pleasant all weekend. I took everyone down to the park last night after dinner and they loudly enjoyed themselves, laughing hysterically all the way. Joanna continues to mend away, reducing her painkillers to the point where she's splitting pills in half. Life's good.

waiting for my new Dell computer

September 17, 2012 by Yayoe in Yayoe

Hi family...my computer died over a week ago so I've been out of it for awhile but currently borrowing my friend's laptop so I can connect with the world again. Hope all is well with everyone. Sorry to hear about your accident Sue. Adam I hope your reapplication to work goes well. Joanna..get well soon..glad your pain is resolving. Sadie...great photo of you in Scotland. Lohring...super photos of your trip too! Sound like the kids are settled in with a new nanny and fun activities.

Several days ago I took a long tumble from the top of my garden to the bottom and felt lucky that I wasn't head injured from the fall which was caused from wearing inappropriate shoes to work in the garden.. I paid my stupid tax in full and learned a good lesson. It's amazing how quickly a body can roll down a hill over rocks and dirt in a nano second. That's my mischief for the summer. Take care.

Fencing Mocha Friday

September 14, 2012 by Adam in Family

I took Sam and Emma down to Roosevelt last night to attend the Eugene Fencers Club. It's still run by the same person I had 27 years ago. He's still a funny, kind man, albeit with much less hair. Emma had a great time, as her friend Kate could be there. I took Sam kicking and screaming, but he actually had a pretty good time once we got there. He stuck with me and was brought into the adults' fencing group, which was quite informal. Both of us got individual lessons from the more experienced folks. I had a couple bouts with others in the club, winning both. Admittedly one hadn't fenced for longer than I and the other was a woman in her sixties. Still, a good time was had by all.

Joanna continues to be on the mend. She's down to a single pain pill, mostly to taper off slowly. It's pretty amazing, considering the amount of pain she was in before the surgery. She's still healing, and cautious about moving around, but is doing so much better.

Work is being crazy, and I get to reapply for my current job along with everyone else. I'm fairly certain all will be fine, though I may get my salary changed through this whole process. The amount of fury at the worker level is pretty amazing, and I think a number of well qualified people are going to go elsewhere. My plan is to hunker down and focus on the work and my customers.

Joanna's doing things with church tonight, and Sam and Emma are at their mom's. My plan is to get the little kids in bed and then hunker down with some video games that are coming out today - a remake of Half Life 1 and an "explore the galaxy" game called FTL. Fun times.

Scottish Sweets

September 14, 2012 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg

My favorite Scotland experience in one of the magical sweets shops:

It rained so much in Edinburgh, people would do anything to keep dry:

Helpful Dez

September 13, 2012 by Sue in Wielesek

Thanks to Dez, I'm the equivalent of a first grader, rather than totally inept, with the computer. He showed me the magic two finger enlarger on my "mouse pad"

and Adam's page has gone from a minute page, nearly indecipherable, to something which fillsthe entire space nicely, and legibly.

My accident bad luck continues. First the car accident and foot damage, then the fall and the twisted knee, and I was rearended by a motorcycle on my way to the farm yesterday. Not bad, and I think I'll ask if the insurance company will spring for a couple of massages right away.

The contractor is ready to start on the house, and we're busily cleaning up the back so they have room to work. We having Rich Slayton do the work, and I think it will be really great. Don't hesitate to go out and see the farm; our tenants like company, and we've done a lot of work.

In the meantime, have fun tonight fencing.

New Nanny and Level Up

September 13, 2012 by Adam in Family

We met our new nanny in person yesterday. Haylee seems a smart, enthusiastic person. Berry and Duncan took to her immediately. Today Sam and Emma meet her, which I assume will be just fine.

Joanna and I went out to Japanese food and then stopped by the Level Up arcade. It was fun playing ancient games that I enjoyed as a kid. Joanna's rusty at Pac Man, but way better than I. I ended up getting 3rd on the high score board for Missle Command. Good times.

Tonight Emma and I go fencing. I'm going to drag Sam along, assuming he'll let me. I think he weighs as much as me, so it may be challenging to haul him along. We have a good time sword fighting in the basement, so hopefully it'll be enjoyable for all.

Mid-Week Update

September 12, 2012 by Adam in Family

Sadly I don't have any pretty pictures like my other family members. The school week is moving along. This morning I took Duncan and Berry to school and they cheerfully jumped out of the pull-up lane, with Duncan sweetly offering to walk Berry to her class.

Last night both Sam and I forgot about that pesky homework thing, so we realized at ten o'clock that he still had math to do. Fortunately we moved through it pretty quickly, despite our sleepiness.

Sadly Kate can't do fencing with Emma, at least for a couple months. It'll just be the two of us, and hopefully Sam. He's of a size where I can't haul him physically places, but perhaps I can cajole him to go with us.

Joanna and I are going on a hot date tonight. No idea where.