I'd feel bad about not blogging recently, but I think we were all taking a Christmas break. And I was busy with holiday things. On Saturday the 18th, Leslie and Bryan came into town. We celebrated Mom and Dad's 34th wedding anniversary one day early by going to dinner at Steak & Ale. Both working at Steak & Ale in 1970 is how they met, so there were lots of memories there. We also drove by the first house I lived in and Leslie's first house in Texas. On Sunday I went to work while the family had a "reception" of sorts for Leslie and Bryan, with M&D's friends, Carolyn, and Uncle Mike. That night Leslie and Bryan got to see where I worked and got the tour of the EAC. Picture here: The person on the right in the picture is Dr. Smith, who runs the clinic. On the left in the brown scrubs is Raye-Jean, my mentor of sorts.
At dinner on Saturday, I had inquired about Arla, Bryan's Undead warlock in the MMORPG World of Warcraft (WoW). They told me that the game was actually going to be my gift from them, so when I got back from work on Sunday around 12:30 am, the game had magically installed itself on my computer and Bryan was waiting up for me. I took a shower, and then we got down to business. Bryan and I decided to each create a character that we would only play with each other. He had a level two Tauren druid named Noko, and being a cow person seemed fine with me, so I created Heta, a Tauren hunter. When she reached level 10, she could have pets and so I also control a wolf named Murphy. :) WoW is the reason I never got around to posting during last week -whenever Bryan and I had a free moment, we played. I really like the game a lot, and while Bryan was in Colorado with his family I learned to play by myself using Zetarg, my Orc warlock.
We went to the mini-ranch on Tuesday and spent the night. Leslie and Bryan got to meet all the calves, but we all just missed the delivery of Joe Bob, Bob's (female) calf, which happened the day after we left. We were supposed to have bridesmaid dress discussion and fittings on Wednesday out in McKinney, but ... it snowed. So it got pushed back a day. So on Thursday Emily, Brittany, Leslie, Mom, and I went to McKinney and got the skinny on dresses. They picked out what they liked and picked a color, but we didn't commit to anything. And in the end, it was decided that Mom is going to make them! She's so talented.
Christmas Eve was normal for the Hall family. Mom, Dad, Les, and I went to the 4pm Children's Mass and Christ the King while Bryan stayed behind with Carolyn. Because of the crowdedness, Leslie and I had to sit in the row behind Mom and Dad...we only got uncontrollable giggles once. Then we came home and worked on the duck dinner. The six of us enjoyed Mom's wonderful cooking and were joined mid-dinner by Mom's sister Lisa, Chris, and Katie. After the eating, chatting, and dessert, as well as some kitchen cleanup, Dad took Carolyn home and the kids decided we were too wired and needed an activity. So I called the Roberts' and asked Susie if we could come play. We went over there and played a TV Guide board game for about an hour and a half. Bryan and Leslie got to experience playing a game with John Roberts, which was worth the trip itself. We had a really good time and I enjoyed Leslie and Bryan getting to know the Roberts family a little better.
Christmas Day arrived and we all did the present thing. My favorite gift this year was WoW and Bryan playing with me, but close seconds included Fable for Xbox, A&M scrubs, and a hand-crocheted Aggie scarf. That evening I went to the Roberts for the Stimson (Susie's side) Christmas. I got to meet Matt's one-month-old cousin Kelly, and then of course there was "The Game." The Game is a packet of Christmas trivia, Rebus puzzles and other brain teasers that Susie's brother Dave and his wife Carol orchestrate for the family ever year. Matt was emancipated from his family three or four years ago and gets his own game. So we started working on it when it came after Thanksgiving, and I get to use my family as a resource (Mom came in big on the Rebus puzzles). We won last year, so we really wanted to do well again this year. With a score of 92, we won again! Whoop! (Christmas pictures can be found on overt's gallery [here])
Bryan and Leslie left Texas for Colorado to ski and spend time with Bryan's family the day after Christmas, and Mom and Dad left for the ranch. That left me to go to work. I wore my Aggie scrubs and took leftover duck for dinner, and it was really slow, so it was okay. I gave my first IV injection, and that was cool. I also said I'd cover four hours of someone's shift for next week, which means I'm working 12-12 on Sunday, which I'm not looking forward to. On Monday Matt and I went to the mini-ranch for a couple nights. We had bonfire and played ping-pong. He drove the tractor, and we fed cows. Brittany and Emily joined us on Tuesday and we played with horses while Matt and Dad bowled. We also Dance Dance Revolted. And we all went to visit a mini-horse ranch! When we got back on Wednesday I reconnected with Zetarg and got him a voidwalker. Bryan popped on as Arla from Colorado, but he was just showing his brother Jeff the game. But now that he's back in California we need to be cows together again.
Tomorrow is the Cotton Bowl. The Aggies are going to BTHO Tennessee, and I will be there to witness it, along with Emily, Jeff, Luke, and John. Oh, and Zelda had her calf this morning. It is all black, sex unknown, and I have dibs on names! So that means we have 5 calves now, and there is still a chance Belle might be pregnant. Crazy! :)
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