Chapter 275

As I am sitting at my desk this week, I hear high-pitched screaming coming from the auto shop. Remember, there are no girls in this class. This caliber of screaming can only mean one thing: A rat carcass has been found. Nothing makes adolescent males scream like dead rats. I wandered out to the shop to find that I was right. Somehow this poor sap got into the suspension springs of on of the boy's cars and met his doom.

After considerable discussion, Team A opts to try to remove the rat with long-handled tools while Team B suits up with rubber gloves, shop rag masks and garbage bag shirts. Fortunately Team B didn't have to be put in the game because Team A successfully knocked the rat out of the springs. Team C, consisting soley of me, was left to transport the rat carcass to the garbage can. My personal suggestion for dealing this this problem would have been a torch, maybe even tuck a bit of paper around the rat to accelerate the incineration process.

Meanwhile, where is the guard cat? Home watching a "mewvie". 

He intently watched birds on his mewvie before I went to work. 

Just like other kids, Nitro is watching TV while the real thing is happening just outside the door he can see from his chair.

A squirrel sneaking up on the bird feeder while the cat is busy watching squirrels TV.

A nice big flicker sits on the top of the gate after having just chased the squirrels away from "his" food and Nitro is missing it all.

Another squirrel, obviously another day. 

 We went to dinner before we all struck out for Zoo Lights. I love this picture of Reagan grabbing Uncle Ryan's sleeve and looking up at him with unadulterated love. What a lucky little girl to have him.

 We all went to Zoo Lights and each had out own walks down memory lane. 

This is how Northwesterners have fun. 

My tree! My favorite tree. It's still there and so much better than I remembered it. Maybe because it got bigger and they dressed it really well. When this is all over, I wonder if they just go out with wire cutters and fill a bunch of trash bags or do they lovingly unwind each strand and try to save them for next year? 

It was raining and a bit cold, but it was great to go, and even better that we are beginning another generation. It's kind of like Kyle taking Payton and Carter to Storybook Town, one of his favorite childhood Christmas memories. 

Carissa remembered the octopus on top of the aquarium and he's still there. 

I love this scene of the polar bears and Mt. Rainier. 

Despite not planning to see the diving Santa, we rolled in right on time. Here Santa looks like a real creeper sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Carissa and Reagan.  

Kyanne got a good picture. She must know how to operate her camera.

I got the flash working, but now Santa looks reeeally creepy.

Good bye Zoo Lights. Thanks for the memories! 

Reagan is always in Bear's cross "ears". 

I love this picture, so here it is again. 

Reagan's first ferry ride with the Seattle skyline in the background. If you ask me, the Seattle wheel is an abomination to the skyline. 

Reagan rips out some Gatsby hair with her sticky little fingers for an after bottle snack. 

Shopping with Mom. Aunt JoAnn captioned this, "I just need someone to push me over to toys...hey somebody, give a sister a hand here."

Post bath. Reagan looks a bit like Carter in this picture. 

Anytime you put ears on a towel and put that towel on a kid after a bath it's total cuteness time. 

Reagan in September with another cute towel on. 

Have a good Christmas, Everyone!