Christmas Highlights...

Jared, Cindy, and Jack are living in Modesto right now. Bryan, Melissa, and Aiden drove to Modesto from San Jose on Friday, December 19th. After the Las Vegas Bowl, Eric and I drove to Modesto for Christmas on Sunday, December 21. And, Sheree and Tyler flew in from Las Vegas on Tuesday, December 23. This was our year to have everyone home on Christmas day.

Our cousin Ben Rowe lives in Modesto. And, our cousin Caroline, her husband Jason, and their new baby Annie came to Modesto from Orem, Utah for Christmas.

Our cousins Melissa and Sarah Stevenson also flew in from Washington, D.C.

Here are some photos of the fun. (Disclaimer: Mom and Dad are currently building a new home and are living at Grandma Rowe's. So, the decor in some of these photos is a little crazy.)

Aiden meets cousin Annie...

Aiden and Uncle Eric...

Wii tournaments, contests, and ego-boosting high scores...
Eric...

Dad...

Jack...

Christmas Eve dinner and ornament exchange with the Rowes...
Ben, me, Mom, Dad....

Jason, Caroline, Cindy, Jack...

Papa and Tyler...

The fun of trying to get a photo of all of the Rowe grandkids...believe it or not, this is one of the best ones. Aiden, Annie, Jack, and Tyler (ages 3 months to 20 months)....

Mom with her ornament from the ornament exchange...

Christmas morning with three little boys was a lot of fun. Santa, Papa, Nana, and Aunt Jen got a little out of control with presents. Aiden even had to take a nap half way through.

Tyler with his Santa presents...

Aiden with his Santa presents...

Jack with his Santa presents (note the Thomas the Tank Engine theme)...


Jack and Aunt Jen (the Thomas pjs went on as soon as they came out of the box and he was enticed to open more packages to see if there was a "choo choo" or "chocolate" inside)...

Mom and the famous Christmas morning cinnamon rolls...a family tradition after opening gifts...

Aunt Jen gave the boys 2 different matching shirts and Nana came through with the pants. However, the photo taking experience proved to be difficult.
Aiden and Jack...

Feel the love...Aiden, Tyler, and Jack...

With all of the presents unwrapped, the tree was much more accessible for Aiden and Jack..."oohhh lights..."

And, "lights..."

Nana celebrates her 60th birthday on January 1st; so, we celebrated with chicken enchiladas and Sheree's triple tremendous cupcakes... (I don't know why this is now underlined and showing up as a link.)

All three boys playing with some of the new toys...Aiden, Tyler, and Jack...

Grandma celebrated her 91st birthday on December 27th...

Las Vegas Bowl

This year the Las Vegas Bowl was early enough before Christmas that I decided to make the trek to Las Vegas (5 1/2 hour drive from L.A.) to join my brother Eric, his wife Sheree, and Sheree's family for the game. BYU played Arizona...Arizona came prepared to play BYU...BYU did come prepared to play Arizona and apparently didn't learn anything about how to play them as the game was played...BYU lost 31-21. It was a frustrating game to watch, but we had fun nonetheless.

A rare winter snow in the high desert mountains of California between LA and Vegas.

The team comes on to the field.

The team warms up with the haka.

Me, Eric & Sheree at the game.

Eric cheering on the team.

Setting up for yet another failed attempt at scoring.

Here's to a better year next year for the Courgars!

Coming of Age

So, after years of assisting my father with his 2% annual Costco rebate (like he and my mom need any help reaching the maximum rebate), I finally opened my own account. I know, it's a silly thing to blog about; but, I figure at almost 37, it's about time to carry a card that's really mine.

Thanksgiving Vacation

On Tuesday night, Bryan, Melissa & Aiden picked me up at the Oakland Airport after I dropped off my rental car after a day of work in the Bay Area and we headed to Modesto. I spent Wednesday through Saturday at "home" with Dad & Mom, Jared, Cindy & Jack, and Bryan, Melissa & Aiden. Here are a few photos from the trip...

With Aiden on the way to Thanksgiving dinner at Uncle Drew & Aunt Holly's.

While Dad, Jared & Bryan went to the gun range, Jack and Aiden went to Costco with "the girls."
The wonder of small children as they encounter possibly the largest stuffed dog in the world. I'm sure people in Costco were shaking their heads as we barked together.

"Toot, toot!" Jack and the Thomas the Tank Engine sing-a-long. "Toot, toot!"

Like father, like son. I think we should be worried about the things that Jared is teaching to this little guy! ;)

Congratulations Jared!

It was 5 years ago this past Saturday that I learned that I had passed the California Bar (I got results on Saturday because I was in Taiwan on Friday picking up my brother Bryan from his mission). I still remember the anticipation and anxiety related with getting my results (although, my mom remembers me being much more anxious that I do).

This Friday, my brother Jared got his results. And, he passed! Congratulations Jared and welcome to the world of the billable hour! It's a great end to the wild ride that was law school and the start of new ride...

P.S. If anyone knows of a firm in CA or D.C. that is looking for a 1st year attorney in just about anything other than litigation, but preferably in the fields of transaction, mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcy, land use, real estate, etc., Jared is looking for a job. (He's worked in construction management and has his real estate broker's license and JD/MBA.) He clerked for, and had a job with, Heller Ehrman...and, well, we all know what happened to everyone's jobs with Heller. If you have a lead, drop me a comment or email.

Home for the Holidays

Aiden & Jack

This is my favorite time of the year. Clients actually take vacations all at the same time and so, with little interruption, I am able to take time off of work and head home to enjoy time with my family. Last year, I was the only child home for Thanksgiving, but this year, Jared, Cindy, and Jack, and Bryan, Melissa, and Aiden will all be there. I'm so excited! I love my brothers and sisters-in-law, but I really love my nephews! I will get 4 whole days of time playing, reading, and snuggling with Jack and Aiden. YEAH!

BCS Bound...

I am a true blue BYU fan. Yesterday's loss to Utah was BYU's loss much more than it was Utah's win. But, Utah now sits number 6 in the BCS poll, ensuring them a BCS Bowl game. So, for a small window of time, I'll be a Utah fan because a BCS Bowl game for Utah is good for the Mountain West Conference and, ultimately, for BYU. Go Utes!!!!!!

The Movie...

So, yes, I gave in and went to see Twilight--the movie. And, on opening day nonetheless. (What can I say? It was an opportunity not to sit home alone on a Friday night.) I was pleasantly surprised by some of the casting...Carlisle and Alice...but, the rest of them really were poorly cast just like I thought from the trailers. And, the writer changed some important things that helped add to the quaintness of parts of the story...Bella has a cell phone (instead of having to use the one phone in Charlie's kitchen that was not cordless)...Bella had a Mac laptop that appeared to have wireless internet instead of an old computer that had dial up connection...Charlie had a plasma TV that he and Billy watched baseball on. The Cullen's home was also significantly different than described int he book. Don't even get me started on how much of the story was mixed up, changed, and choppy in order to make it a 2 hour movie. Overall, I guess I'd give it a C, but it was a disappointment...I know you never get a movie that was as good as the book, but this was too much "artistic license" for me...Harry Potter is a much better adaptation and representation of the book. Can't wait until Spring for the next HP!

Big Girl Bed

Three years ago, when I bought my first home (I owned it for just 2 weeks shy of year, but had to sell it to move to LA to take the job I have now), I also bought a bedroom set that includes a dresser, 2 night stands, and an armoir. I didn't buy the bed because it was a sleigh bed. I've always thought sleigh beds were too heavy and took up too much room. I've been looking for a headboard and footboard that matched or coordinated with the bedroom set for a long time. I finally found one that I liked in the Pottery Barn catalog, but couldn't justify a Pottery Barn purchase. Well, this year, when I got my production bonus at work, I decided it was time to buy the bed...the whole experience made me feel quite grown up. And, there are benefits to buying a product from a store like Pottery Barn...they delivered the bed, took down the old bed frame and carried it out the garage, put up the new bed, rotated my mattress, helped me put the dust ruffle back on before putting the mattress on, and carried away all of the boxes, etc. that the bed came in...it was fantastic. Anyway, my family has been asking for pictures of the bed...so, here it is.

Veteran's Day

Will someone please remind me why we thought it was a good idea to celebrate Veteran's Day on the actual day? This whole day off in the middle of the week thing doesn't work for me...in fact, I'm working today...I'm not vacationing. A day off in the middle of the week just means your clients pile on the work the night before and expect an answer the morning after. (I know--this is the job I signed up for, but I just had to complain for a minute...OK, back to work.)

Living and Voting in California

I love living in California, but I hate that they generally call Presidential elections at 8 p.m. as the polls are closing in California...very few of our votes have been counted at that point in time. I am proud to be an American and to have a right to vote, but calling elections before my vote has been counted is the reason that voters feel disenfranchised. Celebrate the fact that 75% of California's voters chose to vote by actually counting our votes before you call an election!

Oh ya, and what about Alaska and Hawaii??? How must they feel about their votes?

Election Day

I don't care who you are or what your political opinions, leanings, etc. are...today was an historic day with an African-American and a woman on the ballot. And, in California, they are predicting a more than 75% voter turnout. That, in and of itself, is historic!

I usually vote by absentee ballot. It's easier. I don't have to figure out where my polling place is located. I can call people while I'm voting. And, I don't have to wait in line. I thought I was on the permanent absentee voter list, but apparently, I'm not. So, I was among the millions who stood in line today in California and across the country to vote. Of course, it rained last night and this morning in L.A. (It rarely rains here.) And, the power in my neighborhood (which includes my polling place) went out this morning at 5 a.m. Still, I got up and was at the polling place by 6:15 this morning to wait for the 7:00 a.m. opening. (I had a meeting at work this afternoon and I didn't want to miss voting or have to wait in line for 4 hours by going after the meeting...I knew if I was there early, I would get in in a relatively reasonable time period.) Thankfully, the rain let up by the time I got in line, but the power was not restored until about noon. So, we voted by candlelight. I was able to get in and out by 8:00 a.m. to head home and shower in the dark. ;)

I took a couple of photos this morning on my cell phone...one of the line wrapped around the block after me and one of the line in front of me after they opened the door (what you cannot see is how long the line actually was inside the building in front of me).

Teenage Girls Sure Love Sugar

Food seems to be a big attracter for my young women. Wednesday night's activity was no exception. We decorated cupcakes (with WAY too much frosting and candy). It was like they were elementary school kids with the frosting and the candy...they crack me up!!! I also had the stuff to make these Halloween decorations from October's Martha Stewart Living, but it ended up being the leaders maing the decorations and the YW consuming large amounts of sugar in between frosting cupcakes! Oh well, at least they had fun...

Tiny Patient

My nephew Tyler was born with a congential cataract in his right eye. It was removed when he was only one month old by Dr. M. Edward Wilson, Jr., MD, at the Storm Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston South Carolina. The initial surgery was successful at removing the cataract, but Tyler has had persistent issues with the regulation of the intraocular pressure in his eye, resulting in glaucoma. Today, Tyler had surgery to relieve the pressure--the surgery was performed by Mohamad Jaafar--a pediatric opthalmalogist at National Children's Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Again, the surgery went well, but it's far too early to tell whether it was successful. Thankfully, both surgeries were performed out-patient. Thank goodness there are specialists that deal with these very specialized areas of medicine!

My trip to D.C. was planned before the surgery was planned and/or scheduled. But, as luck would have it, I arrived in D.C. at 5 a.m. this morning, and the surgery was performed shortly after 9:30 a.m.; so, I was able to be at the hospital with Eric & Sheree for pre-op and during the operation. Tyler was a trouper! He didn't get to eat after 5:30 this morning, but he didn't cry and was happy even when he was handed over to the anesthesiologist and carried to the operation room. This afternoon and evening, he's been sleepy as the anthesthesia has worn off. He's also clarly been uncomfortable--and does not like us very much when he won't let him rub his patched eye. But, he's really taken this all quite well...esp. for being only 4 months old!

We've had a lot of fun today during the times when he was awake and feeling well. He's really developed a great laugh!

Here are some photos of the tiny patient in his tiny operation gown...

Look how tiny that blood pressure cuff is...

Getting ready to come home after the surgery...

Off to D.C.

There never seems to be a good time to go on vacation...between work and being YW's President, I don't get a lot of down time. But, I've decided to just plan vacations and take them even if they are not convenient. So, I'm headed to D.C. tonight on the red-eye to visit Eric, Sheree and Tyler. I'm sooooooooooooooooo excited to see them! This will actually be my 3rd trip to D.C. in a year's time. And, the last 2 trips have been all about this little guy (sorry Eric & Sheree)...