Visits to and from friends and a Happy New Year!

New found friends

We've really enjoyed meeting new people and have had some wonderful times with the Ahlgren's

Lillian... a living doll!

It was so cute how she rode side-saddle

lulled to sleep

Christmas break is such fun... I think we should have them more often.

Erik brought the extended version of Settlers of Catan so we could all play.

A December winter in Oklahoma is more like a New England fall.

In his own little corner, in his own little world...

The human leaf compactor team.

The couch cuddle-rs

The latest sport at lunch... plate skimming.

They made up a game similar to Boccie balls, but with plates. The grass is soft and fluffy making the plates skip across the top.

*Note: though fun, it is not a mother approved "sport" and any wishing to try it assume all responsibilities for any damages... also, the plates are best when licked clean first :-)

There are some pictures you like that you can't find a caption for (especially of yourself).... this is one of them and it's here to show you that I'm still here.

With such nice weather we headed to visit Guthrie

First stop, the drug store museum
It may not sound very interesting, but it was fun going around reading different labels, seeing what we don't use for cures anymore (e. g. heroine, strychnine, opium) and what we do (e.g. arnica, slippery elm, wild cherry bark)

What ailment can I find a cure for you, today?
You could go behind the counters and get up close to everything. A few things were behind glass, but most things were right there!

Finding the perfect recipe


Mixing up the concoction

Off to the side was an old dentist office with a bunch of the tools at hand

If only it was as easy as posing for a picture in real life

They were all very enthusiastic in giving shots!

The climax of posed dentistry... a 3 to 1 hold down

Before skype chats or speaker phones.
"Hello are ya there? Can you hear us?"

"Loud and Clear!"

We walked about the town stopping in any place that caught our fancy. We stopped in this friendly guys shop. He makes cowboy boots... He fit the place.

The original capital building. Guthrie used to be the capital of Oklahoma, but the seal was stolen years ago and brought to Oklahoma City. We have yet to find out why it wasn't reclaimed and brought back to Guthrie.

art

"Spitting on Sidewalk Prohibited
Penalty $5 - $100"
I told them they owed $20 for violating the sign. They still haven't paid up yet

Enjoying the morning paper while the others find out what the building was.

One of the workers offered to show us around. Their were a bunch of buildings that could be rented for photography sessions, parties, or weddings. Along one of the walls was a huge painting that was connected to the history of the town.

Brick walls, wide wood floors, tall mirrors in the middle of the wall...

old doors on crooked tracks... this hall had such character. I loved the style!

art

talented art

Seems the only place for the door was a few feet off the ground

The mens lounge... with a man lounging

"They are just ninos, releasing their wiggles."

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward."

Unfortunately we didn't get many pictures together New Year's Eve except with Lilian

Pa showing her how to beat the drum

Happy New Year!
With the new year came a super funny discussion on hugs vs. handshakes, the proper way to give a "man-hug", and the hugs to avoid. It may have been due to the fact that it was so late, but the boys came up with a bunch of different ways to greet someone with hand shakes and hugs that had us laughing so hard. I didn't think of filming it till the end... maybe next time.

Our favorite New Year's treat, Mom's homemade cinnamon roles.
The best ever!

NERTZ

Focus. Accuracy. Speed. Tenacity.
(ok, tenacity isn't a word I would normally use to describe Egyptian War, but it was the only one I could think of to complete the acronym)

Thus ended our vacation and started the new year.
"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."