All I want for Christmas...

1. The NFC North ...check
2. A first-round bye ...check
3. Sweeping the Packers for the first time since 1991 ...check
4. A offense that can score ...it's getting there! :)

Happy Festivus...

Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born . . . a Festivus for the rest of us!
Cosmo Kramer: That must've been some kind of doll.
Frank Costanza: She was



Airing of Grievances Worksheet
Festivus Poles
Festivus Book

Hang Those Nerdaments...

We did get a Christmas tree - a lovely $10 special from Menards that is only slightly lopsided. Oh, and we had to hack about a foot-and-a-half off of it, so it ended up only being 6 feet instead of the glorious 10 foot tree I originally envisioned with the high ceilings in the entry/front room. Ah, well, there's always next year and it turned out really nice:


But that's not where the decorating ends. We had to spruce up the fireplace as well...


Yes, there are stockings up there. Yes, there is garland, and a red reindeer (we found it in front of Matt's old apartment and ended keeping it a few years ago) and yes, there are red lights. But there is more, much more, nestled deep within the faux greens you see. I think we need to take a closer look:

YES! We have a Star Wars Hallmark Nerdament. The word "ornament" just doesn't quite fit, as these splendid decorations do not just merely hang, they emit light and sound, bringing sheer delight to all those within their presence. And in case you were worried that the Star Wars Nerdament family was hogging the spotlight:

Beam me up, Scotty! Star Trek is representin'! We roughly estimate Matt has amassed a collection of about 20 of these beauties. For a long time, he would get them every year for Christmas. And yes, I did offer to have them hang on the tree, but he found it really hard to get them even attached to the strands of lights (they need power, nerd power, in order to work, you see), so it was easier to "showcase" them on our mantle.

Hey, it beats having a leg lamp!

Love that Chicken from Iowa!

First of all, welcome home to the Iowa National Guard's 224th Engineer Battalion. They returned today after spending a year in Iraq. What a wonderful holiday it will be for them and their families.


Secondly, sad news from the Iowa sports page: University of Northern Iowa Panthers reached the I-AA NCAA championship game, but alas, did not win, falling to Appalachian State...cue "Dueling Banjoes". As usual, the Register really overdid it with the headlines of "Purple Pain"...trying to be dramatic, or a sly reference to Prince's Purple Rain? Hmm...I think I'm giving them too much credit with the latter. Anyway, well done on a great season, Panthers!


Final note from here, there is a hot new restaurant in town that just opened...it's all the rage apparently. World-renowned for their deep-fried Cajun cuisine, Popeye's, the fried chicken chain has finally reached the Hawkeye state.

There were actual write-ups about it in the papers this week about how it was "worth the wait" and there were enormous lines out the door. Yikes...obviously they've never been in a Popeye's in the South Loop. Even Matt avoids Popeye's...and we're talking about someone who would regularly eat at Mr. Submarine. I must admit I'm a bit partial to Bojangles, having grown up with one down the street from me in W. Columbia. I even took Matt there on our trip out to SC so he could experience true, spicy Cajun fried chicken.

Snow Leopard Lincoln

We got about 6-7 inches of snow in the last few days. Lincoln wanted to go out and look at it (for only a few minutes), Belden wouldn't have anything to do with it. He's a photogenic fellow, isn't he?

Lincoln: Hmm...it's white and fluffy


Belden: I'll stay here and chew on the fake garland...

Oh the Sweater on Vi Looks Awful...

The first sign the holiday season is upon us here in Iowa...

The Christmas Sweater As Office Wear.

'Tis the season!