December Scenes - Updated

I started off December with a trip to Washington D.C. for a committee meeting (dealing with reliability , and the lack thereof, of military systems).  Got there the evening that the Christmas tree across from the White House was lighted, but after the program attended by the First Family and others was over, and just as the area was being closed.  Here's one picture I got with the Washington Monument in background.  The national tree is surrounded by a ring of state trees.

Went back the next evening for some more pictures.  I thought this shot of the scaffolding used for the previous night's program being disassembled was kind of artsy.

Several train sets were set up around the tree.  Not long after the above shot there was a terrible accident.

Oh, No!  Thomas the Train derailed!  Homeland Security rushed to the scene.

I stayed in the famous Willard Hotel (your tax dollars at work).  Here's their Christmas tree in the lobby.

 The weather story of the month was snow in Cedar Crest.  Three episodes in two weeks of 10-11 inches of snow.  Some scenes around the house.

 

Saturday, eight days before Christmas, I flew (thank you SW Airlines) over to Oklahoma City (by way of Phoenix) to see UNM play Oklahoma State U. 

Late in the game I got a picture message from Susie.  Here's the picture.

That's me at the game, upper left with cap on (had on an OSU cap and a red UNM sweater to show my conflicted self, but I was glad that UNM won).  That's my nephew Sterling on my left, my brother-in-law Tom on my right, with his hand up to his face.  Nephew Peter was to Tom's right.  Wow! I thought.  How did Susie capture that picture and send it?  Well, it turned out that Son Matt and grandson Tony were watching the game on TV.  They spotted me, backed up the DVR and took this picture of the screen, then sent it to Susie, who forwarded it to me.  Ain't technology wonderful?

Christmas is for the children and we were fortunate to have some of our extended brood here for Christmas.  Here are grandkids Andrew, Tony, and Kaci Hinkle enjoying the candy canes and Christmas headbands.

And here are Joey and Heidi, who will be adding two more grandchildren to the brood next May.

To top off the Christmas season, here is a link to the year's worst nativity scenes.  As a collector of nativity scenes, I've got some that are a little offbeat, but not to rival these.

Happy New Year 2012!  Hope it's a good 'un.

Susie and Rob

Update.  Wednesday after Christmas we drove to Las Cruces to see the Lobos play the Aggies.  Beautiful drive down the Rio Grande Valley with snow-covered hills and mountains lining the way.

Lobos won big, avenging an earlier defeat on our home court.