Have a Very Traditional Christmas!

Hey look at this.  Two blog updates before the end of 2014.

More important, this one finally came with an update to the header.  I have wanted to do that for a while but I was too distracted (and possibly lazy) to make that happen.  I know this is just a dorky squirrel drawing, but it felt great to get back to it.

Today is Christmas Day, and before all the mayhem of Peach tearing into the pile of stuff that Santa left her, I thought that I would reflect on the holiday in the early quiet of the morning.  I just finished the annual viewing of White Christmas, such is my families tradition, and it got me thinking about the stuff that we do to celebrate holidays and milestones.

 

Some of these traditions date back years, even centuries (or more) while others are just in their infancy.  Traditions can be celebrated collectively by an entire society, or in small groups such as a family.  I would even argue that just one person can celebrate their own tradition.

For instance, I myself have a very sternly held tradition that I will not drink any eggnog (much as I do love it) until Thanksgiving.  Poor Mrs. Nutz has heard me gripe while walking through the grocery stores in September about how eggnog is not (and NEVER should be) a Halloween drink.

What's that?  You say that this is more a quirk than a tradition?

Fine.  Another example comes from my brother Nate (aka the Lumbering Bear... or Beary Nutz.)  Since we were kids, he has woken up just about every Christmas morning before opening presents (or waking up the parents) to read Mickey Mouse: Mystery at Disneyland.  It's a small book that was published in 1957, and has nothing to do with Christmas; yet my brother did this every year.  No one joined him (except me on a few occasions) so this really is just a tradition that he created, and is celebrated by him.

Traditions can also change or become lost.  Our family is at such a crossroad.  Since the departure of my Grandpa, there are certain events (such as the annual gathering on Christmas Eve) that are now going to change.  It is bittersweet , but also has become necessary due to the increase in the size of our family. 

 

This increase, of course, may have been the most poignant change for myself.  Watching my nieces and nephews during the holidays was fun enough, but now we have our own little munchkin running around, which has allowed us to start our own family traditions.  Most of these are conventional holiday traditions such as the tree, seeing decorated house lights, and Christmas movies and songs out the wazoo; however, one tradition we have adopted seems to be somewhat contraversial.  We have "adopted" an Elf on the Shelf.

For the few of you who may not know what this is (considering that it can now be found in every big box store nationwide) the elf is sent by Santa starting around Thanksgiving to watch the children.  Each night he or she flies back to the North Pole with their report, and then comes back the next day.

There are, of course, some guidelines associated with this elf:  you can't touch it or it will lose it's power, the elf cannot speak with you, don't get it wet or feed it after midnight or it will turn into a gremlin and devour your family...  

"How about a midnight snack?"

 When the elf returns in the morning they always turn up in a different spot, and sometimes will get into mischeif.  This is where the controversy of the whole tradition comes into play.  There are some who find the elf to be a bit creepy, in the same way that antique dolls (or what Hollywood passed as a doll in the movie The Conjuring) are creepy.  There are also some elves who have been seduced to the dark side of their existence.  A simple Google image search for "Bad Elf on the Shelf" brings up everything from an elf drinking whiskey while reading 50 Shades of Grey to another elf using Barbie dolls to recreate The Human Centipede.

 

Hey, even the sick and twisted need holiday traditions!

Peach named our elf Ariel, after her favorite mermaid, and has been delighted at the elf's antics this holiday season.  Mrs. Nutz and I have had fun with the elf tradition, which does come in handy when Peach is not minding.  A simple reminder that Ariel the Elf is watching and waiting, and Peach quickly corrects herself.

To some this tradition seems odd, but really it is just one in a string of weird traditions that cultures have adapted over the years.  To that end I present five holiday traditions that are crazier than the Elf on the Shelf.

 5.  The Christmas Pickle

 Years ago my mother bought a glass Christmas tree ornament shaped like a pickle.  She told us that traditionally,  the first child who finds the pickle on the tree Christmas morning is supposed to get an extra present.

Sound like an odd tradition?  Tell that to the Germans.  Their celebrated "Weinactsgurke" originated in a Victorian era tale where Saint Nicholas saved two Spanish children who were held captive in a pickle barrel by an evil inn-keeper.  This act of kindness is remembered each year by dangling a gherkin from the tree.

I guess that makes sense... or it would if it was the truth!

That's right, the German tradition of hanging a pickle in the tree is, well, unknown to most Germans.  Really it is an American tradition created by the marketing people at Woolworth's department stores.  In 1892 there were a whole bunch of pickle shaped glass ornaments imported to the USA from France, and someone had to figure out how to sell off this supply.  The solution?  Tell your customers that it is a tradition from the same land that brought us Christmas trees.

"Trust me, this is the same car Moses drove out of Egypt in."

It wouldn't be the first time that a tradition was fabricated simply to sell holiday themed merchandise (for instance... the Elf on the Shelf) but the sentiment behind it is really what matters.  People love the Christmas Pickle, especially in Berrien Springs, MI which is the "Christmas Pickle capital of the world."

4.  The Christmas Spider

There is a Ukrainian legend of a poor widow who was fortunate to have a pinecone fall off a tree, apparently through a hole in her roof, then a hole in her floor, where it took seed and grew into a tree.  The widows children were excited because now they would have a tree to decorate for Christmas.  All summer they planned on what they would decorate it with, but alas the widow was so poor that she could not afford any ornaments for the tree.  The family, sadly, went to bed Christmas Eve knowing that they would not wake up to a decorated tree in the morning.

Unbeknownst to the widow or her children, there was a spider living in corner of their ceiling that spent the whole year watching them.  The spider was saddened that the family could not decorate the tree, and decided that it would surprise them with its silk webbing.

The children woke up the morning, and were amazed and excited by the beautiful sight of this tree covered in gold and silver threads of web.

This sweet story seemed to arrive in Ukraine in the 19th century along with the tradition of the Christmas Tree.  The story explains the origin of our own tradition of putting tinsel on the tree, and Ukrainians even go as far as putting ornaments shaped like cobwebs and spiders on their tree.

I should mention at this point that I am among the 6.1% of the population that has arachnophobia.  Where some hear this story and the "cute" message it shares, I see a web infested tree that looks like Elijah Wood in the second Lord of the Rings movie.  Just the thought of a spider spreading that kind of web around a tree is enough to give me the heebie-jeebies!

FA-LA-LA-LA-LA LA-LA-LA LA

 

Spiders are revered in the Ukraine, where they are thought of to be guardians against evil spirits.  I say that spiders are the very sign of evil spirits!

3.  The Yule Cat

If the thought of a creepy arachnid wrapping up your tree like a fly doesn't make your heart race, how about the thought of a demon cat.

In Iceland, a land of trolls and ogres, there is the legend of the Yule cat.  This mysterious and mythological cat is said to feast on anyone who does not get any new clothing by Christmas Eve.  Yes, you read that correctly.  If you do not get any new clothing to wear by Christmas Eve, you will be devoured by a demon cat.  Merry Christmas!

The tale most likely originated as "encouragement" for farm hands to do their job, because nothing makes you shear sheep faster than being responsible for people's lives. 

This tradition has lasted to the present day, where people take great effort to show off their new Christmas outfit lest they meet the Yule Cat.  If you're too poor to buy new clothing?  I guess it's been nice knowing you, unless your rich uncle decides to buy you that ugly sweater you've had your eye on.

The Yule Cat has softened in recent years.  Sometimes it does not eat the poor, just all of their food so they can starve to death instead.

2.  Quema del Diablo

After creepy spiders and demon cats, this holiday is due for a cleansing.  Fortunately the people of Guatemala have just the tradition.  

Since colonial times, the Virgin Mary has been honored on December 8.  To prepare  for this celebration, families will sweep all of the dirt out of their home and pile it in the middle of the street.  They will then place an effigy of the devil on top of the pile, which they then set on fire.

Seems like a straight forward celebration actually.  Imagine after you put away all of your Halloween decorations, and wake up from your cozy autumn turkey induced nap, you then pull out your devil horns and dance around a fire in the street.

"Is there a problem?"

That brings us to...

1.  El Caganer

Imagine you find yourself in Catalonia Spain at Christmas time.  You admire the beautiful countryside, and the many traditional nativity displays.  In this region, the Nativity is not just a manger scene, but a complete model of Bethlehem City.  You can see the angels greeting the shepherds in the field, the wise men following the star, the marketplace, and -- wait!  What's that figure back in the corner?

Why, it's a little peasant in a red hat squatting down and pooping.

[Record scratch sound effect here]

That's right, since the 18th century, Catalonians have placed a small figure named El Caganer (literally "the crapper") in their nativity.  There is no mistaking what these figures are doing, as the small sculpture is squatting with his buttocks exposed, and a small pile of sculpted feces rests on the ground beneath him.

Why on Earth would they think to include this figure in a religious symbol as sacred as the nativity?  One theory is that the Caganer represents the fertilizing of the Earth.  Another thought is that this figure reminds us that despite economical and social differences, at the core we are all the same (everyone poops.)

Another theory was to remind us of the second coming, and that we never know when or where its going to happen.  (Ready or not, here's God.)

The saddest part is that this is not the only scatological tradition to the Catalonians.  They also have a custom called Tio de Nadal (the pooping log) which sits in their fireplace leading up to the holiday.  This is a literal log with a face painted on it, and for the several weeks leading up to Christmas the children will "feed" the log.  On Christmas Eve the log then defecates candy for all of the good little girls and boys.

How's that whole Elf on the Shelf thing sounding now?

Oh... right...

 

There is something unsettling knowing that the Spaniards came up with Mr. Hanky centuries before the creators of South Park!  Since the 1940's Caganer figures have been made representing celebrities, cartoon characters and political figures.

Well I think that about wraps up this post.  I hope that this entry provides you with a little holiday humor.  In all seriousness, we at the Nutz house truly wish you and yours the merriest Christmas, and a happy and optimistic 2015.

...Now That The Dust Has Settled....

It is amazing how quickly time can pass and get away from you.  I of course knew that the last time I updated this blog was the day after my daughter was born.  I had hoped to make a few more posts after the fact, but I kept getting preoccupied with life, school, the joys of parenthood, shiny objects and pretty much anything other than this blog.  As a result it has now been THREE WHOLE YEARS and I am finally getting around to it.

When I started this blog there were originally a couple of traditions that came from it.  First was the notion of maintaining a degree of anonymity online.  Hence the reason for the woodland critter monikers.  One of my brothers did oust me in his own blog by linking to this while mentioning me in one of his posts, but this was certainly no harm no foul.  Unfortunately for me when I decided to create another blog page to use for my artistic portfolio, one which I would be sending to potential employers, it linked the two blogs together and... yeah.  It does not take much searching to see that my name is Jake Nelson now.  C'est la Vie.  Feel free to check out my portfolio blog.

Despite the ousting, I have also become endeared to the squirrely identities, so I will still continue using them in this blog.  My wife Valerie will generally be referred to as Mrs. Nutz, and I will use Peach (or even Princess Peach) when referring to my daughter Jorja.  Now its more for fun, so if you don't like it... too bad.  :)

The other tradition that started with this blog was the Thanksgiving day post.  That brings me to this entry (it isn't midnight yet so I am still kosher.)  I always looked forward to this post because it is an outlet for me to share my feelings of gratitude for the blessings I receive.  When I decided that I wanted to start writing again, I thought that this would be the best day to start again.  

While it sometimes does not feel like it, there have been some major changes in our lives these past three years.  Princess Peach has, of course, been the biggest and most prominent.  She has filled a void in my life that I never knew existed.  Don't get me wrong, I always knew that I wanted to be a father; but I was not prepared for the absolute alteration that she has brought to me.  We're talking about a shift on a molecular level.  I have since spoken with co-workers who were going to be first time fathers as well, and I have described my experience to them.  When we were in the hospital, Peach had to come via C-section, and I was mostly concerned about Mrs. Nutz.  Sure this was a routine procedure, but I have a worry-wart mentality and I was terrified of something happening to my wonderful wife.  I don't want to imply that Peach's birth made me less concerned about my wife's health, but the shift in mentality when I heard her cry for the first time was incredible.  It was as though the universe shifted and she became my center.

As an aside, while I am typing this glorious review of how wonderful my daughter makes my life, I have to walk away from the iPad, go to her room because she is still awake and playing, put on my meanest Dad face, and growl a warning that she better go to sleep.  Ahh fatherhood!

I am so thankful for my loving wife.  We have our roller coaster ups and downs (what couple doesn't) but I am so glad to have her in my life.  We've had a wonderful 8 years together and I am looking forward to many more.

Since I am also using this post to update my audience over the course of the last three years, I need to mention a few things that I was blessed to have had in my life.  First I want to mention our dog Iola.  We lost her to cancer a little over a year ago, and those emotions are still very tender.  She was such a wonderful dog, and a faithful companion to us both.  We miss her dearly, but I am so thankful that she was a part of our lives for the time that we had her.

Another large part of my life that has passed is my time at school.  Yes, I have my degree now, and I am so grateful that I have put that all behind me.  I am still working on getting my foot in the door of a studio, but having the schooling done is a HUGE load off of my mind.

Now that it is past night and technically no longer Thanksgiving I should wrap this up.  I am going to save my last thanks for my family.  My parents, and in-laws are always doing so much for us, and we are so grateful for all they do.  Also to my siblings for their help in our lives.  We are all busy in our lives, but we have each other's backs.

And at this time the last person who I would like to say thanks to is my Grandpa Christian.  My mother's father passed away a couple of years before I was born, and my Grandma remarried.  For my entire life he has been my Grandfather, and is a truly remarkable man.  This past May, after 98 amazing years, Grandpa passed away.  I was blessed to have him in my life for so long, and the lessons I learned from him will always be with me.  I am glad that my wife and daughter also got to know him (though Peach will not have many memories of him, but that means we get to tell her all about him.)

I think that about wraps up this entry.  Until next time.

What the HAIL???

It's a very good thing that I don't believe in omens! Sure I believe in ghosts and the field of paranormal investigation, but Omens are something that I hold no credibility to. That being said, yesterday morning was still a little hard to shake off.

Yesterday Mrs. Nutz and I were scrambling around the house trying to get ready to go to the hospital and have our baby girl. We know that we were going to be having a C-section, so we had woken up with plenty of time to get loaded in the car and off to the hospital. I needed to go and vacuum out the car so that we could remove dog hair from the seats before loading up the baby car seat, and decided that I would run to a car wash to do so.

While I was sitting at a light waiting to turn left, I could see inky black clouds looming over the great Salt Lake, and they were flying my direction. I raced to beat the storm, and was successful up until I started vacuuming. That's when the pea-sized hail forced me to abandon the still running vacuum for the shelter of the car (75 cents I'll never see again...)

I quickly drove back to the house, and by the time I got there the storm had passed and the clouds were parting. All started looking better until we got to the hospital and it started snowing like mad.

I guess I could look at it as a metaphor for the events of the day, more explicitly the emotional ride that I took that day as I witnessed the birth of my daughter. Since we got pregnant, countless fathers have tried to explain the emotions that you feel when you see and hold your daughter for the first time, and as all of them have stated: it really is impossible to put into words. The feeling of seeing and holding my daughter is the most powerful and wonderful feeling that I have ever had. She is now the most precious and beautiful thing to me!

I realize this post has become one of the more sentimental posts I have made, but I can't think of anything else at this time to comment on. (besides, I think I'm doing good for only getting a good 2 hours of sleep last night!)

From All of Us to All of You, MERRY CHRISTMAS

Once again it's Christmas Eve, which is my favorite day of the year. This year we actually get the day off from work, so I thought I would let Mrs. Nutz sleep in while I take care of the dog and finish up this blog entry. Posting on Christmas Eve has apparently become somewhat of a tradition for me, but I won't complain.

Actually I started creating the header 2 nights ago, and was going to get this written and posted last night after we got home from work and errands, but Mrs. Nutz started playing Roller Coaster Tycoon after I got absorbed in saving the Kingdom of Hyrule, so both of us spent the evening in our computer/game room relaxing instead. Darn.

This has been an amazing year for both of us as we prepare to welcome a new squirrel to the Nutz House. Our daughter is set to be born sometime in March or early April. We've been hoping for an April 1 baby, so that she'll share her birthday with my Grandpa who will be 95 that day, but we're pretty sure that the birthdate is going to be in March.

Yes, I did gloss over a big piece of information. We did finally find out that we are going to have a little girl, and both of us are ecstatic about that. I originally intended to post about that earlier, but school, work, and sleep took priority. Besides, most of my readers are close friends and family (I do keep toying with the thought that some readers randomly run across this blog on Google and become fans that way, but I'm sure that is not the case.) Anyway, I figured that most people who read this blog already were told in person, and that really is the most important thing.

Our nursery is already painted, the crib and changing table are built, and everything seems to be on track for the arrival of our little one. We had heard horror stories about pregnancy, what with sickness and back pain and all. Mrs. Nutz has had back problems for years, and we were nervous that she would be put on bed-rest; however, this has been a surprisingly mild pregnancy. We're now getting to the point that we can feel our little one kicking, making this an amazing time for the two of us. It's crazy to think that next year by this time my daughter will already be moving around, and according to the baby books, trying to walk around.

This has been a most unusual Christmas season for us. All of our gifts have been wrapped for over a week, and everything is ready to go for the big day. Tonight we will be going to our annual Christmas Eve celebration with my family, and then will be spending the night at my parents house, so that we can be there for Christmas morning. I am excited, as we will be able to join in another family tradition that we have been absent for these past 4 years. After going to my Grandpa's house, we go to my folks house and watch White Christmas; however these last few years we have not stayed to watch the show, as we live 45 minutes away and would not want to be driving home so late. With us staying over this year we will be able to join in that tradition as well.

Well, I think it's time for me to wrap this entry up. We have stuff to do to get ready to go to my parents house tonight, and not much time to do it in. To all of our friends and family, thank you for everything you do. We love you and wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a happy 2011!

"God as My Witness, I Thought Turkeys Could Fly."

Once again we reach that time of year where the calendar is almost worn out, and we prepare to place ourselves into a turkey induced coma that will last until Christmas. Actually by the time this entry is finished it will be after the festivities, so hopefully the turkey doesn’t knock me out until I have a chance to actually post this....

My last post came after our Yellowstone vacation, and featured the announcement that we were pregnant. I am ecstatic to post that all is still going very well. The baby is developing with a strong heartbeat, and we are starting to get to the point where we can feel the baby moving. This morning we realized that the baby really likes hot chocolate, as it’s been doing backflips in Mrs. Nutz tummy. (I can’t vouche for this comment, I am taking Mrs. Nutz word for it.)

Unfortunately we still have not found out what we’re having, and if the child does not co-operate by our next doctor’s appointment, I fear that he or she is going to get a very stern lecture from their mother! Both of us are hoping that we’re going to have a girl, but we will be happy as can be if it turns out to be a boy as well. We’re just excited that we will be parents soon. We just want to know so that we can start getting the nursery decorated (lady bugs if it’s a girl, and pirate if it’s a boy.)

Mr. and Mrs. Munk had their little chipmunk, whom I will dub Dotty Munk. She’s now starting to smile and chatter, which has been really cute to see. The other night we had the Munk family over for a movie and it was really fun to see little Dotty looking around and, well, being a baby. It was especially fun to watch the dog and cat freak out at the baby, and Iola kept giving us a look that indicated she wanted us to make Dotty leave. They’ll just have to deal with it, because in 4 months there’s going to be a new squirrel in the house full time!

Well now that it’s Thanksgiving, that means that Christmas is just around that corner. It seems like it comes earlier each year... though that is partially to blame on the media. I was walking through a store one evening and I saw them decorating for Christmas. The sad thing is that this was in the middle of September. I shook my head as I turned and walked out of the store. With each year it seems that we collectively ignore that that there is a holiday between Halloween and Christmas... and an important one at that. Now stores are opening up for black Friday sales earlier in the Day on Thanksgiving, which really begs the question of whether or not we are turning the shopping day into a holiday on it’s own (some of the women I work with believe that it is.) I made a previous post two years ago that expresses why I would choose to steer away from such a move.

Most TV shows today will run a Christmas special, as well as a Halloween special, but there are very few that do the Turkey day. Friends was dependable, as they had one for each of their ten seasons. Charlie Brown has a classic thought-provoking film (two in fact) that honor this great day, but I don’t know of too many beyond that.

Then again, one of the best all time moments of TV history (as determined by TV Guide) was a classic episode of WKRP in Cincinatti. While their Thanksgiving tribute is rather grim... it is a day where we celebrate over the carcass of a large bird, so I guess it could be worse (though the line about bags of wet cement did make me laugh out loud. Oh the humanity!!)

This morning we got up to start watching the parade, and we opted to cook the turkey for our dinner with Mrs.Nutz family, so the house now smells like turkey. She’s just getting ready so that we can leave, and I am left alone to reflect on my blessings this year. I have much to be thankful for this year, and this is one of the best places that I can express those.

I am thankful for my beautiful wife. She means everything to me, and it’s been a wonderful 4 years together, and I look forward to a lifetime more together. I am so thankful for the little child on the way, it’s been two years coming and I am so glad that everything worked out this time.

I am thankful for my families (both of them) for being there to support Mrs. Nutz and I wherever we need it. Comedy movies always tell horror stories about in-laws, but Mrs. Nutz and I both lucked out in that department. Both of our sets of parents and siblings support us where and however they can, and for that I am eternally grateful.

I also would like to say how thankful I am to have such great friends, especially the close kinship we have with the Munks. It’s been great having them so close that we can periodically say hi, and get together and enjoy one another’s company. It’s going to be so much fun to see that in a few months we will be able to give Dotty a little playtmate.

I am also thankful for all of our extended family and friends, you all enrich our lives in your own way.

Well, I think that’s enough for right now. I have more coming, so stay tuned...

Just a Quick Note Before I Retire...

Just a short post for tonight, because I am tired.

It has been an emotional few weeks since we got home from Yellowstone, and in all fairness I was misleading to my readers, but in a good way.

I can now officially announce to the world that we are pregnant! We are at 9 weeks, and have had our first ultrasound. Everything looks great, and our child has a strong heartbeat (175 bpm.)

This has been a long time coming, and we are ecstatic to be able to tell the world now.

I will post more later, but we wanted to make it official tonight: Baby Nutz due April 2011!!

Four Squirrels Drive Into a Forest (I Love This Joke...)

Growing up in the Nutz family there are two major vacation destinations that are a staple to our lives. First would be a Disney theme park vacation which I personally would consider to be my top choice preference. Unfortunately my casual readers who don't know me well would not be able to discern the depth of my Disney obsession just by reading this blog. It truly runs deep in me, and to my family. Mrs. Nutz once noted that I was at my happiest when I was in Disneyland, which is both sweet, and slightly disturbing (surely I am at my happiest when I am with her!)

The second preferred vacation destination for my family would be the fantastic Yellowstone National Park.

Growing up Yellowstone was always an odd vacation for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being there; but most of the trip is spent driving through forests and looking through binoculars, all while battling an onslaught of motion-sickness courtesy of the books and magazines that I brought with me on the trip. (I will admit that mostly they were picture and comic books, I read a lot more seriously now than I did when I was a kid.)

As I grew older, I developed a respect for the park, though my personal preferences were more into the geysers and hot springs (and yes, the gift shops) than into looking for Grizzly Bears and Moose on the side of a hill only visible through a spotting scope. While my juvenile perspective would maintain that all my opinions and preferences were ignored and overruled by the rest of the family, I would be very wrong if I still thought so. Frankly if all we did was what I had wanted to do at that time (and I will admit, that time even ranged to the teen years) then our trips would have been very short and meaningless. How glad I am that my family had me experience all that the park had to offer!

Mrs. Nutz on the other hand, hadn't been to the park in 15-20 years, and her only memory of the park was riding in her grandparents RV and getting in trouble for getting the gum in her bubble-gum ice cream all over their curtains. She was ready to see the park again for the first time.

We left Thursday after work and stayed the night in Idaho Falls. Our meal that first night was another Nutz family tradition: Flags West Diner and Truck Stop in Downey Idaho. Yes, it really is as glamorous as it looks, but the scones are great!

The next morning we made our way to the park. On arrival my Dad, Grumpy Nutz, told us to be on the lookout for moose, since it had been years since it had been a few years since we had last seen one. I often underestimate my wife's penchant for hidden games. When we are at Disneyland (or WDW) she really gets into looking for the Hidden Mickeys in the parks, and is generally faster than I at finding them, even when I know where to look and she doesn't. She attributes this to her love of Where's Waldo and I-Spy books when she was younger. It comes as no surprise that on the road from Madison to Old Faithful, she would spot the lone moose that we saw this trip, (not counting Stiltz in Yellowstone Bear World of course.)

He was obviously a younger moose, and when he saw us back up, he got a frightened look on his face and ran off. None of us could get our cameras ready even, but it was a great spot by Mrs. Nutz. She reminded me that she's good luck, so I told her that her next job was to conjure up the mother Grizzly Bear with four cubs that my Brother and his wife saw on their recent trip. She got us half-way there: A mother with two cubs. It had to be the closest I have ever seen a Grizzly in the wild.

There were also the Buffalo, Elk, Deer, a lone Coyote, and a Wolf (as seen through the spotting scope) to behold, which is the usual fodder that Yellowstone has to offer. Not to mention the squirrels (SQUIRREL) that we saw... y'know, ignoring the four of us that is. Thanks to the movie UP shouting out "Squirrel" became something of a game for us (though more likely for me than anyone else in the car who merely got to enjoy my amusing myself.)

We of course did the usual tourist spots: Old Faithful, Dragon's Mouth and the Mud Volcano, Lower Falls, Mammoth, Roosevelt, etc. All in all it was a great and relaxing vacation, though I'm sure my Dad would complain that it was too relaxing for me, as I slept through a sizable chunk of the drive.

It was such a nice trip that we really weren't ready to come home, knowing that we had a busy week ahead of us. Yesterday we hosted (or more appropriately Mrs. Nutz hosted while I hid in the house on the computer) a baby shower for Mrs. Munk, who is due in just a few weeks. We are so happy for them, despite the bittersweet feeling we have due to our own misfortune in starting a family on our own. We work to stay optimistic for the future, but it does come difficult at times.

While we weren't ready to come home, our cat Emma was so glad to have us back. Mrs. Nutz sister (woodland critter name yet to be determined) was house-sitting, and she and Emma don't get along very well. Add to that the fact that Emma is still recovering from her declawing surgery, and it sounds like she ha a traumatic weekend... not that my Sister-in-Law did anything to antagonize her.

The saddest part about Emma now is that I think we broke the cat. She used to be real hyper and full of energy, but all she does now is move from one napping spot to another. It's really sad to see that she's not the same anymore, and we're hoping that it passes. I think it's depression, but I doubt that we'll be able to give our cat a dose of Zoloft.

Well, that should be enough for now. Three updates on July, that's a good sign. Hopefully I can keep it up!