Holiday Break

Well the big news was that Levi and Chelsey came to Colorado to visit us between Christmas and New Years. And the biggest news is that they have now joined the blog universe and have their own blog. Check it out at: Levi and Chelsey's Blog. Other family bloggers can add the link to your "friends" lists. We gave Levi his own camera and took pictures at every opportunity. We tried to cram as much fun into two days as we could in hopes to make the best impression. I guess we succeeded because Levi told Chelsey (referring to Jane and I) "they weren't always like this".

Here is our scary family picture in front of the tree.

Levi and Chelsey in front of our Christmas tree in the family room

Chelsey called this the "prom" pose

This is a video of Levi and Chelsey opening a Jane-type present ie: lots of little presents inside the fake-out big present.

We got a new XBox game called "Scene It", which is a variation of the movie-trivia board game, but with special controllers. Here we are in the basement family room mid-game.

While at our house we set up a video call link with Allie and her family.

One of Levi's favorite foods used to be shreaded-beef tacos, so in his honor we made tacos. Here is photographic proof that Seth in fact DOES eat tacos now. Levi didn't want to be left out of the photo.

Boxing Day: Fun and Games

This evening we were invited over to the Chambers' house for games and snacks. While in Boston, Molly has gotten used to eating healthy, almost vegetarian types of meals. As you can see in the following, she is quickly reverting back.



One of the games we played involved completing a challenge in order to advance to the next level. The Challenge cards in the game give you a choice of about six different challenge activities. Molly chose the one where you had to hold a pickle under you nose without hands for one whole turn.



Another game we played is some kind of Karaoke game where you have to sing along and you get scored on how in tune you are and how well you sing like the original performers. This game has been popular at Jason & Leslie's house and Jarom had a bunch of fun videos on his blog from last July 4th. Here is Seth and Molly going head-to-head on a Cold Play song. You will notice that (1) Seth is definitely a bass, and (2), he can actually hold a tune and sounds pretty good! Molly on the other hand appears to be suffering from too much junk food.

White Christmas in Denver

December 25, 2005 - We woke up this morning to snow! It started about 3:00am, and as of this writing (3:30pm) it hasn't stopped yet. It hasn't been really heavy, but it looks like we've received about 6 inches on the back deck patio table. Our day started with a call from Staci, then Allie & James via the webcam, then Jarom, then Levi, then Staci & Andrew on the webcam. Here was our agenda for the day:

1. Phone call from Jarom
2.Video call with Allie's family
3. Creamed Eggs on Toast w/Bacon for breakfast
4. Family Home Evening
- Song
- Poem about what to put in Jesus' stocking
- Reading of this year's Christmas book "Christmas Oranges"
-Opening of presents under the tree
5. Individual Activities
- Jane watched a movie in bed on Randy's laptop
-Seth set up and loaded music on his new Zune music player
-Randy shoveled snow from the driveway and sidewalks
-Molly took a nap
6. Phone call from Levi
7. Video call from Staci & family
8. Molly making cookies

Since we don't have any family close, and the roads are no doubt a mess with the snow, it is quite likely that we'll stay home and in the house today.

This is a view from the loft window as of about 7:30am

Jane, Molly & Seth on a video call with Allie's family. We got to see all their kids display all their new fun stuff

And then there was the traditional Guthrie family Christmas breakfast: Creamed Eggs on Toast [English Muffins]. We cooked the bacon in the garage so keep the smoke/smell out of the house. Now the garage smells like bacon...

This is Seth diggin' deep for the presents...

Molly is overcome with emotion upon opening an electric blanket. Apparently her basement accommodations at Staci's house in Boston lack sufficient heat for her California-borne tastes.
Molly and Seth pose by the Christmas tree in the family room

Jane and Randy pose on the fireplace.


Seth received this stocking cap with ear muffs that is reminiscent of either Pippi Longstocking or Wendy, the hamburger chain trademark

Seth and Molly enjoy a lazy Christmas Day; Seth is figuring out his music player and Molly playing "Command and Conquest - Tiberian Sun" computer game

This is the winter day out of the living room window, with the new furniture in the foreground

Here is another view of the living room with the Barbara Keyworth "Precious Moments" manger scene on the coffee table, a glass crèche triptych on one of the end tables and the glass Christmas tree on the other note: we haven't figured out what to do about pictures/art yet....can you tell?

Molly bustin' out some amazing cookies...just the thing for a snowy day. Add a mug of hot chocolate, a good book or movie, and we're set!

The deck patio table as of about 4:00pm...

Ski Season Officially Starts in Colorado

Yesterday, Seth and I attended Scout Days at Copper Mountain. Tickets cost $20 we both went. The day was COLD. It was +5 degrees at our house when we left, and I'm sure it was closer to -5 at Copper Mountain when we arrived. It was so cold that skis and snowboards didn't work. The snow wouldn't melt from the friction, and so on anything less than a blue run you couldn't hardly move. Once it warmed up (about noon) thing were better. So I didn't have any problem with the broken leg as far as strength was concerned, but those screw heads really dug into my skin; not while skiing, but while on the chair lifts. On one long run it became excrutiating. So tomorrow, I'm going to make an appointment to have them removed. It hurt so bad that I thought maybe they had cut through the skin.

Here is Seth at the lodge during one of our warm-up breaks



Randy and Seth at the top of Lumber Jack (notice Seth's neoprene face mask)

Andrew Can't Touch This!

I know Andrew Hopkin is Mr. Sports All-American, but last week in Fargo, North Dakota I got to play a sport that I am sure Andrew Hopkin has never played, therefore, that makes me better than him at this sport. Check out the following exciting video to see what this amazing sport is, and you too will be totally jealous!

Montreal S'il Vous Plait

From December 8-12 I've been attending an international conference for Information Systems academics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its been cold outside but I've never left the hotel except to go the mall via underground tunnel, so I never had to put on an overcoat. This is me in action at the conference with a professor in the Microsoft booth. My colleague Brad (far right) is talking to another group of faculty.

My room is on the 12th floor of the hotel and my window looks out over a Roman Catholic basilica that was built in the early 1800's. I will go inside tomorrow, but thought you'd appreciate the night view from my hotel room window.

This is the alter inside of the cathedral.

This manger scene was on the left side of main hall way. The figures are approximately life size. Notice that the baby Jesus was covered. I'm not sure why...maybe they don't take off the cover until Christmas?

While I was taking pictures I found a Canadian dollar coin on the floor in one of the pews. I put it in the poor box.

This is a view of the cealing of the main dome directly above the alter. The round pictures are pretty interesting.

All of the Arch-Bishops that have served in the cathedral are buried in a mausoleum off of the chapel. I believe this is either the first or the last. The picture was taken through an wrough-iron gate.

This is my hotel in the background and the cathral in the foreground. The title reads "Basilica Mary Queen of the World"

This was taken in the basement mall attached to the hotel. I'm not sure why a women's lingerie shop reminded me of Jarom but it did so I took a picture of the sign.

Remember When Seth Only Ate Yogurt?

My boss let me take the family out for dinner for my birthday on the company, so we decided to go to Landry's Seafood House here in Denver. The following two pictures (taken with my cell phone so the quality isn't very good) document that Seth has come a long way since yogurt and cereral days. Yup, that happens to be the Filet & Lobster platter with a dish of "shrooms" and a big baked potato.

Seth diggin' in


Yummy steak, but the lobster tail didn't make it to the take-home box. Seth says it tastes like shrimp but BIG.

A Tribute to Molly

This post is a tribute to Molly, who is on "emergency leave" from her job as a special needs aid at Heritage Elementary School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado in order to provide live-in child care for Janie Hopkin in Boston, MA while her mother Staci (Molly's older sister) is on constant bedrest from her pregnancy. Since she's not living with us right now, I thought I'd post a couple pictures of Molly at her very best; taking care of Janie!

Jane's Halloween costume at the church party.


Fish faces

Homemade Christmas wrapping paper?

Janie's great sense of humor...