It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

As Josh and I wade through the holiday craze..

tacky snow globe inflatables in every front yard,

"Clark-Griswold-like" lights throughout the neighborhood,

annoying holiday commercials on TV,

pre-dawn shoppers fighting over door buster deals at Kohl's

Need I say more?

...we were recently reminded to seek Christ in Christmas.

If you have fallen victim to waiting in line at the mall to sit your child (or yourself) on Santa's lap, may the following two links provide you with a bit of direction (social media style):

If Mary and Joseph Used Facebook

If Jesus were born in times of Google, Facebook, and Twitter

Merry Christmas,

J & H

Nia-nater Update

During a recent trip up North (Bancroft, NE), a family friend mentioned to me that last year's Christmas card picture didn't include Nia. We normally include our dog-daughter in the "family" Christmas photo op, so I can see why this dog-lover was a little nervous that something had happened to her.

I am preemptively explaining this so that said dog-lover isn't disturbed by our 2011 holiday card (once again - sans Nia). She is still alive and well. At 8 1/2 years old someone obviously forgot to tell Nia that she isn't a puppy any more.

While laying-over in Houston, we (PetSmart) cut Nia's hair short so she could enjoy being outside in the 100+ degree days. During our morning walks around the Galleria, many people would comment from afar, "Oh look at the puppy!" Upon closer inspection, Nia's "old lady goggles" (the white fur around her eyes) gave her age away. This left the passerby power walkers quite confused.

Now, in the Arctic-like atmosphere of Kansas City, Nia is wishing her fur would grow out fast. It's too cold to take long leisurely walks. Nia and I are on the same page, I wish I had a bit more fur too. :)

We missed the Cats...and other things.

In our short time back in Kansas, it has been nice to don our purple attire and cheer on the KSU Wildcats. However, we must note what exactly brought us back to Kansas City...a Jayhawk (gasp).

Josh's good friend Michael (a proud KU alum) lured him back to the corporate world in July with a job offer at DineEquity. Josh may be a former special agent with the FBI, but at DineEquity he is a "special agent of change" moving around the organization as a project manager fixing problems, auditing processes and implementing/enforcing Share Point (he is the email attachment police).

For the time being, I am putting away my strong feelings about interstate rivalries and have accepted an opportunity to (once again) work with Michael. Josh and I are going to be co-workers. A direct quote (and reaction) from my brother, "Look out world!"

More to come...

Don't mess with Texas

For exactly one year and one month I was a Texan. I have real cowgirl boots to prove it, and a ridiculous pair of running shorts made to look like the Lone Star state flag! I also picked up a new vocabulary word - y'all. Josh can claim being a Texan for a few more months, having set-up our household in Houston in May 2010.

During our short stay in Houston, Josh discovered that while Hollywood and long running TV shows may romanticize the job of a G-man, working for the government was not for him. Counter terrorism was interesting work, but in the end Josh's entrepreneurial

nature could not be tamed...even by the "law".

While in Houston, I fell in love with 623 K-12 students and their families at St. Thomas' Episcopal School. I managed the school's Annual Fund campaign, donor relations and alumni association. Facebooking and making YouTube videos were just some of the creative things I did on a daily basis!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M71la7n-6s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifBQYVZQHHY&feature=related

It was fun to relive the glory days of high school, cheering on athletes on the basketball court and track. St. Thomas' tradition of Scottish arts and Highland dancing were new for me, but I quickly learned to enjoy the sound of bagpipes and tenor drums in the courtyard during my work day.

We lived the dream...

...and then came full circle. Fast forward from Lake Tahoe (2008 when we started blogging) to November 2011 - we are back in Kansas City.

How is that possible? Well unfortunately the saying "happy wife, happy life" also applies to husbands and their demeanor. The downward spiral of the stock market and Josh's "cabin fever" in Homewood, California lead him to step away from

being his own boss and apply for the FBI in February 2009.

Josh was accepted to the FBI, and began a

journey which would take him away from Tahoe in December 2009 to Quantico, Virginia for a five month training course. He left me for the winter which isn't advisable (Tahoe winters are an adventure together...but a bit scary alone). Thank goodness for caring neighbors, kind friends, and a great church family.

After experiencing a record setting winter in Virginia, breaking the ice on a lake to do push-ups, making it through Hogan's Alley and pepper spray to the face (among other things), Josh graduated from the academy in April 2010. He accepted his first assignment as a Special Agent in Houston, Texas.

I hung around the lake to work at the Museum for the summer, and reluctantly moved to Houston in October 2010. Josh established himself as a gun toting law man in the south while I partied it up with my maritime friends in Tahoe. It was a fun life, being wined and dined all summer long. However, by the fall my waist line was expanding to abnormal proportions and Josh was growing impatient for his wife to join him...and do his laundry. :)

Waiting for WINTER!

Everyone at Tahoe has warned us about the winter season. Apparently it snows a lot in the Sierra Mountains :). Locals always seem surprised when we tell them we have never experienced a winter in Tahoe before...yet we made the decision to move here. We say, "Bring it on."

Over the past summer months we have been scouring ski shops for sales and good deals on winter "toys". We have our skis and snow shoes. All we need is the snow to start falling.

The pictures of the "Batchelor House" give a sneak peak at what we are going to be dealing with in a few months.

All Are Welcome...

Our new house has plenty of room for visitors! We would love to take you skiing at Squaw Valley (home of the 1960 Winter Olympics), rafting down the Truckee River, on a hike to Emerald Bay, or to the Paige Meadows.

The house we are fortunate enough to rent is the second home of Tom and Dottie Batchelor. Dottie is the former Executive Director of the Museum. Tom used to manage and restore Bill Harrah's car collection (as of Harrah's Casino). He also completely rebuilt and restored their pride and joy, "Pink Hour" (named after the evening hour on the lake when the water and sky turns pink).