Sundays

In an effort to make the most of the fact we have family who live within what I deem to be "forgot to pack milk for Kenzi" distance, I've unofficially started my new Sunday M.O. to include more family time.  On a side note, m.o. is short for modus operandi, which is a latin phrase that loosely translates into 'method of operating', and has become m.o., short-hand for somebody's habits.  Thank you wikipedia for educating me [citation needed].  This new family time basically means dinner at either our house, my sister's house, or my dad's house.  And today, it was at our house.

For Stefani's friends who love to talk about dinner menus and stuff, I've organized a bulleted list of what was prepared for supper.

• Some sort of pork roast covered in bacon that needed some oven appreciation time
• Mashed potatoes that only required hot water and a general stirring motion
• Broccoli covered in cheese because there's no other legal way to eat broccoli
• Corn chowder soup, because it's fun to say chowder (like in Ace Ventura when he's passing the secret code through the door after the Cannibal Corpse concert scene)
• Baked bread with asiago cheese bacon dip because bacon is required to be implemented in every fancy meal at least twice
• Lettuce garnished with dressing so we look like we pay more taxes
• Chicken nuggets because kids don't eat real food
• An ice-cream cake from Baskin Robbins because nothing can beat it in the dessert realm

Yeah, that's how we roll (once a year).  For those who have yet to enjoy some time with us at our home, our typical menu consists of something between bread (usually a butter (peanut or plain), a meat product, cheese, pickles, or any combination thereof), something with milk (like cereal or oatmeal), or some restaurant.  We're working on diversifying our meal portfolio, and have committed that to our New Year's Resolutions.

Anywho, back to the m.o.  So, we invited my sister and my dad over for a meal and some fun.  Usually, we just chit-chat around the table while the kids turn peaceful toys into weapons of mess (not mass) destruction.  But, since it's Christmastime, and we can't get in the car without Hammer asking for Christmas Lights, we decided it was time to introduce my sister and her family to the best Christmas light display in the quad-city area.

So there it is.  That is the greatest light display around.  From our best estimate, they are using approximately the same amount of power that is required to heat all of the town of Dewey, and are using somewhere near 512 electrical plugs and 1 mile of extension cords.  Regardless of their 'green' status or their concern for the power grid, we have deemed it to be worth it.  And so have many other fellow patrons of this home.  Sadly, no image or camera can capture the essence of awesomeness this home radiates, as there are more lights to both sides of the home, and one impressive collection of animatronic Christmas decorations.

But with hot chocolates in hand, the kids in their car seats, and all of us crammed into our not-going-to-get-replaced-by-a-minvan Honda Pilot, we, the mighty descendants and offspring of my father, enjoyed not only a full-course meal, but the company of others (and Kenzi reminding us we forgot her binky).

Figure 1. The Evans Consortium + The Brantner's and my Pops