Holiday Wind Up

It has been a while since I posted the Christmas day adventures, but the holiday's were really fun. We had record snowfall, some flooding, we worked non-stop on the Rainbow house putting in the wood floor, and we got ready to visit the eastern seaboard kids where we are now. A few pictures from the holidays are offered here.

On New Year's Eve, we were invited to celebrate Eva Huynh's birthday at Choungh and Liyan's house. She had decided to don her best pink dress for the occasion. Of course her cousins Kayla and Sarah were right there to help her open the gifts.

Her brother Victor, featured on this blog often for his dancing and singing abilities was not to be outdone in the wardrobe department. His sartorial skills are going to serve him well in the years to come. That coupled with the fact that he is just the most outgoing kid in the world probably means he will be supporting Paula and I someday!


Regan, who had yet to show any musical skill, was quick to show us that he could really rock it on the harmonica. Keep in mind this is like the most Viet kid I know, but will probably end up playing backup for Brad Paisley in a country western band!


Little Jacob also warmed right up to the whole big family. His dad told me that he does great with all his paternal cousins, but this was the first time with all of Hai's family. He also ended up showing his talent at the piano. This is one serious cute kid!


I really love the diversity of this clan. With Alicia and Tucker there, all of the little cousins were like climbing all over them!


My brother Mike, Christine and their new son Moose (Sam) were also there. Right after Oregon State had won their bowl game. Guess where these two went to school!


Later it was fun to see Moose and Mom and Felix and grandma SuLu.


I it truly hard to overstate the mania of this group of cousins. When together they create nonstop chaos. This picture is the closest I could get to the girls posing for a group picture.


All during the vacation we spent the better part of every day putting in the wood floor at Rainbow. This picture shows the one day that Nate pitched in and nailed a bunch down. He also sweated all over the floor!


One of my very good friends is a contractor who has the tools, and made the mistake of offering to help me put in the floor. He is really the boss, but I am honestly trying to do my part. The next picture documents the only (knock on wood) injury produced by the Rainbow project so far. I have cropped it to protect his identity, but it clearly shows the dual marks created when a 3 foot long chunk of walnut kicked back off the table saw, bounced off his head and landed 15 feet accross the room. When I heard the wham, bang, crash, I went in to find him lying on his back with blood pouring out of his forehead. Not fun. Ultimately the right hand gash was to the bone and took 10 stitches, and the left one needed 3 stitches. He was back at work in no time thank goodness.


The followup to the great snowstorm was yet another, although not quite as big.


This is a shot out the backyard with the Tualatin River up near flood stage at about 30 feet above normal levels. 32 feet is considered flood stage, but it would not get into our garage at that level. We figure that it would take at least 35 feet before we got any water at the house. In 1996 it got over 37 feet, so it could happen. We built for it though, and would just open the back garage doors, the front garage doors, take the wood doors off in the entry and then come back when it is over and pressure wash it out. Hope it never happens again.






Love to all the family. We have been here at Chris and Kenni's for the last couple of days, and are on our way up to Brig and Chelle's tomorrow. Will post more in the next few days.