extra xmas pics

Sicky Megs with Jessie Spanno and Charley in Chicago:



Ryan juggles 2 lemons and a Flick-a-Flame:



Hales and Autumn Q at dinner:



Random fun at Brooke and Brian's:



Out shopping downtown Ripon:

A Very White Christmas

Merry Christmas to all! After two nights in Chicago, Megs and I made it home safely on Monday afternoon. We are missing a few key players of the the Nielsen/Brech clan this year: Breezy (Colorado), Rob (Afghanistan), and Amy, Madison, Landon, and Ashlyn (Washington)... oh, and Lucy the Muffin Girl (Oregon). You are all missed and loved very much and we hope you are having the best holiday possible.

Mom trying on her gift from Bree and I:



My parents like to keep the house cold; this is my Grandma suffering from the insanity:



Herb (Dad's BFF) sent us 6 slabs of Chicago's famous Carson's Ribs for Christmas dinner. Here we are modeling our bibs right before chow time:



Thanks Herb! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

The Beautiful Life of Breezy

I promise I'll start posting my own pics again when I actually do something noteworthy. For now, though, you can check out what my little sissy has been up to. In case you're keeping track, Breezy is currently living/working in Beavercreek, Colorado. For some reason she thinks driving a shuttle bus through multiple feet of snow on the side of a mountain is a good idea.

Merry Christmas, Sis! You'll be missed this year.

Guest Blogger: Ty Sohlman

Read on for Ty's personal account of the coastal storm that just hit the Pacific Northwest:

I spent the last two nights in Astoria. Right in middle of the intense storm that hit the north Oregon coast! A severe storm with hurricane force winds (some gusts reached 125 mph). Many local residents where displaced from their homes due to trees crashing through their houses, roofs lifting off, and windows busting out. Our hotel became a makeshift shelter for some local residents. We watched from the hotel as sheet metal ripped off a nearby roof and wrapped around a telephone pole at the entrance to our hotel. Mudslides, trees and powerpoles blocked all highways in and out of Astoria, until late this morning when HWY 30 opened one lane and allowed us to follow a pilot car through. Needless to say phone lines, cell service and internet service went down on Sun. and they are not expected to be restored for several more days (even 911 emergency service is unreachable). Our hotel became the base camp for rescue workers and electrical lineman who told us that it will be several days before the extent of the damage is assessed.



The hotel manager used his camping stove this morning and fixed us a lovely breakfast of reheated pizza pockets(a guest had some on hand) and hot water for instant oatmeal.



Harley and I are happy to be home safe.