The Final Christmas Experience

Today was the last of our Christmas "experiences." Michael found a place in Anaheim that has full scale flight simulators. You actually get inside the cockpit (simulated cockpit) of a fighter jet and fly combat missions. It was surprisingly fun!

First they suit you up in a flight suit. I've got to say, not the best look for the "heavy in the mid-section" part of our clan. But it was fun. Everyone talks military (sir, yes sir!) I was the Lieutenant Commander, but of course. Then it is off to the "briefing room" for combat orders. Here they explain how the simulator works and what to expect. Then they take us to our "planes". You really have to climb up and get into something that closely resembles the cockpit of a plane. The first thing they teach you is how to raise the canopy in case you have a claustrophobic moment. Good to know, but luckily wasn't needed.

Once everyone is strapped in, we taxi to the runway and take off. We are in full control of the plane. We can crash it if we do something terribly wrong. After about ten minutes of practice flying, we start the dogfight. Amazing! We could all communicate with each other and to the "ground control". I will admit I had to have "ground control" talk me through my first hit. I couldn't figure it out. But eventually I was a natural. We totally lost track of time. It was just our family and another couple. Really, did I say it was fun, because it really was. When someone hit you, you went into a spin and headed to the ground. But then we were back in the air, didn't have to take off again, you just appear in the thick of things. After about 45 minutes of dog fights, we got to land three times. Daylight, Night, and Aircraft carrier. It was hard.

So, the end tally

Jake, 8 kills, 14 deaths - total score of 4

Ken, 19 kills, 17 deaths - total score of 17

Michael, 15 kills, 23 deaths - total score of 14

Megan, 14 kills, 8 deaths - total score of 14

Jodi, 15 kills, 16 deaths. - total score of 15

Experience #4

This tale is second hand, as there was no way, even here in hell, I was going to go along. Ken and the kids went skiing/snowboarding.

The adventure starts with a mad rush for hats and gloves. Remember, these items are not needed often here in hell, so it was a little difficult. I'm not even sure we were able to round up 4 good pair. Jake was so excited. He had bought a snowboard and boots from a friend. He was bragging all week about how good he was, and how he would show Michael what to do. So, anyone who knows Michael knows the end of this story, but I'll save it for later. Ken was waffling on whether or not he would try anything. Friends at work told him, if he wanted to try anything, it should be skiing. When they left early (and I mean early) Friday morning, he still wasn't sure what he was going to do. I texted him around 11:30 and got no reply so I figured he decided to try some sort of activity.

Ken spent the morning in the "learn to ski" class. He took the adult class as he didn't want to be totally embarrassed. He said about half the class quit before the lessons were even over. He, however, "tore up the bunny slopes!" He was walking a little gingerly when they got back home. I'm pretty sure 3 hours of driving isn't the best medicine for sore muscles.

So back to Jake, the snowboard instructor. Now remember, Jake has only been snowboarding twice before at church weekend camp outs. He took Michael out to teach him some moves. He was so mad when he got home. Michael was already better than Jake. Mike was still cautious and didn't dare the black diamond and didn't take any jumps (both of which almost killed Jake because he is not quite so cautious.) So, Jake can still say he "landed a jump." But in reality, Michael is a natural athlete and will probably always pick up things quicker than anyone else.

Megan, also cautious, spent the day going back and forth with Michael & Jake and then checking up on her ole dad. She told a funny story about coming to watch Ken. He saw her and waved as he was heading to the chairlift. He stopped and waved as he inched up in line. He stopped and waved again before he got on, then one last wave as he was heading up the hill. She tells the story much better than I did. She thought it was cute, kind of like the little kid in the Christmas musical making sure his family sees him in all his glory.

Everyone was exhausted when they got home, and we all went to bed pretty early. I spent the day packing and watching all the Lifetime/Hallmark Christmas movies I had recorded.

Today, Experience #5.

SPOILER ALERT!

Do not read this blog if you are at all interested in the movie "Marley and Me." Really, I am going to share the whole movie including the ending.

We had a small Christmas celebration with the kids. Ken made egg casserole, we opened presents, played some games, watched a Christmas movie on TV, then we decided we would go to the movie. Jake picked Marley and Me. It was between that, the new Adam Sandler movie or 4 Christmas's. I was shocked at the number of people at the movies today. We had to stand in line, and the theater was full. Everything started out good enough. Cute Jennifer Aniston & Owen Wilson (who seriously needs some work done on his nose.) They fall in love get married and decide to practice on a dog before they have kids. The movie follows the story of this couple and their relationship with their dog. The first hour, hour and a half were hysterical. It was kind of parallel to what Ken and I went through, with the dog, the career, the kids, the struggles of married life. They even had a colicky baby (love ya Megan, but seriously, you almost did us in.)

Then, Owen Wilson's character starts to struggle with turning 40 and he talks to the dog about getting grey around the temples. That's when it hit me. I knew then I should have left the theater, but it was so crowded, and we were in the middle. As the story progresses and the dog ages, I start to get a little weepy eyed. Then, as the two sit and talk about what a good dog he'd been (well obviously only the human talks, but you know what I mean) I have to hold in sobs. The teary eyes began to flow. My nose started running like a faucet. It was an ugly cry and I knew it. I also knew that I had to walk out of that theater into the daylight, and the crowds waiting for the next showing. I am pretty sure my face told the story. I was a mess, I'm still a mess. I came home, hugged the dogs. The kids laughed at me, Ken said he had heard that the dog died (why he didn't tell me I'll never know.) So, if you love dogs like I do. Rent the movie, watch until they move to Philadelphia, then turn it off. That's all I'm saying. I have to go blow my nose. Merry Christmas....

Experience #3

WICKED!
We took the kids to the LA performance of "Wicked." It was spectacular! We got great seats, 1/2 way back in the orchestra section, center stage. Megan has been looking forward to this for weeks. She was not disappointed. The actors were amazing, the sets were amazing, the music was more than amazing. The only real well known star was Carol Kane (who played Latva's girlfriend on Taxi, and was in The Princess Bride.) The boys were awed by the orchestra, Megan sat dreamy eyed, wishing she was the star (I think she'd make a marvelous GA Linda.) We can safely say that this is a definite Thumbs Up from the entire Tucker family.

We spent today, getting boxes and starting the process of packing the garage to make room for the crap that needs to come out of the house to make it "showable." We have talked with a Rental Management Firm and a Realtor. It pretty much looks like we need to rent (if we sell, we'll probably owe money at the end of the whole process.) We'll spend the next few days doing more research, talking with finance companies, and making final decisions about how to proceed.

We are going to Christmas dinner at one of our friends (I know I keep saying we don't have any here, but in reality we do.) Then Friday and Saturday are Experiences #4 & #5. Then Monday, back to work.

For those of you wondering what happened to your Christmas card from the Tuckers, I didn't mail them. I think I will just hold off and send a New Year letter when we get new contact information. But know that we are thinking of all of you and wishing you a Very Merry Christmas!

Experience #2

So, if you work at that place I work, I ask you to keep this blog to yourself, I'm sure I can trust you, right?

Thursday I flew to Tucson to meet Ken who began the interview process for the Scout Executive position in Tucson. It really is a grueling process. I'm not sure other jobs make people go through this much torture. The region and the local selection committee select three fairly equally qualified candidates. The candidates and spouses meet with the selection committee for a reception on Thursday, and then they break into groups and go to dinner. Then on Friday the candidates interview in a round robin format. He went through three sessions, about 3 hours total, then they have 10 minutes to summarize in front of the entire group. Then you go back to your hotel room and wait.

Here are some of the unexpected details. First off, whoever booked my flight was either an idiot, or had never traveled before and had flunked geography. They booked me to Tucson through Salt Lake City. If you watch the news, you realize this was a problem. I think I ran a marathon through the SLC airport trying to get a plane to Tucson after I missed my connection. Finally got a plane to Phoenix, and rented a car. Bad part, I landed in Phoenix at 5, took me over an hour to get out of town because of traffic. So, instead of meeting everyone for a lovely reception at 6, I was driving. I ended up joining Ken and a group of the selection committee at a very nice restaurant. We met in the private dining room in the wine cellar (yes, I was still in my sweats.)

Friday while Ken was getting grilled for three hours, one of the wives took me and the other candidate's wife on a tour of the city. It was all very interesting. Tucson is not like anyplace we've ever lived before. No tall buildings, very spread out, rustic, "small town", no grass, lots of cactus. So, after Ken finished we headed to our room to wait. We were told they would probably be done around 1 or 1:15.

The typical procedure is, if you get the job they call you to come down and sign papers, if you don't, then you get a knock on the door. We've been through this process twice before, and got the knock. So, 1 came and went, 1:15 came and went, I was getting mad at these people who could not see what a wonderful leader Ken would make. Then, the knock on the door. I was livid, I threw down the newspaper I was reading. It was housekeeping, REALLY, that was cruel. I had already started texting one of my friends lambasting the whole organization. Not long after that, the phone rang.

So, Ken is now the new Scout Executive in the Catalina Council Boy Scouts of America. He starts work on Feb. 1. We have lots to do in the meantime. Decisions to make regarding the house (sell or rent). Jake is trying to decide what to do, stay or go. If we decide to sell, the kids and I will stay until the house sells, if we rent, then we'll move closer to the first part of February.

So, excitement, a little bit of anxiety, lots to do. That is what the next couple of months look like for us. Tomorrow is Experience #3. I will make you wait to see what that is.

The hazards of wearing a fuzzy sweater

So Ken bought me this great pink fluffy sweater as part of my 12 days of Christmas (yes, he does spoil me.) I wore it to work yesterday, since it was cold and rainy. Unfortunately, I wore it with black cords. I had pink fuzz all over my pants all day long. I used about a roll of tape trying to clean off my pants, but I couldn't reach my butt, which was apparently covered in pink fuzz. Fast forward to today. I am not wearing the pink fuzzy sweater, but still, there is pink fuzz on my butt! It must have come off onto my desk chair and just waited all night for me to come back in and sit down.

So, here's the question. Should Ken call an escort agency and have someone without a pink fluffy butt to play the role of the dutiful wife at his interview? Possibly....

Christmas Experience #1

So, we have decided to have an "Experiential Christmas." That means no gifts, just time and activities together to build memories. We are overloaded with things, and sometimes we just need time with friends and family.

This weekend was my "Experience." Ken and I and some friends went to Vegas for the weekend. It was so much fun. We stayed downtown and pretty much stayed away from the strip most of the weekend. We played in the casinos downtown, found a great Irish pub with a live band right on Fremont St. It was a weekend of excesses. I ate too much, drank too much, gambled too much, slept not enough. Who could ask for more? Thanks to Bekah, Don, Derrick, Margaret and of course Ken, for making it a fantastic weekend. What I can remember, I will never forget = )

What's New

We are again facing the possibility of a move. Ken will be interviewing for a position in Tucson, AZ the 18th & 19th of this month. He is excited about his possibilities and thinks this might be "the one." We are busy researching the area and the council. Other than the heat, I think it will be a good fit. Cost of living is much less, and that will be all good. He will get a lease car, so Megan will have a vehicle of her own to drive around. It is exciting thinking about new opportunities, but it also brings the worries about moving. What to do with our house here, will will have enough $ for a down payment on a house there, will the kids adjust, will we (me) adjust. I try not to worry about things in the future, but it is hard.

We had a great visit with my dad. I am so glad he got the chance to come down. He was able to see Michael play in 3 soccer games (and they even won one.) He got to see Megan in her play "Up the Down Staircase." I think he was very impressed with the acting abilities of her and her classmates. He spent some quality time with Jake. It was very good to have him here. We talked about missing mom. We talked about his new dancing adventures at the Eagles. We talked about his new found freedoms. It was just so good to spend time with him.

We had a great time with friends last night at karaoke. I really enjoy these people. If we move, I'll miss them. Maybe they will have to come to Tucson and visit. You think they have karaoke bars in Tucson, oh I hope so. I'm (NOT) an expert now.