Boy, the Wii has been a big hit at every gathering we've had. We had 14 people over for Christmas, and nearly everyone played at some point. Last night, a bunch of us had fun with Acme Arsenal - it's a lot of fun to whack robots as Bugs Bunny :)

Merry Christmas to all!

We finally got the tree up - my Mom and daughter did most of the decorating:

Now, we just have to get the gifts under it - assuming we can put the Wii-motes down...

My parents arrive from Florida today, so the Christmas visiting season is officially here. I'm still not ready; we've all had colds and my daughter has been bogged down with school projects - it's a late start for us.

The "forgotten" war that is still affecting us today ended on this day in 1918 - I found this image here, in an archive from Wisconsin history:

My grandfather on my mother's side fought in that war...

We drove down to a friend's house for a small barbecue and fireworks thing today - the fireworks were mostly of the "shooting stars" variety, but we did have a few rockets and Roman Candles (predictably, those got fired first). I snapped a few photos; here's Brian (our host) mixing some drinks before the fireworks:

And one of the Long Island Ice teas being consumed:

Fortified with appropriate beverages, we headed out to set things on fire :)

We had a fun evening - hope your fourth was enjoyable!

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Happy Fourth of July!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Technorati Tags: Independence Day

As we pause for the weekend's barbecues, I think we would do well to recall these words from Abraham Lincoln, which form part of the Gettsburg Address:

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.