I had a call this morning. It was Rian, at the motel in San Angelo. It seems that he, Erica and the hooligans had gone to the lobby to have their complimentary breakfast. As they were completing their meal, the boys began getting up and wandering. Rian said hooligan #2 was by the door one minute and the next thing they heard was the sound of tearing wrapping paper!

The unwrapping fiend had struck again! The victim came from under the tree in the lobby. The culprit didn't even bother opening the box, he was satisfied with just undressing it!

Come to think of it, this might explain more than is on the surface. This child also has a tremendous dislike for clothes! Hhhhmmmm.

Yesterday, when I was watching the hooligans and their Dad while their Mom packed their room, I observed #2 hooligan talking on the phone. (His parents had disconnected the phones).

"Mr. Policeman, would you come get Reid?", he would ask. It seems they have play phones at home that have "emergency" services. It was comical listening because whoever was out of #2's good graces, was placed on the radar of Mr. Policeman.

When hooligan #2's Dad was reporting this mornings happenings to their Dandy, I asked, "Do I need to call Mr. Policeman?"

Dad gave the phone to #2, telling him Mr. Policeman was on the line.

"Mr. Policeman, can you come get my brother Drew?", he asked.

"No", I replied, "But I can come get you! I had a call reporting someone had opened gifts that were not his! Was that you?"

I was treated to a very high shrill, "Noooo!".

It is amazing how innocent he became! Get out the cuffs, give me the rubber hose. I'll deal with this one! I'm going to sentence him to thirty minutes hard play and he is going to have to wear clothes!

During my baby sitting duties yesterday, Reid took a break to go to the bathroom. He was needing to play little entrepreneur! When he emerged later, he had on his underwear, was putting on his jeans, and carrying his shirt! I asked his Daddy where Reid got that he had to be totally unclothed to sit on the throne! These kids come by some things honest! Lucky for the hooligan's Daddy, he has his very on private bathroom off his office! It might be embarrassing if he had to share the bathroom with the general population of the school!

I don't know that I have laughed this much in recent years!

I am fearful that the hooligans are going to be worn totally out by the time they get back to their home in Lubbock. Yesterday afternoon they moved their camp from Abilene to Angelo where they will stay until Sunday when they return home. They are having Christmas at Rian's mother's this afternoon or tonight! Originally they had planned to return home tonight! I am sure their trip home will probably include a quick stop over in Roscoe.

I have so much stuff to do between now and the end of the year! Finding stuff could be an all day sucker itself! Our office is stacked! Fresh from the travel trailer. A stack here, a stack there, and already I am getting un-employment claims. And we are only a few days beyond the conclusion of the seasonal work. Wow! these guys have to fill out their paperwork prior to completion of the work to file so quickly!

I am so sore. My back, knees, hips. They are killing me. I have been on a steady regiment of Tylenol, Advil, Aleeve and Percogesic! It has been three days since I have had enough hot water to soak in a really hot tub! But today is the day I correct all that! I don't care if I have to build a fire in the middle of the bathroom floor and heat water in a tub!

Yesterday I carried the chunky hooligan from the indoor mall playground, outside toward the car. I finally traded Rian and carried the diaper bag the rest of the way! I think that the parents should sit the grand children in the laps of the grand parents, while said grand parents are sitting in their chairs.

I get tickled every time I hear Holt tell someone what Reid got for Christmas. "Santa brought my brother a baby gun!" (Meaning a B B gun). He says it with a near reverence.

Well, I had thought we might ought to trade these hooligans for new grand sons, but upon more reflection, I would hate to have to go through the training again that we have already gone through. So, as much as it pains me, I guess we will keep what we got. I've just got to keep Mr. Policeman's number close by!

Hope your 2008 Christmas memories are good!

FATHER, thank YOU for laughter!