Perfection!

So much achieved in just one single game...

Single season scoring record for a team. Complete.
Single season touchdown pass record. Complete.
Single season touchdown reception record by a single receiver. Complete.
League record for consecutive wins over two seasons (19). Complete.
The perfect 16-0 season. Complete.

Nothing more exciting than watching history be made.

Perfect Family Christmas

Christmas has come and gone, and it was another good one. The kids are still bouncing around the house trying to spread their time between all their new toys, dolls, and games. Donna and I are still working on the extra pounds earned during the great meals spent laughing and smiling with family.

We started on the 23rd at Mom and Dad Anderson's where we had the whole Anderson family (all 8 of us, not much by Welch standards!) together for a terrific lobster and steak dinner. It is always enjoyable to spend time with all of us together. Gavin and Isabelle especially enjoy getting to spend time with Uncle Ciao and learning Italian over dinner.

Christmas Eve brought Mom and Dad Anderson to our house for lasagna, frosting Christmas cookies, and presents. It was hard to tell whether Izzy enjoyed the presents, or the purple cookie frosting more. Gramma scored the big favs early with Star Wars figures for Gavin, and a cash register, shopping cart, and more play food than you can imagine for Isabelle. Great gift! As expected, it was a terrific night with family.


Christmas Day we almost got to sleep in, as Gavin woke up around 7am, and completely forgot it was Christmas morning. That was soon solved at 7:20 as he bounded out of his bedroom yelling it was time for present! Once the scraps of wrapping paper, empty toy boxes, and stockings had settled, Gavin and Izzy were both very happy with Santa's choices this year.

Gavin did well with the Star Wars, Transformers, Ben 10 trifecta while Izzy was very happy with her Dora Doll House, Princess sleeping bag and tent, and mini-cleaning set to help around the house. Nothing like a 2 yr. old with a swiffer to keep the house clean. Now, Donna and I are working on turning over the "toy tide" to cycle through those less used items from last year to make room for this years treasures.

We hosted Welch Christmas this year. 19 people if you are looking for the Anderson comparison from above. And yes, The Massachusetts Welch's were indeed missed. If you have never experienced the present opening portion of a Welch Family Christmas, well, words just won't do it justice. It's loud. It's fast paced. Frantic, messy, fun, well choreographed, and always an amazing case study for multi-tasking. All in all, one of those life experiences that everyone should have at least once. The lucky ones, get to look forward to it every year.

The dinner was nothing short of a small feast. And, in true Molly fashion, Donna took some pics of the appetizer table to allow others to enjoy it.

Our dining room did a pretty good job of packing everyone in, even including the obligatory "little kids" table. We did have one small mishap during dinner. But, we managed to save enough of the applesauce that not everyone had to be served off the carpet, or the wall.......nice distance Donna.















And just like that, we are looking at the new year. Christmas flew by, but left us with exactly what we wanted. Smiling kids, and a bunch more memories made with our families. Another perfect family Christmas.

Classic Inspriational Words

This Holiday, I thought it appropriate to find a little inspiration from one of the great motivational speakers of our time. Enjoy, and have a fantastic Holiday with family and friends.

Rudolph a la Gavin

Merry Christmas from Gavin. The bouncing caroler.

What is the message?

As is tradition this time of year at many companies, our CEO sent out a "Happy Holidays" email this past Friday. In the email, he decided to give some updates on some of the larger company "news" items that people have been waiting on for quite some time. Unfortunately, the news he delivered was not positive.

Here is a snippet of the email...."While we have made tremendous progress with both domestic and international utilities, we have always known that we, like any company selling enterprise wide solutions in a highly competitive market, will not win all transactions. Unfortunately, SDG&E, where we were a finalist, has notified us they will not be moving forward with Us."

The translation, for those not at the company is, "the deal that we have been counting on to provide the needed revenue stream to sustain our business plans through 2008, will not be coming." I am torn as to whether this type of news belongs in a "Happy Holidays" message.

On one hand, I agree with the philosophy of Senior Management sharing information as it becomes available to equip an informed workplace. Knowing that this deal is not coming will allow those who understand the impact to plan their finances, and Holidays spend accordingly as the bonuses and merit increases may not be coming.

However, the impact of this specific news is such, that it overshadows the Holidays. Instead of ending the year looking forward to relaxing with friends and family, many employees are going to spend the season wondering what to do next, and how long they have in their current jobs.

So, agree, or disagree, the impact remains the same in the office. The wind is out of the sails heading into the Holiday week, and whether he intended it or not, our CEO did not give most people the Holiday they were looking for.

I feel the need, the need for...

Speed! 130MPH speed. Not a bird, not a plane, it's a bike?!?!? Okay, so world records are just that. World records. And, well, crazy people, are just crazy people. Take a seemingly simple world record like the "bicycle speed record" and add a crazy Austrian, and you get this....

Yep, the new bicycle speed record of over 130MPH has been set by 33 year old (lucky to make it to 34) Markus Stoeckl on a standard issue mountain bike down a ski slope in Austria. I am sure, this made sense to someone when he first pitched the idea.

To see the full effect, and to hear what a 130MPH mountain bike sounds like as it roars past you, check out the video.



And, not worries family, I will continue to stick to my MUCH slower pace.

No skis needed

Who needs skis? And who said bikes had to go away in the winter. I'm still riding. I love this!!

Christmas time is here.

Christmas has come to our house early this year. The lights are glowing on the outside of the house and welcome me home every night. The tree is up, and Gavin and Isabelle had a wonderful time decorating it this year with all of their favorite ornaments.

The stockings are hung, by the chimney with care and lots of other festive decorations are scattered about making the house glow with holiday warmth and cheer. The kids are very into Christmas this year, and love everything about the holiday. The lists are ready for Santa, and they have already paid him one visit at the mall. Christmas carols are on the radio daily, and both Gavin and Izzy have learned their favorites.

We have spent a family evening by the fire watching the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas, and it is just as amazing as the first time I watched it. If you have not seen it in a while, I highly recommend it, if for no other reason, to remind yourself how cool Vince Guaraldi's music is.



Donna and I finished the Christmas shopping today, and neither of us can believe how early everything is done this year. We now have the entire month of December to enjoy the sights, sounds, warmth, and laughter of the season. Just the way it should be.

In the immortal words of Tiny Tim.....