Merry Christmas

Hope Christmas has been good to all of the PPO3 visitors. We started ours with a road trip to Ohio. My first Christmas present was given to me by a stranger. Somewhere in West Virginia on our way to Ohio as I was cruising along when a jeep got right in front of me….going the speed limit. I was quite perturbed until I realized that there was a cop ahead and this jeep was purposefully slowing me down. Thanks mister jeep guy.
Plus, on the way back, a stranger in front of us paid our toll.

It was good to be in Ohio with the Poff clan.

The mystery Christmas gift that Janelle and Mandy have been keeping a secret was a trip to NYC in May. Turns out the clues they gave were not entirely true. I’ve only been to the big apple once and only for an afternoon so I haven’t covered much ground. If you have any suggestions about what we go/see/do while we are there leave a comment below.

The Ohio Odyssey

Janelle's dad Jerry turned 60 last week. We drove up to Ohio and back in one weekend to be there (left Friday night and came back Sunday Night). So now he is officially the only 60 year old man, with an implant in his chest and a foot with no feeling that can beat me at ping-pong.
Happy 60th Jerry

the Poff Family Cup

Part of the Poff Retreat tradition is the Poff Family Cup. Every year each couple (Jerry/Dana, Jared/Becky, Justin/Tracey, us) play some sort of tournament to determine who gets to keep the trophy until the next retreat. Alas, for the last two years Justin/Tracey have been the victors. However, this year the Poff Games were postponed until Christmas...until then the Cup will stay at our house.....where it belongs

Poff Retreat 07

Every year, the Poffs (Janelle's side of the family which include her parents, grandparents and her brothers families) get together for a long weekend which I have affectionately labeled the Poff Retreat. This year it was over Labor Day weekend at Crockett's Run.

wedding

The family went to West Virginia for Janelle’s cousin’s wedding. Most of Janelle’s side of the family is Nazarene (that’s a church denomination by the way) which apparently has a strict “no dancing” policy (it’s like the movie Footloose all over again)….so once the music started the crowd got a bit thin. Needlessly to say, the Pates and the Poffs, known for their partying ways, closed the party down a couple hours later.

Bellybean

We had our first ultrasound today to get a peek at “butterbean”. Can’t be certain, but I think I see a hint of the infamous Poff chin.

Tyler in Town

Our nephew Tyler was in town for a marathon week that included the speedpark, a baseball game, a drive-in movie, tubing, and camping.

Pics from Janelle/Caden's trip to Ohio

Minus the Mullet

No more party in the back. Caden' s unruly mullet is now gone

Caden's Uncle Justin

Maybe that hat is on a little too tight

Grandma and Grandpa Poff, with cousin Tyler

Caden with his Great Grandparents (Janelle's side)

Twisted Sisters

Janelle and her sisters (in-law)

Grandma and GrandPoff

Jerry and Dana came up for the week to visit with "us", but they seem to be coming down a bit more ever since we had Caden.

Jerry is decades older than me, has a defibulator in his chest, and foot that has little to no feeling, and he still beat me in table tennis. Bring on the special olympics team

Swing Lessons

Jerry and I put up Caden's first swing in the back yard.
For all you other knot enthusiasts, the swing is secured to the branch by two anchor bends. Let me put it this way, that branch will break, before the knot does

Well.... I am pretty sure the knots will hold