Dawn and Tyler

Here's some photos of Dawn and Tyler. They are on their way to Arizona to help Dawn's mom through some surgery.

January Snow

It snowed about 15 inches today.

We shoveled many times......

Here's J.R. out shoveling. It was like shoveling sugar. It was cold.

I do have resolutions. I just haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do them. We miss all of you. Christmas was so much fun. I guess I need to put the high chair and toys away. Are you sure Oliver and Jak aren't coming back soon?

Isn't January a dose of reality? I still want to read, but I go several days when I'm too busy. I've started the book on Poland. Actually I'm in the middle. It's very interesting. (the one by James Michener.) Tommy gave me a great little biography for Christmas and I'm waiting to get to the third vampire book. I thought January was my month! Maybe it still is.

Papa Herb was in the hospital the other night with chest pains. They can't really figure out what it was. I asked Dennis if he was sledding or chopping wood, and Dennis said, of course! But the pain was very disturbing. It looks like it wasn't a heart attack, maybe a pulled muscle.

I hope Agata is feeling better. Travis is very busy with his project this quarter.

I'm sure Tommy is very busy, too.

Our papers are full of the new Cottonwood Mall project Danny's company will be working on. That's kind of a swampy, creek-fed piece of property and is on a hill. I wonder what problems will present?

Take care and keep in touch.

Netflix just delivered two unseen John Wayne westerns. Perfect. Dad will be excited.

Love, Mom

Dennis' New Year Resolutions

We agreed to publish New Years Resolutions. Here are mine:

1. Eat less at meals. Stop when I start to feel full. I really want to have my resolution be to lose weight, but I can't directly control that, so I am listing things I can directly control.
2. Exercise at least 4 times a week.
3. Budget better.

Not much, huh? Anyway, those are my resolutions. How about posting yours?

Some News

Megumi had a baby girl. She's 8lbs, some ounces, and is named "Kiko" which means precious baby. All is well. I'm sure Meg is glad to have her here. The name is pronounce Ky-Ko.

We saw a movie that made me laugh the other night. I think that most movies that are supposed to be funny, aren't. But some things make me laugh. It's called "Death Becomes Her" with Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis. I didn't even recognize Bruce Willis. I think he does a good job. It's pretty dark and weird, but a great satire. Goldie Hawn reminds me a bit of Agata.

Tommy is packing up to go back to school. Danny and Jenni and boys made it home safely. Last night the wind blew hard here and it snowed and rained. I think we are supposed to get our regular Sunday storm tomorrow (2:00 Church!). Travis and Agata arrived safely from Poland, Sandy, and the airport.

Alex is busy as usual. He really works hard. I'm sure you're all enjoying his letters. He writes again on Tuesday night.

We miss you and love you! Thanks for sharing Christmas with us!

Temple Square Christmas

Here's the Salt Lake Temple

Tommy and Travis

Jenni and Danny

They had nativity scenes from all cultures. This was my favorite.

Christmas at the Currit's

Christmas Eve

Travis and Jak

Dawn, Tyler, Travis, and Tommy

Christmas afternoon

Christmas in Sandy

Travis, Tommy and Jak build Ma and Pa Snowman

Tommy and Jak

Christmas Eve with cute pajamas

Merry Christmas to All

Dec. 18, 2007

Merry Christmas dear family! It's not worth watching the intermountain weather report as the time draws near for Danny's subaru to leave Seattle. It seems like three storms are due and the times keep shifting from tonight through Thursday night. I think there's a chance the roads might be drier on Friday. Let's hope. The storms are coming from the Northwest.

Alex writes tonight. (tomorrow his time.) He is a very busy missionary!! His dedication to the Lord and missionary work really lifts up my heart regularly. We love him and pray for him.

Speaking of intermountain, our new hospital is called, so far, Intermountain Medical Center. It's huge, too huge to staff. I wish they had kept the old Cottonwood Hospital name. But this does indicate that trauma will be arriving from all over the west. Why did I tell you that? Because after talking to Allison Birrenkott recently who was in a car accident and treated at U of U (poorly) I wanted to know the name of our new hospital. So I'm passing it on. (My visiting teacher told me. She's a nurse there. She said they are still arguing about the name. Some people call it the Deathstar, because it is so big and took so long to finish.)

This started out to be a Christmas letter. I watched Bing Crosby in White Christmas recently. It was so fine. But it's not really called that. oh well. The name and the plot aren't important. It's all about singing and dancing.

Sunday was fun. We have been building fires in our fireplace. We also watched a Christmas show with Tommy. He seems to be taking finals and projects in stride.

When I worry I make bread. It's hard to worry and make bread. It feels right to have a freezer full of whole wheat bread. I might be warning you. You'll be eating bread.

I listened to a saved phone message from Tyler tonight. He called and left a message on my birthday. It's so good to have him here this Christmas. We love you all and are grateful for your efforts to be with us. Agata is such a good sport to join in our noisy gatherings. I will always remember the Christmas program you all put on for us at Thanksgiving. Each of you add so much to our lives.

Travel safely, everyone. And Agata, please come back!

Christmas Party

Here's a few photos from our christmas party last night. Danny, Jenni, Agata and I, Mike and Rebecca, and the kids sat down for a luxurious 12 course meal accompanied by hearty chatter and silly reindeer antlers.

Big News from Utah

Dec. 7, 2007

We only recently found out that Dawn and Tyler are expecting a baby. Dawn is 9 1/2 weeks along. They went for their first doctor appointment on Thursday to a doctor at St. Marks Hospital. They are very excited. Dawn is feeling pretty good. It's such a joy to think of another little baby coming to our family. Tyler's phone number is 652-8480. I'm sure he will welcome all of our love and support.

Christmas Brunch

Dec. 4, 2007

Your Christmas lists are Christmas presents in themselves. Thanks for them. I'm for repeating the fun and maybe weird Christmas brunch we had last year with the sausage, hardboiled eggs, kippers, cheese, and crepes. So please suggest anything else that you would like to eat with that brunch, any culture, any country. Has it stopped raining in Seattle yet?

Christmas

Wow, crazy. Its December already. I think that we should skip drawing names as well. I am already planning just getting everyone gifts anyway. Travis, I like your list. I have been having Starcraft cravings lately, we will have to hit that up. Are the computers still networked in the basement? Anyway, I haven't had much time to think of a Christmas list. I must be pretty content, actually...
Any type of movie is always appreciated, burned off the computer or new or whatever.
Mac video games...
Any kind of photoshop/illustrator CS3 book...
Anything artsy. . .
Movie theatre giftcards
A cool beanie, thats not too tight
Good loafing time with the fam, maybe over a cheese and cracker fest
Anyway, thats all. Suprises work. I hope all of you like toothpaste, cuz thats what you're getting. Oh, and I don't think a beard contest will work, since I have finals up until the 21st of December (BYU and their Nazi like hatred for manly facial hair grrrr...) But a mustache contest may work, and we would all be on equal groud since pa shaved his off. (Mustaches or fine with BYU, but beards aren't. Have they seen a pedophile watch list lately???)
Any ways. See you all in a few.
Tommy

Back in Action

Somehow in the transition to life in Seattle I forgot about the Blog. That's sad, as its such a nice thing to read what everybody writes-- ill try to do my share in the future.

So my first quarter is just about wound down. I have two finals left but neither should be too scary, so Im kind of coasting in to a smooth finish. Agata on the other hand has a rough road up ahead so my hardest task at the moment is probably playing cheerleader, chef, and proofreader to try to help her through. Its tough stuff; reading through her assignments makes me realize how glad I am that I chose to concentrate on history, with its firm grounding in practicalities, and not literature or art, the study of which tends to fly off philosophical deep ends. I think in Poland Art History was closer to what we do here in History departments, instead of the pseudo-philosophy it is here.

We are going to San Francisco after finals are done as a celebration/christmas present/last chance to be together before we go our separate ways over Christmas. Im really looking forward to it, especially since as this will be my fourth trip my tourist ambitions are incredibly low--I just want to hang out, enjoy being with Agata, wander the streets, and eat some good food.

Here in Seattle we are experiencing a Deluge of Biblical proportions--or so it seems to me, a Seattle newbie. But im told were setting records even for this sodden climate. Basically weve had non-stop precipitation since Saturday, resulting in flooding in some areas apparently but nothing thats directly effected me. What has effected me is that Im freezing all the time-- by the time I get to class Im absolutely sodden, and I don't dry out until its time to come home and get wet again. I finally retreated to the computer lab where the lack of ventilation and the giant server keeps the room warm although suffocatingly stuffy. But its better than in the the library where i was, as my body processes had started switching off into hibernation mode in a desperate attempt to stave off freezing.

Which brings me to my christmas list, much of which will reflect the fact that Im cold and wet right now, so take it with a grain of salt perhaps. Also a question: are we drawing names or doing a general present give a thon to all comers? I have this feeling that even if we draw names I will feel like getting most everybody a gift so I suggest that name drawing is unnecessary.

Anywho, my list:
Relatively thin long sleeved sweaters, of the type that can be worn as an underlayer or overlayer-- Ive got some examples Ive stolen from alex's closet over the years
socks
underwear
umbrella
some computer game playing time with tommy in the basement over christmas break
a sledding trip
cheese and sausages yum yum yum
sushi
more memory for my computer
a wireless mouse for my laptop
spices for the kitchen, or sauces for ccoking
cookbooks-- i love them as I am unable to cook without a recipe-- especially ones geared towards easy/fast/cheap meals, more useful than healthy or gourmet at this point in my life
comic books
no real need for movies-- between Netflix, the library, Scarecrow videa, and the internet ive got all I can handle
a Blender
a microwave
electric mixer
meat/candy thermometer
equipment for making sushi
deep-fryer :)
a party with my friends
a trip to see Nightmare before Christmas in 3d as a fam
a good German-English/Russian-English dictionary
textbooks


Ok thats about all, mainly I would just like to hang out and relax, shoot the breeze and play some games.

Hope your all doing well, drop a line or gimme a call sometime,

TQC

Christmas is upon us!

Long time, no blog. I am still alive and trying to figure out how to handle the holidays. I am having a hard time getting anything done at work. Most of our projects are stalled pending a decision by someone in management and everyone who works for me is taking a lot of vacation. Basically, this month is very unproductive.

I haven't even thought about Christmas, but I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again, though we will miss Agata. Hopefully, we will Skype often.

I look forward to reading, playing games and loafing over the holidays. Also, we are betting that Oliver will be crawling by then, so I may spend some time chasing him. How about you?

Christmas List

December 1, 2007

Thanks to everyone who made such an effort to join us at G-pa and G-ma's for Thanksgiving. What a wonderful way to start the holiday season! It was good to hear that Alex also had a turkey dinner (aren't his letters great?) Dawn and Tyler enjoyed their trip to Arizona. They shared Thanksgiving dinner with Dawn's folks in Flagstaff on Wednesday then drove back on Thursday (it's about family and flexibility, don't you think?) We can't let this holiday completely pass by without thanking Agata for putting up with us all and being so gracious. We've had years to get used to each other. We loved having Agata with us. My favorite memories include the Guesstures game, the hot tub in the cold air, the weiner roast and the farkel game and who could ever forget the Christmas musical program? Let's keep that going. I loved it. Going to Joannes and experiencing the happy crowd was fun, too. You never know when you will meet someone unique and unforgettable. Today I went to the game store at the mall, early. It's my favorite store and only shows up at Christmas. There was a young girl there with the widest face I have ever seen. She was only about four feet tall. She was bright and pleasant and funny. But she couldn't work the cash register or her cell phone (apparently she knew how to do it in the other store). Her dad managed the store and had stepped out to get something to eat. She was supposed to call him. So I stayed with her and talked. I didn't want to put my merchandise back and I thought she probably shouldn't be alone. I guess she is the poster child for disabilities in Utah. She represented Utah in the White House recently and opened the Festival of Trees. Her name is Samantha Spacil. She pronounces her last name "special". She had a brain tumor that destroyed her pituitary gland and other things and left her with a disorder that makes her ravenously hungry all of the time. They had to move the store to the upper level. In one mall it was by the pretzel store. She couldn't handle that. Her dad came and told me that she shouldn't have lived this long. Every day is a miracle. Of course I had time there to buy more than I had planned. Anyway, meeting her made my day.

If you don't write a Christmas list soon, you might receive some regrettable surprises. (but I keep receipts).

Here's mine:

vcr for the front room (ours died. We'll probably have this solved soon.)
dvd's of the Office for me to watch
a family movie night with popcorn
a family game night
world peace
photos of family, especially of Tyler and Tyler and Dawn
copies of Tommy's photos that are in the basement, especially the wood framed tree trunks.
a copy of the cactus flower photo matted just like it is.
Grandma's pozole recipe and genealogy line back to Judith that she read at Thanksgiving
malted milk balls from Trader Joes
computer lessons
movies that make me laugh
I'm kind of a minimalist: I like little things.

We watched Elf last night with friends. I laughed all the way through "Blades of Glory." Could it be I'm on a Will Ferrell kick? Elf was funny. He's so guiless and stupid through the whole entire thing. We tried to watch "Mooseport". That was not funny. Here's some movies I want to see: Dan in Real Life, Enchanted, and Beowulf in 3-D. I think there will be a new National Treasure out on Christmas Eve. We need to see a Christmas (eve?) movie. We're thinking about Enchanted. In fact, I think that's what we will see.

I will try to add some realistic things to that Christmas list. Most of all, let's just get together and not be in a hurry, like we were at Grandma's.

Love, Mom

Jak's Birthday Party

The cake was a Blue Angel

The candles were rockets

We are eating again

Jak blows out his candles

The Dennis Currit Family Musical

Travis and Agata sang a Polish carol

Papa Herb dressed for the occasion

Danny played guitar

Jak and Jenni sang "I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee"

Thanksgiving 2007

Looking down canyon as the sun sets (2:30 p.m.)

Jak, Danny, Agata and Travis

The best weiner roast ever

Emily, and the others

Thanksgiving 2007

Tommy looking hungry

Our end of the table

G-Ma, Agata, and Travis

Ben, Megan, Uncle Mike, Aunt Meri, G-Ma and Papa Herb and various vulgar body parts