The Holidays

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True to form, it is only in the last days of January, on a snow day, when we're finally able to sit down to chronicle a very dense two weeks that took place in Northern California over a month ago. We now have icicles on our phone lines, and the snow is so deep that you can't tell the road from the sidewalk. After dark mornings and cold days, as well as dry and bitter nights, it's about time we got something out of this Winter weather-- snow!! Our apologies to those few people who have been waiting with baited breath for the next post from the Hackberry Hooligans.




We spent a good chunk of time in California, diving our time between the Bay Area and Tuolumne County. Our friend Chad had a friend who was going to be out of town, and we happily volunteered to housesit, since we needed a place to stay. We happily watched over this beautiful house and took care of a supposedly 16 year old cat named Yoda (who was very healthy. We have serious doubts about the age).

Lisa's favorite sister Lauren drove all the way from the colony of Walnut Creek to visit us, braving tunnels and persistent traffic cops all to hang out with her favorite nephew Soren. Lauren is a great gal who owns 75 pairs of shoes (!!!) and is having a great time working for Virgin Airlines. Even though she has had a bad experience with Thai food, she braved the Albany strip to venture into the world of Southeast Asian food. We're happy to say that this time, it was a success. Soren is especially fond of Aunt Lauren's long hair (as are the single men! Watch out!)

Our Christmas in Tuolumne was a serious event! For one thing, Lisa met my Grandpa Stu and Grandma Kay for the first time, and they met Soren! They're both pretty lucky-- Soren is their 5th great-grandchild. Can you believe it?

And of course, they loved both Lisa and Soren. What's not to love, right? Both of my grandparents are into their late 80's and have battled health problems of varying degrees for the past decade. They're both huge troopers, and some of the most loving, accepting people I have ever met. I love them to death.

My cousin Erin (above) drove my grandparents down with her son Forrest and daughter Elsbeth. Erin is was the first granddaughter on the Exstrom side of the family, and she still feels like the Matriarch of sorts. She had white hair as a kid-- a Super-Swede! Forrest has recently fallen in love with playing piano, and Elsbeth has recently fallen in love with Soren.

Here you can see Mr. S indulging in his new favorite pastime: Eating Paper. This is a fortunate hobby, since it's really easy to find an endless supply of this free item!

Before heading up the hill, though, we got to spend my 30th birthday party with some of my friends from CSU Hayward. I'm glad to have kept in touch with so many of these guys, even after we moved out to the middle of nowhere. My friend Darren set the whole thing up, in about half a day, and i treated myself to a Chinese Birthday Cake from Oakland China Town, which i have wanted for years! It was a Honeydew fruit cake. Highly recommended, especially with Zachary's Pizza, which Darren also brought.

Jess, Keiko, Rob, Darren, Yukie, and Liz all met Lisa and Soren for the first time. Yukie and Keiko both agree: especially in his sleep, Soren is "kawai"-- cuuuute!

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During Christmas of 2008, the happiest people in the entire world, without exaggeration, were my parents. They had met Soren one time earlier, and were besides themsevles at the prospect of spending five days with him. They kept suggesting that Lisa and I go somewhere for a date, so that they could selflessly stay home with him and babysit. Soren is their first and favorite grandkid, and from the moment he woke us up in the morning, their fingers would start twitching with excitement.


My dad took a special affinity towards Soren, and read Curious George Rides a Bike to Soren, who acted was very interested. (My dad may have been using special voices, because Soren is not quite as interested to hear me read this story to him).

We came home one night after a date at Sonora's one local brewery to this scene: my dad reading Curious George aloud, with Soren and my mom both listening with eyes closed. This just about broke my heart-- talk about an experience you could never even imagine.

Soren in a sun bath!


It looks like my Grandma just proposed a difficult riddle to Soren...

We spent a day in Yosemite for a potential wedding site. So beautiful and snowy!

My dad's oldest brother, Dave, loved his new Great Nephew.

Eeeee! Our little monk!


Soren with his Aunt Lisa (one of two)

Fall quarter comes to a close

We're running short on words-- Christmas is coming up, and we're hustling to get our house in order. Soren's been a champ, though he's getting the pre-teething blues. We're back to interrupted sleep.

We've had a pretty good Fall, all in all. We definitely don't feel ready for Winter, a season which feels long, cold, and lonely in Cincinnati. The trees look skeletal, the cold keeps us pent up inside, and the short days and lack of fresh produce take a definite toll on our moods.

But it's also a time for bundling up, bonding, long talks, hot cups of tea, warm glasses of wine, and introspection. We're still enjoying each others' company, and our new family is a lot of fun. At least, we enjoy ourselves.

We have two more quarters to finish off strong. I'm starting the daunting and disheartening task of applying for jobs, and Lisa is imagining life after school. She's been in school, almost without respite, since she has been in Kindergarten. Talk about a trooper (or glutton for punishment, depending on your point of view).

We're looking forward to the coast, the mountains, the pine trees, friends, and family. And as you can see, Soren is grateful to our friend Nykole for his new monkey! Lisa has always called him "Silly Monkey," so it was a funny surprise to have this monkey emerge from the mail.















My grandparents have a picture of my grandpa getting his first bath in a sink. I think of him everytime we give Soren a bath.



















This is the "I'm CUTE!" Kodak entry.




















Makes me think of a deadly Sumo Wrestler.

The Fairfields from Yuba City

There are 3 Fairfield boys in my immediate family. My brother Pete (above) is the oldest. He's a physical therapist, drives a motorcycle, listens to nu-metal on occasion, and has graduated into the realm of facial hair. I tried in vain to dress like him growing up, but since he was firstborn, he got all the new clothes. I got his clothes when he was bored with them. So though i did eventually get to dress like him, by that point it was years out of fashion.

Pete is not himself a dad. This is puzzling to many, because he's amazingly natural with kids. He was an uncle even before Soren came along, but this is his first Fairfield Nephew. And if you know my family, this is a special thing. My family is very close, and very loving. We know a little too much about each other, and we have a lot of variation in my family. We don't always agree or see eye to eye, but we love each other and always work to understand each other. Sometimes i think of how different Pete and i are; on paper, we should be extremely awkward around each other. He loves to ride ATV's, and i love contemporary art. But i love my big brother, and i get so giddy to be around him.

I don't think that Pete's ever really worked with kids. I don't even think he ever really babysat. As far as i know, he's never wanted to have kids really strongly. But you should see Soren with him-- he gets so goofy and funny. Soren can't stop laughing, and maybe he feels some sort of solidarity because of their haircuts...? I haven't quite figured it out.

My brother Pete is married to another Lisa. And like Pete, she is in-cred-ible with Soren; he couldn't get enough of his Aunt Lisa. She makes this hilarious chicka-chicka sound and gets this crazy look on her face that made him squeak so loudly that it startled us. He loved it. I don't know if i had ever heard him laugh so much before.

My sister-in-law #1 is the only female fire chief that i've ever met in my life. She's kind of a big deal. And, she's the most calm, down-to-earth, easy going person i've ever met, without any hint of an ego. She's great, and great for Pete.



Pete and Lisa flew into TN to check up on their property that they hope to move to someday in the future. Pete was scheduled to go to a conference in my old stomping grounds Knoxville. But the propspect of meeting a new Fairfield wooed him, and he nobly ditched the meeting. I didn't even ask him to. He's that great of a brother.

We got to sample the best of local Cincinnati cuisine (Hey, c'mon. Stop laughing, please) :

1) Brunch at the Parkside Cafe,
2) lunch and Curb Your Enthusiasm at our house,
3) "Burger Madness" at Arthur's,
4) Ethiopian lamb and vegetables at Emanu, and
5) Incredible vegetarian Indian food at Udipi.






































(Though honestly, how could you say no to this guy here? He's so special, i can barely stand it. I love this kid.)

Halloween...(i know, it's nearly December)

The Associable Press
CINCINNATI, OH:

Fans and curious onlookers alike gathered at the British Petroleum gas station near the Chipotle Mexican-themed restaurant to catch a glimpse of popular Republican Presidential hopeful Senator John McCain and his running mate Governor Sarah Palin.

Governor Palin was nice enough to pose for a quick photo as she gassed up her new Honda CR-V, which she bought out-of-pocket with her new tax credit from the oil companies of Alaska. Her children are probably in the back somewhere...

But perhaps even MORE exciting is that Gov Palin showed up with her running mate, Senator McCain!!! Mr. McCain had a short temper that night, and though all were glad to get to meet him in person (much shorter than he appears on camera...), all were quick to give him space.

The Republican Presidential Hopeful wore a smashing hand-crafted suit. His hair was extra-boisterous to meet the adoring fans. Though he kept his speeches to a minimum, he did make a lot of verbal noises. Some involved blowing bubbles, and others sounded like doo-wop hits that involved the lyrics: "bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran." He snickered shortly thereafter, though the Iranian-American in the room was slightly horrified.

The Republican running mates met with their new poster spokesperson, everyday beer-drinker and not-exactly-legally licensed plumber: Joe the Plumber. Joe wore a gray sweatshirt, a beer belly, and a cap, since it was cold. The Senator gave a rousing speech, the Governor winked, and the Plumber looked cross eyed.

Good job to all! Change is coming!

Another Apple Adventure

Fall is one of our favorite seasons at the Dexfield household, and we are glad to know that our new addition is already a fan. He has a few different pumpkin outfits that he has been wearing with pride including this one above, one from his favorite Aunt Lauren, and the one with the Pumpkin-On-The-Butt (see previous post). Luckily for us, pumpkin patches and apple orchards can be found just a short drive from our house. So we took our guy for his first hayride at a genuine apple orchard.

I love these handmade signs! When i become old and crotchety, i hope i can make handmade signs for a living.

Lisa in the breeze. I think she looks like she's sowing seeds, planning out our homestead.

We were lucky enough to run into superstar Joe the Plumber's Father and his grandniece Gertrude.

Just kidding. I have no idea who this guy is.

As you can tell, adventures run amok in the land of the swing voters. It feels slightly stressful to have so much going on: school, 3 jobs for Lisa, running a house, passing Soren back and forth... It's funny to me that when we are older, we will see these pictures and think, "Oh gosh, that was a good time. Look how much fun we had."

Memory is so weird!