Washington's Wintery Beach

Nothing says a Washington beach like these photos. Cold, grey, zero visibility and fun! Forrest and I spent a weekend of clamming at Pacific Beach in January with our good friends, Eika & Darrell and Megan & Brian and kids. While we had no luck with clamming, we had a fun relaxing time on a wintry beach.

Happy New Year! 2009 Already?

The year is off running. Ingrid spent the week with us instead of going to a YMCA camp. On Friday we went bowling with some friends. We had 9 kids with us. Luckily we had the entire bowling alley to ourselves so that no one was bothered by our wandering 2 year olds, our shoe-less bowlers, the balls that would hit the floor with a painful blow (really, I can't believe we didn't leave the place with a gaping hole), Peyton and Mallorie playing "Little Mermaid" atop the ball returns, and the usual general mayhem of 9 kids and 3 moms having too much fun. After bowling we stopped by the Thurston County Animal Shelter where Ingrid got a lesson on animal control. It wasn't easy explaining to a sweet and innocent little girl what "putting down" an animal means. I kept trying to dance around the "k" word, when Forrest and Zack just put it right out there and said it like it is: "They kill the dogs." Ingrid's face fell in total horror. I'm afraid our little trip to the dog pound may have scared her for life. Sorry Eika and Darrell.

Later that day...I took Zack, Ingrid, Forrest and Buckley to Capital Forest. The park was closed but we parked at the closed gates and walked in. My child had a near-to-close emotional break down. He is mastering the art of the Poor Pity Me. Hum, could it have any thing to do with staying up until 11:15 pm with his friends the night before? I'm really good at this psychological stuff.

Virginia Tech beat some team that starts with a "c." We had 3 couples over to watch the game and feast on: ham & bean soup, Ciopinno, bread, clam cakes, meatballs, and lots of yummy appetizers. The evening was filled with lots of belly laughs, the kind that...(well, you know ladies). Can't think of a better way to spend the first day of the New Year!

Christmas Holiday

Hanging out with Ingrid, Peyton, Deaven & Morgan. That day they played, lets run away from the very intimidating 15 lb. 2-year old Morgan.

Our lovely but look-but-don't-touch or don't-breathe too hard DRY tree. Seriously, I thought this thing was going to internally combust. After the gifts were opened on Christmas day, I had to keep myself from tearing it down right then and there. I didn't though. Isn't there a law again't that? Our favorite gifts: Forrest: Wii & DS games, Lit: waffle maker, Rachelle: custom-made tote for choir rehearsals, Buckley: the laser flashlight-pointer thing that he completely ignores. We spent Christmas evening with Eika & Darrell. Our great friends. They made a yummy meal of ham, squash, rice. For dessert Eika made a bread pudding that was to die for. We drank lots of wine and talked about everything.

It snowed so much here, that even a tow truck going through our neighborhood got stuck! There was something very disconcerting about that...

Lovely but deadly. Casualties of this years beautiful snow: our 85 year old Camellia tree (I cried about that one), the roundish-bush in front now has gaping holes in it, a huge branch came crashing down within centimeters hitting our house ( still can't figure out where it came from). I'm sure there are more surprises around the corner.