Bringing in the New Year

Waiting for the big count down so we can go home and go to bed. Yep, we know how to PARTY!!!

Maybe I should put my camera away! :)

But then again, maybe I shouldn't - look at these cute, fun, fabulous women!!!

and more cute, fun, fabulous women!

I can't believe she slept through the big celebration - how do kids do that?

Here we are breaking open the hard stuff - Man, those mormons can really down apple cider!

The Brave Hosts. How many people can you squish into the Close's home? We don't know, we couldn't count that high. They had things set up in every room for entertainment and categorized for age levels. They are quite the party planners!

The new Warren Miller

The new Warren Miller!

He's not a bank robber, his name is Jimmy

Ready for our first time down the hill. Hang on buddy!

Going up the rope tow - if that's what you want to call it. Sorry, I guess I've been spoiled with Utah snow and skiing, but seriously, you call this a kiddy hill and a rope tow? Sheeeesh people!

We went with Brad and Kylie and met the Russell's up there later. Kylie was having some trouble getting out of the deep snow so Brad went to help and found himself in the same doom. Like Father like daughter!

I LOVE when people come to visit

Jimmy couldn't come - he had to work. I'm thinking this would have made a great Christmas card if he could have been there. Well, an excuse to go again!

You can't visit Seattle without going to the Space Needle!

Just look at those marshmallows (the moon is covered in them)

A Christmas Classic - The Christmas Story. I need to get Jimmy one of those lamps!

We went to the Gingerbread house display. EVERYTHING is made out of nothing but the good stuff - SUGAR! Look how big these houses are. It was amazing.

Tell me again why we buy toys for our kids, when really all they want are the boxes?


Some of our cousins came to visit us after Christmas. Soooo fun. Izaac had so much fun having 2 whole days to spend with his cousins.

Christmas 2009

Santa brought Izaac his loot of Star Wars Stuff. He said, "It's just what I wanted" in the most amazed voice. Wow, that Santa sure is a great guy! :)

Jimmy took Izaac to the bead store and Izaac picked out all of the beads that "mommy will love". I LOVE necklaces (Big Chunky Funky Marge Simpson kind) and this is PERFECT - although with the creative selection of beads, I've decided it makes a little bit better bracelet than a necklace.

Here's the inflatable punching bag for the boys to practice their karate on. Who am I kidding? I bought it for myself but put their names on it to justify buying myself a punching bag. Sometimes you just need a way to relieve some stress.

Jimmy spent alot of meticulous hours making this rubber band gun for Izaac. Jimmy is AMAZING at wood working. The guy can build ANYTHING. Izaac loves his new gun - especially because Dad made it for him.

Izaac is a very calm present opener. I think he just wants to relish in the occasion.

We got him a new loft bed & he loves it. He still (end of February) invites people in to see his new bed. It really opened up his room so now we can build forts in his room instead of the front room. Our favorite part of Christmas was, of course, watching Izacc, but that he was so grateful for the things he got. He kept telling everyone, "I got everything I wanted", and really, all he asked for was a green light saber. We stayed in our PJ's the whole day - literally, we woke up in the same clothes that we hung out in all day and wore to bed that night. Days like these are the BEST!!!

Christmas Cookie Exchange

How could he not be happy? A night full of any kind of cookie you would ever want.

Here is Nate actually smiling - not a common find! Good job Ralph!

Brooke & Gretchen FINALLY letting me take their picture! They should know I don't back down when it comes to getting pictures!

Jimmy & Nate trying to avoid me. Deep down, I know they wanted their picture taken.

Again, how could you not be happy? Great friends and COOKIES!!!

Just look at these yummy, totally calorie free, delights!

Our Marvelous Hosts! You just couldn't meet a more Fabulous Duo!

Jenny & Brad threw the best party. Everyone had to bring a dozen or so cookies and you could take a dozen or so new cookies home with you - or you could just eat them that night because they are fresh, moist, delicious, tempting, aromatically pleasing, well, you get the idea.

Hopping on some plastic and flying down a hill!

Here's my brave boy going all by himself.

Why 4 year olds shoudl NEVER be able to chew gum.

The DEATH train!

Jenny & Brad perfecting the act of 'covering yourself in snow'.

Izaac showing me the ropes of sledding.

Here's my hard clore sledder - Nothing gets in his way!

It was so fast that even the young spry teenagers couldn't stay on their sleds

Digging our pathway to injury

BRRRRRRRRRR!

It's been a while since out last voyage around the island, so since it wasn't raining, we decided to kayak another section of our quest. Is it possible to be sweating while getting frost bite? We were going against the tide and against the wind, which made for a good work out. However, it made the frost bite on our toes less noticeable so that when we were done, we could barely walk back to the cars. It literally took 2 hours before my toes and bottoms of my feet stopped tingling - and that's after a HOT shower, wriggling my toes, wool socks, and walking around. Next time, I'm definitely putting hand warmers in my boots.