CHRISTMAS! 12.23-12.27.09
Mike and I took off from Washington Wednesday evening and pulled into his parents house 4 hours later to have a small Christmas with the four of us. Woke up the next morning to spend a little more time with Ma and Pa VT before we headed out to my mommy's for a Christmas Eve, Christmas (her favorite day) with my sister, brother, Meagan, Eddie, and mom. We visited and had lots of fun then around 9:30 pm, both Mike's and I took off to my dad's. It was past midnight when we showed up, but both my grandpa and dad were awake so we HAD to open a few presents :) Woke up Christmas morning and opened what santa brought then headed off to Sherri and Ken's to visit and eat the YUMMY breakfast she made for us all. After breakfast Mike and I split.. he was headed for Canby, OR., to join his parents and visit with his extended family while I went with my dad, grandpa and brother to Salem, OR., to visit my extended family. We met back at Ma and Pa's around 6 pm then the 4 of us took off to Kennewick, WA., to suprise Mike's sister Kelsey! We let her husband Ode know ahead of time, but the kids and Kels had no idea we were showing up. We spent the rest of the weekend there and headed back on Sunday evening. WHEW!! Tons of traveling, but I'm so glad we did it.
The last year
Our mom threatened us growing up that if we didn't get a picture taken with Santa Claus every year until we're 18, we would have to move out. Mike and I technically could have been out a while ago, but we kept it up for Tarah... and force of habit. Next Christmas, Tarah will be 18 so she's safe and still has a place to live. There will probably be more Santa pictures, but with all the serious say cheese pictures she already has.. I'm sure we'll be a little more creative.
Santa came early! 12.20.09
We tried to fight it, but it never works.. we opened presents the Sunday before Christmas. We didn't even save the stockings. We figured we now get a few days at home to play with our toys before we start our traveling! That makes it okay... right??
We had fun little gifts mostly, but Mike's big gift was a projector to play games, movies or anything else on the wall and mine was a smaller camera! Soon after we opened presents we heard sirens from a firetruck close by and when we looked outside we saw Santa and Santa's sleigh on top of a firetruck playing Christmas music! He really did come early!
Looking a lot like Christmas!
Last year at this time we had too much snow on the roads to even get to work. This year.... nada. COME ON SANTA!
Happy December!
Turkey Day #2!!
This year on my mom's side we all went to Bill and Darlene's (my great aunt and uncle) for dinner. A lot of us were able to make it and we missed those that we not there. Dinner was absolutely delicious and everybody naturally ate too much of it. It was a big year for me because after all these years.... I made it to the grown up table. I think there might even be pictures.
I am glad Mike and I got to see so much family this holiday. That's what it's all about!!
Turkey Day #1!
The weekend before the actual holiday we had a nice dinner at my dad's in Westport, OR. Mike's parents, my grandpa, aunt Charla, brother Mike, Sherri with son Ken and mother and, of course, Mike, dad and I all ate grandpa's ham and all the side fixings. My turkey ran a little longer than planned, but it made nice left overs. We finished off the night with football, Skip-Bo and Uno before the smell of the turkey nobody ate made us all tired.
Friendsgiving!
Before everyone headed out of town, Mike and I got together with a group of friends and had thanksgiving.. Italian style. MMMM
Halloween 2009
This year went went to a friends house and had a small get together. Costumes were required for entry so a few days before a group of us went to value village to find what we needed to create the cast from 'Saved by the Bell'. Great show from the 90's... look it up if you don't know it. Mike and I were the cheesy main couple Zach and Kelly. Our friends Nick and Megan were the jock couple Jessie and AC Slater and our friend Kali was the lovable Lisa!
Independence Day 2009
We both had Friday off and headed out Thursday night to a friends cabin at Lake Eniant, WA. All together there was 9 of us cramming on one boat and playing on the beach all weekend, only stopping Saturday night to enjoy the firework show. Fun stuff.
Easter 09'
Mike and I came back to Oregon for some family time. Friday night we spent with my mom, Tarah and Sarah playing Wii, coloring eggs and ended the night by cruising to Wilsonville in Ron and Tami's fun little car (named grandma's race car) to go drive the go carts for free via Nick (Tarah's boyfriend, who works there). Saturday we spent with Mike's parents and my daddy-o playing many games involving dice and eating a dinner cooked by Tami that made you want to eat more even though you were about to blow. Sunday was church and back to mom's for our traditional egg cracking contest. Mike has been the reining champion even though he's only been participating for 5 years. I say he HAS been because someone had to put him in his place this year.... and that someone... was me. He was bummed, but I figured I could stop letting him win now that he's really comfortable with my side of the family.
V-day 09'
I got a pedicure in my own home :) ...and waffles
New Years and Liz's 24th!
Liz shares her birthday with the holiday and this year I got off work early to take her to a fun museum in Seattle equipped with laser shows, fun experiments and dinosaurs. Four hours later we went back to my house and rang in the new year playing Wii with Mike and our friend Carol then watching fire works that we can see from our top floor!
Christmas 08'
AGAIN, we didn't get to see much family. This time because of the crazy snow storm. We had planned out times to go to Oregon and it continued to get more crammed as the weather wouldn't let up. In the end, it was too risky for anyone to be driving so we'll be down in January celebrating a late holiday with some family. The snow was beautiful and we did get a nice 8 foot snowman in the backyard along with a handmade snow cave between bushes, but it is nice to drive places again.
My dad was able to drive up, thankfully, so him, mike and I had a really nice relaxing couple days. He got us the Wii so we even got some exercising in without it feeling like it! Well, until the next day when the entire right side of my body was sore.
The first tree farm we went to was asking for $156 dollars... for a tree!! Plus tax!!!! We took five minutes to take a picture of the price tag and went to the Carnation tree farm 5 minutes from home and now that I'm writing this I don't know why we didn't go there in the first place...anyway, $30-40 was something we could settle for. And we did!
Thanksgiving 08'
It was our first week in our new home so we took advantage of the time off work to put our home together. Mike's parents came up for a week and on the actual holiday my dad was able to also join for a quiet, casual turkey dinner. We were missing everyone we didn't get to see and hopefully we get to see pictures of everyone's day because I forgot to take some myself! Although, as you can see below, plenty of video.
10.31.08
Making the world safe on Halloween. Incredibility safe.
