Bald Eagle

Lately, as we've been driving near our home, we've spotted a majestic bald eagle (sometimes 2) hanging out in the trees about an inlet.  It's pretty fantastic to see it relatively up close and I've been hoping to catch a picture of it.  Well, this morning on the way home from church we saw him again, so I dashed home, grabbed my camera and ran back with Emmy and London.  Lucky for us, he (or she) was still perched on a branch.  I was able to get some pretty good shots as he warily eyed us from his perch.  It wasn't until another car stopped to see him that he flew off.

Sunrise...Sunset

Yep, pretty spectacularly beautiful!

Point Defiance Park

Since we didn't even leave the house on Christmas Day, I was ready to get out and get moving by the day after Christmas.  Despite the weather being a little cold and damp and misty, we ventured over the Tacoma Narrows to a place called Point Defiance Park.  I've been here before only for the zoo which is tucked away on its acreage, but I've also heard about miles and miles of lovely trails.  So we bundled up and found a walk partly along the water, partly among the trees.  Very refreshing!

Beautiful Grammie

With the Vashon Island ferry behind

 Stevie was with us part of the way, but then had to go to the hospital for his appointment to get his cast off!

The purple girls

Rainier through the fog

Christmas

Christmas finally made it!  Emmy and London woke up at 5:00 but since the agreed on time for waking everyone up was 8:00 they sat tortured under the Christmas tree for 3 hours.  In fact by the time I got up at 7:30 Emmy's stomach was hurting her and she ended up being sick.  I thought Christmas was going to be ruined for her but turns out she immediately bounced back and never felt bad the rest of the day.  Those presents made her instantly better!

Looks like we had some good kids this year!

Let the present opening begin!

Cannon's favorite present was my least favorite.  Grammie and Grandpa bought him a HUGE tarantula specimen.  I couldn't (still to this day) look at it and can't even bare the photos taken by someone else on my camera...

Emmy got this cool wheely thing from Grammie and Grandpa

After opening presents, we spent the day playing with presents and prepping the evening meal.  I made a beef wellington which turned out not half bad.

And Cannon and Grammie had made the dessert.

I made them pose for family pictures after dinner.

My three treasures

Yep, that about sums it up!

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and what better breakfast to wake up to than Rudolf Donuts?

Christmas Eve is all about traditions and the great build up for Christmas Day.  This year Emmy and London were super excited for Christmas to come.  London especially has done a lot of dreaming about the Big Guy coming to our house and the presents he would deliver!

Putting the star on the Advent Calendar.

 During the day, we took a trip to the mall (I know - we're mad!) because Grammie really wanted her photo with the kids and Santa.  I had purposefully avoided the mall, but Grammie had her heart set on seeing the man in red.  The line *only* took an hour and then we were able to see Santa.

After having our photo taken, the kids told Santa what they wanted for Christmas.  Emmy asked for 3 stuffed animals.  London asked for a Sounders or Seahawks jersey, a Rainbow Loom and a How to Train Your Dragon poster.  Then Santa asked Cannon what he wanted.  Cannon told him he wanted to like his brother and sister better!  Santa said he wasn't sure he could help him with that...


After our visit to the mall, we headed off to church for a Christmas Eve service and then came home to a nice pot of Stevie's chili.  Afterward, the kids got ready for bed and snuggled down for the traditional reading of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (read by Grandpa) and "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (read by Emmy).

Then Emmy and London got the plate of cookies ready...

Poured the milk...

 Then said good-night!

 

 

Leaving Mick to guard the tree...

 



This is London's card to Santa.  He usually writes him a note.

Baking Together

Last year my mom made her famous Peppermint Cheesecake Layer Cake for us and she requested to do the same this year.  She recruited Cannon to help her with the fun.

 

 

The cake hadn't changed from last year, but apparently Cannon has!  I can't believe how much he has grown since last year.

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2012 (on his tip toes!)

Grandparents

If I were to design my world, I would live within a 10 minute drive of family so that we could hang out often and the kids would have the opportunity to learn from their grandparents.  Alas, we don't live in my self-designed world and so we have to make the most of the times we do have together.  This Christmas break we had some great times together just hanging out being family.

Like reading together...

And learning how to paint together...

And doing crafts together...

And learning how to sew together...

And eating grilled cheese together...

And just hanging out together...