The All Weather Coats: 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year!

Happy 2015 everyone! We celebrated our New Year's Eve at home as a family. After a nice dinner together, Stevie retired early while the kids and I pressed on to midnight. We played games, had an evening game of glow-in-the-dark frisbee and then ended the evening watching the countdown on TV. Here on the West coast, we watch the Space Needle light up, not the New York ball drop.

At midnight we popped open a bottle of sparkling apple cider (no the kids are not drinking champagne, although Emmy looks like she has!) and then we headed outside to set off our Japanese firecrackers that somehow made it in our shipment from Japan two years ago!

The firecrackers were full of confetti paper which Emmy dumped all over her brother.

Happy New Year!!!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Gig Harbor

On the last day that Grammie and Grandpa were here, we wanted to go for one last walk before they got on the overnight flight. Grandpa requested walking around downtown Gig Harbor. I rarely think about doing that, but it is a beautiful, idyllic spot, especially when the sun is setting.

Me and wolf girl

What a beautiful place we live!

Grammie and Grandpa's visit

We didn't do a good job of planning our holidays this year and consequently we almost didn't see any family for Thanksgiving or Christmas. At the last minute Grammie and Grandpa decided to come visit and we were very thankful. We had a lovely time being together celebrating Christmas and taking some nice walks.

Grammie and Emmy making gingerbread men

On the beach at Point Defiance.

In the woods at Point Defiance

Grammie and Grandpa spent a lot of time with the kids. Grammie was trying to teach Emmy to sew while Grandpa worked on paintings with Emmy and London.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas! The day is finally here and it looks like we've all been good again this year.

That's a loaded tree

Despite Emmy and London threatening to get up at 5:00, they slept until 7:30 so everyone got a relative sleep-in.

Emmy started off the morning with one from Santa...

Then London...

London made this for Grammie and Grandpa

Emmy was excited to give Cannon the present she bought

Emmy and London painted these for Stevie. London's is on the left and Emmy's is on the right.

I love Mick's eyes when he's concentrating hard to see something. They kind of go cross-eyed!

And Merry Christmas from Obi, too.

After opening all the gifts, we slowly got ready, played with the toys and then went for a beautiful long walk at Sehmel Park.

Having oysters as appetizers (well, only Dad and Steve)

Making a Yule log for dessert.

Ham for dinner

I think Emmy's ready for some chocolate log!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Eve

We (except Stevie who had to work, so unfair) had a great walk in Point Defiance park today and then went for lunch in the North End of Tacoma. The restaurant was right by one of the best fish markets in the area so we spontaneously decided to change the Christmas Eve menu to fresh salmon. Yum!

The kids, Grammie and I went to a late afternoon Christmas Eve service and then came home to settle into our Christmas Eve traditions.

London read us a story...

Then Emmy read "Twas the Night Before Christmas"...

"Are you all sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin." That's the way Grandpa always starts his reading of "The Grinch". He's been reading this book every Christmas Eve since I was a little kid. Nicole even joined us by speakerphone so she could hear his reading.