Ho Ho Ho. (Post #200!)

Our Christmas flew by.  J worked both Christmas Eve & Christmas day this year.  It worked out fine & we just carried-on with family, without him.  We then had our family's "Christmas morning" at 11:15am when he walked in the door December 26th.   

If it wasn't for this late celebration, I have a feeling my Christmas decorations would have been put away December 25th by midnight.  (Is this terrible to say out loud?)  I have no idea why I felt this way this year...  However, as soon as the festivities were celebrated I was scurrying around the house packing-up & clearing the clutter.

(they call them "love-handles" for a reason...)

The last decoration to come off the tree was our precious L angel.  The house is now in order & I can breathe again.

Christmas cheer all month long.

University Village

Our sweet little nerds.  

Visiting our favorite Anthropologie worker.  

Jingle Bell Dash - 2011

Team: MLK

L's first race.  She ran 3 times with M & I.  After race treat, Top Pot!  

N's choir concert

She did so well!  (front row - white dress)

Olympic Ballet Nutcracker in Edmonds:

We had a sweet date with our daughter.  (I'm pretty sure J was the only male in the audience, what a trooper.)  :)  L loved it so much & cried when we had to leave.  

Sticky stickers.

Look who's been flirting with the cashier at TJ's & was given extra stickers...

Swanson's

This year we met up with a few MOPS moms & their little ones at Swanson's to see the reindeer, camel & donkey.  Curly, the camel was our fav this year.

I heart you, golden beet salad.

Golden beets

Pomegranates

Parsely

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Salt & Pepper
(we threw in grilled chicken)

What's not to love?

We ate this for dinner & breakfast!  SO good.
(You'll find the recipe here.)  

Pure Beauty.

If she's not in her leotard, she's getting it on...

Showing off her new smile.  

Our family. 

My pride & joy.  

Family day filled with downtown & gingerbread.

The 2011 Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton, followed by strolling through Pike Place Market, eating-our-hearts-out at DragonfisH & strolling downtown.  Capping off the evening decorating our own GB house & having story-time with Gram.

Sheraton Gingerbread Village theme:  Holiday Express (with Polar Express playing in the background).

Know how to tell if someone is an out-of-towner?  They say, "Pike's Market".  
Tisk.  Tisk.  

Mesmerized by the Beechers Flagship curds separating from the liquid
(my mouth is watering as I type.)    This pic is dedicated to you MJ!  

We all equally enjoyed DragonfisH.  They do not disappoint.  

wa-la!  

Teach every child about food.

This Jamie Oliver clip is about 20 minutes & well worth your time.  Are you are a parent & need a little kick-in-the-pants to get your family eating healthy?  I know this video will inspire you to eat & cook REAL food; cut out fast food & school-made lunches; as well as make time to teach your kids about veggies, cooking, avoiding obesity etc.  All such vital life lessons.  If you know me, you know that I struggle with fun, healthy food ideas for my children.  However, seeing a clip like this reminds me of it's importance.   I will press-on!  

Life Lately.

Every now & then I fall behind with blogging so I have a "Life Lately" catch-up.  Fall has been a busy time for us.  It's involved good things like ballet, MOPS, beautiful fall leaves, girl nights & play dates.  It's also involved 2 very bad things:  L has been sick for over a month (we think allergies) & I was rear-ended.  Lame.

Mowin'

knock, knock, knock  - HOUSEKEEPING!  
I came upstairs to find my son in my room helping with the chores...
(oh what uncle Jeff would have said if he saw this...)  :) 

He rear-ended her, she rear-ended me, I rear-ended a guy in front of me...   all because a high schooler (who just got his license) was driving his Land Rover way too fast.  Now 2 of us have whip-lash & all of us have crunched up cars...

We had the ol' high chair out from a dinner party the night before so, L jumped in & they ate their entire b-fast  holding hands... 

N rocking the soccer field.  

B, L, D rocking the sidelines.   

Fun day with Ellanor at an IMAX & Science Center.

My MOPS table from 2 years ago!  We still meet a few times a year.
This hangout was so good for my soul.  

To see Halloween pics scroll on down to October 31st.  Speaking of Halloween... have you seen what my sister created???  

Ballet

Before L walked in to her new (& very first ever) ballet class she said that she was hoping a boy was in the class that could "lift her up" (I suppose like she's seen in TV ballet shows) .  Alas, there were no boys but, she LOVED the class & as you can see was a total dolly.  Yay for fun classes at our local community centers!

All the other girls had skirts to hold with their curtsies, L improvised with her leotard... 

Her form was consistently right-on with her teacher's.  Atta girl.