Holiday update Part 1

This holiday season was quite a ride for our family and especially for me. Ups and downs, fun and tears but I guess that is the Christmas season for you. We have managed to make it through and really have had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year. The tough part for me was loosing my wonderful Grandma Gladys. She was a loving and caring woman who I admired and will greatly miss. Of coarse I was on the way to the grocery store when I found out she had passed away and was sitting in the parking lot trying to compose myself when Taylor, knowing what had happened said to me "why are you crying mom, Grandma is with Jesus now". I am so grateful for her simple understanding. Sometimes I wish I could just look at things from her perspective, they really aren't as complicated as we make them.

On a good note we did have lots of fun over the last month. It will take me more then one posting to share it all but hopefully you enjoy it.

It started off great with a fun Thanksgiving dinner at my mom and Rick's house. We also squeezed in a mini photo shoot.


I can't tell you how many photos we took and none of them was good of all of us. We were lucky if both girls were looking at the camera.Of coarse dad and Taylor had to get their own shot.We got a current snap shot of all of my mom's side of us kid's which was her Christmas present after some editing. We took the trip to see Santa which I really thought would be fun for all but I should have known. We stood in line for about 20 minutes (it was free) and the entire time Jade was saying ho ho ho and pointing at Santa with the rest of the kids. When the time came to sit on his lap herself, her ho ho ho turned into no no no, literaly. Definitely a photo we won't soon forget.We took time to do a gingerbread house this year which actually didn't take much time at all. Dad agreed after a hard days work to be the site supervisor and Taylor and Jade had a blast decorating. Jade had to of coarse taste everything before it went on the house.And apparently she just couldn't make up her mind which candy she liked better because she kept taking them back off the house and sucking on them again, only to put them back a few sucks later.For those of you who don't know, we got a fair amount of snow this year which of coarse caused havoc all over the Portland area since we aren't used to that sort of thing. Taylor and Nate loved it, Nate especially since he got two unexpected days off work.
He of coarse put them to good use making a snowman with the girls and taking me sledding for my birthday (photos to follow next posting) Jade lasted about ten minutes out in the snow but found walking in cold stuff up to your knees isn't really that fun. Taylor on the other hand would stay outside all day if we let her.I guess dad took his snowMAN job seriously. He and Taylor went out the following afternoon to take this picture worried that he was going to melt . . .

little did we know what was coming. We peaked at about 8 inches which is the most I can remember ever seeing here in the valley.This is where Jade preferred to be and who can blame her. Nice and warm watching.

I did get to do some fun baking over the month which I am rather proud of. I was taught by the wonderful Kris Estheimer how to make homemade cinnamon rolls which are now our families favorite. My mom made them as well and they were a hit with Casey and Alex,and Alex doesn't even like cinnamon rolls ( I didn't know such a person existed)

I also learned how to make homemade turkey soup. Nate and I cooked up a turkey for the first time and I do mean Nate and I. New Year's night after going to my dad's birthday party, Happy Birthday again dad!!, and a fun New Year's Eve get together I wanted to make this turkey recipe I had but it had to marinade overnight. Nate stayed up until 2 am helping me get it ready, cleaning the turkey of coarse and hand juicing 10 lemons. Everyone said it was worth it. It and the soup turned out great. I was just so excited to use my new cast iron Martha Stewart pot my mom and Rick got me for my birthday and thanks mom for teaching me how to make the soup. It's almost as good as yours.