Christmas in Seattle

Leaving cookies for Santa and cherries for the reindeer.

Who knew reindeers ate cherries...

Jonah knew.The stockings were hung by the fireplace with care.A white Christmas in Seattle Presents! George stopped by on his way back to Juneau

from North Carolina and Georgia.

He is a great guy Katy. Hope we didn't scare him.Off for a mid-afternoon stroll in matching vests.
Thanks Aunty Katy!
Where'd the snow go? Jonah Gretzky Jordan in his first pair of skates. Go Jets Go!Christmas dinner.

The prime rib was amazing Joe.

Christmas Eve with the Hulsts

We headed off to Tacoma and attended mass at St. Leo's before

spending the evening with all the Hulsts.

It was great to see Peter, Holly and Brita all together.

Excellent soup and lots of fun.

The Cruise video was amazing, Peter.Painting with Brita

Grandpa's Birthday

Another successful 29th birthday was celebrated

with much ice cream cake

and not 1, but 2 sing- a- longs of Happy Birthday.

"Can I have cake now, grandpa"

Hangin with Aunty Katy

Katy arrived first for the holidays

and helped get all the festivities going.

Our nordic-cozy look Off to Java Love for some java and love

Seattle Tacoma Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Seattle was chilly but a beautiful sunny day.

Jonah is wearing a sweater that Aunt Kay originally made for Joe.

Thanks Aunt Kay!

In the afternoon we headed over to Aunt Linda and Uncle Tom's house for dinner. We enjoyed a wonderful Hulst Holiday celebration. Jonah got to drink and spill his first glass of pink milk. (there's the tasty turkey in the foreground) Uncle Tom had just returned from a trip to Lithuania the evening before and gave a short talk on the country and his experience. It was really interesting and sounds like he had a great time despite getting his wallet and passport stolen.
Judy just got a new 2 month old puppy named Tucker. Adorable, and Jonah's new friend

Relaxing after too much delicious pie.Brita and Jonah at just the right moment
Our gracious hosts Thanks for the fabulous meal and the great game of Catch Phrase!!

It was great to see and visit with everyone.

Katy and the big poop

Very, Very exciting week!

1. Katy booked her ticket and is coming for Christmas! We can't wait!

2. Somebody achieved a new milestone in his life - Jonah pooped on the big potty! Huge news!

3. Honouring our commitment to our parental contract (potty poop = trip to Chuck E Cheese), we made a big trip to germ heaven and got to share it with aunt Linda. Yeah! Go poopers!

Dave and Tabitha

Dave Marsh and his wife Tabitha were in town on Tuesday with a layover on their way back to Alaska from the Nascar car races in Phoenix. We had lunch on Alki. A beautiful November day.

Washington, DC

I headed east this past weekend to Washington, DC to visit. I stayed with Jeni (we met in Japan) and helped her reorganize and paint her new place (it looks fabulous in hues of rodeo tan and croissant) . I met up with Jeanie, my longtime friend (from Korea) who I met while studying in France in '93. On Sunday, I had a wonderful historic tour of Alexandria, Virginia with Mike and maybe we went to some pubs.

Washington Monument surrounded by flags representing fallen soldiers..LOTS of flags.

16th St. NW in DC (Jeni's street)

Swen and Jeni

Jeni met Swen in Tajikistan. He works for the German foreign service and is from Berlin but lives in New York (and is definitely a keeper). We live through Jeni and her adventures with the foreign service.

Jeni's front yard. Other people call it Meridian Hill Park.Jeanie and Rick. They live in Fairfax and I had a fantastic visit with them (Thanks for all the coffee! Lunch was great, thank you!). I wish I could have stayed longer. Rick is a fabulous guy Jeanie!

Aaron. He is 5 and a lot of fun.

Ethan is 2 and absolutely adorable. He served me cookies.

Alexandria with Mike and Jeni. Beautiful city, rich in history and architecture. Outside the pub after enjoying some cider and great conversation. What a fantastic weekend I had. (thanks Joe, xoxo)

Bike Riding

Jonah loves his bike and flying down the slight hill on our street (Dangerriskypants is his native American name). He is very proud of his helmut that the firemen gave him in Anchorage. It even lights up.

Dog Park

Laying in the doggie doodoo. Hiding in the bushes.


Floydfun at Marymoor on a beautiful November afternoon.

Halloween

We spent the evening with the Spils on Bainbridge Island for some terrific trick or treating. Rosy was a pink kitty cat and Sal was a lion, Jonah wasn't sure about being an elephant. The best costume of the night was a dad dressed in his fly fishing gear complete with fishing rod and his little 1 year old was dressed as a fish. so cute.

Haircut

Professionally cleaning up the mop

Winnipeg Thanksgiving

We flew off to Minneapolis and drove up to Winnipeg for Canadian Thanksgiving. We met Bisket, Khilila and Emanuel's (uncle Mr. big Mike) sweetypie. We had a great visit with the Schrofels. Thanks for the party Shelly and Todd! Dinner was fabulous Teresa and Darcy! It was great fun at the Children's museum with Mary Lou and Clarke. I even got to see Shelley Daniels who was my very first friend in life (very neat). We enjoyed a great feast for Thanksgiving at Glenn and Marie's.
I wish I took more pictures.

Marie in her beautiful kitchen. Glenn, Grandma, the Thomaschewski's, and Kaitlyn is in the background
Dinner and a wink
Working it!

Visiting the Schrofels

I miss Antoine Avenue.

Off to the Children's Museum

Who's driving a BUG car?

Those Lester boys tearing up the town!

The Lester 4Visiting Grandpa