Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas 2013

I love how our family is growing.  A rare family picture when the kids are all together.  Matthew and Carlie came home from North Carolina for Christmas.  Taylor was home from Alaska and Jalen and Nathan were home from Everett, Washington.  Such a special holiday to have our family complete.

The only way to make the above picture better is to add both sets of Grandparents, my sister and Tyler.  Gosh, I love these people!  

As tradition serves, we found a $15 tree this year.  We couldn't find a $10 tree that we liked, but hey...$15 dollars for a HUGE tree isn't too shabby! 

We got a new couch for Christmas!  Thanks, Santa!

Bill and Jalen are busy little elves wrapping presents and getting ready for Christmas morning. 

Merry Christmas from Maverick!

Auntie Allie and Maverick

It was so great to see Matthew and Carlie and our new grand puppy, Lola

Taylor is home from Alaska after being away for over a year!

My oldest baby!  Home for the holidays

Nana and Taylor

I love the times that we can all sit around the table and catch up with each other.  I love how close our family is.

Matthew and Courtney

Maverick's new Tigger Toy and Olaf chair

The Ryan Family opening their gift from us

Carlie, Matthew and Bill

Kaela, Courtney and Kyle

The Bratton Family

Nathan is HOME!

Our sailor has returned! 
(Just in time for Christmas!)

Our daughter Jalen and her husband Nathan have been apart for the last 9 months due to his deployment.  It has been very difficult for her raising Maverick as a single mom while he has been off serving our country on the USS NIMITZ.  Yet, Jalen has been so strong!  She is an amazing mother and loyal wife.  Nathan has missed his family so much!  I can't imagine leaving your child when he is almost 6 months old and not seeing him again until he is 15 months.  Missing his first steps and his first birthday among so many other firsts.  Our military families sacrifice so much for the freedom of our country.  It makes me so proud of Jalen and Nathan's service! 

Jalen made the cutest sign for Nathan's homecoming!

He's HOME!!!!

Their 2nd first kiss.  This picture couldn't be more perfect! 

A family reunited!  Yes, I stare at this picture for hours.  Yes, it is framed in my house.  Yes, it will be something that Maverick will share with his children and grandchildren.  A picture for the ages.

Salt and Straw!

SALT AND STRAW!  

The search is over....call off the dogs....I found it! Without a doubt, THE BEST ICE CREAM ON THE PLANET!  

 

Salt and Straw is by far the most delicious ice cream that I have ever tasted!  It is located in NW Portland and depending on the time of day that you go, you might be waiting in a long line that goes around the building.  The combination of ice cream flavors is truly genius!  For example:  

• Goat Cheese Marion berry Habenero
• Black Raspberry and Smoked Ham
• Pear and Blue Cheese
• Cheddar Apple Pie
• Strawberry with Cilantro Lime Cheesecake
• Summer Cucumber and Raspberry Sorbet
• Honey Balsamic Strawberry with Cracked Pepper
• Coffee and Bourbon 
• Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbon

If you are ever in Portland, make a trip to NW 23rd and check out this incredible ice cream spot!

Happy 40th to my sister!

Happy 40th Birthday Stacy!  

My darling sister turned 40 last weekend!  We started the weekend at my nephew Tyler's football game.  Tyler was also nominated for Homecoming Prince so he wasn't able to participate in the homecoming walk during the half time of the football game.  Instead, Stacy had to walk down on the football field with a head shot of Tyler!  It was so sweet! 

 

Happy Birthday Sister!  (She looks so proud in this picture!)

Maverick wants everyone to know how much he loves his cousin, Tyler! 

We were so lucky to have my Step mom, Linda come up from California to help us celebrate.  My Dad would have been there, but he was out of town at a conference.  We made a necessary stop at the famous Portland landmark, VooDoo Doughnuts.  This place is delicious and a little dangerous!  Haha

Birthday Agenda:  McMenamins Grand Lodge to catch the limo to go wine tasting with a great group of girls!  (Plus, Bill and my step dad) :)
After wine tasting, we went back to the lodge to have dinner and listen to a live band until we closed the place down!  What a fun day it was!

CHEERS! 

Our favorite stop was at Ardiri Winery.  What a beautiful place with a great area to sit around the fire, or enjoy a picnic.

Bill is my favorite!  My forever! 

Birthday Weekend 2013

Birthdays, Huskies and Storms....

OH MY!

Bill and I had a great birthday weekend!  Washington Husky Ice Cream!  I couldn't believe it when I found it in the store.  Bill and I celebrated our birthdays in Seattle for the weekend.  The absolute highlight of our birthdays for us was attending our first ever Washington Husky Football game! What an amazing weekend for us.

Arriving at the Husky Stadium was amazing.  This is a new stadium for our huskies and it did not disappoint!  It was surreal to be there!  Notice how wet it looks?  This was without a doubt one of the WORST storm that Seattle has seen in quite sometime.  There was major rain coming at us from every direction! Every part of us was soaked from our ponchos to our shoes.  However, we still managed to cheer on our huskies!

Happy Birthday to us!  42 is going to be a great year!  

 

New Car

SO BLESSED AND THANKFUL FOR MY NEW CAR!

I am feeling so blessed that I have a new car!  My commute will be so much nicer...and cheaper!  My Ford Expedition with 12 miles per gallon is gone and traded in on a new Toyota Camry with about 30 miles per gallon.  I just about fell over when I was able to fill up my gas tank for $45.00 in the new car instead of $100!  What a wonderful feeling!

Maverick is Walking

Look Who's Walking!  

11 months old and our little sweet pea walked for the 1st time! 

Courtney sent me a video, but I can't seem to find it, but I did take pictures from the video of his first steps.  

I am one proud TuTu! 

Hawaii 2013

• Trip of a Lifetime!  
• Amazing Friends!
• Perfect Hostess!
• Beautiful Island! 

I had an incredible opportunity to travel to Hawaii and visit my old boss who retired and now lives part time in Hawaii.  She is the most generous, sweet, caring and funniest person I know!  I want to thank my sweet husband for letting me leave him for a week to hang with my girlie friends.  I traveled with my great friends, Terran and Bethany.  

Terran and I are ready to our "Aloha" on. 

Joan met us at the airport with fresh Leis.  Hawaii is so beautiful! 

Friends in Hawaii

Our breakfast place.  It was so relaxing!

We got to Hawaii just in time for Hurricane / Tropical Storm Flossie.  Lucky Us!  The is the same picture, but the bottom one shows the lighting that we experienced.  The humidity was the worst!  It was 96% humidity on this night. 

Joan made a great breakfast for us.  Fresh Pineapple, Fresh Papaya, and Hawaiian Bread.  So Delicious!

DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER'S FRONT GATE! 

Look at that water! 

We had a great time hanging out at Turtle Beach.  These turtles were so amazing the way they come up and eat the seaweed.  We probably saw about 20 turtles on the shore of Turtle Beach.

Turtle Beach

Waikiki Beach Day!  We rode on the Outrigger Canoes in the ocean and it was a highlight of my trip! 

MY TOES!  The view from my beach chair! 

Meet "FLOSSIE"!  This cow is from Portland and Joan had it brought to Hawaii and now lives in Joan's backyard.  On one side of the cow is Mt. Hood and on the other is the Portland city scape. 

Dinner cruising with Joanie!  Captain Joan took us around the bay and it was great to see all of the beautiful homes.

We went on a little hike to see more of the beautiful island of Hawaii

The North Shore was a blast.  So many cute little shops and restaurants

Shaved Ice was a MUST!  I'm still on vacation :)

We went to The Chief's Luau at the Sea Life Park.  I had never been to a luau before and it was very memorable! 

Dinner!  Haha...The roasting pig ceremony was a fascinating to watch

ALOHA! 

The entertainment was great at the Luau.  Those girls can sure move their hips!

We went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay!  Wow!  We saw incredible tropical fish and coral.