Christmas Round III

The day after Christmas we headed down to Vancouver to celebrate with my family the holiday! It was so wonderful to be with everyone...especially the little boys, who make
everything about Christmas that much more special!

My little buddy Alek!

The last few years we have had some sort of "theme" to the night...one year we dressed up in ugly sweaters, one year we did a talent show...this year we had to dress up as a Christmas Carol. I think Papa wins for the cutest...can you guess the carol? His name is Lowell.
Answer: The First Noel!

Mom loves little Max...and Max loves mom!

I love watching Nicholas with little ones....he is so good with them!

The PJ tradition continues!

Each year Nicks' mom gets everyone matching PJ bottoms for Christmas Eve night and Christmas morning...this year she made all them! Such a clever lady...loved the polka dot cuties this year!

Game time...

The boys engaged in a serious game of Risk...I personally thought it looked like a miserably boring game...

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

We did all three of these things...

My handsome hubby and cute puppy!

Note: I have ALWAYS dreamed of having a puppy on Christmas with a big red bow tied around his neck. Check that one off the dream list!

Happy Christmas!

Christmas in Oak Harbor with Nick's family was very special this year! His sweet grandma passed away days before Christmas, so it felt even more important to have everyone together. Family gathered together around the holidays is just about the best thing ever to me...so comforting, warm, familiar and welcoming.

My in-laws are just awesome...I am so blessed! They welcomed also brother and his girl-friend Laura for the celebrating this year which was just fantastic having them there as well!

Rick and his girls...cozy on the couch! Brother and Laura...just cuties!

And finally the Snow Angels...

Why wouldn't you make snow angels in your cocktail dress?!

And then came the sled...

Have I mentioned that I love this girl?!

Krissy and I had the best time at the party! Here we are Waltzing and dipping together, naturally.

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Originally uploaded by Steve and Erin

(Picture from Steve and Coffey that for some annoying reason I couldn't save to my computer...reason for the small pic)

A little back blogging...

Whew! With all the activity and flurry of the last week or so, it seems I have neglected my little blog a bit.

Our annual Holiday Cocktail party was again a success! With the Winter Storm 2008 in full force the night of our party, the attendance was a little bit down from years past...but the tried and true party-goers braved the storm and made it out for some holiday cheer. Jamie found the best new place ever to have it: Kristos in Eastlake! Such great people...the owner even gave us a ride home through the blizzard at the end of the night...talk about service!

The girls at our "pre-party" party held at Hotel Gwinn and Lande (that's what I was calling their apartment since so many of us ended up spending the night and not driving home through the snow).We wanted little DeForest the tree to get in the picture as well!

When you don't have kids yet...

And you want to play with with a camera....the puppy gets a photo shoot :)

My helper

Snow, Snow, Snow

"Snow, Snow, Snow....

It won't be long before we'll all be there with Snow

Snow....I want to wash my hands, my face, my hair with Snow!"

Okay not really...but I do so love that song from "White Christmas".

What a perfectly lovely snow day it is today (since I am snuggled inside and not driving in it!) Although I am working from home and not entirely playing...it has been wonderful to finish Christmas cards, work on wrapping presents, learn some about my camera, and play with my guys (Nick and Max) in between the working.

Santa came early this year

One of the insurance companies that we work with had a 4th quarter contest. If The Annuity Source gals and I won this contest (read: bonus money), Nicholas and I made a deal that I could get the fancy new camera that I have been dreaming of. I am happy to report that we WON!

So I am now the proud owner of this little beauty!!!

It is so gorgeous I can hardly stand it! I am a complete amateur and have no clue what many of the gadgets and buttons do....but I'll learn right?! I have a lot of reading and practicing to do. Happy shooting!

Obsessed with...

This piano music (okay...you got me, I'm also obsessed with Edward and the books too...) but this lullaby is just so soothing. I've been listening to it all night, which is saying a lot since typically the only music played for me during the month of December is Christmas music...

Max's Latest...

Favorite napping spot...

Annuity Source Christmas Party!

This year's Christmas party was held at the fabulous, amazing, beautiful and peaceful Suncadia...and let me just say, I am in love with it! It was the most perfect Winter Wonderland I could have dreamed up...the lodge where we stayed was so cozy and Margo's house was...well, incredible!! It was such a fun night filled with yummy food, delicious cocktails and wine, the traditional ornament exchange, and of course some late night love confessing (that's cool to do that with your boss right?!) But it's only because she is so fantastic! I love me some winter and especially some snow! The gals who I spend my days with!

Did you know...

That a snowflake falls at a speed of 3.1 miles per hour.

True story.

Seems like appropriate knowledge with the weather we've been having!

So that thing I wrote....

About the potty training...

Not so much.

A bit disappointed...

I decided to use Kodakgallery for our Christmas cards this year, and I am a bit sad to say they didn't turn out nearly as cute as I had expected them to. We used a picture from the wedding that when printed through Kodak turned out really dark. Wah. Nick says they still look good, I beg to differ.
But....they will still be sent regardless, so you be the judge!

Our little genius....

What a weekend!!

So I'm officially in LOVE with our puppy!! He is just the sweetest, cuddliest, smartest little thing...he is amazing. Seriously, kind of almost potty trained! On our way back from picking him up in Bellingham, we stopped in Samish Island at Auntie and Peter's for a delicious dinner of curry squash soup and fresh crab salad....yum!

Now I really need the fancy camera I dream of...hard to get shots of moving objects with my little digital...but here is little Mr. Ruffers in all his glory!

All set!

Mom came this weekend and brought us the stocking she made for us for Christmas!! I absolutley LOVE them...Max gets the cutie smaller one in the middle!

Dear Mom,

Your Porch Wine has gotten even better! We enjoyed our last bottle tonight....delicious!! Such a talented mama...

Thanks for sharing!
Love,

C&N

Happiness Overload

I feel like my happiness meter is going to explode!


Just got back from choir rehearsal for our concert this Sunday when we perform Handel's Messiah. I know I've said it before, but I will say it again...it is, hands down, the most amazing music I have ever heard, and probably will ever hear. To perform this piece each year, to know the music so well, to watch George our conductor so full of passion and love for the music, to sing about the story of Christ...I can never make it through a concert, let alone a rehearsal, without crying. It touches my heart like nothing else.

So with the Christmas decorating, the Messiah, mom coming for the weekend, and a soon-to-be arrival of a puppy in our household I am feeling like I might burst with happiness! My cup runneth over...