Pirates and princesses and teacups, oh my!

Disneyland was the perfect end to our sunny adventure. And that's that.

Angela and Kyle were absolute troopers; I think Disneyland doesn't hold quite as much wonder to native Californians as it does born and raised Washingtonians, but they cheerfully ran around with us for 11 hours... and they said they'd do it again!




Kyle has proven himself to be one of the best coaster buddies ever. His riding stamina matches our own - 2 or 3 times in a row, no problem! - and he quite clearly makes faces that are fantastic :)

We foolishly thought we could get through California Adventure in an hour or two, and we were wrong. Some of the fun was already shut down for the night once we ran through the gates, and certain rides closed a little bit early because of the fireworks show at 8:00, but it's OK, and do you know why? It just means we have to visit again! :)


Of all the rollercoasters we've ridden, I think this is my very favorite. Corkscrews and loops and dips and turns, especially under a night sky with twinkling lights everywhere = faces that were sore from smiling and laughing and screaming :) And, Kyle strikes again! :)

3 good things, a reprise

More than three, actually, but all from the last couple of days -

1. Reading myself into an afternoon nap with The Fellowship of the Ring and the sun streaming in
2. A evening run for two under a beautiful sky
3. A nice, warm bath - just for one! :) - to chase away the post-run chills
4. English breakfast tea and Pinterest recipes
5. Bright, clear February mornings
6. A town so tiny that everything is just a walk away
7. A brisk, uphill walk on a bright, clear February morning in our tiny town while a million birds chirp out a symphony
8. Party planning for 6 lovely grown-ups and 5 precious littles

Knott's Berry Farm

Could we live in Southern California for almost two weeks and resist the pull of rollercoasters?

No, no, a thousand times NO.

California mishmash

Our trip south was actually work-related; Jan Michael had training in Tustin, and while he spent his days learning all kinds of new things and expanding his mind, I pretended to be a sloth at the hotel. Really, I'm surprised my muscles didn't atrophy. Anyway, after his training each day, we got down to the business of having fun.

Among many other things, there was a lovely walk in the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, driving in our zippy rental car with the windows down and Def Leppard blaring (and other drivers rolling their eyes, probably), the very awesome Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour (cameras FORBIDDEN!), laughing to ourselves at people wearing earmuffs in 65 degree weather - wimps! :), evenings spent jumping between the swimming pool and the hot tub, gigantor ice cream cones, thanking our lucky stars that Seattle traffic is nothing like the mess in Los Angeles, and...

Celebrating Angela's birthday at Farrell's with sundaes and great fanfare:


Basking in an amazing southern California sunrise:


An afternoon at the dog park with Angela and our favorite schnauzzer, Abi:


Stuffing ourselves at Bruxie's, the most delicious waffle spot ever. Between us, Jan Michael and I ate two bacon, egg & cheddar waffles, one Brussels waffle with maple syrup, and one Creme Brulee waffle. Please imagine an enormous waffle stuffed with vanilla creme, burnt raw sugar and strawberries, and you will understand my lack of self-control. I will be in big, bad trouble if they ever decide to plunk themselves down in the Pacific Northwest - but I sort of hope they do!

South for the winter

Two weeks ago on Friday we slipped and slid our way onto an airplane to trade our frozen tundra for flip-flops and swimming pools.
We l-o-v-e where we live, and we're thrilled to be home again, but sunshine in the middle of January is something else!
More coming on our California adventure!

Winter wonderland in our own backyard

Snowy Sunday

Today we were chased by a sunset in the snow. How was your afternoon? :)

Today

Outside my window... I keep having to remind myself that we're smack dab in the middle of January; it's been so bright and clear! This is what we lived under just yesterday:



I am thankful for... a house that will soon - very soon! - be free of rats. The best exterminators ever prowled in, around, and under our house yesterday and reported things that made my naive little self cringe. But! By this time next week I will cringe no more!

I am learning... that taking high doses of iron on an empty stomach does not do me any favors. None at all.

From the kitchen... I can tell you what is missing from the kitchen, and that would be pop and dessert! January is the month of zero Coke Zero (ha!) and not one cupcake or marshmallow (even though we have a huge pile left over from the New Year's Eve S'more gorge). Damage control from the holidays, you know!

I am wearing... sweaty exercise clothes, an old fleece jacket with a missing zipper, and a blanket on my lap because I'm cold but too lazy to change. Look, though, at one of my favorite things to wear (when I bother to change out of sweaty exercise clothes) and while I putter around the house - my cozy Christmas slippers, from my husband the very good gift giver:


I am creating... lists. Lists and lists. A list of who might like to join us for a mud run in June (it's never too early to start planning for these things!), a list of what to make my Jan Michael for Valentine's Day, a list of house improvements as the new year gets underway (paint! a new gate!)...

I am going... to my dear friend Tonya's house tomorrow for a morning of crafty projects. Probably lots of tea, too :)

I am reading... There are four books-on-CD ready and waiting on my phone, if I can find it. I just used it yesterday; it must be around here somewhere. Anyway, I can't remember 3 of the 4, but one is Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale.

I am hoping... that our friends Craig and Christina call us post-haste so that we can meet and love on their days-old baby. I suppose, though, that we are not quite at the top of their priority list just now :)

Around the house... are all kinds of things waiting to be put into the yard-sale box. Out with the old!

I am hearing... just the dryer working away.

One of my favorite things... about Pinterest is the recipes. So many recipes (lemon poppy seed pancakes, teeny chicken pot pies in muffin tins, for goodness sake!) calling my name!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
- Bible study
- A trip to Target
- Mopping our filthy kitchen floor
- Basketball for Jan Michael
- STRUGGLING through the 3rd workout of Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 DVD - it's a struggle, but so fun!
- A teriyaki/sushi date on Friday, just the two of us
- A date on Saturday with our friends Isaac & Natalie

January valley

Yesterday I decided that today would be just the day for exploring around a waterfall. Jan Michael was agreeable, and this morning, off we went.
Our exploring turned into take-two-pictures-from-the-observation-point and go-back-to-where-we-came-from because the trail leading to the bottom of the waterfall is closed for maintenance until 2013. 2013! I pouted for a few minutes and then bucked up when Jan Michael said he would take me to a park on the way home. Sometimes it doesn't take much :)

I don't care what anybody says, winter is not all death and gray and yuck! Between now and spring, I'll do my fair share of grumbling - 'WHERE is the SUN?!!' but today - and lots of other days, too, I know - winter is quiet and peaceful and beautiful.

A New Year's Eve glimpse

First, I love this picture. Second, New Year's Eve is not New Year's Eve around here without pigs-in-a-blanket. What you see above is the very beginning of our wild goose chase yesterday morning in search of Little Smokies. Three grocery stores later & we found them :)

The party officially started when Eric, Tessa and Miss E arrived, and we commenced with the eating. There was a vast amount of cheese - enough to make a person lactose intolerant, I think; there were also White Christmas cupcakes (on my new cake stand!) and S'mores (in my new toaster oven!) with homeade graham crackers (so easy, and so much better than the old store-boughts!)



There were games and the mention of fun things in the new year and a good-night, sleep-tight to Miss E. And then, we decided to have a very serious discussion about very serious things:



Somewhere after the clock struck midnight, we hugged each other goodnight and the three of them rode off into the night while the two of us dragged our happy selves to bed.

And so 2012 begins... :)

Happy, happy New Year!

As the sun sets on 2011, isn't it fun to think of what 2012 will bring?!

Photobomb

Just in case we ever need reminding that our big bro is a.w.e.s.o.m.e -
This makes me laugh every time I see it :)

Three good things from Christmas Day

The best things, of course, were found in the people filling up a cozy house and surrounding a pretty table, and the ones we love, even though so many miles separate us.

How could we ever quantify the good things found in family?

"Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!"
- Albert Einstein

Three good things from Christmas Eve

Please excuse my tardiness!

1. An afternoon tromp through the woods with Team Living the Dream:





2. An extravaganza of fireworks with the wonder nephews:




3. Little boys with their brand new Nerf crossbows (and an uncle who knew just what little boys would love!)

Three good things from the 23rd

Yesterday, in the wee hours of the morning, we had our own little Christmas, just the two of us. So...

1. The effort and consideration Jan Michael put into the most delightful stack of presents. He knows his girly, pink-and-pretty-things-loving, exercise-and-cooking- enthused wife very well, and I made out like a bandit. A bandit!! But - and we hear this truth over and over, don't we? - it's knowing how much time and thought he gave toward of all it that especially makes my heart light up.

2. The reaction of my ever young-at-heart husband when he opened his G.I. Joe Cobra H.I.S.S tank. This is at the very, very top of the very best things about this year's Christmas.

3. Our Christmas breakfast eaten on Christmas dishes and made, in part, with my new toaster oven :)

Now, MERRY CHRISTMAS EACH AND EVERY ONE!

Three good things on the 22nd

1. A little girl at the grocery store who was dressed in hot pink from head to toe - snow boots, leggings and fleece... She & I are kindred spirits, I think!

2. A big, beautiful pile of snowy pictures to add to my 'Winter Wonderland' board on Pinterest

3. A long, quiet evening with nothing much to do, except eat vanilla ice cream with Tessa's homeade caramel sauce and take a bubble bath

Three good things from the 21st

1. Country roads in between tiny towns on a sunny December day

2. Lunch with our Mama & our Gran, who were coming across the mountains so Grandma can spend Christmas with us. I think she'll be thoroughly worn out by the end of her visit - there tends to be, as you might imagine, a high level of exuberance when we're all together. We just keep her young, that's all :)

3. Water, and lots of it, for a gal who is determined not to get sick. Think again, dumb cold! You will not get me!

Three good things from the 20th

1. A big pile of Goodwill & craft store treasures, just waiting to be spun into crazy Christmas sweaters

2. Cinderella with Tessa at the 5th Avenue... The music! The singing! The sets! THE COSTUMES! THE WICKED STEPSISTERS!! Will you think I'm silly if I tell you I had goosebumps? Or that I still have goosebumps?! Please, if you have the opportunity, you must go! For days after, you will twirl around the living room, humming about pumpkins turning into coaches and impossible things happening every day :)



3. A new exercise DVD for my back end from the library... and a body that's able to do what I ask of it