Thanks to the winter wonderland that magically descended on Puget Sound on Christmas Eve, Andy and I got a late start getting to my parents on Christmas Day. By the time we made it there, my two-year-old niece was anxious to break into the huge pile of presents under the tree. Happily, one of her presents was perfect for the snowy day - her first pair of skis! After opening gifts, we dashed outside for some easy skiing and general frolicking in the snow. Since I had December 26th off as well, I got a bonus day off to enjoy the winter wonderland before it all melted away. I took advantage of the day with a long walk on the Powerline Trail, brilliant in its snowy glory.
Read moreLife: Week 51
I've always loved the magic of Christmas, but as my nieces and nephew grow, their excitement over the holiday has made Christmas exponentially more fun. Over the course of the week, we made gingerbread trains, read lots of new books, and on Christmas Eve, we even got a fresh dusting of snow to play in! I can't remember the last time we had snow on Christmas in Seattle, and while it certainly made it more of a challenge around, we had a great time walking through the dark snowy streets of my mother-in-law's neighborhood. Since she lives most of the way up a steep hill, we also participated in the Seattle spectator sport of watching adventurous (or reckless) drivers sliding around in failed attempts to get up or down the treacherous hill. Waiting for the road conditions to improve also meant we got to stay up late, spending extra time playing card games with Andy's family. While being stranded by the weather is always a little stressful, it's also fun to forget the concerns of everyday life for a few hours and feel cut off from the greater world. I always appreciate an opportunity to play games, share a drink, and watch the snow fall.
Read moreLife: Week 50
As the end of the year approaches, I rely on candles and books and quiet walks close to home to get me through the short, dark days. I've been knitting up a storm recently to get all my Christmas projects finished, which means I've fallen behind on my reading. Luckily books don't go anywhere, and slowly working my way through the towering pile of books on my nightstand has been a marvelous way to spend the rainy days and nights of this early winter. A friend once told me of an impressive woman she saw knitting and reading a book at the same time in a cozy little corner of a yarn store. Since hearing of that, I haven't been able to decide if that should be my new goal, or if that level of multi-tasking would take all the fun out of each activity. For now, I'll happily stick to just one at a time, even if it means forever falling behind on my list of projects or books. At least winter is the best time for catching up on both!
Read moreLife: Week 49
In many ways, December is my favorite month. The days my be short and dark, the vibrant color of fall drained from the landscape, but they are also filled with friends, candlelight, and plenty of good food. Compared to last year, so far this December has been surprisingly warm and dry. During the week, the days passed quietly and slowly. As we near the solstice, the days are so short that even working from home, my only opportunity to get outside during daylight hours is at lunch. Usually the days fly by without my noticing, and by the time I think to go outside, it's already far too late. That makes the weekends this time of year all the more precious, and this one was spent well, visiting friends in Bellingham.
Read moreLife: Week 48
This was the week of Thanksgiving leftovers. Seriously, we had enough turkey, cranberry sauce, and brussels sprouts for a full week of dinners. Oddly, I never thought to document our drawn out Thanksgiving meal. I didn't think to document most of this week. I seem to have gone through the week in a turkey trance, although I do remember bits of the weekend, which was mostly spent catching up with friends in Seattle! I always feel a little disappointed when a week goes by without at least a little time spent hiking, but it was worth it to catch up with old friends. Obviously I need to get better at luring my friends out on hikes, so I can do both at the same time!
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