{christmas celebration's]

Since I can't seem to get a slideshow to play in a "post" anymore it will sit a top this one.

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This year we decided to visit Eugene and Hood River for Christmas. We've done this every year past (with the exception of last year), and things were hopping. My family celbrates on Christmas Eve and so there isn't much of a clash in tradition. The kids got everything they could ever want and so did Chad and I. After driving home late on Christmas Eve we headed to Hood River the next day. We had a great time with both sides of the family and we are blessed to have family nearby.

Cousins Maisey, Ruby (12 this week), and Peyton (nearly 9), love to make up dances. This is a dance they made up and the funniest part is Ryley who thinks he's part of it (just listen to him laugh and grunt)!

Nearly every Guenther enjoyed dancing to this new Wii game Ruby got for her birthday, "Dance It Up." Here is another clip of all the fun people had.

We hope you had a wonderful holiday too and that your New Year is even better!

{Pittock Mansion}

A newer tradition...

This year Chad and I went to Pittock Mansion alone. I love touring the mansion as I try to imagine the life the Pittock's lived back then. Each room is beautifully decorated in a new style every holiday season. I'm working on a slide show (I've forgotten how) and so this is a little sneak peek. These are my kind of trees. They have ornaments from top to bottom! By looking at ours you can surely tell a 20 month old lives in the house (hence the bare bottom half). What talent this artist has. Last but not least, a rare photo of the two of us!

{holiday crafts}

I love to craft but I always wait until it's too late in the season to work on projects I can use at the current and appropriate time. I've now decided I won't let this happen again and I am going to start making next years Christmas decorations this January.

This "project" below takes no talent and hardly any time, but I've been wanting to make it for a couple years and I finally tried it out.

For Christmas in Hood River, and for my mother in-law, I am going to make some of these to adorn her very "Country Living" like dwelling. They will look so cool around the cold property, and I plan on making ice candle votive's as well.

Pictures will follow after the holiday.

Here is a "tester" and indeed it looks like one. *Note to self: make sure the freezer is really cleaned out and level so the foliage doesn't shift into mass groups leaving great big gaps!

{holiday baking}

It was an unusually relaxing weekend around here!

- 6:42 on Saturday, a late wake-up call

- 10:30 The Brunch and Book Society. At first the book was real depressing... but the after affect, well, it had me in tears which was rather embarrassing.

- 12 o'clock Our little princess attended a Princess Tea Party where she had a wonderful time. ( Note to the wonderful hostess: today we just had to throw away the kazoos in fear of my being reported to Child Welfare since they were making me extremely edgy).

-2 o'clock, our turn to babysit for date swap.

-4 o'clock, made YUMMY BBQ Chicken pizza for dinner to share with friends.

And my friends, this was a relaxing day!

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Today I was kept home from church by Ry man because he has a green nose, cough, and semi-cranky demeanor. We had visits from our Home teachers and Visiting teachers, and we also baked 300 Spritz cookies!!! I had no idea that would take about 3 hours, so I ended up making dinner way to late, and I threw it in the fridge for tomorrow. It is now nearly 8 and Chad and I need to eat still. At least the kids are in bed!

Close-up of the cookies. And, they are way better than the kind in the tin can at Costco, the ones Chad always wants me to buy but I won't cause he'll eat them in 1 night!

Here is my very eager helper. Chad was as equally important in getting the job done! Ryley, well, let's just say he is starting to get into more and more trouble. He dumped out a HUGE $12 or so dollar bottle of sprinkles... To sum it up, he kept us on our toes!

{the best christmas Pageant ever}

Well, the title might try to say it all but I didn't think so. We headed to Hood River over the weekend to attend our great friends The Sorenson's fifth baby blessing and we also had a chance to hang out with the family a little. We had cake for Chad's birthday (it was on 12/1- the big 35, and he has forgiven me for not posting a Happy Birthday blog about it), and Maisey and I attended a Holiday craft show and theatre production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" with my niece Ruby and wonderful Sister in-law Jill. It was pretty cute and only a little cheesy! We got home after bedtime Sunday night and although it was a quick trip (we didn't leave until mid-day Saturday), we enjoyed every minute of it! Maisey was up well past her bedtime and wouldn't pose, but she really did have fun!

{zoo lights}

Even though it was a record 8 degrees last night, we hit the Zoo Lights, just to "get it over with". This year we felt very prepared in our layers (especially Chad in his thermal long johns, 2 pairs of fleece pants, and jeans) and we were just thankful it wasn't raining. The Pea cock is always my fave.
This was Ryley's expression upon arrival, and even though his looks says it all, "Are you guys crazy!" he loved it, particularly the "toot toot" (since he's into trains).
The train ride.
And last but not least, the four of us.