Snow in Seattle!

This was the view from our balcony Sunday morning.

We showed up to church, like normal, to a practically empty chapel. The bishopric decided to cancel church after Sacrament meeting, so we came home and played in the snow!

 Lainy had fun rolling a head for our snowman (over green grass!).

 Leah pretty much just ate snow.

 Brad and I sported our matching hats - a Christmas gift from my parents.

And we built this guy! I personally like the sticks poking out of his knees. The girls thought it was a nice touch.

 We named him Jack Frost.

Sadly, we woke up the next morning to find that Jack had been torn apart (likely by some rowdy fans headed to the UW vs WSU basketball game). Poor Jack. He had character!

This snow batch melted away by Monday afternoon but the weatherman promised more snow would be coming Tuesday night.

We were slightly amused when ALL of the school districts and universities canceled school in mere anticipation of a snow storm, before a single flake had fallen. We come from Idaho where it has to be snowing, and blowing, and below 0 in order to get out of school. I was hoping for snow partly so the superintendent wouldn't look ridiculous if it never came.

The snow did come. Quite a bit actually. And the whole of Seattle shut down for the rest of the week. Barely a car ventured onto the roads, though I did see quite a few people outside enjoying the snow on foot.

We had ourselves a nice vacation alternating between going sledding, eating yummy food, watching movies, and driving around in our nice 4-wheel-drive Subaru on the uncharacteristically empty Seattle streets.

Thank you for gracing us with a few inches, snow!

Thank you Lainy's principal and Brad's president for cancelling school for the whole week! Though it was quite unnecessary in my opinion, we sure enjoyed ourselves!

Thank you, darling girls, for these pictures of your rosy cheeks and red noses! It did my heart good to see you discover something I grew up enjoying.

 And thank you Bradley, for fashioning this sled out of a cardboard box and a garbage bag.

The snow is now completely gone. The local newscasters have dubbed the storm Snowpocolypse and are calling it the worst storm in 30 years. I'm glad we were here for the ride!

Leah's Birthday

 

Happy Birthday Leah!

To Leah on Her Birthday

Dear Leah,
You are two years old today!

It will never stop surprising and alarming me how this...

Can turn into this...

...in such a short time. Do you remember doing that? I can barely.

I have noticed, this year, that you are a lot like your momma. It started with your big brown eyes and a preference for fruit and bread. Now I have noticed, my dear, that you (like your momma) would prefer to stay home and play with your sister than go out and be socially captivating on your own. But there is strength behind your shy smiles. And stubbornness too. And a bit of a mischievous streak that your sister never dreamed of.

Oh, it is fun to discover you!

I love your sweet voice, especially when you ask for "mo more" (one more). I love that you sing songs when you think no one is listening. And that you are so good at playing. I love putting you to bed, mostly because you never, ever protest. You just cuddle up and tell me which lullaby to sing you. You can be terribly endearing when you want to be!

I hope it is okay that I still call you my baby girl. I hope you don't find it bothersome that I ask you nearly every day to stop growing. I just want you to slow down for a little bit. I don't feel like I've gotten enough of you yet.

But it is your birthday and I hope it's a wonderful one! I hope you know how much Daddy and I love you. I hope that today, of all days, you know how special we think you are.

Love,
Mommy

Christmas Break 2011: Out with a Bang

I did not take any pictures for the rest of our break. (The one above was taken by my Dad on New Years Eve.)  I spent the week after Christmas being violently ill and praying that whatever I had didn't transfer to anyone else. (Luckily, it didn't.) Brad spent the week wrestling our two girls who temporarily forgot their manners (and their appetites) after Christmas.

By New Years Eve I was finally feeling better, and we celebrated by playing laser tag with my family and blowing stuff up. You heard me. Here is the explanation (this is how purely Idahoan I am): My Dad got some explosive stuff for Christmas, so we took it out to the Sand Dunes on New Years Eve and shot it with guns. It was quite fun, even resulting in some big booms that tore apart lava rocks and shook your soul. Yo howdy!

We attended Church with Brad's parents on New Years Day and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love their ward. The Sunday School lesson was amazing. Lainy was in Grandma's primary class and loved it!

Brad's mom made a delicious turkey dinner after church to send us on our way, then we loaded up the car and drove back to Seattle. Leah was still carsick, but I was slightly better at anticipating it which made for a much more pleasant drive.

It has been nice to be home and back in our routine, but we do miss our family. We wish we could see them more often! Maybe someday...

We hope you all had a merry Christmas and wish you the best in the new year!

Christmas Break 2011: Part Six

Part Six: Christmas

Christmas Eve was spent preparing a delicious feast with my Mom and Cassi. Oh the house smelled so good! And the food was even better!

We reminisced about favorite Christmases past, enjoyed the magic in the air that only Christmas Eve can bring, and snuggled into bed for a long winters nap.

The girls woke up to find that their Christmas wishes had come true.

 Brad and I had a few surprises and tricks up our sleeves too!

And when it was time for church, it felt right to leave the gifts and the wrappings and the fun to go sing hymns of praise.

We spent Christmas afternoon with the Hansens at Dallin and Leslie's home. They had prepared some yummy finger foods that we enjoyed while we talked and played. It was a nice, quiet afternoon.

We went to sleep exhausted and content. I'd call that a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Break 2011: Part Five

Part Five: Grand Targhee

A few days before Christmas, my parents took us up to Grand Targhee Ski Resort. We drove up a very bare mountain the night before our skiing was to begin with serious doubts. We told the girls to pray hard for snow, and guess what? It snowed! All night and most of the day! Kirsten called it a Christmas miracle. I personally think those little girls have an "in" with the man upstairs. I have a feeling He is quite partial to their innocent pleadings.

Guess who learned to ski?

My favorite part was when one of them would fall, they would just lay on the ground until their teacher came to pick them up. Apparently untangling skis is much too difficult for little legs to even attempt. Hilarious. That instructor got a serious workout!


 After a two year hiatus, I also re-entered the skiing world.  I was happy to discover that, though my stamina could use some serious work, for the most part I've still got it. And it felt good!

I refuse to mention a certain gentleman who usually snowboards but, on a whim, decided to try skiing one day and totally showed me up. Does he have to be good at everything?

He did have a mildly embarrassing moment, however, when he attempted to jump in a snow bank only to discover the snow was only a couple of inches deep. Ha! Take that Mr. Perfect!

We soaked our sore bodies in the super hot jacuzzi each evening and had fun playing games and eating late into the night. One of our nights there we held our Nazareth Night - one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Definitely a trip to remember! Thank you Mom and Dad!

Christmas Break 2011: Part Four

Part Four: Hansen Family Christmas Party

Most of the Hansen family left town for Christmas, so we had a party together a week early. We ate a wonderful dinner, then did Mom's special Nativity program. I think she had a part and a costume for everyone - 21 people (including brand new baby Madelyn).

Grandma Hansen (age 95), Mom, Grandma Boyer (age 93)

The angels: Lainy and Sarah Jane

Doug, Jessica, and dog Burley. They are expecting their own little miracle soon and we are SO thrilled for them!

Craig, Becca, and baby Madelyn

Waiting for the festivities to begin!

We ended the program by singing together a beautiful hymn written by Brad's mom. She is seriously gifted. It was a beautiful experience to sing about the Savior together. The perfect way to end the evening and usher in the week of Christmas.

ps: Bry and Rach - you were dearly missed! Next year maybe?

Christmas Break 2011: Part Three

Part Three: Salt Lake City

Brad and I were able to get away by ourselves to Salt Lake City for a couple of days before Christmas. We left the girls with my parents (my first time leaving them overnight!). The business of the trip was for Brad to interview with the University of Utah. My reasons for going were nostalgic.

6 years ago (on December 23rd) Brad proposed to me under the Christmas lights on Temple Square. While we were there we found our spot and remembered... It was fun and lovely and a much needed escape.