Christmas 2018

We went to California to have Christmas
with Amy's family, well really
Andrew's family, since Brooke and her
family were in San Diego this year with
Chris' family

 We got down there a few days before Christmas
but in time for some fun

 and some work

 Claire works hard and gets flour all over

Cade bonding time

Claire bonding time

Even the dog has to get ready for the big day

 Ready Santa!!

 Unwrap

and play

Some play and some sleep

Cade got 007's car in Legos

Claire is figuring out her newest gadget

 and done in 4 hours

Pretty nifty car

and more bonding time in matching pants

 Shasta had a lot more snow on it going home than on
the way down....well maybe I guess it was covered in
fog on the way down so I'm not really sure about that

 Amy sent some pics after we left of Cade
making whipping cream

 and Claire discovering Cattails

Whoa!

We had Christmas with Brooke's family

when they got home from San Diego.

It was after New Years and the rest of the 

world was back to normal.  Ellie had a 

basketball game.  Lucky for us we got to see it

but I forgot my camera so these pics are compliments

of Chris, thanks Chris

Ellie with the ball

Ellie in red on the left.  The ball didn't go in but 

it was a nice shot and she actually hit the rim.

Good Job Ellie!!

Then back home for Christmas 2

 Pete had some odd shaped presents this year

 Before opening presents the kids wanted to have
caroling time.  Ellie wrote up all the words to the
songs she didn't think we would know so we could
follow along

 then she and Pete sang with us

and did the hand gestures

 and then it was present time with Ellie playing Santa

 and helping Pete open his presents

 She was a busy girl

 Pete got some tunnels for his cars so he and Pa played
on the stairs

Pete wanted to get his umbrella out and play with it
but since it's an outside umbrella Ellie made him one
with their new Crazy Forts framing

and one for herself
Such creative kiddos!!

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year!!

New Stove

Black Friday deals so I got a new stove

What do you think?

The old one, so old we couldn't find parts to fix it

and of course being a Tappan couldn't even find a

new one

Cemetery Visit

Marci and Bruce always go to the cemeteries in

December.  This year Bruce had a lot of surgeries

so I thought I'd help them out and do the yearly

trek.  I usually get boughs from the fir trees in 

our yard from all the wind storms in November.

But of course this year we didn't get any wind 

in November so I got some hemlock boughs 

from Brooke along with holly.

 Most of these are self explanatory 

 This one is Walt's Mom and Dad's plot in Olalla

 The Auburn cemetery, Mountain View

with all Mom's family

 Then on to Washington Memorial in Seattle

Boy these boughs blend into the grass so well

It was a beautiful day 

And of course we got the wind storm after I

had made all the swags!!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was at Gram & Grampa's this year.

It seems I take less and less pictures every 

year.  I must be too busy.

Ellie made me Thanksgiving decorations
Thanks Ellie!!

 I played Legos with Pete

we built a car tower where you put the 

cars down from the top

and take them out at the bottom

 Oh yah!  You have to look up to make

sure all the cars came out.  Too Fun! 

 Dinner was great

 Grampa showed Cade how to reload bullets

 Claire and Cade played really well with the little cousins

 We went to Manchester to take our Family picture

 Blake Island in the back right

 The girls (& Pete)

 Apple Cup time

 Pete's kitty, Smoky, on Claire's head

 Ellie finally wanted a ride on the motorcycle this year

Grampa is handing over the gears to the next generation

 All cooperate except you know who!!

 Dog Pile on Cade

and Grampa

Happy Times!

I'm telling you Cade & Claire love their little

cousins.  These adorable babies are their 

cousins on Andrew's side born Nov. 14

Sooooo cute!!  Are they better than holding

puppies, Claire?