A Goodwin Family Christmas

Finally, Christmas Day had arrived! At approximately 5:30am we celebrated Christ's birth by reading Luke 2, as well as excerpts from Mark, Matthew and 3rd Nephi. However, D can correct me if I'm wrong on those particular books - I was still a bit bleary-eyed as he read through each of the passages. But, it was a particularly pleasant and fitting way to begin the 25th of December.

This year, my husband & I did stockings for each other, so emptying the goodies from those red, felt socks was the first order of the day. As we munched on mandarin oranges, we took turns to see what Santa had left for us. Needless to say, we must have been pretty good because we were blessed with many, useful things, including a teapot, vegetable steamer and water purifier. Santa knows us so very well!

After our little Christmas festivities ended, we packed up the car with presents, food, warm clothing and blankets before heading down to the Goodwin household. My mother-in-law had decorated the house in a festive fashion, complete with snow and foliage. Earlier, she asked if I would make a frittata, so we arrived very early, and got right to work under cover of darkness in a very quiet, slumbering household. As the smell of fried potatoes, basil and butter wafted, the house began to stir. Our bountiful breakfast of frittata, oranges, bacon and pancakes was quite filling; obvioulsy, we needed all the sustenance we could get for the exciting, busy morning that lay ahead.

A short time later, the bows and colored wrapping paper were filling the air, the living room and every other once-clean space. Our niece was entranced with every single gift that erupted from the mountain of paper, boxes and bows... but she was equally entranced by the paper, boxes and bows too!

After thing were cleaned up and Christmas morning naps commenced, D & I took off for home. We turned on "Planet Earth" and grabbed blankets, so we could also take a brief siesta. About an hour later, I got up to get a drink of water and looked outside and there was snow! We were going to have a White Christmas for the first time in years! Rather spontaneously, we decided to take a trip up to the mountains to check out the snow and do some snowshoeing, possibly. We got up to the Mountain Loop Highway and encountered rain most of the drive. Fortunately, the scenery made up for the warm precipitation. However, by the time we got to the Deer Creek trailhead (and where they close the road for winter activities), cars were filling the sides of the road as snowshoers, sledders, hikers and snowmobilers piled out of the vehicles as a fine snow quickly covered the ground. With great excitement, we strapped on our shoes and gear, as we began our hike towards Big 4 Ice Caves. I won't go into any more details, but it was quite an adventure. We made it back to the Goodwins a few hours late for a fabulous turkey dinner, but we had a grand time playing in the snow drifts.

Once again, we have been blessed beyond measure this year; although the gifts were much appreciated and thoughtful, we most thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of our family (& missing those that could not make it home to Seattle) as we reflected on the blessings of Christmas and the joy of the Gospel.

A Marchant Family Christmas

The typical Marchant family Christmas Eve starts with a lovely array of food - what better way to start a party, right? This year was no exception; mom made some wonderful white bean chili and cornbread, which were the perfect combination to warm us all up on a cold night. We also feasted on a huge salad, vegetables and drinks before tasting the various treats delivered by friends and neighbors.

After dinner we moved to the present-opening extravaganza. This year, mom (in cahoots with some Christmas elves) developed a 10-year rotation plan for the gift exchange. While this method takes away some of the surprise and wonder of receiving our gifts, it helps to maintain structure in our ever-growing, busy family.

Because the presents were torn apart fairly fast and furious, we were able to have family fun music time. A few ago, Rachel introduced us to the Christmas chimes and since then we have been hooked on delivering our impromptu chime concerts. It may sound a bit silly, but it takes hard work, determination and focus to deliver such melodious harmonies that echo throughout the house. And if you don't watch the conductor, you can be in real trouble... especially since we have to start over each time and dad was the music stand for the large, heavy flipchart.

After a delicious dinner, goodies, gifts, and good times, we wrapped up our things and said our goodbyes as the kids headed off to our respective homes. In the end, it was a beautiful night filled with family, food, hugs, kisses and the Christmas spirit.

I Get Crafty

This year I attempted to be crafty... more so than usual. Besides the typical baking bonanza, I took on some more elaborate ideas for Christmas gifts. Using some extra boards from our YW closet, I painted and stenciled some sayings on them which I gave to some of our friends. I was happy with the finished product, and might be tempted to do more if I can build on an extra room to house all of the tools & materials. As my husband will attest, our dining/living room has been transformed into the Christmas workshop. My task for this weekend is to excavate our dining table so that we can eat family dinner together again.

Hoop Dreams

Last weekend, we went to our nephew’s basketball game in Snohomish. As we walked in to the musty, old gymnasium, there was a palpable buzz in the air as several, heated games were in motion. One of my favorite things is spending a cold, Saturday morning watching my nieces or nephews play in these sports league programs; whether it is basketball, soccer, or baseball, I love cheering them on from the sidelines.

City leagues in the area have become feeder systems for local school programs. If you don’t play in the leagues as a kid, it’s tough to compete for a spot on a team when you get into junior high and high school. One of the kids voiced that concern; as their team was falling behind in the second half, he exclaimed: “Now how am I going to make it onto varsity?” (Keep in mind, this kid is in 3rd grade.) As you can see, people are serious about sports in Snohomish.

Fortunately, Terrin, who is one of the tallest kids on the team, just seems to enjoy the thrill of running up and down the hardwood and even throws in some good defensive moves from time to time. While he may not be the most hardcore player, he goes into “super basketball” mode whenever someone cheers or shouts his name from the sidelines. And I doubt he has even considered whether or not he will be a starter for the Snohomish Panthers.

Mixing things up at Sur La Table

A few months ago, some girls at work were chatting about learning to cook something fun for the holidays. Shortly thereafter, one of the girls surprised us with a single sheet of paper - it was a confirmation slip for an early Christmas present: a lesson at Sur la Table.

Last week, we headed to the eastside for our class, "Holiday Entertaining Cooking" taught by professional chef, Lynne Vea. She created the hearty recipes for the menu, which included a three French cheese fondue with toasted ciabatta, apples and brussels sprouts, pancetta braised greens in phyllo pastry, pork tenderloin roast, yams and pecans with maple glaze, and English toffee bread pudding with warm berries.

As we pushed open the doors, the Kirkland store was practically bursting at the seams with busy shoppers, Christmas decorations and kitchen gadgets beyond your wildest imagination; I could have spent hours in the place simply looking at their wares! Continuing around the corner, a huge kitchen suddenly unfolded before our eyes. Whether you were a serious chef with excellent "knife skills" or a novice with a faint idea on the finer points of boiling water, this was a site to behold.

After donning thick, green aprons, we began introductions around the demonstration table, which was a huge slab of marble countertop with a double stovetop and a huge mirror hanging over the workspace. Television monitors, which hung at key points in the massive, high-ceiling room, displayed views of the various workstations where we would soon create each menu item. As Lynne introduced herself, you could tell this was going to be an exciting, entertaining evening. Without mincing words, she walked us through the basics of each recipe, with a quick note about proper knife skills & sharpening techniques.

Suddenly, the room erupted in a whirlwind of chopping, basting, slicing and stirring. Amy & I started at the dessert table (of course!); I chopped the bread and she mixed the eggs, milk and cinnamon. After finishing with the bread, we moved to the yam table, where we sliced each orange root into matchstick pieces and sprinkled them with olive oil, sea salt and white pepper. We moved to the other stations, watching people grate nutmeg, brush butter on phyllo and braise greens.

At the end of the evening, we enjoyed the fruits of our labors. While the head chef prepared and arranged the various dishes, her sous chefs plated the food and we reveled in the bounty of a hearty Northwest-inspired holiday meal.

The Great Christmas Survey

Some friends have taken this survey, so I figured, why not! If you get a chance, cut, paste & post it with your answers on your blog.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate… but you have to do it a certain way. Pour boiling hot water on the chocolate and stir till frothy. Then pour a small amount of milk (to cool it) and stir till frothy again. (As you can see, I'm a bit picky - but it's chocolate!)
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? As a kid, the presents from our parents were wrapped and the ones from Santa sat under the tree. My parents were so sly.
3. Colored lights on the tree/house or white? As Mindy said, I like white lights on the tree and colored lights outside.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not usually, but here is a story I liked from Mindy’s comments. “One year when I was working at the UW, Michelle and I used white-out to paint some fake holly berries white [to make our own mistletoe]. We got the holly off a really ugly wreath that was headed for the trash bin.”
5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I get a free moment. Two years ago they never went up because we flew back from our honeymoon on Christmas Eve (around midnight).
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Spiral brown sugar ham
7. What is your favorite holiday dessert? The Frango: chocolate-minty goodness covered in more chocolate… mmmmm.
8. Favorite holiday memory as a child? It’s hard to pick one. Mom’s caroling party was always fun; we invited people to sing, and then we’d have hot chocolate, chili & a potluck of desserts. And, for several years, we went to see this huge light display in Lake Stevens. If I remember correctly, the parents had lost their little daughter and so they created a Winter Wonderland at their house in her memory. It was so amazing: they had thousands of lights, decorations and even had a real Santa Claus.
9. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? A boy in my third grade class told me.
10. What do you leave for Santa? Mom’s sugar cookies (which happen to be Santa’s favorite) and carrot sticks for the reindeer. We were always so excited to see the plate empty the next morning.
11. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Growing up, we opened a gift on Christmas Eve. Now that I’m married we usually have Christmas Eve with one family & Christmas Day with another.
12. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? It’s very simple - white lights, glass balls and strings of beads.
13. Snow: love it or hate it? I love the snow, but as many know I am not particularly fond of driving in it. Last week, as we were driving home from a Christmas party, the snow had covered everything and it was beautiful.
14. Can you ice skate? I can ice skate but I’m definitely not shooting for the Olympics.
15. Do you remember your favorite gift? When I was about 4, someone left this huge, beautiful handmade dollhouse for me on our front porch when we lived in Portland. As far as I know, my parents never knew who left it.
16. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with family and continuing traditions. I also love how people finally figure “it” out - the idea that there is more to life that just “me, me, me.” They become more generous, happy, carefree, thoughtful, forgiving, loving and generally better people during the holiday season.
17. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The Twelve Days of Christmas – it has always helped me find opportunities to serve, give, and remember the real meaning of Christmas.
18. What tops your tree? A large, silver bow.
19. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Who doesn’t like getting gifts? But giving is so much more rewarding; trying to find that perfect gift and seeing the look on someone’s face when they open it – it evokes such a wonderful feeling.
20. What is your favorite Christmas song(s)? Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”, the Carpenters’ “Christmas Waltz” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Zooey Deschanel & Redbone (Elf soundrack).
21. Candy Canes? I’m not sure why, but I’ve never cared for them. (Maybe because they don’t have any chocolate?)
22. What is your favorite Christmas Movie? “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is funny, “Elf” is a new favorite and “White Christmas” is traditional, sentimental, sappy – and I love it!
    

Getting that Familiar Feeling

Last night, the Beehives were in charge of the activity – a gift exchange & making cards for a local pediatric unit. During the planning session in September, I think the girls were feeling a bit adventurous when we planned two activities in one night, but who was I to argue?

As I lugged my load of supplies into the building, I noticed the heating vents were in high gear. While I rolled up my sleeves to get things situated (& cool down), I asked one of the Beehive counselors to get things started. Though she’s a little shy, she conducted and much to my delight, she did a great job! I love our young women. When you challenge them, they always rise to the occasion and exceed my expectations. They never cease to amaze me.

White Elephant gift exchange games are funny and random. As we looked at the long table of festively-wrapped gifts, none of us could imagine all of the wonderful gems they held. One of the girls opened a box and we burst into raucous laughter; she began to pull out an old stocking… but, it did not stop there! The sock continued to come out similar to a magician pulling multiple scarves out of a hat. The stockings, which were sewn together in a long, rope-like manner, held $5 in change – which was the limit of our gift exchange. Besides the stocking, there was a little plush puppy in a purple, plush purse (similar to Paris Hilton’s Chihuahua), a Christmas ribbon that shook & played music, old jewelry, used candles, and some lovely, bright pink toe socks.

As people were finishing the sly swapping of gifts, I set up the “card-making bonanza table”, complete with cardstock, punches, adhesives, ribbons, rotary cutters and loads of scrap paper. The girls, who took to the service project like a fish to water, were a flurry of activity for the next hour. In the end, we had 24 handmade cards – each of which had heartfelt notes of holiday greetings & well-wishes for the patients at Children’s Hospital. Again, the girls did a great job and it was fun to see their personalities reflected in the way they created their cards.

Despite the fact that I felt I was rushing people through each minute of the night, everyone seemed to have a nice, enjoyable evening. As we were cleaning up and putting the supplies back in the bins, I picked up the red envelope brimming with the girls’ cards and started to smile: the Christmas spirit is finally here!

An Early Snow

See, it doesn't always rain in Seattle.

We have had 3 storms wash over the area since Saturday. When all was said and done, the first storm left about 4-5" of snow in our part of town. The roads were a bit slippery, but Dave managed very well. However, he probably thought I was a bit odd as I pulled the camera out of my bag and snapped a quick picture of a residential road on the way to church.

The temperatures warmed after noon on Sunday and it's been raining for the last 24 hours. As of this morning, we had 5 more inches of precipitation, which has left water over the roads, rivers flooding, the mountain snow melting and general chaos. I'm hoping that the power is still on at home...

Sweet Treats

Here are a few of my latest baking endeavors:

German Chocolate Cake for Mom & Heather’s Birthday

Cheesecake-filled Cupcakes for Melissa’s Shower
Raspberry-Brownie Trifle for a dessert contest for holiday work party

Little Things

On Wednesday as I was running out of the gym, my “To Do” list simultaneously ran through my head: get home, clean up, make dinner, keep my visiting teaching appointment, go to YW presidency meeting, do laundry, etc. First and foremost was getting home from Alderwood… which, depending on the time of day, can be a very time-consuming, taxing journey.

In an effort to multi-task I grabbed the phone and called Dave to see if he had any great ideas for dinner. We tossed several ideas around, with one of the options being to pick something up on my way home. With frugality on the brain, I mentioned a quick & easy recipe for Chicken Pot Pie I had found the night before and asked Dave if he could throw it together. Here’s a little disclaimer: Dave does not enjoy cooking; he does dishes, laundry, bathrooms, etc. but cooking is just not his thing. I do enjoy cooking; in fact I love it and find it to be a creative, relaxing outlet after a long day at work. So, while it typically works for me to do the meal preparation, I didn’t know if I could fit it all in that night.

Fortunately for me, Dave is an adventurous sort of guy and he agreed to give it a whirl. When I finally walked in the house, he was a flurry of activity in the kitchen. I smiled and ran past him to clean up and change. As I dried my hair, I caught the savory smell of chicken and biscuits wafting through the air. By the time I got downstairs, not only was dinner ready but the table was set, complete with folded napkins and ice water-filled glasses. It was the best sight I’d seen all day – not only because I was famished, fatigued and on the go, but because this "little thing" made me realize how lucky and thankful I am to have him as my husband. Oh, and for the record, the warm pie looked & tasted divine.

Ode to Tryptophan

Thanksgiving was a fabulous day -- so fabulous, in fact, that I forgot to snap any lovely photos of the bounteous amounts of food, fun and family. Oh well. Nonetheless, it was a nice day to rest from work, watch the Macy’s Day Parade, get things done around the house… oh and eat, of course!

While Dave headed for our ward’s Turkey Bowl Extravaganza, I headed for an hour session of kickboxing at the gym. It was freezing as I stepped out the door but the sky was a crisp, clear blue and the cool air was invigorating. I was energized for the “Turbo Kick” class where I would be “roundhouse-ing” and “upper-cutting” with the best of them. In the end, it was an awesome class and a great way to prepare my body for the onslaught of calories awaiting me at the Thanksgiving table.

Because Mom was cooking the majority of the dinner, she assigned me the easy task of vegetables. At first I thought I was getting off lucky, but then I thought – vegetables? We were already having mashed potatoes… isn’t that ‘vegetable’ enough? I grabbed my handy cookbook to get the creative juices flowing. Eventually, I decided to make some rosemary potatoes (the more potatoes, the merrier – right?) and a chopped green salad, complete with grape tomatoes, scallions, cranberries, almonds & cilantro. But, of course, that was not enough for me.

I wanted to try out a new pie crust recipe, and what better time to do so than Thanksgiving dinner with willing taste-testers? The trouble was trying to find something tasty in my pantry to fill that flaky goodness. My first thought was chocolate cream pie because I don’t care for pies made from large orange vegetables. Unfortunately, the recipe I had required the pie to set for 5+ hours and I was working with a 2-hour window. Scanning through a load of cookbooks, I came across the Toll House Pie. Genius! A giant cookie in the shape of a pie! How could I go wrong? Because the pie went together so nicely and quickly, I had it in the oven in no time. Fast forward 50 minutes and I had a golden, piping-hot dessert sitting on the counter. In case you're curious, here is a link to the recipe.

Though we were running a little behind schedule, we quickly packed our goods into the car and headed for the freeway. As we crossed the overpass, you could see bright red tail-lights for miles… and they were not moving. This was not good. We opted for Highway 9, but so did everyone else in the greater Seattle area. Needless to say, we were quite late for dinner. Fortunately, everyone was kind enough to wait.

Mom had unrolled a beautiful array of good food and pretty dishes; we brought up a fresh autumn bouquet of sunflowers, statice and eucalyptus as a final touch. Around the table sat Dad, Mom, Gabe, Kali, Brent, Dave & I. Even with our small numbers, it was an enjoyable, lively meal.

After dinner, we kept up tradition by going to a holiday movie with the family. Because we didn’t have any little ones with us, we opted for a more grown-up film, “Dan in Real Life.” We went in knowing nothing, other than Steve Carell was in it and we enjoy him in “The Office”. While it’s a little slow to get going and the lilting soundtrack will lull you to sleep (especially if you are in a post-Thanksgiving dinner stupor), the movie was well worth the price of admission. How can you go wrong with family talent shows, sibling rivalry, silly songs, a little love story, lots of laughter and a little dose of crying? It was a great way to cap off a very nice day.

Football under the Needle

With great anticipation, we attended to the Turkey Trot soccer tournament to watch Terrin and his superstar team play for glory on Saturday morning. Watching them duke it out, we stood under umbrellas while a cold, driving rain pelted the area. After the game, we were dry but chilled to the bone. We rushed home, grabbed something warm to heat, wrapped up in a ton of blankets and promptly feel asleep.

That evening, Edmonds-Woodway was slated to play Eastlake at Memorial Stadium in the heart of Seattle. Because we are such devoted fans, we decided to brave the elements again - besides, it was the state semifinals football game! While I was apprehensive about being out in the cold for the second time that day, I am always up for watching a good game (especially those involving state championships).

It was a cool, clear night as we found our seats in the stadium, under the shadow of the Space Needle. The game was wild & exciting, filled with numerous sacs, fumbles, interceptions and penalties. It may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it seemed that the officials threw a flag every other play... and unfortunately for Eastlake, they were on the receiving end of most of those penalties. Also unfortunate for Eastlake was the loss of their quarterback to an ankle injury; if he had not been hurt, the game would likely have had a different outcome. With a final score of 24-21, the Edmonds-Woodway stands exploded in cheers, with cheerleaders, football players and students celebrating the exciting win. While Eastlake seemed to be a stronger (and bigger) team, Edmonds moves on to the Tacoma Dome this weekend to play Lewis & Clark. And if last week's game was any indication, it will be another exciting night.

Giving Thanks Continually

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest
appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
- John F. Kennedy

I love the Thanksgiving season because it reminds me to reflect on the blessings in my life. Throughout the year, I try to remember the importance of giving thanks, but I don't always do so well as I'd hope. As I was reading Linda's List of 50 (and her subsequent Thanksgiving Challenge), I thought it would be good to come up with 50 of my own.

50 Things for Which I Give Thanks:

1. My testimony of the Gospel
2. My husband
3. My family
4. New friends
5. Old Friends
6. The ward’s young women
7. Education
8. Knowledge
9. A comfortable home
10. Chocolate
11. Power of prayer & faith
12. Lifelong learning
13. Good books
14. The sacred nature of libraries
15. Health & safety
16. Living in Seattle
17. Rainy, cool days
18. A hard workout
19. Lessons, stories or people who motivate me to be a better person
20. Making goals
21. Learning new skills
22. Learning from mistakes
23. Introspection
24. Recognizing God’s love for me
25. Having a good attitude
26. Helping others
27. Sharing talents
28. Long talks with friends
29. Cooking and baking good food
30. Homemade rolls
31. Music
32. Getting things organized
33. A thorough cleaning
34. Knowing that change is not only good, but essential
35. Not sweating the small stuff
36. Feeling the spirit
37. Moments of inspiration
38. Moments of creativity
39. Beautiful vistas
40. The roar of the ocean
41. Solitude
42. Learning to love the imperfections
43. The opportunity to repent
44. The gift of forgiveness
45. Receiving good news, fun mail or a surprise call/visit
46. Celebrating accomplishments (big & small)
47. Seeing the best in others
48. The ability to laugh at myself
49. Savoring each day
50. Realizing what’s important

Now that I've finished my list, what are the blessings in your life this year? If you feel inspired to list 50 things, or just 1 - take a moment to give thanks. Better yet, try to extend the exercise beyond Turkey Day and make it a regular habit.

Fasting has Its Benefits

In my work, I constantly scan through hundreds of medical research articles each day. Some are interesting, some are dull and some are completely over my head. And then something jumps out that piques my interest, both personally and professionally.

Such was the case this morning as I was viewing the latest additions to my RSS reader. As I was running down the list of articles, this abstract suddenly caught my attention:

"Regular Fasting May Improve CVD Risk"
November 14, 2007 (Orlando) — Regular fasting among Mormons may account, at least in part, for their lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests [1]. According to researchers in Utah, fasting was the strongest predictor of reduced heart disease among people who identified themselves as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (LDS), but also among people who routinely fasted for nonreligious reasons.

Dr Benjamin Horne (Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, UT) presented the results of the study during the American Heart Association (AHA) 2007 Scientific Sessions last week. In an interview with heartwire, Horne explained that studies dating back three decades have indicated that the LDS population lives longer than non-LDS Americans, a finding attributed partly to the fact that the religion forbids smoking. "But smoking isn't the only risk factor for CVD [cardiovascular disease], and because the lower risk is so substantial, we felt there could be other factors," he said. (For the full article, click here.)

Obviously, those that are LDS know the spiritual blessings that come from fasting. With the possibility of added physical benefits from fasting, we should be further motivated to participate as we strive to live healthier lives.

I will now get off my soap box...

Contrasts & Characteristics

My brother, David, called last night. We had a good, long talk and it made me miss him like crazy. A full-time student studying construction management, he also holds down a demanding, full-time construction job. Rachel already had her teaching degree when they got married; she works hard at a local elementary school (and from what I hear, she is an awesome teacher). Also, they both take care of their active, adorable 18-month-old, Rhees. Obviously, this is one busy family and because of that, we don’t get to hear from or see them often.

David is a study in contrasts. He can be supremely goofy – evidenced by the photos of the Love Sac flying sessions, the videos imitating a boy band dance with his friends, and how he plays with his son, nieces and nephews. But, his serious side comes to the surface when he speaks of his family or his testimony of the gospel. He is a kind & loyal individual, who supports, appreciates and loves his friends fiercely. He applauds even the smallest accomplishments, but doesn’t hesitate to voice concerns or share opinions. I’ve seen him laugh and heard him cry. His hugs tell you everything. He works hard, plays hard and lives well. He has a great desire to serve and give his all. He is a great example of a husband and a father. Because I'm five years older, I’ve had the privilege to watch as he has grown into an amazing man. With all of these strong characteristics, it's exciting to think of all the great things that are yet to come for him.

Good Things Come in 3's

As our family continues to grow, it seems that every month we have multiple birthdays to celebrate. October and November are no exception. We celebrated Lucy's 1st birthday before Rachel & Bracan had to take off for Arizona. We celebrated Jon's birthday via telephone and a mailed package. And, in the last week, we celebrated three more birthdays on Dave's side: Bracan, Jon & Ben. On Saturday night, we got together and had a nice dinner at Chili's to celebrate the latter two (and I'm sure Bracan would have come if he had been in Washington). In an effort not to draw attention to our little party, we opted to hum "Happy Birthday To You" for Jon & Ben.

On Sunday, we had three birthdays to celebrate on my side of the family. Everyone headed up to Stanwood for the grand birthday celebration of Camron, Heather and mom. The kitchen was a flurry of activity as we prepared the food. After eating a fabulous dinner of turkey, salmon, potatoes, salad and bread, we watched as they tore into their presents and blew out the candles on two cakes: one decorated as a basketball court cake (complete with two hoops and a gum baseline) and traditional German Chocolate cake.

Here are some cute pictures of Ady. After a little adventure with water, she was changed into her cloudy pj's - and I couldn't resist taking a few pics!