Go Hawks!

It has been a long long long time since I've been to an NFL football game.  I think the last time and only time I went to one I may have been around 8 or 9, oh and it was in the Kingdome.  So with my birthday approaching I casually mentioned to my Dad how I would love to go to the playoff game against the Saints, not thinking anything would come of it.  Imagine my surprise when my parents called saying they would buy the tickets if I covered the airfare.  Done.

That Saturday was typical Seattle weather - rainy and windy.  But amazingly we never got wet.  The walk from the parking garage to the bar was windy.  We sat in the bar and watched it pour and I mean pour outside.  There seriously was a river of water coming off of the roofs.  It was nice and cozy inside though:

Then during the walk to the stadium, the sun actually came out.  I have photo proof:

The energy before, during and after the game was something I have never experienced.  In one word it was awesome.  I don't think I have ever seen so many people in Seahawk gear in one place in my life. View from our covered seats:

Again, it started raining, but we stayed dry:

And then after the Seahawks won the clouds parted on our way back to the bar:

I loved the band that they had playing after the game:

Even the bar was loaded with Seahawk fans.  Seriously one of the best days I have had in my life - it was so much fun!  Thank you Mom and Dad for my birthday gift!

Skene Bunnies

Ryan and I had hoped that we would be able to get both kids up on skis when we were in Sun Valley.  We had a feeling that it might go a little something like this: Drew would be so excited and get right on his skis and the magic carpet while Isla would sit back and watch and hopefully see how much fun Drew was having or the attention that Drew was getting and decide to get on her skis.

Well that was pretty much exactly what happened.  I was shocked that we got both of them on skis and both of them loved it!  Isla loved it so much that she wouldn't stop bugging us about taking skiing lessons once we got home.  So we signed her up and she is now on her third week and going up on the chair lift and down the hill by HERSELF with no edgie wedgies.  Ryan and I could not be more proud of her!

First day on the "hill" in SV:

The second day showed much improvement:

You would think my kids were some kind of celebrities with the audience that they had during both days of skiing:

Instead of the celebratory hot chocolate after skiing, my Skene Bunnies opted for Cheetos instead (they definitely take after me!):

After Christmas in SV - 2013

Christmas day we packed up the kids and headed up to Sun Valley for a week.  This year we decided to rent a house in Ketchum with my parents and I'm so glad we did.  It was close to downtown and you could walk to the mountain.  The house also had a hot tub, a pool table and a drum set - what more could you ask for?  We enjoyed our time up there even if there was very little snow.

Drew would have been happy staying in this outfit the whole time he was there:

And refused the sleep without his pirate ship:

And watch his videos without his spotting scope (I'm such a good parent):

Since there was so little snow I actually got to go hiking with my family:

The day after Christmas we went to Aunt KE's house for fondue and a hat party:

We also made it to Whiskey's to watch Micky and the Motorcars:

Thank goodness the kids were able to make some friends at Starbucks - they were getting a little tired of each other by the end of the week:

The kids also got to go skiing  - but that deserves post just by itself.  We are already booked for the same house next year!

Christmas 2013

For Christmas this year it was just our family in our new home and it was perfect.  The night before the kids got the milk, cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer:

The next morning the kids didn't wake until 7:00 which shocked me.  I remember as a kid getting up at 5:30 or 6:00.  They dove right into their stockings and presents:

Isla got her Barbie car and Barbie boat:

And Drew got his Jake and the Neverland Pirates ship.  He loves this thing - it goes everywhere with him:

Including his bed when he goes to sleep.

I think Santa did pretty well this year if I say so myself.  After presents and breakfast we packed the kids up and headed up to Sun Valley for a week.  More pictures to come . . .

In Lieu of a Christmas Program

The kids Christmas program was postponed once and then canceled due to sickness this year.  Thank goodness my kids never got sick because I heard it was baaaaaad (there were only 6 out of 40 kids who attended day care one day). Isla and Drew were so disappointed that they didn't get to participate, so we had an open mike night:

Jingle Bells by Isla (can't you almost hear the pretend jingle bells she starts ringing halfway through?):

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Drew (or has he likes to call it Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeers):

Before Christmas

In the weeks leading up to Christmas we kept busy with a multitude of things:

First the Christmas tree (which we found in ten degree weather after visiting FOUR tree lots):

Papa and GiGi came for a visit:

And we braved the cold weather and went to the Botanical Gardens (Drew could have watched the trains all night):

For the first time I actually bought a gingerbread house kit and let the kids go to town and they actually kept it quite clean and did a great job at decorating it:

We also had pajama day at school and the kids, with no urging from me, decided to wear their matching pajamas:

Got to enjoy these moments while I can still get them!