Christmas 2013

1st Christmas, we celebrated as a family a couple days before leaving on our trip to Kent and Seaside.

In stark contrast to last year, Hayley was quite excited about Santa coming and eager to leave out cookies and milk by Grandma's tree. 

Christmas Eve, Grandma Forbes was able to come visit! 

(This was taken late…after a long day…)

This year I got a little crazy and made 7 pairs of these monster slippers for my kids and some of their cousins. They were pretty fun to make.

One night we went and walked along the path at Gene Coulon Park. 

They had some really pretty lights up.

Mom and Dad and grandkids…and Alyssa. 

(Sorry Mom and Dad that you have branch mustaches…)

A couple days after Christmas we made our way down to Seaside to visit Skyler's family. 

Kid's Table

As per New Years tradition, Jodi and Ben bring their Chocolate fountain. 

It is quite the spread if indulgence!

Jodi and Kylee

Nick, Jenna, Brenna

Hayley and Skyler, celebrating New Year's for kids…at 9pm.

Let's be real, we love them, but 12am would be 4-5 hours past bedtime 

and they don't know the difference at 9pm. 

Break out the streamers and noise makers for 5 min, do a fake countdown…. and bedtime! 

When in Seaside…ride the Carousel.

And of course, visit the beach! 

We had a few family photos taken, this is one that I snapped right before my batteries died. 

Go figure.

We had a wonderful time visiting both our families and getting to see just about everybody.

Strawberry Head

In the last couple of weeks we had the opportunity to go pick strawberries at Columbia Farms on Sauvie Island. We went on a whim, and got to the farm just in time to pick a flat of berries.
I named this posting Strawberry Head because Hayley would gladly eat strawberries and lot's of 'em for every meal if you let her, she went crazy when she saw all of them and instantly insisted she have some.

We are so lucky that we have been able to visit the Zoo two times in one month, and two different zoos: Point Defiance and the Oregon Zoo. Over Memorial Day weekend we visited my parents for a few days and then Skyler's family for a few days, which is when we went to Point Defiance in Tacoma. Hayley was pretty afraid of the Walrus. She absolutely LOVED the Monkeys. Pretty much begging to be in the cage with them. And at some points in her life thus far, she would have fit right in.

Hayley getting lots of loves and attention from her cute little cousins, Kylee and Ashlyn.

Last week we ventured to Pullman, WA. It was a quick trip, much of the time spent in the car checking out our new surroundings we will call home, next month!