3 years ago, Reese's 1st Chirstmas, we packed her up and hiked through the forest service roads out of Enumclaw to find our "Perfect" christmas tree. It is great, you pay $10 for a permit and get to "hunt" it down. The only problem, it's a forest! So, there is always a "more" perfect tree "just over there"!

We started out getting some lunch in Bonney Lake at "oh" McDonalds as Reese calls it. Nothing like a little good old fashioned fat to warm them bones up:)

Soon we found FS Road 74 and turned to drive up the mountain. Jason, in a zone, passes right by a herd of about 20 of these friendly fellos! I said, "Whoa, back this truck up!" It is not very often that us city folk get to see Elk in real life! Jason backs right up to this guy and he practicly said "Cheese" for his photo. We couldn't have been more that 10 feet away from him.

ok, so we get up there (4 miles in) and Jason arms himself with his saw and a bundled up Reese.

I armed myself with my Grandpa Frank's woolrich jacket and Payton in the backpack and off we go to find the perfect Charlie Brown tree:)

So, here it is! Can you see it behind the self-portrait of the 4 of us?

Daddy playing "Lumberjack", Reese thinks he needs some of Pops' logging toys:)

Finally we get it home, decorated, and my girls set oh-so-nicely in front of it!!!



P.S. I HATE colored christmas lights. I told my husband that it ruins the christmas tree for me:( But in good holiday spirit, I decided to give in just this one christmas. You know, that whole marraige and comprimise thing?

Every Wednesday night, we try to get together with J's sisters for dinner. There is always someone who can't make it, but we still persevere anywho. This week, both J and Jen couldn't come, so it was just Kim and I (and my girls of course). Auntie Kim loves to come and see her nieces. This week i had a special treat for her. She got to be involved in Payton's 1st solids!

Normally J would be here for something like this, but I am at my wits end! Mind you, Payton started sleeping through the night at 9 weeks, and for the last couple, she is up at least twice a night! Then when I go into her room and pick her up, she is ravenous and sucks my neck like a vampire. We finally crawl into bed and I feel like I am being eaten by a pyrana (did I spell that right?). So, at five and a half months, I decided it was time to start rice cereal.



Payton has started to reach for anytihing that Jason and I are eating or drinking, so I thought that it was time.



Auntie Kim, Reese and I all armed ourselves with the camera, a towel and plenty of laughs as Payton DEVOURED her rice cereal!


Who knew that rice cereal and boob milk could taste this good??? She practictly served it herself and ate the whole bowl that I thought might last a couple of feedings! Oh well, at least it is cheap:)



And last but not least, Payton was satisfied! I didn't realize that her eyebrows were hungry too though? She has this look like, "Geez Mom, could your aim suck anymore?" Really it had something to do with her being so excited and doing the Payton "Bob-and-Weave".

Sorry Daddy that you couldn't be here for my 1st food, but Mom's boobs just couldn't take it anymore! Maybe next time:)

Ladies Lunch

Thank you "Blog Ladies" for the lunch last week! I really enjoyed seeing all of you and catching up on all of your lives. I will look forward to next year, but I will be checking up on all of you lovely ladies on you blogs! Cheers...

Family Picture

Here are my sweet girls getting their picture taken with Santa. Even though Reese is terrified of strangers (good girl), she came out of her shell when she was able to inform Santa that she wants a HUGE unicorn for Christmas. She still wouldn't smile for the picture. That was just asking too much:)


Well, since most of you are getting your Chirstmas card this week, I will finally post our family picture from Hawaii. It is from the Luau in Kona and it is the only decent family picture that we have taken since adding Payton to our family. Granted, the girls aren't looking, but neither is crying either. So you take what you can get right? Merry Chirstmas Everybody...

We're Back!!!

Hi Everyone-
We got back LATE Monday night from Kona. We had a blast to say the least and have many pictures to share. I have not had time to post them yet, nor do I have them all, but here are a few to start! We enjoyed everything from cliff jumping at the southern most point in the US to a Luau and snorkeling with Sea Turtles. I will be back with more...

Here are J and the girls on our flight, both girls did great!!!


Paytie and I in the water. This was the only water that she liked. It was the only spot that was warm enought for her little toes!!


The boys and our girls hanging in the pool. Dave is trying to teach our girls to do the "Hang Loose" sign.


Reese with the "Pretty Girls". That is what she called the Hula dancers at the Luau



Reesie and Mommy at the Luau


Our Sweet little family...


Cora and I on the beach just after I got swallowed by a wave. Look close and you can see all the sand in my hair that I had to scrub out for days.


Cora trying to get the baby drunk. Just joking! Payton was just fixated on the beer bottle and considering that she popped her 1st tooth while we were there, she just wanted to gnaw on the cold smooth bottle.

ALOHA

Only 5 more days until we leave for Hawaii!!! Jason and are taking the girls to Kona on the big island for 10 days with some very good friends of ours. We are so excited for Reese to see new things and take little Paytie with us:) If I don't get a chance to update before we leave, Aloha and have a great couple of weeks! I promise to have lots of pictures when we get back...

A Day with the Dahlia's, Oh, and Nellie too:)

Once a month or so, my dear friend Nellie comes to visit us and stay for the weekend. I am truly blessed to have her for a girlfriend. We have been buddies since we were in the 6th grade, and my how time flies. She has watched me through my relationship with my parents, my husband (6 years of dating 1st), then through both of my pregnancies. Only a true girlfriend would tell right after you have given birth to your 1st child, "Your toes look horrible! I can't believe that you went out of the house with them looking like that! Now put them up on this stool and let me give you a pedicure!:)" It was wonderful to know that I had a friend in this world that would not only tell me the truth, but help me fix it and pamper me at the same time. After about the 5th month with my pregnancy with Payton, I could no longer reach my toes again. Nellie to the rescue! Every month when she came down for the weekend, she would pamper me and make my toes "pretty" again. I love Nellie for always taking the time to be my friend. My True Friend!
Here are a few photos from the last weekend that she came down. We went down to the park at Point Defiance and went through the Dahlia Garden...