Bend

A couple of weeks ago a group of kids from the Seattle/Portland/ Vancouver area all headed over to Bend for the weekend. Saturday a group went skiing/snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor while the other 15 of us headed up a smaller mountain to go snowshoeing. We all met up later that evening for dinner and tea afterwards. It was fun to see Kendall Crouch he used to live in Great Falls but moved to Bend, OR a year or so before I moved away. We ended the weekend with a wonderful day of Special Meetings and then headed home to a very windswept Gresham. After living in Great Falls it appears I have gotten used to the wind because I like it but it has been a little cold.

Sarah Thatcher is from Texas and had never made a snowman..despite the fact the snow was very icy we decided we would fix the problem.

Lichen and Sarah with Charlie the snowman

On top of the mountain is was 57 degrees and sunny. Down in Bend it was 25 all day with a crazy frost.

Ode to the Breeze

Winter wind in Wyoming... there's really nothing quite like it. I suppose the best way to describe is that it's an adventure in itself.
Don't forget to turn your volume up as you enjoy this little blip!

Ringing in The New Year 2009

Well our annual New Years Get-to-Gether was a little quieter than usual but still a ton of fun. Mouse and I made the long trek from Mom and Dad's a little longer due to an avalanche on Snoqualmie. We made it all the way to Buckingham's and then had to put the chains on halfway up the driveway. I have been adamantly opposed to using chains but they actually worked wonders and might have made a beliver out of me. I guess it helps that Brian and Shawn were so kind as to leave the warm house to come out and put the chains on for me so I didn't even have to crawl around in the snow in my skirt! Beth also had quite the time on her trip back from Great Falls. It took 3 tries to get over Rogers pass resulting in a seven hour trip instead of the normal four and a half. UGH! We all had a rousing good time of games,knee wars, snowboarding, sled races,basketball and the works. The jump ball...Uncle Bert vs. Mera

John's stylin new outfit

Uncle Bert and Aunt Jay fixing Leah up after smashing her toe into a snow bank while running to the mailbox on New Years

Snowball fight

Beth and I had to stop for our trademark XENERGY'S

Those who braved the early morning to go snowboarding at Lookout Pass

A very wet little mousie

I love this view

Beth, Shyla and Mandy with there game faces on

Uncle Bert headed up to the sledding hill to cut down some trees so we could get a better run

Crazy Christmas!

With 14 inches of snow in Gresham the trip home to mom and dads became quite eventful. After a flat tire, getting stuck in two different apartment complexes, a haphazard packing job and I don't know what else I finally made it home to Sequim. I don't think I have ever been so glad to get home as that night. I had a fun spa party with some friends from school, visited the grandparents and just lazed around the house for a few days. On Christmas Eve we headed to the Mariott Hotel in Seattle where we met up with Jason and Sarah and pretended to be in Hawaii for a few days. Then it was back to Sequim for a day of shopping and then on to Montana. Jason and Sarah just before leaving for the Carolina's
Mom and Jason

The new worker do's

Carolyn and Heidi showing me what "AFRO" hair is really like

Pillow fight at midnight

Why we call Jason the "Blowfish"

We celebrated Jason's 25th and Tristan's 2nd birthdays at the motel

Cute little waders

The view of Seattle from the ferry

Nanners and I

Katy, Kori, Dierdre, Cassandra and I

Stuck in the ruts at my apartment

Beach Weekend in Manzanita

Happy New Year to everyone! The last couple of weeks have been crazy but a lot of fun. I have spent a lot of time on the road despite all the crazy snowstorms that seem to have struck the whole northwest. I started my two week vacation from work with a weekend trip to the beach in Manzanita, OR. I have never been to the beach in the winter but it is definately worth a trip. Brian, Gail, Lichen, Tim, Andrew, John & Renee, Ben and Monica and I all had an awesome time walking on the beach, playing games, eating good food and just having a relaxing weekend. We arrived home from the beach to half the roads in the city and the freeway being closed due to snow....that never happened in Montana!
Lichen and I enjoying the beach

Cooking breakfast. I loved the kitchen cupboards!

The tired crew after a crazy game of relay pictionary

Our beach house

We found a wounded pelican

The Girls (Lichen,Monika,Julie and Gail)