Snow Days

We've experienced lots of snow in Western Washington the last several days...and Tae LOVES it! Here are some of our snowy adventures:

Tae's first snowman before the real snow came

Tae and daddy in a snow cave on Mt. Baker

Sledding with Grandpa Rod at Mt. Baker



Playing in the snow in the backyard with grandma

Speaking of Grandma Sharie and Grandpa Rod, they've been awesome company for Tae the past month while they've been visiting (thanks, grandma and grandpa!). Here they are with Mt. Shuksan in the background.

And of course, we've had lots of inside play time since it's brrrrrrr cold outside (14 degrees right now).

And a final pretty view. We normally see the San Juan Islands from our house, but on clear, cold days we see the Olympic mountains behind them, too. Beautiful stuff.

Tae's Christmas

Getting ready for Christmas started at preschool making a gingerbread house with a 3rd grade buddy from a local school

Then making gingerbread cookies with grandma

Helping decorate (the bottom few feet of) the Christmas tree

Being a mouse in the Sunday School Christmas play (remember the part in the gospel of Luke about the mouse in the stable???)

Deciding at the preschool Christmas program that it was just much easier to sit on the risers

 Declaring on Christmas morning "mama, there are lumps in our stockings!"

Loving opening his (and everyone else's) presents

And then spending a few days in British Columbia playing in the snow with our extended family. Here's the sledding hill that starts at the bottom of the Olympic ski jump in Whistler...

 Tae LOVED going fast down the hill...

Pure joy...

And up the hill to try again...

And getting to make his very first snow angel...

Christmas through the eyes of a three year old was delightful! May God bless your continuing celebration of the 12 days of Christmas!

A Tae update!

 Tae at the Halloween Pumpkin Patch

 On a "tractor barrel ride" at the pumpkin patch with his preschool class.

 Tae was an adorable doggie for Halloween! Singing "fall songs" with his preschool class.

Ready for trick-or-treating (and did we mention Tae's new favorite holiday is Halloween? Just days ago, "Mama, when we can go trick-or-treating again?")

Celebrating his 2nd "Bath Day" (baptismal birthday)

Pressing apples for cider!

A walk around the pond by our house.

Tae's favorite park (an elementary school near our house).

Picking out our Christmas tree!

Here it is! Our first u-cut Christmas tree!

Other firsts for us...first 25 lb. turkey we made for Thanksgiving (and our 11 guests).

Jana's first time making lefse (with Mike's parents).

And some beautiful views - an autumn sunrise out our window.

Beautiful, snow-covered Mt. Baker.

May your Christmas celebration be beautiful, too!

A Tae update!

Hi all! We've been in our new home in Washington for about three months, and in those months Tae went to Canada, got (nearly...) potty trained, made his first trip to Holden Village, turned three, went to stay with friends on Lopez Island, started preschool at our church, went on his first camping trip, and had lots of other adventures...

Ready for preschool

Making a silly face at the dock near Holden Village

The best way to potty train... (we'll get in trouble with Tae someday for this photo...)

Playing in the snow on Mt. Baker

Grandma and Grandpa I. watching Tae "hiking" in the snow

With Grandmary Jane at Mt. Baker

Roasting his first (veggie) hot dog while camping

Relaxing with his first camping trip s'more

Camping with Uncle Mark (Tae said Uncle Mark was the best part of his first camping trip!)

In the tent with mama

Hiking with Uncle Mark and Aunt Michelle

At the Seattle Zoo with cousins Tayla and Alisha

Making pizza with daddy at home

Swimming in Lake Sammish near our home

Our family at Bellingham Bay on Tae's 3rd birthday

Blessings and love to you from Northwest Washington!

Hello from Washington!

Greetings from Ferndale, WA where this is the view out the front of our new house! We are loving the view of Mt. Baker!

Tae's been enjoying the outdoors at our new home. The weather has been kind to us - many beautiful days in the 70s! Here's how we spent the 4th of July:

Painting in the backyard

Picking strawberries at a local farm (we picked 17 lbs!)

Going on a boatride in Puget Sound from Blaine Harbor to the Semiahmoo Spit

And playing in the Sound. He was a little uncertain of the cold water at first...

But then he started splashing...

And then he really had a great time!

We've enjoyed several meals al fresco in our backyard, plus many special meals already with Uncle Mark and Aunt Michelle. Life is good here...we hope for you too!