Slowly easing into 2025

 Relaxing and delicious are definitely how I'd describe the Holidays.  It felt good to feel unhurried pretty much the whole time and focus on all that is good (not work).  We enjoyed all our usual traditions with Oma and Opa.  My sister came for a few days as well which always adds more humor, love, and giggles to the house.  We missed seeing more family but looking forward to a reunion in Chicago over Easter.

    Christmas Eve at Oma and Opa's 

Traditional Christmas Eve steaks.  You can see Eric showing up in the pic too. :)

Family shot. So much delicious food.  Oma's Italienischer Salat is always a hit

Christmas morning

Paul really wanted a PS4 steering wheel.  Oma and Opa liked trying it out too.

Christmas dinner.  Elise channeling a classic Eric face.

Enjoying Nate's birthday breakfast at Stepping Stone with Lolo

Nate is so different than me when it comes to Birthday meals.  I wouldn't consider cooking a meal for everyone on my Birthday.  Nate on the other hand wanted to make this delicious lasagna for all of us.  

Family walk on a mild day at Mt Tabor while Lolo was in town.

New Years Eve, East coast midnight toast after enjoying fondue.  

Some fun with friends too, including a few rounds of the Salad Bowl game.

Our longtime Portland crew of friends getting together.

January threw us back into a full schedule of go go go, sicknesses, and sitting in front of a computer working a lot again.  A trip to Seattle (waterfront renovations by Pike Place Market are complete and looks fantastic) to cheer on Lily's volleyball team and explore the city, the boys skiing in central Oregon, Lily getting her drivers permit, and Paul and I winning the club parent/child tennis tournament were some fun notable highlights.  A really sick cat, sicknesses throughout the house, our beloved fairy garden being stolen from our front yard, and work challenges for both of us were not the not so fun highlights.  The political landscape is a scary dark cloud that we see but simply not focusing anywhere near as much as we used to right now.  Just can't yet.

Ski Time

Lily driving in a parking lot.  Straightening out the wheel has room for improvement

Elise has done a complete 180 in the last 30 days.  She now very much cares about what she wears, skin care, and make up.  This picture below is not something I expected to see this past month.

Elise dressing up as Paul.  Pretty good!

Enjoying a quick stroll with Lily after volleyball ended in Seattle.  Mere hours later, Lily was down hard with Norovirus.

Paul and I had fun playing in the parent/child tournament.  Champions!