beach picnic

After months of gloomy weather, we've had a whole week of sunshine. Up here, you make the most of the sun, so we've been hitting the parks, riding our bikes to school, roaming the neighborhood to play with the other kids and catching up on yard work. We topped off our week with a Friday night picnic at the beach.






Too bad it's blurry.




Our little Napoleon Dynamite.

sequim

My good friend, Michelle, hails from Sequim and whenever she goes home we usually head over for breakfast at the Oak Table (bacon and 49er Flapjacks - a little slice of heaven!) and to hang out at her parent's house. This time we also walked down to the Dungeness Spit to enjoy the sunshine and play on the beach.


Michelle, one of my very favorite lady mammals.


Soren, Jonah & Annie


Jaxson, Soren & Jonah making a lake.

auntie mary's wedding

Our good friend, Mary, who also happens to be Annie's godmother, got married last month. Annie got to be the flower girl - and we have never seen her so excited! The energy she had all day was astounding. Of course, she was in tears the minute the wedding was over. She was so proud of herself, though and she did a great job of walking down that enormous aisle at St. James.


Annie got to join the rest of the wedding party for her very first spa day.


Getting her hair ready.


She had a lot of sillies.


Trying to steal Auntie Mary's bouquet.


She crashed during the reception.

One of the best parts of the weekend was getting to spend it at the Bammerts, who graciously let us take over Soren's room. We even managed to squeeze around a tiny table at the reception with Steve and Michelle, where Michelle and I laughed harder than we have in a long time while trying to figure out what makes a mammal a mammal. I'm still not positive, but I gather it has something to do with breasts and not laying eggs. (Is it obvious that I skipped Biology in college?) Joel is still shaking his head at us. I do have to say, that as far as mammals go, the Bammerts are some of my favorites.

yard day

Stomping down the leaves in the yard waste bin.


I think Joel was a little more effective at it.

5.5

Annie celebrated her half birthday on February 1st, always a special occasion at our house. Having a summer birthday means that you can't have a party at school, so her teacher let her bring some cupcakes on her half birthday. Of course, she also woke up asking where her fairy Barbie was (umm...I didn't know I was supposed to get you a present) which I finally wound up buying for her and sending her on a hunt for clues around the house to find it.


Jonah very meticulously putting the M&M's on the cupcakes.


Finding another clue.


Annie, Fairy Barbie, cupcake.


Jonah insisted on blowing out a candle too.

more sac pics

The kids love their Uncle Drew & Aunt Becky.


Riding the carousel downtown.


Mac & cheese. On pizza. Nothing could make her happier. Nothing.


Drew trying to take on Jonah in a lightsaber battle.


With Nana & Papa. Jonah's had it with the pictures.

at the railroad museum

There's a great railroad museum in Old Sacramento and we were finally able to take the kids there. Jonah was in heaven. Annie was good too until she came down with a 102 fever, climbed in Jonah's stroller, and fell asleep.


Engineer Jonah.

back in sacramento

The day after Christmas we headed down to Sacramento and spent several days with Joel's family. The kids had a ball with Nana and Papa and their aunts and uncles. Drew and Becky taught us how to play Speed Scrabble and we even got to spend an afternoon with them (sans kids) at Bella Bru playing Skip-Bo.


Uncle Drew and Aunt Becky gave both the kids stockings full of candy. We can't wait until they have kids!


Another present from Uncle D and Aunt Becky.


We didn't realize Becky was so terrified of slides.


Drew, trying his best to make Annie throw up.

yummy

There are only a few things we miss about living in California. This comes close to making the top of that list:

christmas in february

Here's some Christmas pics for all those dying to see them. We spent Christmas in Medford with my brother Jason and his family along with my parents.


Annie, Jonah & Saiah on Christmas morning.








Mom tried to cook an oven mitt along with the ham. Delicious.

christmas eve

Leaving out food for the reindeer.


Trying to leave out cookies for Santa.


Annie's note for Santa.

ginberbread houses

While we were in Medford, my parents brought gingerbread decorating kits for the kids. Luckily, we had a high adult to kid ratio because it took all 6 adults to help them. Well, 4 adults for Jonah alone as he put a candy on, ate one, put one on, ate one, etc.


Grammy & Jonah


The finished products.


What else are you gonna do?

christmas in yreka

One of the many stops during our Christmas travels was in Yreka, CA where Elizabeth's brother Jed and his family live. The whole Merrihew family got together to watch Kylie in her Christmas program, exchange gifts, start fires and watch the kids prance about pretending to be in "The Nutcracker." Good times.


All the cousins: Kylie, Saiah, Brianna, Jonah & Annie


Jonah & Saiah. As Joel pointed out, whenever my brothers get together, they find a way to involve fire.


Kylie the sheep.


The whole Merrihew clan.

back again

We had a slight blog delay while our camera was missing. Well, the camera wasn't missing, we just managed to misplace the slip saying it was at the post office. For three weeks. Now we have 2 months of pictures to upload. Lucky you.