Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was quite different from other Thanksgivings that Chad and I have shared together. Our original plan was to spend the holiday in Eugene at Teagan and Kurt's house; however our plans changed slightly when my very hard working and diligent husband won a competitive bid on a huge project at work. (I'm so proud of him.) Yesterday, Chad spent the holiday at work and I spent a nice, quiet and peaceful day to myself at home. That evening we went to dinner at the Yarrow Point Grill and had a great time together.

Who was I kidding? Of course we couldn't get by without having the traditional Thanksgiving meal. So, yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from Teagan saying that her and Kurt were bringing Thanksgiving to us. Teagan got the weekend off from her nursing responsibilities and Kurt was able to get Friday afternoon off. Therefore, Chad and I didn't miss out on Thanksgiving, we merely have post-poned the festivities until tomorrow. Thanks Teagan and Kurt for being so understanding...Chad and I are definitely thankful for you.

Here are things I am thankful for this year:

1. God
2. My amazing husband.
2. Family (I miss them.)
3. Friends
4. Good health
5. My career direction...working towards my Masters in Education.
6. My 18 second graders who have helped me get through my student teaching.
7. Staff at Peter Kirk who have inspired me to become a better teacher.
8. Wonderful neighbors.
9. Mackenzie, Aidan, & Delia
10. A new niece that is due April 10th.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Fall Weekends With the Fam

Last weekend Chad's parents came into town and although I did not take any photos for proof of the fun we had, what a great time it was. It felt like a nice relaxing weekend of go-cart racing, rummy playing, Belltown pizza eating, football watching and wine drinking. I can only hope for many more fun weekends shared with Bob and Sonja.

Our second weekend of family fun was with my family and an exchange student from France, Claire. I absolutely love the "touristy" areas of Seattle. By far my favorite is the Pike's Place Market where I could spend hours upon hours sitting and watching people as I sip on a Starbuck's coffee in hand. The highlight of the weekend was not only sharing Seattle with a lovely new friend from France, but also enjoying the most spectacular 360 degree view of my favorite city from the top of the Space Needle. It was extremely enjoyable, and a moment I will not forget, as I was able to share the moment with my youngest brother, Justin. How much I miss him and take for granted every moment that I get to spend with him. He is a kind-hearted, young man...he is so grown up. I love him.

How I enjoyed the weekends with my family!

Knits and Purls

One of my favorite hobbies is knitting and although my skills of knitting are very basic, I enjoy it very much. I find myself knitting more frequently throughout the fall and winter months where the weather is cold and I can stay inside, cozy up with my favorite ragtime quilt, put in a movie and knit away. It's a very relaxing activity and I have a great feeling of accomplishment whenever I finish a project. I originally taught myself to knit by looking at pictures online and after weeks of struggling through the steps I finally figured it out. I have numerous projects that are in the "work in process" stage" that way at any given time, depending what I'm in the mood for, I pick one and go for it. I highly recommend knitting to all those looking for a new hobby, needing a stress reducer, and desiring a little relaxation.

Our recent weekend getaway allowed for me to spend some time knitting outside in the fall air. I owe a thanks to my dear friend Molly for taking these pictures of me knitting.

Cama Beach

Last weekend a group of us got away for our annual "couples retreat". This year we spent a couple days out at Cama Beach on Camano Island. It was a great little get away and a chance for all of us to catch up, relax and enjoy one another's company. We we ate and drank a plentiful amount, explored the waterfront, boathouse, and harvest festival, and spent hours and hours playing board games. The following are a few photos (of the 100+ that were taken) from our weekend getaway.

This is a picture of our cute, little and cozy cabin that we stayed in.

Bundled up for a midnight hike around Cama Beach.

An amazing group of friends...sad to leave our cabin at Cama Beach.

Aah...the girls on the last day.

The boys hanging out on the last day.