Birthday in Florence

We celebrated Linus's birthday while we were in Florence, by reserving the Captain's Room at the Seafood Station!

Then we came home for a little birthday treat!

(no he's not really drinking this it was just on the counter...Just in case child protective services is one of the four people who read this blog)

Christmas in Florence

We went to celebrate Christmas and New Years with Grandpa Bob and Grandma Cece on the 28th. Just in time to attend Grandpa Bob's Duck Bowl Party!

The ever spectacular Florence Christmas Tree

(I am amazed that I was able to fit the whole thing in the picture :)

Haceta Head Lighthouse

During our trip to Florence we took a trip to the Lighthouse, something we haven't done since I think we were dating. Owen slept the whole time, but Linus was impressed. I think he would have enjoyed it more if we had remembered his jacket. It was a little chilly.

Driving to Florence

we drove to florence a few days after the big now storms...

here's what we saw:

Christmas Brunch

My sister Becky is in China teaching English for a year. On Christmas we had breakfast with her thanks to skype and a strategically placed stool...

Linus used chopstick to eat his pull apart bread to make her feel at home.

Christmas Portraits

A Tiny Slice of Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Out and In Town Christmas Company

Aunt Hannah and Linus

Me and Owen ( I guess not really company)

Linus and Grandpa Bee

Grandpa Bee and Owen

Arctic Blast 2008

Curtesy of a Portland News Station Website:

The first day of winter blew in with a vengeance, topping calf-deep snow with a thick coat of ice and spewing winds that created whiteouts and 6-foot drifts. The region sometimes known for its wimpiness when a little snow falls faced weather conditions unlike any in at least a decade.
Travel by plane, train or automobile became a risky and slow endeavor -- if it happened at all.
State officials closed highways that had turned into ice rinks. Portland International Airport stayed open, but that proved little comfort to hundreds of holiday travelers stranded when airlines canceled many flights. Iced-up tracks and a derailment froze most chances of traveling by Amtrak train. TriMet had trouble running all of its MAX lines.
A thick glaze of ice froze car doors shut and kept people in, to the chagrin of struggling retailers who asked employees to brave the weather for the last shopping weekend before Christmas.
Even those in their homes weren't safe from the treachery outdoors. Blustery winds snapped tree limbs cocooned in ice, knocking out power to thousands as temperatures hovered around 20 degrees.
The next few days look no better. Rain, sleet and snow is expected this morning, with wintry precipitation likely to last all the way to Christmas.

All of Portland seemed paralyzed by snow and ice. We experienced a similar amount of snow fall here in Bend but with much less affect. We are used to driving in snowy conditions, and have a crew of snowplows which can keep most of the main streets passable. The most note worthy difference about this winter has been the temperatures, which hovered between -5 and 15 degrees Fahrenheit for more than a week. When the temperatures finally got closer to freezing around Christmas is when we saw more significant snow fall. We accumulated between one and two feet of snow and enjoyed a lovely white Christmas.

Dog Days of December

This delightful little dog barks various Christmas tunes such as "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Clause is Coming to Town." Grandma Cece got it for Linus last Christmas and as you can see it has been a hit again this year. The boys think its the funniest thing. I wish I could loop its bark songs so you too, could experience the joy!