If you really love Christmas, come on and let is snow!

Merry Christmas! Almost! I just wanted to post a few pictures of our house at Christmas time. Above is our beautiful tree. Ben and I bought it from the Catholic church down the street and were really stoked about having a real tree until we brought it home. The guys that were selling the Christmas trees had been smoking pipes and the tree stunk like a black and mild for the first three days. Awesome. Since then however, it has been pretty wonderful having this very large plant in our living room. The cats have not even tried to climb it!

I put up the lights all by myself. Our neighbors came by a few nights ago and gave us the Bob Dylan Christmas album because they thought our house looked so festive :)

Gandi loves Christmas.
Here are our stockings and a bunch of Christmas cards from all of you lovely people!
This is our living room. It has changed since most of our visitors have come and I really like the new set up.
Mushu hiding puzzle pieces.
This is our Christmas photo that you will probably not be receiving in a card this year. My ambitions are always so high at the beginning of the season, but they just never pan out. I'm sure you are shocked. Only a few more days til my parents and brother get here! HOORAY!

Kate and the coast

Kate and I drove out to Ecola State Park for the day. The outlook where we were standing is the site of an old homestead. Can you imagine waking up every day and seeing this?

We wanted to hike down to Crescent Beach, but the waves were SO HUGE that I got freaked out. I decided that the very large, very wide Cannon Beach would be a better choice. I read an article about "sneaker" waves in this guide book I have, and I look at the coast a bit differently now.






See that bag in my hand? It is full of salt water taffy. We ate so much that I thought I was going to be sick.

Around this rock there are so many tidal pools. It was neat to see sea anemones so close up!

I don't know if you can make out the people in the picture, but they are going out to catch the surf. The water was so cold that day. So painful. I can't describe it.
Yeah for Kate!

Tree Lighting!

The day after Thanksgiving, Portland lights the 75 foot tree in Pioneer Square. It was huge! And on a side note, Lindsay almost got arrested for jaywalking. Well not necessarily arrested, but yelled at by a policeman and then asked if she deserved a ticket. She told the policeman that she would rather not have that on her record. This really happened...jaywalking may be less accurate than let's say...walking into oncoming traffic because you weren't looking.
I had to include this picture because Ben's hair is sooooooooo long. He wants to donate it to locks of love soon. I don't want him to cut it all off. Does that make me a bad person?
After the lighting we went to the Deschutes brewery which turned out to be quite splendid.
Kate looks like she is a meercat.

Just in case you were wondering. I did not receive a ticket. I should have gone to law school.

Thanksgiving!

The Rex House had one of the best Thanksgivings ever! It was really nice to be able to spend time with our crazy Portland family, and to eat the awesome spread. Kate was able to fly down and spend the week with us which made the holiday even better! Here are some pictures from the day.
Sam and Aaron (on our newish couch)
Michelle and Courtney. Michelle and Sam saved the day by bringing a table, three chairs, plates, wine AND the green bean casserole. We owe them big time.
This is our giant twenty pound turkey. It was awesome! Ben did a great job basting it every twenty minutes.
Kasey helped Ben carve the turkey
Ben tried to get Aaron to carve the turkey initially. Aaron, the only vegetarian in the house.
Jessica really helped make the gravy, without her we probably would have only had a cup for about fourteen people. With her we had a pitcher full. Literally.
David and Josh!
Kasey and Ben! Kasey made the most awesome sweet potato casserole that we have ever had.
The table set up.
My plate :)
Sam is holding the pitcher of gravy.



I love this picture of A and C!
Don't ask me what I'm doing with my hand. I have no idea.
Apples to apples!
Next up, Kate's visit!

Tanner and Lisa come and visit.

Tanner and Lisa came to visit us a few months ago and I am just now getting a post up about it. We were so excited to find out that they are engaged! Above is Ben and Tanner digging into fried chicken and sweet potato waffles at the Screen Door. One of my favorite restaurants of all time.
Here is Ms. Lisa sitting at the Rose Garden
I really like that way that they have done the amphitheater here. Notice how green the grass is. This was taken in mid October!

The happy couple.

We decided that this looks like an album cover.

The fall color at the Japanese gardens was spectacular
Tanner and Ben. Long lost soul mates. I think here they are playing tomb raider.
We got out of the city and headed to the Gorge. It was just a short hike down to Bridal Falls.



YAY!