Birthday Celebration

Yesterday was my mom's birthday and today is my grandpa's birthday. We celebrated yesterday by going to dinner at a Thai food restaurant near our house, and then back to our house for dessert. I am working on healthy desserts this year, trying to stay away from so much sugar and fat. It's hard with this sweet tooth of mine (inherited from my mother). Anyway, I made a chocolate cake with whole wheat flour, and agave syrup (instead of sugar). I was very nervous about the results, but it turned out well. There was a layer of plum preserves, that I had canned this fall, and then cream cheese and honey frosting. The frosting did have sugar in it, but not as much as the recipe called for (which was 3 cups!!).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! to Mom and Grandpa. I am glad you guys are close by so we can celebrate together.

Mom, Grandma, and Grandpa


Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday Mom!


Daniel, Dad, and Charlene
Tallying the results of the 3D Blokus Game

Grandma, Dad, Charlene, and Sarah
Playing 3D Blokus

Beautiful snow...

Snow...scenery on our snow shoe hike Saturday afternoon.

Daniel...
Saturday was beautiful and clear. Warm enough we didn't need jackets.

Sarah and Michele

Sarah...enjoying the scenery.

Glorious Mt. Hood

View from Timberline.

Lynn..... Playin' Scrabble.

Daniel and Sarah...
Sunday morning was a different day. Cold wet snow and wind.

A special walk

Our poor Beckett is getting old. We finally feel like we are walking an old dog when we walk Becks. He is still as excited as ever to go on a walk, but he slowly trudges along down the street to the coffee shop or around the block. It is a real exercise in patience for Daniel and I, who prefer to at least feel like we are getting a little exercise on a walk. We have given up taking him on any longer walks or adventures. Everyday it's around the same block or up and down the same street to Cooper's for Daniel's morning coffee. Last weekend we decided to take Beckett on a special walk, I thought he needed some excitement in his life, so we headed to Sauvie Island. We had been up there in the fall to visit the pumpkin farms and had taken him on a walk at Wapito Park, so we headed back there. He had a very nice walk, smelling all the new smells, and getting all muddy and dirty. He was happy and got all worn out.

Frozen Lakes and Fishermen...

...who knew the two went together? While in Whitefish for Christmas, Daniel, his parents, and I hiked from our cabin to the frozen lake. There were several fisherman out there ice fishing, some in huts, some without huts, fisherMEN of all ages, but no fisherWOMEN.

On the left side of the lake you can see some of the huts the fishermen use to keep warm.

I guess if you're from Minnesota you aren't afraid of frozen lakes. I, on the other hand, have heard they are dangerous. Jerry and Daniel walked out there without a second thought. I was carefully inspecting the ice before each step.

I usually don't wear scarfs around my waist, only when I am dressed for arctic weather and have just been hiking uphill.

Jerry, Sarah, and Judy

I'm not too sure you should get close to the hole...the fisherman thinks that is funny.

Looks fun, right!

I'm ice fishing, with a short little fishing pole!

If you look close you can see the two fish I caught on the ice. Just kidding, no fish for me, but it's not hard for the fisherman to keep their fish on ice.

The End...

Christmas Past

I have been wanting to post some pictures of our trip to Whitefish, MT for Christmas. We had a really nice time with Daniel's parents, sister, and niece. The cabin we stayed in was very comfortable and beautiful. Although the snow was not great for cross country skiing, we did give it a try one day on icy, hard snow. Mostly we took walks through the winter wonderland.

Arriving Wednesday morning in Whitefish at 7:00am. Daniel's parents didn't pick us up until 1:00pm, so we had lots of time to eat breakfast, sit in coffee shops, walk around town, and browse the expensive stores.

Talking a walk on Wednesday afternoon. The cabin had a nice system of trails all around it.

Reading in the cabin Wednesday evening,

and playing games.

Hunting for better snow in West Glacier on Christmas Eve Day, and walking by the lake.

Beautiful lake.

Jerry and Judy.

Leslie, looking like a snow boarder in those goggles.

Sippin' espresso in the local coffee shop on Christmas Eve.

Daniel and I took a nice Christmas Eve hike to a little vista with a great view.

I saw a wolf (track)! I think it's a big as my booted foot.

Christmas Eve Dinner Table.

Judy working tirelessly on our Christmas Eve Norwegian Dinner.

Lutefisk. Not as bad as people make it out to be.

Sisters - Sarah and Lani. Lani got to open her Christmas present on Christmas Eve.

The girls after a late night Christmas Eve church service.
(Lani, Sarah, Judy, Leslie)

Lani had my name and gave me lots of great gifts on Christmas morning.

Jerry with his four grandkids. Three of them in artwork done by Bret and given to Jerry for Christmas.

Christmas afternoon cross country skiing. Judy stopped after a few minutes due to the snow conditions. I made it through one loop, and the fit, young, and foolish went on another big loop.

Jerry

Daniel

Leslie


I dragged Adric on a Christmas evening walk with me. I don't think he appreciated it.


Christmas Dinner, a tribute to the families Peruvian history, ceviche and papas a la juancaina (my favorite dish). I have had this dish in Peru and in little peruvian restaurants in Seattle and in pricey Peruvian restaurants in Portland, and Judy's is by far the best.