Winter Is Here

Well, it has been a LONG time since I have posted---my new years resolution, to update the family blog more often!

Fall has been wonderful here. Jaime and I are busy with work and play! No complaints.

We started the fall with a cruise to Alaska for our anniversary. Then Jaime had several trips to Canada and Germany for work. Helene drove from Texas to Portland to help her friend Daniel move to the great Northwest! And now finally winter has come! This winter we are staying home and enjoying our friends and family (and bunnies!) We have had many friends buy houses, get married, plan to get married or have babies, so it has been a time of great celebration!

More photos from China soon!

Summer

Summer is soon over and fall is fast approaching.

This summer has been filled with LOTS of travel. We went to China in May for 3 weeks---which was incredible. And in July we went to Vancouver, CA to visit Marissa and Snohomish & Seattle Washington for a dear friends wedding. This week we are flying to Lancaster, PA to visit Jaime's grandparents.

I am excited to visit Lancaster, PA--the heart of the Amish Country. I have been told by many that it is beautiful.

I haven't been posting photos on the blog, but they are all on Picasa. So check out our summer....

Snow Days!

On Sunday morning we woke up to a white blanket of snow outside. It was beautiful. Now Tuesday, we are still snowed in. I love snow days. It reminds you to sometimes just enjoy things for what they are. Can't go anywhere? Then dont, just enjoy the snow!  We walked to Starbucks and enjoyed the hot coffee in the COLD COLD air. What a wonderful snow storm.

Yes We CAN!

On Tuesday, Jaime and I went to the Living Room Theater to watch the election results of our 44th President to be.

What a night it was.   

Living Room Theater is such a posh, relaxing space----it was exciting to sit and watch on the big screen the numbers.    When a state was declared you could hear the screams of excitement, and not just the theater we were in---but all the theaters.  It was unified moment of collectively holding our breath and then feeling like we could finally breath again.

We voted the best candidate possible, a man who stands for change and freedom, but mostly hope.

I await January 20th, 2009---the day we swear in President Obama.

  

The Stars of the Pumpkin!

TONKS & LUPIN!

Fall Is Here

As I look out of my window this morning I can barley see the front lawn as it is blanketed with leaves.  (Note to Helene: Rack lawn.)   I always love the fall.  The brisk air, the color changes, the need to make fires in the evening.   But perhaps my favorite part of the fall is the food.    Fall forces one to flee to the farms and pick things.   Last weekend Jaime and I went to Duyck’s Peachy Pig Farm to pick our annual pumpkin.   We spent the day there relaxing and enjoying the farm setting.  We gathered walnuts, hazelnuts, corn, squash, eggplant, gourds, apples and a few other fall crops.   It was a real treat.   I truly think being able to live in the city and get out to a place like the u-pick farms in 20 minutes is really special.  We have the best of both worlds here in Portland.

After the farm Jaime and I went to Oak Knoll for a wine tasting.   They don't grow their own grapes, but rather buy their grapes local from Willamette Valley growers and they blend and create all their own wines.   We tasted all 11 wines---2006 Oregon Gewurztraminer and 2006 Chardonnay Willamette Valley were our favorites.  The Chardonnay has apple tones and is just sweet and buttery with every sip.   The winery is a family run business and definitely worth a stop.

Back to the reason for the post- Last night while watching Obama's Network broadcast we carved our pumpkins.   It was very inspirational to watch Obama while trying to do this task.  I felt hope and courage that my pumpkin carving skills would somehow turn out better then last years!  Both Jaime and I feel excitement for the upcoming election and look forward to new direction for our country.  Anyways, back to the pumpkins.   This year we printed patterns, what a world of difference they make!  Our pumpkins rock!   Jaime carved the bunny from the Rabbit Advocates logo.  It is darling!  I carved a ghost---more in the spirit of Halloween I thought. Now all we need is Trick-or-treaters!