didn't have school and Ruh and I both had the day off we decided to risk any rain that might fall and go on a walk. Ruh discovered the Clearwater Creek Trail in Silverdale this past summer so we decided to go there so we could pick up Daisy's friend Sabrina who just recently moved to Silverdale. It is a very lovely trail although a bit gray right now. Ruh said all the trees, brush and grass are very pretty in the summer. Now that Daniel is a toddler it is so nice that he can get out of the stroller and run around. He had a great time running after Daddy and "Sar-buck" (Starbuck). 
Daniel pulled the Taggy my Gramma made him for Christmas out of the diaper bag. At first I was worried about it ending up in the mud but it was just too cute so I let him carry it until we got back to the dirt path.
The night before had been very exhausting. I had put Daniel to bed at 7pm and took a shower. I pulled out the blow dryer and when I started using it the exhaust fan in the bathroom shut off and then the outlet started crackling and sparking! Since Ruh was at work I called my dad. He told me to go out to the circuit box and shut off the the switches to the bathrooms. Well, none of the switches are marked so I had no clue which ones to shut off. I called dad back and he said it would probably be best to shut the power off completely and come and spend the night at their house. Mom said she would come over and help me pack up Daniel. While mom was on her way I went to the bedroom to pack some things. The light only turned on dimly and made a humming noise and the outlets starting crackling. I went to the back bathroom and tried turning that light on and the exact same thing happened and the outlets started sparking! I could hear the printer turning off and on in the spare room and when I checked that room the outlet was doing the same thing! Mom soon arrived and we started packing up to go. I went out to the circuit box and shut off the main power. Mom was talking to Ruh on the phone and as we started to leave all of a sudden I smelled something burning down 
the hallway and my mom started smelling it too. We quickly got Daniel out of the house and into the car and I called 911. I couldn't see any smoke but there was definitely a strong burning smell. Three fire trucks arrived at our house within 10 minutes. They brought a little infrared device in to see if there was any heat behind the walls. Thankfully there was no fire. We figured that the burning smell had been from the burning ozone from the sparking of the outlets. It also caused a weird metallic taste in my mouth. Ruh arrived home just as they were about to leave. They told us to leave the power off of course until we had a electrician come out and check things out.
We had a wonderful Christmas here at our house. 
Everyone came over for presents in the morning and Christmas dinner around 1pm.
I bought Daisy this fabulously fun shirt. She loves random graphics t-shirts. This one actually made me laugh out loud when I saw it so I knew it was the one. :)
Daniel was so cute playing with all his new toys. He loves the little truck that you hammer the nails on the top. He loves his little police car and firetruck that have buttons all over that make the sounds. Grampa George taught him how to stack the giant leggos. Those giant leggos are actually George's (my father-in-law) Christmas present. I bought them for the kids he works with. He will keep them in his car for when he visits them at home.
I'm very glad my in-laws, George and Bonita, came over for Christmas dinner. I gave Bonita a gift card to Cabela's, her new favorite store. I can't wait to see what she buys with it.
After we ate Christmas dinner Ruh, Daisy, Daniel and I headed over the Cascades to Wenatchee and Leavenworth. We stayed in Wenatchee since the hotels in Leavenworth are a lot more expensive. It is only about a 20 minute drive from Wenatchee to Leavenworth. There was snow everywhere and it was so beautiful. 
Sadly this is the only picture I got of our little trip. The next day when I went to take pictures my batteries were dead and my spare set were dead as well even though I had just charged them. Ruh and Daisy went inner-tubing at the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club. There was a little lodge that sold food but no batteries. Bummer! The little ski area is so cute. There are a couple hills for people to ski and snowboard on and one little bunny slope. There are also a cross country skiing paths through the woods. There is no ski-lift just a rope pull that pulls you to the top. And then there is the tubing hill. They attach your tube to a rope pull and you sit in it while it pulls you to the top. The a guy at the top unhooks you and sends you down then tubing track. I had Daniel in the backpack and we watched Daddy and Sissy go down a couple times. I would have loved a pair of snowshoes right about then to go on a little hike.
authentic German restaurant that is actually underneath the shops in Leavenworth. (I was able to find pictures on their website!) It is 
quaint and cozy full of beautiful wood work and German murals all over the walls. A little old man was playing an accordion. We sat in one of those cute little booths. I have never really liked sauerkraut but they brought us some with our bratwurst. This kind was called weinkraut and it was delicious! There was also potato salad with the meal and it was a lot different than American potato salad and it too was delicious. Daisy had the Bavarian Goulash and I am going to try and find a recipe for it. The little noodles are called spaetzle and are so cute. 
My favorite part of the whole trip was the mountains. I loved seeing the trees all covered in snow. We drove home on Highway 2 and for a while you drive through a narrow canyon next to the river. The rocks in the river were all covered with snow. We really had a wonderful Christmas and couple days after. I don't think I am ready for Christmas to be over! :)
Mom and and my sister-in-law Mai came over on Wednesday to make Christmas cookies. And we sure did make A LOT! By the end of the night there was not an inch of counter space left and half of my kitchen table was covered. We watched Home Alone and Willy Wonka (the original) while we baked and decorated. I took a the majority of the cookies to work this morning where I know they will be very much enjoyed.
Daniel and his cousin Charlie with their blankets Great Gramma made them.
Daniel wearing his little Starbucks apron. My little barista in training. :)
Charlie!!! He was smiling at his Auntie Annie. :)
after Thanksgiving. She was visiting her brother in Portland and wasn't actually planning on coming up here but my parents offered to drive down and pick her up so she could visit for a few days. We decided to go ahead and have another little Thanksgiving while she was here. This time there was no wind or snowstorm and we had power so we had it over at our house this time. We had a blessing and we sang the Doxology before we ate for Gramma. She always gets a little teary when she hears her family singing the Doxology. She definitely enjoyed her two little great-grandsons. It was a very short but sweet visit and I hope she will come visit again soon.
still had 2 jars of my homemade cranberry sauce. I saw an idea in Martha Stewart Living Magazine to use leftover cranberry sauce and extra pie crust to make little mini cranberry bites. I made some pie crust, rolled it out, cut out circles and put about a tablespoon of cranberry sauce in the center of each circle and crimped them up. Some didn't hold their shape in the baking process but they still looked cute and tasted good. I also had been eying that Starbucks mug at 
work. And yesterday I was surprised at work by getting to pick out a mug for free. I knew the exact one I wanted. I love it because it looks like it is wearing a little sweater! I plan on copying the idea and making some mug sweaters myself. Another holiday find at work I plan on copying are these felt bags. I bought one today and it will be very easy to copy and sew. I will use different colors and maybe even experiment with different shapes and sizes. They make great lunch bags.
This weekend is our church's (Discovery Bapitist, Gig Harbor) annual Living Nativity. It will run Saturday and Sunday night December 4th and 5th, from 5-8pm. Last year Daniel was 6 months old and he and I were Mary and Jesus. (Ruh had to work.) There were two other couples with little boys around Daniel's age so we took shifts which was very helpful when a baby got fussy. This year my brother, his wife and their little Charlie will be Mary, Joseph and Jesus along with four other couples. Charlie is actually borrowing the snow suit I had Daniel all bundled up in last year. I can't wait to see his cute little face sticking out of all those layers of cloth! Miss Daisy is playing a servant in Herod's court this year I believe. I plan on driving through on Sunday evening with Daniel. I hope everyone who is able can come through!
