Gotta Love Computers!

Our computer crashed over Christmas, so we were offline for a while. We're back in business-sorta...I can't figure out how to disable the new antivirus protection so that it will enable me to post pictures/change html input etc...so this will be a very boring post!

Eli seemed to love Christmas and especially enjoyed being showered with attention from all the grandparents and uncles and aunts. He also seemed to really be interested in his cousins and enjoyed "sharing" toys, reading books together and playing chase. He is doing so many new and funny things each day! He learned how to say hot (though it comes out more like "haw") and happily tells us that every dish or piece of food is "haw." He's also signing please for everything now, which is both adorable and helpful. It definitely wasn't easy going back to work last week-I had gotten used to spending the whole day with him!

Work is going well and there's not too much new with me. Shane celebrated his 28th birthday on Tuesday. We celebrated Saturday with birthday dinner and round of "Settlers of Catan" with Dan, Jeanne, our buddy Shaun (from MT) and his girlfriend, Emily.

In other news, my sister, Sara has a blogs...www.lukensarasoha.blogspot.com. Be sure to visit them and check back here soon for pictures!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We've had snow on the ground since Saturday night and I'm loving every minute of it! What's not to love about snow? Just a great aspects of our recent weather...

An extra week of vacation because school is canceled (well, technically we had 3 days of late starts, but if you teach morning kindergarten you luck out and don't have school at all!).

Time at home to snuggle Eli, bake cookies, mail cards, wrap presents, clean house, catch up on Professional Certification homework, read Twilight, and blog.

Shane having to work from home for a day.

Playing with Eli in the snow (he enjoyed more each time we went out), building snowmen, shoveling snow (yes, I actually like shoveling snow!).

Getting to enjoy beautiful landscapes, sunrises, and sunsets!

Just to name a few!

Eli's first time in the snow. (These pictures are from Sunday). The poor kid was so bundled up, Shane called him the Michelin Man. "Not really sure why I'm sitting here in this cold stuff, or what exactly I'm supposed to do with it..."
"This is NOT funny! I do NOT like snow!" (Poor Eli stumbled (probably due in part to resembling the Michelin Man) and fell face first in the snow. Poor guy!
Try getting a dog and a toddler to hold still for a picture!

(The following pictures are from yesterday and today.)

I haven't quite gotten used to snowmobiles racing up and down our road....
I couldn't resist! I waited until Eli went down for a nap on Wednesday (given his prior face-plant) and snuck out and built a snowman. He looks like he's toppling over because he almost did as a result of the 6 inches or so of snow that piled up on him Wednesday night.
Look closely and you'll see the 3 deer that were out in the field this morning (and the neighbors lovely storage box...) Beautiful!

And the husband of the year award goes to....Shane!

Last Thursday Shane called me wondering what I had planned for Saturday the 20th. I was fully expecting to hear plans for one last late season hunt, so my response was, "That all depends...what are you planning?" "A special day for you" was the answer I got! Instant husband points! Since he couldn't keep it underwraps due to planning and arrangements he shared the details when he got home.

Shane pulled out all the stops on this one! He knows I've been longing for a little "girl time." He also knows that my all time favorite movie is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (it's a great old musical). So, he made arrangements for my sister, Sara, to meet me in Seattle where we get to hang out for the day and then see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the 5th Avenue Theater.

Merry Christmas to me! Yep, pretty sure I have the best husband ever!

The Lights of Christmas

My mom sent me this clip...it's pretty cool! I can't even begin to imagine the kind of time and money it takes to decorate your house like this for Christmas!

When I Grow Up...

When I grow up, I think I might want to be a ....

Dog trainer (or perhaps rodeo cowboy?)...

Race car driver...
Mountain climber....

Or maybe I'll just be a jack-of-all trades and wear many different hats? You just never now!

That's what friends are for!

We had such a nice Thanksgiving at Rod and Carolyn's in Lake Chelan (Manson, technically). Eli had such a fun time playing with all of the toys and especially his good friend Kaylee.

The Latest and Greatest in Phone Techonology...

Who needs the new iphone when you've got this? (Can you tell that Eli loves playing phone? Even though he has lots of play cell phones and phones, he likes to find his own phones!)