Winter In The Northwest

We're starting our family traditions this year---this is our first Christmas we've ever celebrated together as a family. '05 we were newly married, and came back to VA to visit family over Christmas. '06 Violet was 2 weeks old, and we were all sick together and "feasted" on toast and bananas. :P '07 Ben was in Iraq, and finally 2008 has arrived, we are all together and happy!

Here's some of what we've been up to:

Mt. Rainier is the only reliable source of snow we have in this state, so we trekked up there this week with Ben's Mom and played in the snow and *gasp* the SUNshine for a couple hours! It was a BLAST!!

We wish we'd brought sleds, but Ben's jacket seemed to do just fine for Violet. She LOVED sledding with Daddy!

Ben getting frisky...

Violet was pretty scared of snow that deep--it was about 12 inches with a crust on top. Her feet would go through it now and then, and she just cried and cried until we came to "rescue" her. :P We plan on going again Monday or Tuesday with sleds this time!!