February Update

George and I have experienced a busy start to the year. We have some construction going on at our house (stay tuned for future posts), George has been working really hard, and my semester has been very busy so far.

This weekend was a great break from the hustle and bustle. We went for a boat dive on Saturday. We had been out of the water for months, so we really appreciated getting out.

Yesterday, we went to Mt. Baker with some friends for a day of snowboarding. Last weekend, Tina and I (and Tina's sister) took a boarding lesson. We were both excited to spend the day falling and being beat by the mountain. And, by the end of the day, we were both successfully turning our boards to use both edges...thanks to persistence and some tips from the experts (Jamey and George). It was a spectacularly sunny day spent with friends in the snow. Does it get any better than that?

Past Posts

I updated posts from July and August to add favorite photos and movies from China, Australia, and New Zealand. The full collection of photos are still in the Gallery. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

We're having a really nice season in Ohio. Yesterday was an extended family gathering, and today we had Christmas with my brother and his family. It's been more than a year since we've seen my family (other than my mom and David), so it's really nice to visit with everyone! The kids have especially grown up a lot this year. Laila's now 5 years old. She loves arts and crafts, princesses, and saying "sweet." Beathan is already 14, in high school, and too cool for most things. Time flies!

These are some photos from this morning's nature walk. David has created and maintained a nice trail through the property. The boys [George, Justin (my brother), and Beathan (my nephew)] spent most of the time stomping through every frozen puddle and stream along the way.

Holiday Party Time

Last night was George's company's holiday party. In true "G" style, they threw quite the bash...Mardi Gras-style! We were greeted at the door with beads and a ticket to redeem for casino chips. They had a full spread (fresh beef, made-to-order pasta, ravioli, fresh veggies, salad, and chocolate fountain and dippers) for dinner and, of course, a full bar open all evening. They had a good selection of entertainment...a jazz band, a magician, photos (like prom, only printed immediately and free), tables for making masks, and lots of faux casino tables. George and I certainly enjoyed a nice evening with our friends! Here are a few pics...

Creme Brulee

I can't resist sharing photos of George's first experiment with creme brulee. What a nice surprise after 12 hours of studying!