MYSTERY ROAD TRIP!!!!!

Today I left what we were going to do today up to Nathan. My only stipulation was that I wanted to go somewhere because it has been incredibly beautiful the last few days. So, we leashed up Butters, hopped in the car and went for a drive. We drove through the Northern end of the Olympics and after about 2 and half hours of driving and Butters whining non stop, arrived at our destination... La Push! For those Twilight fans out there, you know what I'm talking about. It was beautiful! Crazy driftwood, crashing waves, cliffs in the distance... Fortunately for Butters, there were several dogs of their leashes so we let him go play and he was King of La Push, for about an hour that is. He was so brave! He doesn't have a history of loving water, but today he actually played in it! After playing with his friends, we put him back on his leash and took him for a walk where we did some crazy driftwood climbing. Nathan even brought butters up on some of the stumps VERY MUCH against his will, but it was worth it for the pictures. After La Push we drove through Forks. It was so uninspiring we drove past the High School and took the one picture you'll see on this post of the high school sign, just to prove we were there and then drove home. It was a most fantastic day and I have to give Nathan serious snaps for choosing to take me to Twilight country for our Saturday. And now, TONS of pictures. Note Butters in the car before the beach and then after.










Our Family Portrait

What I've been up to

About a month ago I started a new job. It's AMAZING!!! I'm an assistant teacher at primary Montessori school. I've been loving every minute of it and in a month or so will also be starting my formal Montessori teaching training. Life is pretty great! Not to mention the fact that I still get to come home to my wonderful husband and darling dog! Besides work I've still been keeping up with some sewing, not as much, but still some. Here's what I've been up to.

My quilt basket with my quilts

A close up of the quilt I finished last month

The beginnings of a baby quilt

Baby gift

A much needed organizational tool I finally bought today

My fabric shelves. Still a bland color, but at least organized.

My new obsession

And of course, BUTTERS!

CHRISTMAS!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Nathan wasn't under water, so that was a plus, and it was our first Christmas in our First House and with our first dog. It was great!!! Nathan and his family are the sleep in on Christmas, have breakfast and then open present type of people, so he was expecting to sleep in a bit. I, on the other hand, am not a sleep in on Christmas person AT ALL! So, I woke up at about 6:30 because I couldn't sleep, fed and piddled Butters, then put him in his Santa suit and had him go wake up Nathan at around 7:00. Butters ran into the room and stuck his nose in Nathan's face and I informed Nathan the when Santa came to our house last night he decided to stick around. So much for sleeping in hun! We opened our presents in about 30 minutes and then spent the rest of the day cooking or pretty Thanksgivingy Christmas dinner. Butters stayed in his Santa Suit most of the day, which made me laugh tons, especially as he explored the yard in it. All in all, it was a great Christmas! Of course we miss our CA families, but it's really starting to feel that between the two of us, excuse me Butters, the three of us, we've got our own family going pretty strong. Happy New Year!
Our Christmas Tree Christmas morning
Me and the Butt
Santa
Butters Scouting out his loot
Jackpot!
Bath Salts and Chef Boyardee from my stocking
Tons of Candy Canes
What's Christmas without Star Wars Legos?
After the Storm
The boys cooking
"Santa" exploring the yard
Merry Christmas From Butters Too!

14 yards of bias tape and 3 yards of rick rack later...

This weekend I was in a sewing frenzy. I promised Nathan I would get my first quilt I made last year hand quilted before he came home and seeing as how I don't know when that's going to be and will only have very short notice before hand, I figured I better get crackin'. On Saturday night I stayed up until 12:57 am hand quilting and I finally finished it! The quilt top has been on my blog before but now it's all quilted and ready for snuggling. Yesterday I got home from church at around 2 and then spent the entire day, once again until midnight, sewing. This little apron is my nieces Christmas present, and since I'm pretty sure no one in that family reads my blog, I thought I'd post pictures of it. It turned out pretty cute, if you ignore some of the little oopsies, but took a lot of patience. Hopefully Gracie will enjoy it and be sure to cover it with lots of brownie batter and cookie dough. I am, however, proud to say that I am officially finished with all my Christmas shopping/sewing and finished it all last night. HOORAY!
PS. Of course I had to add pics of the pretty flowers Nathan sent me and and action shot of Butters.

California, Cute Puppy, Christmas Tree and Cold Snow

The past couple weeks have been full of fun! We (Butters and I) went home for Thanksgiving, had a great time, and then my mom came up and spent the last week with me up here in WA. In that time we ate really great turkey, celebrated my birthday (twice), got and decorated a Christmas tree and had our first snow of the season and Butters' first snow ever. Here are the pics!