One of the routines I do with Holmes is to close out the night with a chin kiss…now we all do it:)

After dropping the kids off at school, we headed up to Snoqualmie for a little reconnaissance before bringing Meryl. With no ski lessons this year, she ‘gets’ to learn from me! We’ll see how this all works out:) Here goes it!

Longer days are ahead! Everyone wanted to see the sunset tonight, but it was apparently too good of a view for all of us to look away for a photo:)

Baylie stopped by with holiday treats tonight and Meryl couldn’t resist the chance to sing a Christmas song with her. We all appreciated Baylie’s wonderful singing voice! In the end, Holmes stole the show as she was leaving by saying, “bye Baylie,” unprompted:) Melted her heart and made her day!

Happy Winter Solstice! Cheers to more sunlight starting tomorrow!

As with every game, it’s not over till it’s over:)

Meryl helped Frank wrap Lummi’s gifts today and hid them under her shirt while she walked them to the Christmas tree. Nope, she’s not expecting another baby, nor have we celebrated a birthday today…yet.

Hot chocolate bombs from Sonja, a decadent orange scented panettone from Lisa, and holiday plates from Xanna…who quite possibly has more dish ware than a catering company, so it’s fitting that she and the kids got holiday plates to eat together from afar!

My overalls and Frank’s chair:)

Meryl’s latest dance moves have been inspired by the song, “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

After exchanging gifts with our friend, Sonja, on the front porch, as she walked away she snapped this picture:) Kind of perfect.

A neighbor offered us persimmons from their family’s tree in California. Yes, please! Well, I think they dropped off all of them:) So we started with persimmon butter and persimmon ice cream (kid approved!). Next up is persimmon pudding and gingerbread persimmon cake.