little black journal

Christmas 2025!  We kicked off our annual visit to Portland with much fanfare in the form of a ride on Santa’s own Polar Express.  Kathryn bought tickets for the kids to ride this Christmas-themed locomotive on the evening of our arrival, and festive vibes were high.

We settled into our seats and the kids cousin-ed around as the train left the station.  We soon heard excited murmers from the back of our car…”Santa is coming!”  Isaac turned around excitedly:

And then nerves got the best of him.  This photo cracks me up.

But candy canes were distributed and Christmas wishes were shared and Isaac decided this guy is actually alright.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Wednesday, Christmas Eve, was maybe less adventurous, but decidedly more cozy.  We lounged around the house in the morning, reading and doing puzzles and sipping warm drinks.

But because Isaac short-circuits if he doesn’t leave the house before noon, we set out late morning for pastries and a walk in Lake Oswego.

Turns out he short-circuited anyway, but we rolled with it.

We lunched back at the house and then the ladies headed out for some shopping at Bridgeport Village.  I picked up one final gift for Shane at Vuori while Juliette and her cousins perused Brandy Melville.  We all convened at Barnes and Noble, because…books are apparently the middle ground between crop-top baby tees and luxury athletic wear.

Isaac hung back with Bina.  These two have a funny kind of affection for each other built on an unspoken agreement that neither should get too close to the other without plenty of fair warning.

We squeezed in a round of cookie decorating before dinner.

Isaac got caught sampling the merchandise several times over.

And then, after a taco feast with the full fam, jammies were donned for the main Christmas Eve event…

Our viewing of The Polar Express by the fire is essential.  Not to be missed.

Finally, finally, after the movie was finished and cookies were set our for Santa and Christmas Mouse was read aloud, the youngest kiddo was tucked in for the night.  Juliette lingered on the couch past 10pm, at which point I shooed her to bed.  The Santa jig is obviously up with this girl, but still, it just doesn’t feel right to let her see me hang the stockings and set out gifts labeled “From Santa”.  There’s something to be said for still pretending.

Christmas morning dawned with excitement from kids and grandparents alike.

We had established 8:30 am as official stocking-opening time and Isaac and Juliette started right on time.

Isaac was mildly perplexed by the Lightning McQueen underwear in his stocking, but I reminded him that Santa knows not just what he wants, but also what he needs.

An apron from Grandma and Grandpa…

And a new truck from Mom and Dad.  Happy kids.

Santa came through with the Paw Patrol Zuma car…

And Morgan was stoked when she unwrapped Ariana Grande’s new fragrance.  I love these glimpses into what’s hot with the teens these days.

Isaac’s reaction was lackluster when he unwrapped the platypus Squishmallow Juliette had picked out for him, and yet…he’s insisted on sleeping with it every night since.  Sometimes gratitude takes him a minute.

Guess who’s headed to college next year with a fancy new laptop?!

Footwear was a theme this year.

New shoes for everyone!

I love the post-gift quiet, when we flip through the pages of our new books and nibble on treats from the kids’ stockings.

While Luke Skywalker takes a ride on the semi truck.

Charcuterie time…

Snuggle time…

OUT OF THE HOUSE time.  Let’s go for a walk!

(Turns out Starbucks is open on Christmas.)

Christmas afternoon was a fog of board games, floor puzzles, and couch naps.

Juliette served as sous-chef to Morgan for the cheddar biscuits and homemade mac and cheese.

They made a great team.

We savored our traditional country ham for dinner, watched National Lampoons while polishing off the rest of the sugar cookies, and called it a day.  Merry, Merry Christmas, family.

The main event!  We drove down to Portland a couple of days before Christmas to settle in with the fam and enjoy some downtime.  We unloaded our car and then got right down to business – cards and the hand slap game and lots of cousin love.

Isaac was always up early, eager to explore the house and grab some Bina snuggles.

I know, Bina – that’s how I feel, too, when Isaac wants to play before I’ve had my coffee.

We made our usual pilgrimage to Powells for books and PDX vibes.

I tell you, row upon row of beautifully-illustrated books and Isaac beelines for the carousel of Paw Patrol paperbacks.

And an intro to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

We finished our book shopping and then went back to the house to settle into the couch and watch Elf.

The BEST.

Isaac and I popped over to the playground late afternoon to get some residual wiggles out.

When the lawn decorations match your sweater…

I liked being the last one to bed while we were there, relishing the quiet and the fire and the glow of the Christmas tree.

Christmas Eve!  Isaac was up very very early and was very very loud, so I tossed him in the car, not sure exactly where we headed.  We ended up finding a cozy table by the window at Grand Central Bakery on Hawthorne.  Buddy got a cinnamon roll, I got a latte, and everyone back at the house got to grab some extra Z’s.  We all won.

A woman walked by and said, “A cinnamon roll in your pajamas on Christmas Eve?  Life doesn’t get any better than that!”  Right, Bud?

We got back to the house, threw some real clothes on Isaac, and then headed right back out with Shane and Juliette to catch the 11am showing of Moana 2.  Isaac’s first movie!

Loved it.

The afternoon was lazy and lovely.

(Can you guess who won Uno?)

Morning rain brought an afternoon rainbow.

We gathered in the living room after dinner for our annual viewing of The Polar Express.  On my list of top five holiday traditions, for sure.

We’re ready for you, Santa!

Isaac was up first on Christmas morning and I tried to stoke excitement with the missing cookies and the half-eaten carrot, but he really wasn’t grasping the concept.  “Why did Santa bring me a carrot?”

But oh, the presents.

All the kids are up!  Showtime!

The next hour was filled with the sounds of wrapping paper being ripped, delighted exclamations and effusive thank you’s.

The only thing on Juliette’s wish list was a four-pack of holiday mini Squish-mallows.  I initially didn’t take her very seriously when she said she wanted them, but then I saw the look of disappointment on her face when I told her they were sold out on Amazon.  I put a watch on them and they popped back up a week before Christmas – I’m so glad I snagged them.  How many more years of stuffy love does she really have ahead of her?

And Isaac’s main ask was for a Paw Patrol Chase stuffy.

Nailed it.

My dad sat in his usual chair and got his usual gift of beer and chocolate.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Isaac had picked out this book from Powell’s a couple of days earlier and saw us buying it, but still couldn’t believe his eyes when he unwrapped it that morning.  Three year olds are the best.

Gifts opened.  Kids thrilled.  Mission accomplished.

The rest of the morning was quiet and wonderful.  The kids played with their gifts.  I drank coffee and finished my book.  All was merry and bright.

Dinner was our usual country ham, with a side of mac and cheese a la Morgan.  Sugar cookies and apple crisp for dessert.  Thanks to Mitch and Kathryn for continuing to be the most gracious of hosts.  I know we all make for a very full house.

We headed home the day after Christmas, to tackle a couple of house projects and cozy in with the kids.

Isaac and Shane became fast fans of The Outdoor Boys, a YouTube channel filled with videos of a guy that camps in extreme weather.  Random but wholesome viewing.  Isaac’s plea all weekend was, “Watch snow camping, Daddy?  Snow camping?”

I took the kids down to the Menashee House for one last feast of holiday lights.  Shane is of the opinion that Christmas decorations should be taken down the day after Christmas – fresh start, don’t overplay the magic, yadda yadda.  I say, keep the twinkle coming.  Till New Years Day, at least, though really the full month of January is fair game.

I had something come up at work and needed to head into the office on December 30th.  Isaac was at school and Juliette asked if she could spend the day with me downtown.  I welcomed the company, as I was none too thrilled about having to give up a day with my girl.  She marched up the stairs to my building like a boss.

We cut out early and spent the afternoon roaming downtown, lunching and shopping.

It felt like one of our annual getaways – way to rekindle my love of our city, Juliette!

She makes everything new and beautiful and fun.

Shane and Juliette headed to the slopes on New Years Eve for a ski day and so Isaac and I were left to rustle up our own mini-adventure.

“Bye, sister!”  Those are heart hands he’s making…

While those two skied, Isaac and I hit up Costco and then ran circles around the Juanita Bay playground in Kirkland.

Like, literal circles.  I think he went down this slide 25 times.

The dock here is huge and amazing and perfect for tossing rocks.

And hunting for bears.

Post-playground, we warmed up at Zoka Coffee.

And then a nap by the Christmas tree, as we knew its days were numbered.  Sometimes I lament that I can’t downhill ski with Shane and Juliette, but…this might be better.

One of Isaac’s preschool buddies had a New Years Eve dance party that evening, complete with a disco ball, and we popped in for an hour to bust a move or two.

We returned home around dinnertime to get our own party started.  Games and snacks and laughs with the Rusts and Jordan.

It was a mellow evening, complete with a 9 pm New Years toast, but that’s how we roll now.  I’m not mad about it.

Cheers, Bud!

(Isaac got real into the toast thing.)

Happy 2025, friends.

We saw far too little of the Jarrell fam in 2023, so it felt awfully good to land on their Portland doorstep a couple of days before Christmas for a holiday cozy-in.  Isaac made himself right at home in his cousin’s comfy bed.

And then there were card games and puzzles and cookie decorating…

I know, he looks very focused, but in actuality his interest waned after about 15 seconds.

Juliette was a little skeptical about my dad’s frosting skills, but in the end she gave him a solid ‘A’.  For effort, I mean.

We watched Elf that night, piled on the couch or stretched out on the floor by the fire, and all felt right.

Christmas Eve!  Isaac spent his morning hovering around the tree (and the pile of presents underneath it).  He still has no real concept of time, but I think he sensed the big day was near.

We (ok, ISAAC!) started getting the stir-crazies before lunch, so we ducked out for a coffee run and a playground romp.

Mitch was the biggest kid on the playground that morning.

Faster, Uncle Mitch!  FASTER!

Back at the house, Isaac and I settled in for an afternoon doze while the rest of the fam settled in for a marathon game of Monopoly.

Post-nap vegging…

And then the young ladies went down to El’s bedroom, entered a time warp, and came up looking a couple of years older.  My nieces are both officially teenagers and suddenly it feels like Juliette isn’t far behind them?

While Juliette played the part of the mature big sis, Isaac really dove into his role as the annoying kid brother.

We tucked into our country ham for dinner that night, Grandpa read a couple of books, and then Shane put Isaac to bed while the rest of us settled in for our annual Christmas Eve viewing of The Polar Express.

Buddy Boy would have loved to join us, but it would have been too hard to tear him away from the TV once he saw that train roll onto the screen, and we couldn’t have him up too late with the big day ahead.  Next year, maybe.  I was so happy to hear El say, “I love this movie” as the initial credits started rolling.  Kids change, but some things stay the same.

Movie done, jammies donned, cookie and carrot placed.  We’re ready for you, Santa!

We agreed the night before on an 8am gift-opening start time, but everyone was present and ready to go by 7:45 on Christmas morning – even the sleepy-headed teenagers showed up early!  Isaac got us rolling.

And then…stockings!  Stocking stuffing and un-stuffing is my favorite.  Juliette got some good stuff this year – a bedazzled beanie, a Time-Turner keychain, sour Hi-Chews.

Isaac needed a little help getting all the way to the bottom of his stocking and Juliette was happy to step in.  Buddy was particularly pumped about his little box of raisins.  I love two year olds.

Morgan and El were both thrilled by their haul of new sneakers, hoodies, and pajama pants.

And Juliette’s new Hermione stuffy was a hit.  Happy, thankful kiddos all around.

Mitch and Shane both got charcoal odor absorbers to stick in their stinky pickle ball shoes.  THANK YOU, KATHRYN!

Beer for Grandpa, always.

The grown-ups opened their cache of presents after a couple of rounds, but those kids just kept on going…

And going…

Finally, the last treasure was unwrapped and Isaac could get down to the real business of playing.  This train set from Shane’s parents absorbed him for most of the morning.

A quick break from laying train tracks to fiddle with his new remote control car…

And then a moment to gaze outside to see if the rain had stopped so he could go outside to play (it hadn’t!).

It poured all day long, but I didn’t mind so much – the kids had plenty of new goodies to keep them entertained indoors and I was happy to curl up on the couch and watch them play.

Jammie day for the win.

We shared a beautiful dinner and then retreated to the living room for more lounge time.  The kids and I tested each other’s tickle tolerance – trophy went to the person who could withstand foot or knee or neck tickles without laughing.  I failed miserably.  Juliette, surprisingly, was a rock.

Though the chin tickles finally got her.

There was a hallway soccer session with Grandma and Grandpa and then Isaac was officially tuckered.  We did it!

Again, the rest of us snuggled in for a movie.  We watched Home Alone and I looked over to the couch at one point to see El’s head resting on Juliette’s shoulder and I felt so grateful for cousins and warmth and all the love in that house.  Merry, merry Christmas.

We headed back to Seattle early on Tuesday, knowing we had another trip to prepare for (Minnesota on Wednesday!), but we made record time getting home and getting our laundry done and getting our bags repacked.  Found ourselves with enough time to snuggle up by the tree and then take the kids’ new remote control cars out for a spin!

I wasn’t sure neighbor Dave’s inflatable menagerie would still be there when we returned from Minnesota, so Isaac and I spent some time there saying goodbye to the dinosaur, and goodbye to Mickey Mouse, and goodbye to the doggie.  Isaac was going to miss these guys!

What’s next, you ask, Isaac?  More family fun to come.  Lots more.

Christmas 2022!  When we saw news of an ice storm moving across the PNW, we moved up our travel plans and jetted down to Portland the moment Shane wrapped up work on Thursday.  We got caught in some pretty slippery conditions two-thirds of the way there, but carefully crawled over those last 50 miles and safely arrived at Mitch’s house by 10pm.  The plan was to quietly transfer a sleeping Isaac from his car seat to his Pack N Play, but he only dozed a bit on the ride down and then was so amped up by the adventure of it all that we let him run circles in the living room for thirty minutes before tucking him in.

Friday was icy and the city was largely shut down.  We stayed close to home, venturing only as far as the neighborhood Starbucks for cocoa and coffee.

We thawed out under fluffy blankets…

And then we hunkered, with music and video games and several rounds of Christmas tree hide and seek.

Isaac was completely stir-crazy by dinnertime, so I took him out for a slushy spin on the sled.  I mean, we packed the puffy suit – may as well use it!

The kiddos (one little kiddo in particular) were up early on Saturday, so I stretched out on the couch with them and a cup of coffee while the sun came up.

Early wake-up means early naptime.  These daily dozes with my boy were one of my favorite things about the holiday break.

Bina kept a very close eye on Isaac throughout the week – she’s accustomed to being the main recipient of family doting and seemed a little put out by having to share the love.

Lunchtime donut run to Blue Star for my favorite passionfruit cacao raised glazed…

And then more lounging.

And naptime Part II!  Captured by a little spy…

Isaac’s cousins were so good with him – I was impressed by Morgan’s patience for unending games of “roll the ball and clap”.

The annual Christmas Eve viewing of The Polar Express was cozy as ever, though we missed my mom and dad, who were delayed in arriving due to the weather.

These kids may not believe in Santa anymore, but bless their hearts for playing along with the magic of it all.

Christmas morning!  Let the games begin!

The wrapping paper flew and the kids were all delighted and delightful and it just felt so good to see them each express joy in their very own way.

Juliette is still very much impressed by the little things and I love it.

Juliette’s three big wish list items were pierced ears, a fancy coat, and high-heeled boots.

She got two out of the three and seemed plenty pleased!

Isaac became smitten with this shopping cart as we were browsing the toy aisle at Target in early December and pushed it all around the store while I finished my shopping.  He was thrilled to see it reappear under the Christmas tree.

The calm after the flurry is so wonderful.

Did I say calm?  I meant toy-induced hysteria.

You do you, Buddy.

What are you looking at, Bina?

Oh, Bina.  

BINA!

We napped mid-day and did some puzzling and then made cupcakes for that evening’s dessert.

We Facetimed with Shane’s parents after lunch and then did some gaming, both virtual and in-real-life…

My parents arrived around 2:00 and another pile of gifts appeared under the tree!

Shane and Mitch drew each other’s names for our Secret Santa exchange and ended up trading pickle balls.  It seems they have similar interests…

Juliette got me a pretty pair of earrings and then wondered aloud if maybe she could borrow them someday…

WHEW!  Officially, the gift bonanza was a wrap.

We had our traditional country ham for dinner and Mitch and Kathryn opened some extra-special wine and the cupcakes the girls served for dessert were the perfect bow on a perfect day.

Monday was open and agenda-less, though Isaac once again missed the memo on sleeping in…

Bina greeted Isaac that morning with a look that said, “You’re still here?!”

Whatever my dad is selling in this game of Sushi Go, Juliette and Morgan clearly aren’t buying…

The afternoon stir-crazies started to set in…

And so we got out, for a rainy walk at Lake Oswego.

More gaming…

And the finishing touches on one hell of a puzzle.

We played a rousing round of Code Names before dinner and though I can’t recall what was so funny, I do remember my Dad literally laughing so hard he cried, which had all of us rolling.  Isaac was sitting on my lap and yukked it up with the rest of us – he hadn’t the foggiest idea what was going on, but he knew it was fun.

Tuesday was our departure day, so we snapped a few final family pics, let Isaac do another 37 loops around the house with his shopping cart, and packed it up.

Thank you again, Jarrells, for sharing your home and your wine and especially your love.

We had such a sweet, festive December that Christmas itself kind of felt like icing on the cake. Twinkly lights and meals with friends and living room sleepovers and a trip to Portland to see the family?!  How lucky were we?  The anticipation was just so, so good this year.

We drove down to my brother’s house on Thursday, stopping once so that I could nurse Isaac in a Safeway parking lot while Shane and Juliette darted into a Starbucks for coffee and lemon loaf – gone are the days of “powering through” without a pitstop, at least for now. We were greeted by the cousins and my parents, who all remarked over how much Isaac had grown since they had seen him in the fall.  Juliette was eager to get her hands on Bina, Grandma was eager to get her hands on the baby.

Christmas Eve was lazy – games and cookie decorating and plenty of lounging.  Morgan and Juliette convinced my dad to play Mario Kart and then delivered him a solid whooping.  C’mon girls – have a little Christmas mercy!

The kids each got to open a Christmas Eve present…

There was the traditional viewing of the Polar Express…

And then cookies and an apple (we were out of carrots!) were left out for Santa and his reindeer by these two little elves.

By the time I came upstairs on Christmas morning, gifts had been sorted into neat little piles for each person – Morgan and Juliette were vibrating with anticipation and eagerly counting down to our 8:30 rendez-vous time (Elise likes to sleep in!).  Finally, the clock struck half-past, the family was gathered, and the wrapping paper started to fly.

(Isaac wanted to trade the cloth avocado I put in his stocking for the Skittles Juliette had in hers.  Fat chance.)

Juliette asked Santa for shoes this Christmas, and he came through with a pair of riding boots.

Juliette is so sweet and enjoys watching people open presents as much as she enjoys opening gifts herself.  She gives a friendly little clap after each unwrapping, like, “Wow! You’re so lucky you got that!”

Could it really be…?

A Hogwarts sweatshirt for our little Harry Potter fan!

Whew!  The calm after the gift-opening hurricane.

Being spoiled is tiring, huh, kid?

We got out for a short walk before lunch but the cold sent us back inside before long.  Morgan was desperate for a white Christmas and was thrilled to see a few flakes start to fall, though they quickly petered out.

Isaac threw the fit to end all fits that afternoon but eventually conked out in my arms.  I guess the excitement of it all was just too much.

Juliette played with Shane’s new Oculus…

Was wowed by Elise’s Illustration skills…

Played a very rambunctious game of hallway dodgeball with her uncle…

And this kid kept sleeping.

Isaac “opened” a couple more gifts once he got his second wind.

There we go, buddy!  Look alive!

Shane and Mitch took the girls to the school in the afternoon to test out Morgan’s new basketball and Elise’s new volleyball (sport-playing is Shane’s love language).

Then Juliette unwound in the hot tub.

And I unwound on the couch with my favorite guy and glass of Cabernet.

We had our traditional country ham for dinner and I felt exceedingly thankful for the people around the table but intensely missed the family not there.  Minnesota clan, you were held near and dear in our hearts!

We ended the night with more games, more togetherness.  Juliette and Morgan made up a game called “Tickle Doctor” and convinced my brother to play – it bordered on torture, but I watched from a safe distance and laughed till I cried.

We woke up Sunday morning to a day-after white Christmas – Juliette and Morgan frolicked in the front yard for a bit and I bundled up Isaac for his first romp in the snow.

My parents had hit the road early that morning, but the cousins got a couple of hours of chill time while Shane loaded our circus of stuff into the car.

And then we were homeward-bound.  I hopped into the backseat near Tacoma to soothe an antsy baby, which came with the added bonus of cozying up next to Juliette.

Almost there, Buddy!

And…made it.

The kids opened the last of their presents at home and while Isaac had no clue that half that stuff was for him, sister was awfully stoked on his behalf.

Gah!  The things this girl will show and teach you, Isaac.

Juliette made use of her fashion plates from Auntie Tiff…

Isaac modeled his new pajamas from Grandma Schnell…

The last 2021 ornament was hung on the tree…

And then it was onto New Years.  And SNOW.  The fun continues…

It was a slow advent, but a fast January.  Work mayhem and national mayhem and maybe a lack of vitamin D have tuckered me out this month.  But I’m resetting work boundaries and taking my supplements and am back with a boatload of Christmas pics to share!

The lead-up to Christmas was quiet but fun – Juliette opened a few of her many gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Schnell over Zoom on the 23rd.  It was a very meager substitute for the gift-opening we had hoped to do together at Thanksgiving, but it was something.

The unicorn robe was a hit.

And then it was Christmas Eve!  Samuel, our countdown Santa, marked ONE day till Christmas, which was our cue to hit the road to Portland.

I know Juliette loves Shane and me, but it was clear from the moment we walked through Mitch’s front door that she’d been awfully desperate for some new playmates.

The girls hung a Do Not Enter sign on the bathroom door in the afternoon and spent a very secretive hour in there, only to emerge at dinnertime with glittery eyelids and freshly-brushed tresses.  Juliette and I were talking last week about how different siblings and family members can be from one another, at which point she reminded me that her and Morgan are a lot alike, because Morgan also likes to be fancy.

Dresses were swapped for cozy pajamas for the annual viewing of The Polar Express.  One of my favorite traditions.

Meanwhile, things got a little rowdy in the kitchen with a deck of cards and a bottle of Grand Marnier.

Milk and cookies for Santa, carrots for his reindeer, and then it was off to bed for these little elves!

Santa’s sleigh must have been extra-heavy this year, what with a new bike for Juliette and a kayak for Morgan and Elise.

I love the late hours of Christmas Eve, when all the shopping and wrapping and prepping is done and I’m able to sit back for a moment and quietly anticipate the joy and holiness of Christmas Day.

Morgan and Juliette were up bright and early, and HOLY CHRISTMAS!  Such a fun surprise.

Once Elise was roused from her pre-teen slumber, the wrapping paper started to fly.

Juliette very modestly asked Santa for a stuffy and a coloring book and he came through on both fronts.

Juliette was asking for weeks what was in the big big box under the Christmas tree…

A Baby Yoda for my Mando fan!  This “little guy” turned out to be MUCH larger than the online description led me to believe.

He’s been well-loved, even if he does often end up squeezed off the bed and onto the floor in the middle of the night.

Cheers, Shane.

Whew!  Damage done.

Gifts opened and breakfast eaten, the afternoon was a haze of snacking and game-playing.  Morgan gathered everyone in the living room for a game of Bean-Boozled, which she DJ’d on Juliette’s new microphone. (By the way, THANKS for the microphone, Auntie Tiff!  Juliette just discovered it has a robot-voice setting.  And the volume seems to be non-adjustable).

Juliette went first as we all sat by to see if her white jelly bean was flavored like coconut or spoiled milk.  This face says it all.

And this is the look of a man that just ate a jelly bean flavored like canned dog food.

I’m always surprised by how incredibly amusing it is to watch someone eat candy that’s flavored like rotten eggs.

Onto a safer bet…

And it wouldn’t be Christmas without a Parcheesi marathon!

It’s become tradition that my dad orders a country ham for Christmas dinner every year – one bite takes me back to my childhood days when Nannie and Grandaddy Jarrell would come visit us with one of these salty, delicious hunks of pork in their suitcase.  Almost as good as Nannie’s homemade fudge.

We kept the lazy vibes going the day after Christmas…

But did rally for some tennis practice.

We all parted ways on the 27th and spent the next couple of days back in Seattle getting Juliette comfortable on her sweet new wheels.

There was one last slumber party by the Christmas tree…

(Seriously, guys – this thing is HUGE!)

A quick post-boba stop at Occidental Square…

Some requisite family pics by the tree…

And then we were calling it quits on 2020!  We partied hard on New Years Eve with sparkling cider and two games of Clue.  I missed having our crew with us that night for our annual fiesta, but going to bed at 10pm felt pretty good.

Finally, finally we found ourselves turning the calendar page and ushering in a bright and shiny new year.  We’ve made a tradition of visiting Lincoln Park on New Years Day and zipped over there to bike and skip rocks during a short break in the rain.

This place always brings out the thankful vibes in me…partly because it’s so lovely, but also because it draws forth so many happy memories of our family’s simple joys.  Rocks and water.  All we need.

Happiest of New Years, friends (29 days late!).

Juliette went bonkers waiting for Christmas to roll around, because Christmas meant Portland, and Portland meant COUSINS!  We arrived at Mitch’s on Monday afternoon and were there all of three minutes before Juliette was digging her swimsuit out of her suitcase and dashing out back to hot tub with Elise.

Then Santa hats were donned and Parcheesi was brought out and these two officially attached themselves at the hip.

I tried to lure the girls out of the house on Christmas Eve for a hot chocolate run or a playground spin, but they really just wanted to hunker down and cozy up.  I didn’t fight it.

Elise is 11 going on 16 these days, but there were a handful of times last week when I saw the kid in her come through, when she couldn’t help but join the “littles”.  Gingerbread for the win!

And then, Parcheesi…so much Parcheesi.

Morgan, my kindred tradition-keeper, insisted on Polar Express before bed.

Plus milk and cookies for Santa, with carrots for his reindeer!  The excitement in the house that evening was palpable, with Morgan running through the living room with the iPad every 15 minutes to give us an update on Santa’s whereabouts.  The Tracker says he’s in Poland!  Now Norway!  Iceland!  Once Santa reached New York, it was time to put these kids TO BED.

I awoke to the house-rattling pitter-patter of children around 7 am on Christmas morning – by 7:30 Morgan was taking roll call.  Let’s get to it!  Santa came through, big-time.

Santa brought me boots and cross-country skis – so glad my wish list made it to the North Pole.

And Juliette’s very own Parcheesi board!  Looks like I’m gonna need to learn to love this game.

My mom wasn’t quite up to making the trek to Portland this year, so we did a post-gift recap with them over Facetime.

Grandma and Grandpa were missed (on both sides), but technology is a wonderful thing…

…and speaking of technology, Morgan and Elise’s Nintendo switch won “gift of the year”.

If only Santa hats and Christmas PJ’s were in style all year round!  Such a good look on you, Jules.

We pried the Nintendo controllers out of the kids’ hands late morning and rallied the troops for a short hike at Tryon Creek.

Rocket balloon practice consumed a good portion of the afternoon…

…and then we gathered in the living room for a round of charades, where we learned that Morgan and Juliette are quite the actors and that Mitch’s rendition of “toy car” looks a lot like a terrified child running from a bear.

We ended the day sweetly and quietly, with a flute recital by Elise and a serious bracelet-making session on Juliette’s new rainbow loom.

We wrapped up Portland Christmas-Fest 2019 with hot chocolate cheers on Thursday morning and then said goodbye to the beloved Jarrell clan.  To cousins!

The one Christmas to-do still on our list was Juliette’s and my downtown holiday tour and when I asked her on Friday morning if she wanted to take a spin on the Westlake carousel, she replied, “Of course I do, Mommy!”  Deal sealed.  Shane dropped us off at the Fairmont, we took our quick spin through the gingerbread house, and then headed over to the merry-go-round.

The lines were so short and the tickets so cheap that I let Juliette ride on it twice.

 

Oh, kiddo…you have no idea how much I love doing this kind of stuff with you.

There was hot chocolate and a little shopping and one last look at the Macy’s star and then we officially called it a wrap.

There’s a lot about this Christmas season that just felt extra-GOOD.  Juliette’s anticipation was bigger than ever, and beyond the going-bonkers over the presents and the lights and the parties, she’s starting to grasp the deeper concepts of gratitude and generosity.  Our home felt so warm this season, our neighborhood so friendly and festive.  I missed having my parents with us in Portland, but my mom’s strength and positivity through her diagnosis and chemo has buoyed us all.  Our little advent tree, laden with hand-written notes about what we’re thankful for, is out of bare branches.

I found myself with a travel-free, meeting-light week a couple of weeks ago, so Juliette and I packed our bags on a Thursday, kissed Shane good-bye (he was hanging back for work and house stuff), and headed south for a few days with the beloved cousins.

I don’t usually undertake a three-hour car ride on my own with Juliette, so I packed extra activities and snacks and planned a couple of stops along the way.  Turns out this girl is an easy-peasy co-pilot – we collaborated on some travel Bingo, me scanning the road for a blue truck and a motorcycle while Juliette ticked off boxes from the back seat, then she watched a show on the iPad, colored for awhile, and asked if we could blow right past our first planned stop and keep on trucking!  I coaxed her out of the car at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, though, as we’ve driven past this place dozens of times and I was curious about the animal scene there.  We strolled the boardwalks for a few minutes, spotted a couple of herons, and checked “barn” off our Bingo card.

Girly still loves these ridiculous party-favor lens-less glasses…

We burned rubber the rest of the way to Portland, stopping for a quick coffee and a cookie at the edge of town.  We earned it. 

Juliette and the cousins picked up right where they left off at Christmas, dashing from one end of the yard to the other over and over and over again, tagging and racing and laughing like crazy all the while.

Juliette was so deliriously happy – after weeks of counting down the days, we had arrived.

The girls had school on Friday, which meant Juliette and I were left to paint the town red on our own.  She dressed the part.

We started with donuts at Blue Star, because, well, that passionfruit glaze.

Then we headed over to Tilikum Crossing for a post-donut walk/scooter.  This bridge is one of Portland’s finest.

I love boppin’ around with this kid…

We drove over to Powells afterward to pick out a birthday present for Elise rest our feet at the kids’ reading table.

And then, we went back to the house and TOOK A NAP!  Best day ever.

Post-dinner park action:

Mitch and Kathryn set up a mini gymnastics studio for Elise in the basement, and Juliette dashed downstairs to hang from the ceiling every chance she got.

Jules came down with a fever late Friday night (that nap should have tipped me off!), and while I thought about high-tailing it back to Seattle, Juliette was insistent on Saturday morning that she felt way better and wanted to head to the zoo.  I ended up renting a stroller, though, as soon as I saw her energy begin to wane.

Still, these girls had fun!

And we got killer views of the sweetest cheetahs ever.

Juliette and I settled in for another nap on Saturday afternoon and she woke up feeling right as rain.  She spent most of the afternoon running around the backyard with Morgan, Bina and Mitch.

We toasted to Elise’s upcoming 11th birthday that night.  She opened her presents and then darted to her room to put in her new earrings and read by the task lamp that Grandma and Grandpa had sent to her.  She has never looked more pre-teen.

Morgan, ever the fashionista, accessorized with the packing materials.

We squeezed in one last playground romp on Sunday morning with Mitch and Morgan…

And grabbed one last PDX coffee on Mississippi Ave.  The sight of this big girl perched at a cafe table with a hot chocolate and book breaks my heart a little, but also makes me incredibly giddy.

(For the record, she can’t really read yet, but Morgan let her borrow the latest Dork Diaries and Juliette wants to intensely to be just like her cousin that she’ll fake-read for several minutes at a time!)

This getaway was so good for both our souls.  Even in the midst of that restless, fever-filled night, there was joy in holding Juliette close, rubbing her back and being the fully-present mama that it’s been hard for me to be these past few hectic months.  We should skip town more often.  But probably bring Dad along, too – we missed him! 

Now, cue Dixie Chicks and let’s hit the road, little buddy.

Juliette and I kicked off our holiday break on the 21st with our annual Mama-Jules Downtown Christmas, where we spun through the city to see the sights.  I let Juliette set the agenda and lead the way – her first request was the Fairmont’s life-size gingerbread house, where she asked if she could please lick the candy cane window trim.  (I mean, she was setting the agenda, but…NO!!!)

We popped into my office to deliver goodies to few friends and then were off to the Westlake Carousel for the day’s main event.

The ride always ends sooner than Juliette wants it to, but she was happily distracted by this boa’d Storm Trooper standing nearby.

We went to the Starbucks across the street for a hot chocolate and an Americano, and then I got a toothache just watching Juliette dip her candy cane into her cocoa’s whipped cream (topped with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, no less).  “This is the best thing ever, Mama!”

We had parked near the market, so we said a quick hello to the pig and picked up one final Christmas gift.

WHEW.  This girl’s got stamina!

On Saturday we slowed things down.  We woke up late that morning and then gave Juliette her big gift, propping a new (used) bike next to the Christmas tree and putting a giant gold bow on it.  I baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we lingered at the table well after they were gone, flipping through Christmas cards and sipping peppermint tea.

We took Juliette down to Alki for a spin on her ride and I spent awhile at the water’s edge, acutely aware of how much I’ve missed the outdoors over these past couple of dark, busy months.

She’s all about the hand brakes now!

Back at home, we listened to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for the seven hundredth time, played board games, and wrapped gifts.

We set out for Portland on Sunday morning and quickly sunk ourselves into Mitch and Kathryn’s couch.  Bina, ever the cuddler, was thrilled to have yet another lap to sit on.

We spent Christmas Eve morning puttering around the house, baking and playing and passing the dog around.

(This crew takes Parcheesi very seriously!)

The antsy’s set in after lunch and I asked Elise if there was anywhere she wanted to go, as Morgan was a little under the weather.  The question had hardly left my mouth before she responded “Roller Skating!”, and as luck (?) would have it, the neighborhood rink was open until 5:30 that day.

Juliette was such a sweet little trooper, popping back up after each tumble and insisting that she press on, determined to make a full lap without any spills or any hand-holding.

We cozied up that night for the Polar Express and then set out a plate of cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.

Once all was silent in Elise’s room, where all three girls were sleeping, stockings were filled and presents were laid out (by Santa, of course).

The jumping and jabber of excited children woke me early on Christmas morning.  The adults poured themselves a round a coffee and the kids got right to it.

It took visits to three Targets and one Walmart, but Santa came through on the Barbie Dentist…

(Morgan wins the award for “most excited gift-opener”.)

‘Twas the season for cozy things, as Morgan, Elise and I all got new fuzzy robes for Christmas!  Juliette ran to her suitcase and pulled out her own robe, eager to get in on the comfy action.

Good tea and good chocolate for my mom and dad, respectively.  We’ve got them figured out by this point!

Oh, Morgan!

Juliette unwrapped the scooter I bought for her on a last-minute impulse and exclaimed, “I have ALWAYS wanted this!”.

We spent the rest of the morning enjoying our new toys…

And then rallied ourselves for a walk through Tryon Creek.

This picture feels so Northwest winter…

When the kids started to lag a bit, Shane kept them engaged by recounting the entire story line of Lord of the Rings.

Back at the house, we settled in for more games.  Shane, Dad, Mitch and I played an intense round of Settlers…

(Shane’s smiling, but I won!)

It seemed that every time Juliette and Morgan disappeared for a few minutes, they would re-emerge with new outfits and a fresh coat of lip gloss.

Elise, on the other hand, is much more content to spend all her time in leggings and a t-shirt with a book in hand.  I’ve loved watching my nieces grow up into such delightfully different humans.

Late afternoon, dinner was prepped while the girls gingerbread-ed.

And I snapped the requisite cousins-in-hats picture:

My dad had ordered a country ham from the East Coast for dinner – this salty treat evokes happy childhood memories of Nannie and Grandaddy, who always came to visit with a country ham and a pound of fudge nestled into their suitcases.

We ate and ate and then retired to our happy corners of the house – the girls put Elf on the TV and snuggled up with Bina while Mitch, Kathryn and my dad dealt a few rounds of Gin Rummy.  I poured myself another glass of red and curled up in a chair with my new book of poetry, grateful for all the love in that house.

And now we’re home, enjoying a few more days of life in the slow lane.  Juliette’s a tad bit distraught that Christmas is over, but she’s finding much solace in her pink scooter and her stuffed elephant.  The joy lives on.

Can we talk for a minute about my dad?  He’s pretty remarkable.  One of the most genuinely friendly people I know, he’ll strike up a conversation with anyone and seems to leave a sea of smiles in his wake.  He’s incredibly generous with his time, quick to offer to feed an injured neighbor’s alpacas or to coach my childhood softball team or to help me paint our new house.  And he’s the perpetual life of the party – not in a dancing-with-a-lampshade-on-his-head kind of way, but more in a makes-sure-everyone-has-a-good-time kind of way.  Which is why we were thrilled to meet up with him and my mom in Portland to celebrate his big 7-0 a couple of weeks ago.  On his birthday eve, we gathered around Mitch and Kathryn’s table to dine on Mitch’s famous grilled chicken and Gresham’s finest cupcakes for dessert.

And then the girls ran off their cupcake-crazies in the front yard…

So happy, but so tired!

We laid pretty low during the day on Saturday, but did make it out of the house to watch Morgan dominate the soccer field.

The rest of the afternoon was spent swinging and teeter-tottering.

Saturday evening was the main event: The Jarrell Birthday Brew Crawl!  Mitch and Kathryn had booked a sitter so that the grown-ups could get out and imbibe with my dad at a handful of Portland’s best breweries.  First though, gifts!  Mitch and I went in together to up my dad’s Growler Game.

And a couple of quick pics, before we kissed the little ones good-bye and hailed our extra-large Lyft.

We started our journey at Von Ebert Brewing, where the tots were hot, the spinach dip was rich, and the Hefeweizen was extra-wheaty.

From Von Ebert’s we walked over to Deschutes where the wait for a table was over an hour, so we trekked on…

And landed at Bridgeport, where we chowed down on pot pie paired with perfect IPA’s.

We grabbed another Lyft after dinner and went to Breakside Brewery for…more beer!  Dessert was a glass of Salted Caramel Stout and a nibble of dark chocolate.  We rolled ourselves out of there and headed home to our girls, full and happy and a little bit loopy.  My dad knows how to party.

Happiest of Birthdays, Dad.  May this be a year of new Ales, no ails, and abundant joy.