Airplane Ride Home

Well after a four hour delay - thanks goodness this happened in Portland and we were able to just call my Dad to come back and pick us up, so Annabelle could take a nap before we took off - we were lucky enough to get Annabelle her own seat!! Which makes such a huge difference. She is just way to active to sit in our laps for 2.5 hours these days. She had a great time peaking between the seats to the folks in the row behind us. Good thing they weren't totally annoyed because this went on most of the flight. But for a brief moment she did sit down for me to snap one picture, seat belt on and everything! (Okay I have to admit the seatbelt was an attempt to strap her in place - but it didn't work! :) )

Camp Solomon Schechter

So on the way back to Portland from Seattle, we stopped at Schechter. Since I had Sue, Scott & Annabelle with me (mom had of course already been there multiple times), we had to stop and see the place where I spent 3 weeks every summer. Luckily we were in the Subaru and we were able to make it in the snow up the road and into camp. Lots of my favorite memories are from camp, so it was super fun to show Scott around. Hopefully Annabelle will attend Schechter some day! Isn't it beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seattle

We all headed up to Seattle for a night while in the NW in order to visit Scott's second cousins. It was a great excuse to get up to Seattle for an over night - which we never do when we are in Portland. We had a lovely dinner with Dale & Cathleen. Then we trekked back to the hotel which was just a few blocks from the Space Needle. I really wanted to head out and try to get a Space Needle picture so my mother volunteer to sit with Annabelle while she "slept" so we could go take some pictures. It was fun to try to figure out the best place to take photos.

Here is the best shot....

In the morning we of course had to head to the market. It was absolutely FREEZING but we walked around until Annabelle needed a nap!

This cracks me up - I am glad Sue pointed it out to me!

Of course we had to have a coffee at the original Starbucks. The wait gave miss AnnaB a chance to catch a nap. And of course we tried to have breakfast at Etta's but it was a Monday and they don't open until lunch! Bummer! Next trip! But us girls had to get a picture in front of our restaurant! This isn't the best picture, but it is so funny because it shows how much the wind was blowing! And I love that little kids don't mind the cold or the wind - Annabelle LOVES it! We usually get a big smile when we head out into the cold!

Motivation & the Straw

I have been trying to teach Annabelle how to use a straw since last summer with absolutely NO luck. It makes me laugh every time, because I think how in the heck do you teach someone drink out of straw! Well we headed up to Seattle for a night over our trip to the NW and we made a pit stop at a McDonald's along the way. Since we were there and I hadn't had a shake from McDonald's in probably five years or more - I ordered a chocolate shake. Immediately Annabelle started gesturing that she wanted some. Well I said "you don't know how to drink from a straw, but you can try." WELL sure enough she drank my chocolate shake like she was an old pro!! Apparently water just hasn't been of enough to motivate her - I should have known!!

Buster & Annabelle

So at first Annabelle wasn't that sure about Buster, but they quickly became the best of friends! Or at least Annabelle thought Buster was pretty fun to have around.

When Buster went to the door to watch Linda drive away, Annabelle headed to the door to see what Buster was looking at!

Annabelle shared her Cheerios with Buster
Buster always heads to the dishwasher after dinner in hopes of getting some dinner scraps as the dishes are being cleaned up. Annabelle wanted to see if it would work for her as well! :)

Zoo Lights at the Oregon Zoo

Scott & my Dad went to the Blazer game, so I suggested us girls head down to the Zoo Lights. Nobody had any interest in going, but Meredith was the only one that was totally honest and said "I don't really want to go, but I am sure I will have fun when I get there." Well we all had fun when we got there and the best part was that with my Denver Zoo membership we all five of us (Meredith, Linda, Sue, Cathryn & Annabelle) got in for free! I am my Father's daughter, so that was pretty exciting!

I haven't been to the Denver Zoo lights so I can't really compare, but I thought it was pretty fun, and most importantly Annabelle loved it! She doesn't even mind the cold, in fact I think she likes it!

They had many light displays of animals but most of them were action displays and I couldn't get any of my pictures to turn out!

Next year we have to take the zoo train, but we got there a little to late to wait in line & take a ride!

Merry Christmas (part two)

So for the second half of the festivities we had xmas dinner with the Hopman clan. This year was certainly different with two babies crawling around. Fun stuff!

Here is me trying to get a picture of Annabelle in her holiday dress.

Here is the entire group (minus Jonathan!)

Annabelle still trying to figure out how to play with the doggies

Annabelle & Porter, impossible to get two little ones looking at the camera

Grandpa & Annabelle

Meredith & Annabelle
Annabelle & Mommy

Merry Christmas (part one)

Happy Holidays! Here are a few pictures from our morning! So one of our Pope family traditions is to frost the sugar cookies on xmas morning so that everyone is home. Annabelle got to take part in the cookie frosting this year but I have to admit she was better at cookie eating. Btw - it was only 9:38 am (I know this because I took a picture of the clock to memorialize that I was feeding my daughter cookies starting at 9 in the morning.)

After cookies it was time for presents and funny hat pictures!

Grandma & Grandpa got me a pony! :)

It is an EXTREMELY white Christmas in Portland!

More pictures to come! Happy Holidays & Warm Winter Wishes!

Xmas Eve Eve

Day Family Christmas Celebration! A good time as always! Yummy food (lasagna by Brian), a fun game ('holiday' questions by Sue) & a gadget gift exchange. Fun Stuff to kick off the holiday festivities!

Happy Hanukkah!

So last night on the first night of Hanukkah we had the Wilson family over to celebrate both Hanukkah & Christmas. I have always done Hanukkah with the boys and Michelle is excited to do Christmas with Annabelle.

Here is this years donut menorah!

Even though it was the first night, we lit two candles so that both Alex & Lukas got to light a candleThe boys played a LOT of dreidel
Annabelle really wanted to play.... maybe next year!
Annabelle got a new phone in her stocking! (and her own dreidal! how many kids get dreidals in there stockings?) She thought it was all great fun!

Winter Park for the Weekend

The Watsons & Itens decided to head out of town this weekend and hang out in the mountains. It was super cold but it was still fun to be up in the hills, relaxing & resting & playing inside mostly, but we did have some fun in the snow.

Does this looks like a kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar?

(just substitute purse for cookie jar, and cheerios for cookies!)

The Watson Family

The Iten Family

Annabelle in the snow!

Sledding is super fun!

Daddy & Annabelle

Dillon building a tower

Annabelle & Dillon enjoyed switching toys for the weekend

Annabelle spent a lot of time going up the stairs! I am not exactly sure when she learned how to do stairs, but a few weeks ago we were at a friends house and she just scrambled up the stairs. This weekend was no different, she loved climbing up, but she still doesn't know how to go down.

Of course is was super gorgeous on Sunday when we were heading home!