End of December Comeback

I guess it's time to come creeping back to this blog and try to carry on.  So many things have happened in the past few months I'll never be able to remember them. 

I've figured out as long as I use Google Chrome, my pictures are able to be posted without any trouble.  Now I have to remember how to scan and edit photos again.  More reading that I don't have time for.  I want someone to just stand over my shoulder and tell me in 3 or fewer sentences how to do it.

First, today is the birthday of our firstborn Gray.  I can't say I remember the day he was born because "natural" childbirth was ignored, and I pretty much woke up and had a baby.  But he was adored from the first day, and 42 years later, he is just as special.  He and Stephanie spent the day with us Christmas Eve, and we had a great day laughing and reminiscing.

Ever since I saw a picture in October of Graysen with a Halloween snow globe, something has been in my brain that I had seen that picture before.

Today when I was trying to sort through some old pictures, I found it.  I naturally could not scan it to the correct size, so I took a picture with my camera, and that's why the quality is so bad.

Elise 1974

Graysen 2013

I think it's the position of the hands more than anything and the expression, but just looking at these pictures, Graysen and Aunt CC are definitely related.

Just  because trying to catch up is so overwhelming right now, I'll just post a few Christmas pictures and come back later.  And maybe talk about the trip too.

When we got to Seattle on the 12th, Mike and I arrived an hour or 2 before Elise, so we waited at the airport, which I enjoy more than waiting to fly!  Ryan picked us up and then went to get Graysen from her babysitter since we and all our luggage took her spot in the car.

Not unexpectedly, she didn't immediately jump into our arms.  Elise and Mike saw her a few months ago, but I had not seen her since July.  When she did accept us, it was Elise who was allowed to hold her while she looked Mike and me over.  

Here she's all dressed in her bear suit to go to the grocery store.  These girls have a special bond.

No one can make Graysen laugh like Aunt CC.  Or give better cuddles.

The trip to the grocery store was interesting.  Elise took Graysen in her stroller and wandered all over the store while Emily, Ryan, and I tried to coordinate all the things we wanted.

I like visiting grocery stores in other parts of the country to see the little differences, the different brands, the interesting ways of displaying various things.  This was Safeway in North Bend, a nice store with extra friendly people.  The bakery section was huge and yummy, and  Elise is still bitter about the tiramisu she was steered away from.

I used up all my time talking about a trip to the grocery store.  More later.

The weather today is very Northwest-ish.  I like it.  A good excuse to stay in and clean a little, organize a little, drink a few cups of coffee, and waste a lot of time on various things.  It's not wasted if you enjoy it though.