Greetings from Snow Country

I didn't take many photos with my Canon while we were in the Methow.  We passed our days on skis and sleds.  And when we weren't outside playing, we were inside staying warm--playing games of Ticket to Ride and finishing the 500 piece puzzle.

Below are three photos I took one morning just outside of the Nelson's cabin.  Greetings from Snow Country:

Where there are vistas . . .

. . . from left . . .

. . . to right.

Western Washington Holidaze

Below are some long overdue photos from our Christmas holiday spent in Washington.  This year we celebrated Christmas with the Egges (and visited the Nelsons for a couple days after Christmas).  I know it's a cliche, but for me, the very best part of Christmas is getting to spend time with my family.  This is especially true now that we live two states down.

The Egge Sisters (photo by C)

Santa Visits the Egge Family Christmas Party

Presents are Exciting!

Cousins (and Second Cousins) Playing with Presents (and Gift Wrappings)

Not Everyone Likes Santa (Even if He Happens to be His Dad)

My Beautiful Sister and Her Handsome Husband Take 1

My Beautiful Sister and Her Handsome Husband Take 2

Third Times a Charm!

J Enjoys His 1st Birthday Cupcake

Dogs in Christmas Sweaters Photo Shoot Take 1

Dogs in Christmas Sweaters Photo Shoot Take 2 - Making Some Adjustments

Dogs in Christmas Sweaters Photo Shoot Take 3 - "This is as Close as I'll Get"

Buckwheat Enjoys a Beautiful Morning on Whidbey Island

Brothers on Christmas Eve

The Christmas Eve Table Settings

And the Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney with Care

My Boys on Christmas Morning

Sweet Pea Donning her Christmas Present from Her Grandma

Some Family Bonding on Christmas Morning

Sweet Pea Gives Amity a Christmas Kiss

Buckwheat Modeling His Christmas Present from His Grandma

Dogs in Matching Jackets Photo Shoot Attempt

My Mom's Christmas Hutch

This was the first year that C spent Christmas with my family.  Christmas in the Methow is magical (it's always a White Christmas).  But I was excited to share some of our Christmas traditions with him: prime rib, jet potatoes and banana cream pie on Christmas eve, Christmas poppers, lots of game playing, wrapping all of the gifts that my dad gets for my mom, making up clues to put on all of our gift tags, opening gifts one at a time, in order of oldest to youngest . . .  It was a really good Christmas.  And I am so lucky to call these people (the Egges, the Nelsons and the Lassers) my family.

xo.
Ally

The Moon Tonight

I love the moon.  Especially at dusk.  And tonight the moon was out in full glory.  It would have been a great moon to catch from Seabright beach.  Or from up in Pogonip.  But as dusk fell and the moon rose, we were in our car driving home from the dog park.  So here are two photos of this evening's moon as seen from our balcony. 

Zoomed in and in focus . . .

And zoomed out and out of focus . . .

Have a happy weekend! And be sure to say "hi" to Mr. Moon. 

Cabin in the Woods

Over the second weekend of December, C and I drove south with some friends to a cabin in the woods.  Now this cabin was really in the woods--it wasn't just tucked away in some trees, a couple miles outside of town.  It was hidden in the hills of Cayucos--reached only by several miles of dirt roads; roads that snaked back and forth and up and over and under. . . and off the proverbial grid.

It was the cabin of a friend's grandparents--rustic, full of character, well lived in and well loved. There was no TV, no computer, minimal cell service and no wireless . . . But there was lots to do. 

Over the course of the weekend a badminton net was erected, a portion of the yard was turned into a kickball field (although a game was never played), olives were picked and walnuts were cracked and eaten.  There was Pictionary, ping pong, persimmons and pie. We hiked, bushwhacked, explored, played, napped, talked, cooked and ate (and ate and ate). And the dogs (Darwin, Dexter and Buckwheat) got to romp and roam.  They sniffed all corners of the property (and picked up a few ticks in the process), chased deer and (badminton) birdies, ran to their little hearts content and come night, they slept very soundly.

In the evenings, we gathered in the living room where we enjoyed the cabin's various amenities (such as a wood burning fire place, buckets of Legos, a banjo, and several issues of Alaska Magazine) and perused the extensive collection of mixed tapes with titles like "100 Songs You'll Always Love".  Then, at the end of each night, we slipped into an enormous hot tub and unwound under an enormous sky.  Up in the remote hills of Cayucos the night was inky black, the stars were plentiful and, by sheer luck, our visit to the cabin in the woods coincided with the tail end of a meteor shower.  Nothing beats a really good shooting star, except maybe getting to catch it from the depths of a hot tub that's sitting outside of a cabin in the woods. 

Finally, on our last night, a bonfire was carefully laid out (and was unceremoniously doused with fuel).  It was really warm, super bright and no one got hurt! It was the perfect end to a great weekend. 

Below are some photos from the weekend (taken with my now old Canon):

A place to sit.

Bushwhacking.

Hiking in the hills behind the cabin in the woods

In the hills there was a little frog.

And higher in the hills there were views clear to the ocean.

And so many other hills.

And after all that hiking, Buckwheat had to catch his breath. 

At the cabin there were persimmons for the picking.

And a banjo to strum . . .

And Dexter was there, too (the cabin is a dog friendly place!)

After you pick persimmons, you might want to make some persimmon pie.

(See, you're in the Woods.)

Also, there's an old fire truck parked in the driveway.

And homemade signs

And a shed that looks like it's from the Wild West

Here, this is what the cabin looks like.

It contains all sorts of treasures - like these old Fischer Price Little People . . .

And it can house a hole gang.

Buckwheat loved the cabin

(and I love my boys).

Here was the bonfire we made

. . . the end.

Every once in awhile it's good to really get away.  I think we could all use a little more time at a cabin in the woods.