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

Home from the Holidays!

December got the best of me.  There was a weekend at a cabin, tree decorating, work, holiday parties, cleaning, packing, gift wrapping, a whole lot of driving (Santa Cruz to Seattle to Whidbey to Winthrop to Seattle and back to Santa Cruz again), meals with family, hilly runs, dogs in sweaters, more gift wrapping, gift giving, cuddling up on couches, board game playing,  night sledding, puzzles, nordic skiing, ice skating, dinners with friends and toasts to the new year.  In all honesty, even with all of the holiday craze, I could have squeezed in a blog post (or three).  At some point though, I just decided to give myself a total holiday from my endless list of "To Do's" and in my downtime, I relaxed.

We got home middle of last week and the craze has continued.  There's been unpacking to do, groceries to buy, decorations to put away, sleep to catch up on and errands to run . . . But I'm finally back!  I got a lot done this weekend.  I feel well rested.  And I've got lots to share.

To start with, here are a few photos that C and I took for the holidays:

Buckwheat wears many hats.

Christmas Card Model is one of them.

Here's B and C getting ready for a family photo!

We didn't really end up with many photos where we're all looking at the camera . . .

. . . But I like them anyway!

Happy (Belated) Holidays from This Little Egge (and the rest of Nelson Family).  I promise to be back with more blog posts very, very soon!

xo.

Ally