Is leaving your Christmas tree up until after Easter so 2012?

Since this will be my last post of the year I figured I should post some Christmasy pics because as of January 1st Christmas is so done!  Well I'm already so done with it, but our tree is still up so it doesn't feel too done yet I guess.  I go back to work on Tuesday, it's so hard to believe (I don't want to believe it!).  We'll take our tree done (hopefully) before then.  That's only a couple months sooner than my Mom takes her tree down!  Seriously, she has left it up until my sister Anne's birthday more than a few times and her birthday is late March!!!!  It's a wee bit dry by then and more than a small fire hazard.

My tavern candles, which I miraculously found in their original boxes, all at one estate sale

Here is our Festivus family portrait

I do so love knee huggers (also from estate sales)

This is how we do Christmas - Planking, Owling and Tebowing

We all survived yet another Christmas, and this one was special since it was Hank's first one.  It was also probably the cheapest one that we'll ever have again.  Since Hank's now just about 3 months old we didn't buy him anything.  But next year we won't be able to get off so easily.

We went to my Mom's house on Christmas Eve.  Being the dorks that we are I thought it would be fun to try and pull off all the latest and greatest trends of the past few years - all at once!  So below you'll see a selection of Planking (2009'ish), Owling (2010'ish), Tebowing (2011)....and I'm debuting the newest trend - Hail Marying (2012).

When you start seeing people Hail Marying you will know that my Mom started it all.  You can see her inspiration - she has a crazy big collection of Virgin Mary's (see big bookcase in the background of some pics below, on the left).

My brothers Max (Tebowing) and Christian (Owling)

A group Tebow - Julian, JK, Max and Christian (clockwise)

Christian and JK Owling (see Virgin Mary's on bookcase to left)

A group Tebow, with my Mom and Christian in front debuting the "Hail Mary". 
Watch for it in 2012.

A sampling - Tebowing, Planking and Owling

Hank's first metal jacket

Anyone that knows us knows that Julian is a huge metal-head.  I'm an old (well, not that old!) rocker too and love lots o' metal as well.  So we figured Hank should have a few metal jackets in babyhood.  Who knows what type of music he'll be into once he's older, but for now he's ours to dress up!

We bought this first jacket used.  But we inherited several more (bigger) denim jackets from my wonderful boss (Trang), who gave us her two boys' clothes.  No, the jacket did not come this way, but that would have been cool.  Julian sewed on all of the patches.

I'm sexy and I know it.....wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.

Here's a better view of the front.

A view of the back.

Since I took pics near it: here is our new hawk, sold to us by our friend Chris.

Hank's first beach trip

A couple of weeks ago we spent a few nights at the beach.  Before going on maternity leave I remember thinking how we'd be making all these outings - wine tasting, beach trips, karaoke, going out to eat a lot, etc. 

Well, reality hit and I realized that having a new baby means spending a whole lot of time at home.  Especially a super cranky baby.  It took us a bit, but we finally realized that Hank had what's called "purple crying".  This is an acronym for:
P - peak crying (peaks around 2 months)
U - unpredictable
R - resistent to soothing
P - pained look on face
L - long bouts of crying
E - evening crying 

This was Hank, absolutely.  And it was beyond frustrating and nerve wracking.  Both Julian and I were in tears so many times trying to figure out why he was crying so much and how we could make him stop.  When Hank was awake he was crying.  And just before 2 months he got a whole lot better.  Now when he cries it's usually for a reason we can pretty much figure out. 

So, needless to say, we didn't leave the house much in the first few months.  We're still a little freaked out to take him out to a restaurant, or anywhere there are many people to hear his freak outs (because I believe he's one of the world's loudest babies).  Things are getting better.  But being at home, or a friend's home, saves us money, too. 

Julian's parents were nice enough to let us use some of their timeshare points and we stayed for 2 nights at the Seaside timeshare.  This place was super nice: a 2 bedroom with a full kitchen and balcony with oceanview.  And best of all - it was free! 

J Dog and me (holding Hank)

Anne (holding her daughter, Scarlett), Emily, Hank and me

Thanksgiving happenings

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone.  We usually have Thanksgiving at our house, but with a new baby that was not something I was looking forward to this year.  Although we do a potluck dinner there's still a lot of work involved with hosting a big food event at your house.  So my brother and sister-in-law (Max and Wendy) were gracious enough to host dinner at their house this year.  That took a huge load off us. 

We had a great time.  The food was awesome.  I made parmesan fondue for an appetizer, brussels sprouts with dried cranberries and walnuts for a side dish and key lime pie for dessert.  We also had a ham, turkey,  stuffing & gravy, broccoli cheese casserole, cheddar & poppy seed mashed potatoes, sweet potato mountain, rolls, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pies.

After dinner we all got to enjoy watching videos from their computer on their TV (including our current fave: Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger", and LMFAO videos).  "Moves Like Jagger" is a new favorite for sure. 

My nephew, Ashton, showing us his breakdancing - he did some great windmills.

Max and Wendy set up two long tables so we could all actually sit together.

Hank with Oma and Opa Bijsmans

My uncle Jim and Matt were in town for Thanksgiving and we got together with them the next day so they could meet Hank.  Here were are at Bread & Ink Cafe for brunch.

Uncle Jim holding Hank (Hank looking pleased, as usual) and Matt

Dinner at Chris'

Our friend Chris invited us over to dinner at his house last Friday, which was super fun.  We'd been talking about going to dinner at his place for a long time, and it finally happened.  Chris and Amanda made a wonderful dinner of Indian curry over rice and Indian pumpkin pudding for dessert - both very yummy. 

Chris' house was amazing, and was really fun to wander around and just look at his array of collections, from taxidermy, to low-brow art, Art Deco furniture, lunchboxes and other collectibles.  Here are some pics:

Anne, Amanda and Chris

Amanda holding Hank (no, Amanda is not pinching him) and Chris with his daughter, Ava

Julian with Hank in Chris' frontroom

Hank chillin' by the hyena

Pics of the study

More pics of the study

One of Chris' bathrooms

The back tv-watchin' room

A view of his kitchen, you can see some of his lunchbox collection



Parenthood is sexy!

We went to Powell's last weekend, and then walked around the Pearl so we could get a little exercise before the rain really kicked in.  We'd stopped at a Starbuck's so we could change Hank's diaper and feed him.  Then we went home - I tell you this so you could see how quickly this happened:

Hank is looking pretty content here, right after we got home

Uh-oh, guess what he was hiding!

Oh, it gets worse!

Halloween 2011

We're trying to take advantage of our time off from work, and of any good weather while it lasts.  A few weeks ago we went to some more pumpkin patches with my family.  We had a lot of fun at The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie's Island and Julian, Hank, Emily and I all did the corn maze.  This year it was in the shape of the Portland Timber's logo.  This was fun, and best yet - we didn't have to call 911 to save us - we completed it all on our own!

Em, Julian and I in the maze

We completed the maze without police rescue!

JK at The Pumpkin Patch market taunting Scalett with a giant zucchini

We carved up some pumpkins at our house:

Julian working away on his pumpkin



Julian's Megadeth Rattlehead pumpkin

Here are some pics from Halloween.  This year Todd & Anne (my brother-in-law and sister) brought over their hearse again.  Julian and Todd had fun messing with the trick or treaters.  They parked the hearse in front of our house and set the jackalope and baboon in it, along with some lights to attract attention of the passersby.  They put the baby monitor inside the hearse and watched from our upstairs, talking into the monitor as kids went by.  This was so funny - our little neighbor boy (Sasha) came with his parents and Julian talked to him as the baboon, saying "Sasha, give me a banana".  When we opened the front door to give him candy he was crying, asking for a banana to give "the lion".  Apparently he thought the baboon was a lion, and really wanted a banana for it. 

Halloween birthday boy, Christian, with Hank

My sister Mary, Scarlett, my Mom and Emily

Emily and my nephew James

The hearse with the Jackalope in the back and baboon in the front

Close up of the baboon

Our friend Matt with batgirl Scarlett

Apple festival and pumpkin patch

It's fall here in Portland and we're trying to get out and take advantage of any non-rainy days.  Last Saturday we went to a few pumpkin patches out in Boring, OR and on Sunday we went to the apple festival at the Portland Nursery. 


Here we are testing out the winter squash

Julian (wearing Hank), me, Em and Anne

Anne getting frisky with the scarecrow (an old guy was wearing this and he LOVED getting some action!)

Sunday we went to the Portland Nursery apple festival - we were mainly there for the cider tasting, admittedly.  But I also bought some yummy homemade salted carmels.  Turns out I used to work with the person helping sell the carmels - small world.  These are the best carmels ever.  http://www.indulgecarmels.com/.

Aunt Joanne, my nephew James and sister, Emily

Me with my sweet little nephew, James