A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS:

Once again it has been a long time since my last blog and it is tough to sum up all that has happened over the last couple of months. I figure a good place to start is just my favorite things.

All the way back to the end of September we had a wonderful time at our property. Definitely one of my favorite things is BURNING!! Syd took this picture of me fully enjoying burning all the brush I can get my hands on.

Andrea joined us that weekend and decided rustic Vine Maple furniture was her calling....well, until she got bored. The table lasted a couple of weeks and sadly was crushed under a load of lumber it was so bravely trying to hold.

I love how the girls are so happy at the property.

Sara sips on a milkshake from the 59er Diner on our way back to Bellevue.

Sydney is so contentedly tired on the drive back home.

I asked Pat to grow a beard for me. He will usually do this for me once a year. Yeah!

Cookie making is a popular activity around the house. I am so grateful that I can be home with my girls and that are lives are so blessed that we have time to feel such joy at the little things, like cookie dough on beater.

Halloween was fun packed this year. I got to help out at Sydney's class party. I came as a witch but had to take off the nose as it scared a couple of her classmates.

Sara got to come too. She is Queen Amadala with a different head piece. The once that came with the costume made her cry so I had to improvise. Thank God for the Party Store by Sydney's school. Sara still wears and loves that mask. One of the best $5 dollars I spent in 2008.

Sydney poses with Arely.

We got to spend Halloween night with our friends. Here is the whole motley crew.

Syd and Sara took their new identities very seriously.

Sara is enjoying the spoils of all her trick or treating work.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Sydney. She is such a big grown up girl now. I love watching her change and grow. She is such a beautiful person, inside and out.

Pat worked really hard on the cabin, with lots of help from Bruce. This was our last visit before the snow came. It was so fun to stand on the porch of our new vacation home.

We had a little picnic lunch before we retired to the comfort of our hotel room in Leavenworth. Hopefully that will be the last time we will need to stay at a hotel. The Bavarian Lodge is by far the best stay in Leavenworth but I can't wait till Hotel Hardwick is open for business.

Pat and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. Usually I snap a head shot during our celebration but this year I was in bed after my thyroid surgery. (I don't have any pics of that.) But this was taken shortly before. I love being married to Patrick!!!

Christmas drew near and the first week in December we put of the tree.

Then came the snow: Next post.....