Bye Bye 2008

We continue to enjoy our visit at Beau's parent's home in Spokane. Sure we lost our water for 1/2 the day on Monday, and yes the snow has kept falling, but the time with family has been wonderful. Hazel has enjoyed her Grandma during the day and then when Grandpa gets home from work she really pulls out her charm!

Here are some photos from the last few days...yes, more SNOW pictures. Sick of them yet? :)

Hazel walks on the slippery slope with Daddy's aid.

Here she COMES!

She decided to take off on her own, the unstable ground proved to be too much and she took a tumble.

Three generations enjoy the snow! (Beau really was having fun, he just looks a little grumpy here for some reason.)


I take Hazel for a ride down the mountain...

Not a peep from her all the way down - can't say the same for me.

I love how Bella watches us to make sure we were okay.

The hike up the hill was a lot harder with my pink snow bunny in my arms!

I got Beau a new sled yesterday - what a HIT!

You ride on your tummy and it flies! (I even tried it and I am a complete sledding chicken.)

In his element!

Sturdy on her own feet - briefly.

We brought this box with us for Hazel to have a dry place to sit.

She was rather content in the box for quite some time.

Queen of the Mountain!

Hazel loved watching all the action as she sat at the tip-top of the sledding mountain.

Hello Momma!

Grandma checks out Hazel's "box seat". Great view she agreed.

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Now for the non-snow photos...yes we don't literally live IN the snow!

Hazel loves her Grandma - and not just because she gave her a COOKIE of her own.

The look of love - love for Grandma and love for COOKIES!

The two-fisted munching.

Here Grandma, a bite for you too.

Grandmas are also great storytellers. Hazel loves a great book, especially a book read to her by someone she loves.

Then there was CRAYONS.

Hazel was given her first coloring book - and box - by Grandma and Grandpa. She started with a coloring book, and then discovered there are other surfaces great for coloring. What is in our future there? For now, we love it!

She kept grabbing the white crayon, it wouldn't show up and I tried swapping it out for another color. She got irritated with me and insisted on getting back the WHITE crayon. Okay.

We don't know where our baby went and who this BIG girl is?

Mom, can you please stop interrupting my coloring??

We may have an athlete as well as an artist. Hazel loves this bright yellow volleyball.

She loves rolling it, throwing it, and kicking it. A versatile athlete!

Bella - another object of affection for Hazel. Bella is in doggie heaven here in the snow! She loves chasing snowballs, running through the snow that comes past her belly, and getting lots of love from Hazel.

What kind of wine goes with KETCHUP?

It is no secret amongst friends and family that Beau and I love ketchup. Well, looks like Hazel is our daughter afterall!

Grandpa Bruce was eating some tator tots yesterday and Hazel discovered the technique of "dipping"...too early to explain that "double dipping" is not polite! She dipped and dipped and dipped her tot into ketchup...until that tot fell apart and she needed another. Lycopene anyone?

Slurping off that yummy ketchup

Spokane Christmas...

Last night we celebrated our 2nd Christmas. We had a great meal and followed it with a pile of pretty packages to open with the Spokane Garners and Missoula Janssens. Hayden cooked up a feast, with his newest sous chef...Matt.

The snow is melting slowly, but our fun sure isn't! Hazel sure enjoyed having two dogs to pet and and walk around after...and then occasionally boss around with a stern Hazel "NO!" She already knows to protect her food from hungry canine mouths!

Here are some photos from our Spokane Christmas...

Bella and her new best friend, Nyla

Matt and Hayden cooking up a storm

Serious work opening presents

Grandma Roberta got a new Santa!

On display - he fits right in!

A special family tradition - Santa Mouse given to Hazel this year from Grandma and Grandpa - then read by mommy.

Aunt Caspian made everyone special ornaments - Hazel wanted to eat the Cheerios in hers!

Hazel loves her Fisher Price popcorn popper!

She popped and popped all around the house!

Then...came ELMO!

Hazel was not too sure about this dancing/talking/sneezing/kissing/tooting fuzzy red guy..."Memo"

Hmm...Grandpa wasn't too sure about how to get him out of the box.

Hazel was a little overwhelmed by "Memo" at first and seemed genuinely worried about him when he fell over...and then asked to be picked up. She will warm up to "Memo", just as she warms up to any new "person" she meets.

Hazel back into sacks - she did this same thing at her birthday party.

Matt so thrilled with his gifts from us...

UNDERWEAR!

And then more UNDERWEAR...

Finished with some SOCKS!

(we got him some games and Legos too)

Hazel with the handmade Owl from her Aunt Caspian and Uncle Hayden.

Caspian and Nyla