our holiday visit

The first night we were in Washington, my parents had a warm welcome waiting for us.. hugs for me, and fingers and knuckles to chomp on for Mont. Mont couldn't get to them fast enough! Still no teeth..

We spent loads of time on the floor, letting Mont kick and laugh, and being smothered by yours truly. This is from the same night as a few posts ago:

The next three pictures of Mont are in a sequence, taken only split seconds from the next. He is still full of funny faces, and yes! That's my mom's beautiful golden hair behind him. ha!

Tessa got snap happy one afternoon when Mont and I were just sitting around. This is the only one I have on my computer from this day. It's tricky taking only your camera with no computer... I didn't like being without it! Oh well... I obviously got used to it as you can tell by my lag in posts!

(sorry about the quality of these pictures.. I'm pulling a lot of these off of Costco Photo..)

Some of my favorite decorations for Christmas at my parents' home were silver bells on the saddles:

The week of Christmas we jet-set off to Hawaii for our Happy Party:

Here's the dreadful farmer's tan I mentioned previously. I still have it..

I miss the sun!

1/2 the day we were on the beach, then at noon we moved up by the pool so we could stop worrying about the sun on Mont. It was surprisingly nice!! We've never done that before, but we loved it! We could still see the beach, and Mont loved falling asleep to this loud waterfall:

One night my mom and I ventured out to take pictures of everything around.. it was a lot of fun to see my mom do her thang with photography. I think she loved pulling out some hat tricks; though my camera was like a foreign language to her compared to the one she used, I think she still had fun:

Doesn't this look Egyptian or something? I love it!

The morning after this, we woke up to HUGE waves on our side of the island (the WSW side, which normally doesn't get huge waves):

The waves were so huge out on the reef, that the waves in the lagoons (which were built to keep waves OUT) were normal size (compare to California) and came up and sank all these chairs into the sand:

The waves out there were 20-30 ft! While on the North Shore, they were around 40 feet. I can't even imagine! See that hotel in the background? That's the Ihilani, the hotel the girls in Blue Crush work at! The first year we came we stayed there and I was SO excited about that. Corin and I used to watch that movie sooo many times!

Then it was back to Washington... where we were all sooo tired... The sun wore us out! In a perfectly perfect sort of way:

Even though it was still cooler than Hawaii, it was perfectly warm enough for lots of walking. I'm glad this picture is blurry. ha!! My mom let me wear her cute garden shoes clogs.

Now for some "Mont Time":

While we were there, my dad rolled him around so often, he picked it up himself! So here he is on the infamous rolling-towel (to protect the bed from bites and slobber, no doubt). He had such a fun time with my parents and sister that it took him a few days to unwind from having all fun he did. Poor little guy.

My dad became his best bud while Mark wasn't able to be with us.

It was a great trip and we were sad to see it end.. I had to return to my real world of housework and other grown up things.. It was nice to be a kid again. As Tessa might say, "It was great visiting with the Parentals."

spending my time

Mont turned 5 months today!

I'm watching People's Choice Awards - I never watch these award shows... it's kinda fun. Though... the people aren't as funny as they are on screen. Good thing they're pretty.

There is a HUGE blister (well.. what's left of it) on my left inner heel from wearing my fABulous new boots taking pictures with a good friend last week.

Mont still got compliments on the flight home, even though he was crying and screaming even before we pulled away from the terminal, and I probably flashed the 8 men surrounding me. (okay, I made up the number 8; but there did seem like too many - thankfully there was a woman and an empty seat on my row.)

All the glorious sun and fun never did get rid of my impossible farmer's tan. (pictures coming soon - not of my farmer's tan. of the trip.)

Christmas decorations are still up (bah.).

What is Avatar?? besides being a movie with blue people.

I have a new caaaaallliiiiing! It's something I can do from home and use my 'computer savvy skills' as Jodi says.

Mont is sleeping in his crib as of last night. I am slowly (slug's pace almost) moving everything of Mont's around. Categorizing too-small clothes now and stowing away in swanky green Adidas duffels until I figure something else out, reclaiming my buffet table from being a temporary 'changing station' - sorry to all of the guests we had while you stared at my baby's bare bum. Even if I do think it's a rather cute one, you may not have!

"House" has a British accent?! Very nice.

Tomorrow it's back to Quilt Group... with Mark's unfinished Christmas stocking.

oh?

This picture of Mont is making its way like a train on hot tracks through our family's emails; so I thought to put it on here. This is what he looks like 90% of the time: so curiously attentive and cute! I just love his little cheekers!

here comes Santa Claus

Happy Christmas Eve!

Things to do tonight:
read biblical account of the birth of Christ
hug and squeeze Mont
listen for sleigh bells (in the sand snow)
dream of sugar plums and fairies

portraits at the park

My cousin asked if I could take some pictures of her and her son (her husband couldn't get away from work, unfortunately). I said sure and off to the park we went. This first shot (above) is my favorite of the bunch, probably because it looks like a Parisian photo.

Here are some more just for your viewing pleasure:

Tessa helped with editing a bunch of these, and the way she did this one below, you can barely tell they are outside! Jmo was full of fun faces this day:

There was a [giant - seriously, half as big as he was] squirell he chased around and up this [giant] tree.

We've found the ducks. They held Jmo's attention for the rest of the shoot.

While shooting this picture, Jmo took off towards the ducks, the ducks came straight at me, then as they curved away, Brittany shouted, "Fast! Fast!! Jayci, I hope you're fast!!" Well I got a cute one, after all!

Here is one of Britt's favorite. Isn't she looking fantastic for 6 months along? I know!

Aren't they a cute duo? I think so too.

family time

We love being with my mom, dad, and sister, but we miss you, Mark!

My mom snapped a few pictures of me and Mont on Sunday after church. It was a nice, rainy, relaxing time to spend on the floor just kicking our cares away; Mont was teaching me all his tricks.

he's right there!

Mark: Mont's going to love what I got him this year!

me: You got him something?

Mark: Ya; it's a good one.

me: Really?? What is it?

Mark: I'm not going to tell you! He's right there! What are you thinking??

(surprise for Mont: a new baby monitor - yippee!!)

my bags are packed

And only mine. Sadly Mark has to work, so Mont and I are jet setting off to the land of rain, then the land where palm trees sway.

There was an Anthropologie advertisement last month that depicted almost exactly what my bags would contain. So close... its just that their style is just a tad more stylin' than mine! But all the "Destinations" and "Contents" are the same...plus a little more cover on the swimwear.

If you're traveling, I hope you do so safely! Wish me luck with Mont. Woohoo!! Here I come "mom & pop!"

... is there any way to leave those 'travel bug jitters' at home? I could do without them stomping around in my stomach. It's a bad case of The Butterflies.

tie dyed

I took this picture with my phone just this morning. He is kicking like crazy, so sorry about the blur. I tie-dyed this onesie on July 3rd, knowing he wouldn't be able to be hippi-fied until the winter. But now he gets to wiggle away in this. Happy kicking!

freezing fog

This morning I pushed out my solitary trash can full of left-overs, empty food boxes, bags, etc. There must have been enough "smell-goods" in there though, that something with a big black beak and eerie caw was tempted to dig through it and scatter its finds all over in front of my drive way. 

I noticed this because I had more trash to take out, so I glanced out my front window and saw I still had time. I left the last trash bag open so I could clean up the mess out front. 

My red coat was the one I chose so my red plaid pajama bottoms still looked a little stylish. Opening the front door I noticed I was walking into a cloud. But as soon as I took that first step I realized it wasn't just any cloud. I was walking through particles of ice! I looked at my door stoop and saw that my Christmas wreath looked like one of those 'frosted' ones you can buy in the store. The snow had a layer of ICE on it, and the stairs were super slick. Don't worry... I have been perfecting my mountain-goat-sure-footedness. 

I thought I had walked through icy fog before... but not like this. You could pluck out the ice just hanging in the air! Poor garbage-men... I hear them outside now. Hope they're bundled up nice and tight!

hello, stranger

Driving into the city today, there was a strange fog that shrouded the bright sunlight that I was hoping to see more of. Oh well... it was still pretty.

(the air base calls it freezing fog, and yes, it did look this strange yellow color!)

moments

I love Alaska's people. Propping a bike against a gate might seem like no big deal to some, but to me I see a perfect little picture. People here set up these moments for me all the time. Many of these moments I don't get a photo of, because many of them are of the people themselves.

If I were braver, I would just pull out my camera (after having figured out the motion setting), and snapp their picture - having asked them or not. People here can be so interesting; their huge fur parkas, their aged and weathered faces from mountaineering in the cold weather for years and years, the way they wear small crampons on their shoes just to walk from one place to the next, the way their faces light up when the talk about salmon runs, or packing a moose out from 30 miles from the nearest road in thigh deep snow.

The people here are so interesting! The moments they create are so interesting. Interesting in a marvelous, intriguing, inspiring way. Even if I don't hunt, or I don't ski, I love to learn about the people and the moments around me.

it takes a lotta work

Mont has started squeal-talking this week. I think it's hilarious! Hopefully people on planes and at church will too - not likely! I love how he has to gather up all his energy, tense his face, then squeal. I love tickling him and cuddling him when he's like this. He's just such a happy boy!!

jingle bells

Using these kickers I have here, I can fill the room with the sounds of bells and chimes. It's quite Christmas-y. Mont's Christmas gift to me; I just do the placement.

Jingle Jangle!!

on the first day of Christmas

Here's my version of a snowman! Nice and warm inside.

The wind is howling outside turning the delicate little snowflakes into something fierce and unfriendly. I like my version of a snowman, where I can see him all day long, in a warm golden hue of indoor lighting.

So what is your favorite Christmas tree ornament? Go take a picture!

frosty

Coming home from church today I noticed so many snowmen!! So before it got too dark (this is around 3:45), we rushed out to take some pictures.

I still have never made a snow man - I don't know what I'm waiting for... maybe New Years?

Happy snowman making!

*added at 9:39pm: the face-less snowman now has a face! Guess they just weren't done with it.

my thanksgiving list

• family - immediate and extended (and especially new additions!)
• friends - wish I could name you all
• a living prophet
• a home
• love and support 
• clean drinking water
• clean air to breathe
• delicious food to eat and cook with
• electricity (and indoor plumbing!)
• artistic inclinations (whether they turn out or not, it is fun!)
• Buckwheat
• uplifting and inspiring media (music, television, films, etc.)
• my happiness
• military efforts to protect freedom and people's liberties 
• good health

I just asked Mark what he's thankful for:

• his muscles

I'm also thankful that he can make me laugh!

when the first baby laughed

Yes, that is our timer beeping ever-so-loudly. 

I finally got Mont's laugh on video tonight with the help of his funny dad. I love his big ole' raspy laugh.