Tag: photographs

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” – St. Francis of Assisi

This post is dedicated to the bright lights of this delightful WordPress Community. Wishing you all happiness and joy in whatever you celebrate this time of year whether it be Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Years or simply the change of light that comes with the solstice.

Ten-year-old Miss O smiling after singing in a lovely Christmas concert. The Elves on the Shelf might be smiling but we don’t know because they landed in the bathroom. Mr. D installed a privacy screen so no one had to feel embarrassed.

Before I had kids, I used to do one of my favorite hikes every New Years Day. One of the best ways to celebrate a new year, in my opinion! This is the first year that I think my kids might be able to do it because it has a fair amount of elevation gain. To prepare, we worked out on my favorite Seattle stair climb – 13 flights, 290 steps for each full set! And let’s be clear – it’s me that needs the workout more than they do with their fresh, young legs!

Happy holidays from the grocery store soda display and the neighbor’s skeleton

I’m taking the next two weeks off so this is my last post for 2025. I may even take naps like Cooper during the break. I wish you all a fantastic holiday season and all the best in 2026!

“People think of education as something they can finish.” – Isaac Assimov

We had an atmospheric river over Seattle this week so as I flipped through my pictures, I was pleasantly surprised at how many moments I’d caught of pretty sunsets and time outside.

We had a birthday party in the student union building on the UW campus. I’m not sure I even knew that there was a bowling alley there was there when I attended UW. But it was so fun to be back on the campus that I was jumping for joy on the inside. Miss O was doing cartwheels. Mr. D was practicing his bowling form.

You know how you tell your older child that the younger child will not always be smaller than they are? Yes, that’s six-year-old Mr. D giving ten-year-old Miss O a piggy back. To continue the theme of launching things from the bowling above, he’s been practicing his form for paper airplane flight.

Cooper and I did a foggy day hike. He’s not sure how Miss O’s apple pie got in his bed but IF it had anything to do with him, he’s pretty sure he earned it.

Our dear friend invited us for a wreath making party. My dear friend Eric dubbed it Wreather Madness. No tears necessary!

“You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” – Maya Angelou

We didn’t have tangled Christmas tree lights – but we have Cooper the thief who likes to entangle us in his antics!

We put ornaments on the tree — and Cooper takes them off.

We decorated gingerbread houses with my friend Jill. Cooper moves the decorations around.

Singing to the elves on the shelf (top of the piano) and Mr. D wearing a sweatshirt that is perfectly suited for his gap-toothed grin!

Cooper stealing a stocking — and not apologizing for it per the sign of the week!

“No amount of regret changes the past.
No amount of anxiety changes the future.
But any amount of gratitude changes the present.” – unknown

Thanksgiving cooks. Yep, that’s a lot of chefs in the kitchen but we all got along. And for anyone wondering, yes, that’s Mr. D making his famous medium water. I’m so grateful for a houseful of family and friends I adore and love!

It was parent-teacher conference week so the kids had the week off school and got creative doing other things. I’m so grateful for downtime with kids.

Cooper breaking the Thanksgiving boundaries — but fortunately after the meal. I’m so grateful, he wasn’t a gobbler!

(quote from Enlightened Mind 622 – Any Amount of Gratitude)

“Each one of us can make a difference. Together we make change.” – Barbara Mikulski

The rope team for fixing the roof.

Haircuts. Mr. D just got a professional haircut but wanted to touch it up – for himself and also for Cooper.

Giraffes and gadgets. Mr. D was certain he wanted to buy that drinking helmet from our neighborhood gag gift store. Thank goodness it fits a spindrift can. 🙂

I love this sign of the week. And a little more of our stunning sunrise on Friday morning with a layer of Mr. Rainier visible under the clouds.

“Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us.” – Mary Oliver

We’ve reached the time of year where when the weather is nice, we need to get out and enjoy it. So we did a little magnet fishing and bike riding.

And then when it started raining, switched to indoor trampolines and chess.

In this pairing, the theme is when the student becomes the teacher. Miss O is teaching Mr. D a little piano. And Cooper is teaching the cat to beg for dinner.

The sign of the week and a little more cuteness from Cooper.

Quote for this post comes from creating by Real Life of an MSW

“The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls.” – Edgar Allen Poe

This post is dedicated to all the fun of Halloween!

Our costumes. Nobody even batted an eye at the alien abduction in progress at the hardware store. And Miss O’s tshirt spells it out – I’m a goldfish.

Mr. D’s 1st grade class had a field trip to Bob’s Corn and Pumpkin patch. Miss O missed out on field trips in Kindergarten and 1st grade because of Covid so I let her come to this one. She made the most of it!

Kids in sheep’s clothing. Dogs in kid’s clothing. This is the week for trading our skins!

100% Halloween from the sign of the week to my neighbor’s skeletons.

(Featured photo is mine of sunrise lighting up Mt. Rainier)

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice but there must never be a time we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel

We had a great time at the No Kings march. It was upbeat, interesting, and we were with great friends. The quote for this post comes from my friend, Katie’s sign.

Cooper and the cat hold their own kind of protest when service is too slow. Our daisies in the candlelight kind of give off a Space Needle vibe.

Cooper being his most helpful self. In the first photo, he was watching some workers in a bucket truck. I think he saw the Louvre heist news and wanted to make sure he was being a good witness. In the second, he’s helping me replace the water filter in the fridge.

School might not be a vacation – but it was a pretty fun pre-Halloween week that involved decorating monster cookies.

“Knowledge without wisdom is like water without sand.” – African proverb

I’m so grateful we were able to spend a weekend at our favorite beach on Whidbey Island.

Edge of the water pose

Beach fun

Using our sticks

The sign of the week and Cooper NOT eating a train as it goes by. I guess he’s finally growing up! I wouldn’t count on it though… 🙂