December 31st 2009

Ever since Nicole and I have been spending Christmas together, we fly or drive up to her parent's house in Canada on or around the 16th of December. This gives us a nice long three-week holiday, where we can unwind from the year's "adventures" properly.

This year was a little different. I had to work right up until the 18th, and Jacqueline was in Argentina until the 22nd. So we decided to take part of the holiday at home before heading up to BC.

This meant we could get a real Christmas tree for the first time since 2001, because we'd actually be around to enjoy it. So we drove down to the the farm in Issaquah and Elliot got to help me cut one down.

He even got to ride on a little train with Nicole and Lia!

But soon it was time to head up north. Our visit with Ross and Chris was awesome as usual. I got to spend a lot of time with the kids, and take Elliot out to the park a couple times.

He also got to ride on a much more authentic miniature train at Bear Creek in Surrey.

The kids made out like bandits on Christmas morning. They had so many presents that we decided to ration them over a few days, so they wouldn't be overwhelmed and could appreciate what they were getting a little better.

On the way home, we took the ferry over to San Juan Island for my aunt Suzy and uncle Hawk's annual New Years party. This year was more relaxed, and nobody was sick the next day...

We took a big group of the kids down to Driftwood Beach, and they got to crawl around on all the big logs. I was able to get a bunch of decent photos there.

The ferry ride back to Anacortes was horrible. There were high winds and 15' + swells in the sound, something I haven't really seen before. While I was on the lower deck holding Lia, a huge wave smashed into the bow, completely filling the lower drive opening with a wall of whitewater. The entire ferry shuddered for 5 seconds.

Nicole got a little sea-sick and had to lay down in the car. On our way into the dock, the ferry hit two of the massive guide piers and literally bounced into the slip.

The last weekend, we took the kids to Snoqualmie Falls. On the way home, we stopped at the Railroad Museum and Elliot got to hang around on some awesome antique trains.

It was a perfect Christmas holiday.

-Rob and Nicole

"I'm awesome? No, you're awesome -and you know that!"

"Can I have this little tree for my bedroom, Mom?"

Ross uses his special roofing flamethrower to heat up the tar, and provide us with some cool photos.

"What, you've never seen a walking Baby GAP advertisement before?"

Elliot pops out of a porthole at the neighborhood park in Surrey.

Elliot sports his new leather jacket, a gift from Grandma and Grandpa so he could pick up girls.

Ross' epic battle with the turkey ends with a violent thrust of his carving knife.

"Sweet, my very own 'Cars' dishes!!!"

Christmas morning... 30 seconds until Elliot and Lia come down the stairs. This is not a drill...

"My own box of Band-Aids! Wait, what does this mean?"

Grandma and Elliot open presents together.

Lia shows off one of her many holiday outfits.

"You looking at me? You lookin' at ME??"

The kids get to toast to the New Year (at 7 pm) before heading off to bed.

Elliot hangs out and looks for marine life in front of Suzy and Hawk's house on San Juan Island.

Cora strolls among the driftwood.

"I, Maclin Pingree declare myself King of Driftwood Beach! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA"

"Elliot, did you get all the fleas out of my hair?

"Eewww, Dad! Those fleas taste horrible!"

Cora walks Elliot back up to the cars. Clearly, he hated the experience.

Mom and Elliot hang out by the tracks at the Train Museum in Snoqualmie.

Nicole never forgets how to look amazing. Sigh...

"Follow the sound of my voice, Dad... the car's this way!"

Lia, Nicole, and Elliot ride the mini train at the Christmas tree farm in Issaquah.

Ross puts his legendary roofing skills to work installing a 3" drain hole in our southeast eave.

Progress continues in the epic battle for the yard. Here's s a shot of the new south drainage system. We now have 4" pipe running the length of the house, diverting all the roof rainwater on that side to the creek below.

"Any of you girls into 'swinging'?"

Nick, Kelsey, hang out and exchange some gifts on Christmas Eve.

Girls like to smell stuff in containers. Here's Mackenzie sampling something that Nicole is holding.

Lia is so excited she can barely control herself.

The bounty awaits.

It's Lia's first Christmas and it looks like she loves it.

Auntie Jacqueline helps Lia open her presents while Elliot peers over to see what she got.

"Dude, this is insane, Dad!"

Elliot kisses Lia after rinsing the shampoo off her head.

Charlie reflects on the passing of the year, and ponders what new wonders await her in 2010.

January 1st 2010, it's a new year and Suzy cuddles with her newest relative.

At Driftwood Beach, Mac, Amelie, and Elliot test out one of the many logs for benchworthiness.

Moran helps to build up the walls of the fort, while Amelie and Elliot explore the interior.

Elliot dares to walk the slippery logs, mere feet from the treacherous gravel below...

"You can run, Elliot, but you can't hide!"

Here's a panorama shot of Snoqualmie falls. I took 8 portrait-oriented frames, using a Canon 5DII, with a Canon 24-105 f/4 IS L lens, 6 second shutter speed fired by remote, white balance set on "cloudy", ISO 50, f/22, with a .9 ND filter stacked on top of a .9 split ND filter. I stitched the frames together using Panorama Tools PTgui. The color is essentially un-corrected, the hue changes in the mist are from the sun's rays casting through the broken clouds overhead.

Lia and I get our picture taken by Elliot at Snoqualmie Falls. (The camera was on the tripod, and we let him push the button on a remote).

"Ok, Dad! Get me down!!!"