We started off the month with a party for Lina's 1st Birthday.  No way does it feel like she should be 1 already!

The next day I took the girls to see the Nutcracker.  It was put on by a dance school Jessi used to dance with.  I took Emily to it when she was Arianna's age.  Arianna was mesmerized!  She came home dancing.  

Then there was the day I spotted a bobcat!  It was in the yard that adjoins ours.  He crossed the driveway as I was coming in.  I ran inside for my camera.  Everybody thinks I should have been afraid, but really, the only thing I was afraid of was if I didn't get a good shot.  He was very timid, as soon as I got a few shots, I moved in closer and he got up off the rock and walked away.  He was about twice the size of our cat Bazzel.  

I worked fast to get the house and baking all done a week early because Dennis and Abby and Gabe and Daniel came!  We wanted a really tall tree for the new house and it was outrageous what they wanted for a live tree 101/2 ft tall to be flocked.  I decided to splurge for an artificial tree for the first time ever.  It will pay for itself in two years according to what they were wanting for flocking a real one.  

 Since they don't go out to buy a tree in California, we thought we should show them how Oregonians do it.  I had planned on going to a tree farm and cutting one, but it was pouring rain, so we settled for a tree lot.  The boys pointed out a tree and home we came with it.  We put the real one up in the family room.

 The Dennis Dixons could only be here the week before Christmas, so we celebrated Christmas with them early.  

Always, a Birthday Cake for Jesus!

Daniel got a special kick out of his train set.  

The week raced by and off the went for home.  

 The next day I came down with something weird.  Headache, chills and fever.  It was awful.  But the kids and John jumped right in and took over on our Christmas Eve dinner.  John even made the cheesecake!! I think he was pretty pleased with himself.  So in spite of me not feeling up to it, we had a great dinner after all. (Here it is 3 weeks later, many calls to the doctor and a trip to the ER and I am still not 100% over it.  Crazy stuff.)

 Emily and the kids watching their new DVD.

Joshua showing off his new long board...and even took them for a ride!

 We had a rare full moon on Christmas Day.  I really loved what it did to the clouds and canyon.

 a peek through the clouds to see the new snow.

The mountain is so gorgeous.  I keep telling myself that I don't have to take a photo of every gorgeous moment, but so far, I can't keep myself from it.   

 I liked the half moon right above the mountain like that.

 this one made it look like there was a huge spotlight on it.

 this is a night shot of the stars over Mt. Hood.  Normally, we only see a few lights across the canyon, but with the long exposure all kinds of lights showed up.  I was surprised by those lights at the horizon.  There is not city that way, so I think it may be some sort of aurora lights. you can see Hood on the left by the lights.

 HaHa!  not all days are beautiful and glorious out that window...here is a day of fog. 

and then there was the day it was clear...except for the clouds that covered the mountain like a blanket.