CHRISTMAS, Part II; and January

First, a recipe recommendation.  I've made this Creamy Root Vegetable Soup twice now.  It's super easy.  Peel and dice a slew of root veggies (that will test your skills in the produce section of the store - how often do you even buy celery root and parsnips??), but otherwise you toss it in a pot and cook it.  If you have an immersion blender that makes it easy.  If you don't, be careful blending it.  I'd let it cool for 30 minutes first so you don't burn yourself.  This is a dairy free recipe and the soup tastes AMAZING.  My kids all eat it and enjoy it because it is naturally sweet.  It has the texture of a baked potato soup, but the taste is totally different.  Plus it uses veggies that are totally in season right now that probably aren't in your normal rotation.  GREAT way to expand your palate without feeling like you're eating bitter veggies.   This one gets two thumbs up from all my kids!


January 2, Kenna was so, so excited to be baptized.  We were lucky to have all her grandparents here (that's three sets, folks!) and a host of cousins and aunts and an uncle.  What a special day for miss Kenna. But, how did we not get a group photo?  So sad.

We took a trip to Brookings to get our ocean fix.  It was a really pretty day.  But what a long drive!

Is this a relative?  I haven't found out yet.

Found the rest of the Christmas photos.

Singing Christmas carols

my dad and mom

Faith's new tunnel was popular with all ages!

Prettiness on the drive to Portland

Grandpa enjoying some music with Hannah

New bookshelves that Josh put together for me!

Ice Skating in Medford.  First time ever for Logan, Kenna, and Natalie!

With our friends!

This is gratuitous.  My cute baby.

Josh cleaned the garage!

Our rental car because we have our first totaled vehicle.  Talk about every parent's worst nightmare - getting the phone call from your teen that they've been in an accident on the freeway (I guess it's better than someone else calling because they can't).  Hannah was fine.  Everyone involved was unhurt - including the other car.  Not her fault.  But scary!  And a headache.  We are in the process of replacing her car.

First time painting.  I love this girlie!

Kenna loves to do projects.  

Here we set up a baking station since the counter is a little high for my shorty!

And just this weekend we went to our cousin Asher's birthday.  Kids loved it!