Merry Christmas!

We squeezed in a quick, last minute trip to the the Botanical Gardens and Snowflake Lane last night. Um, just kidding about the Gardens....the place was so packed we couldn't find a parking spot. That's what we get for waiting to go until the week of Christmas :( We made it to Snowflake Lane along with the rest of Seattle. It was wall to wall people, but the claustrophobia was worth it seeing Jack and Lindsey's faces. Drummers, snow, music- a perfect way to ring in Christmas.

How would you like this buff boy under your tree? He's still available on Amazon.




No pictures of my mom. She tried to make a "quick" trip to Crate and Barrel and that's the last we saw of her for the evening.

Erin and Spencer caught an earlier flight from Boise, so they had to chill at the airport for over an hour until we could pick them up after the show. We're pretty excited they are here though!!

And the Sunday pictures.....

Ooh, I love Christmas dresses. Doesn't she look positively delicious?

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!!

Run, Run Rudolph

Last weekend Clint, my dad and I donned our bullet proof vests and skull caps to run in the Christmas Rush 10K in Kent. The weather cooperated and we ran in a balmy 32 degrees (earlier in the week the temperatures had been in the teens and twenties and I had been forced to run my long run inside on the treadmill). We started in the very front, which was a mistake because everyone passed me in the first bit and I felt like I was the slowest one in the race!I kept a steady pace, a bit slower than my dad, but Clint was a trooper and ran with me even though he could have gone a lot faster! Towards the end, Clint was obviously anxious to run on ahead, so I gave him the go ahead and he took off like a rabbit. That boy was born to run! We finished chilly, but happy with our times. I actually ran a lot faster than I thought I would, so I was pleased. My dad got 3rd in his age group, Clint got 6th (thanks to my slower pace!!) and I got 2nd (okay, that sounds really great, but there were only 16 in my age group!!).

We have obviously bred runners. I heard giggling downstairs yesterday (usually a very bad thing at our house!) and found my two little runners charging across the family room and jumping in the "pool". Of course, their clothing of choice was minimal.

And of course, we ran into Santa at my mom's ward Christmas party.

No fear here. Lindsey snuggled into Santa for a long winter's nap.

Jack schmoozing Santa for a mini skateboard set.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

We began our Christmas festivities last weekend with:

a trip to the tree farm to pick out a tree

We didn't have to look long- we loved the first one we saw! A cute little 6 footer to fit nicely in the corner of our living room.

Do you love the puff daddy coats as much as our kids? Luckily, they love to wear them (as they are not normally coat-wearers). Can you just picture them strapped into their carseats wearing those things?!? It's hilarious.

Taking advantage of photo ops in front of the gingerbread house at the farm.

We headed downtown later that evening to check out the gingerbread houses at the Sheraton and the Christmas trees at the Fairmont. It was a chilly night, but we still had a lot of fun.

Santa checking his list for the Karren kids.

Checking out the trains in Macy's window.

Gearing up with Grandpa and Grandma to to see the Clam Lights at Coulon.

What's up this week?
getting over our first bout of pink eye
crashing 2 Christmas parties (our parents')
making and eating lots of Christmas goodies
What's on YOUR list?