Has anyone else not been able to sleep, like, at ALL lately? This is what happens when I get mega projects running through my mind, and lists in my head, never-ending. Camp usually does this to me, and in a minor way for the first time, now does Christmas.
Could it be because I decided to make over 100 Christmas cards this year, or stamp my own wrapping paper, make fudge and cookies and loaves of holiday eggnog-cranberry bread
for fun? Or could it be the coordination of getting 100 family members, 10 dozen home-made sugar cookies to frost, and 250+ sorted gifts to tomorrow's REACH Christmas party? Maybe the fact that my sister KATE GOT ENGAGED this week!! Or that I have just today begun to dent the whole shopping affair, or that we join my family in Florida in a week!!!
Probably one of those things is keeping me awake at night.
One last note: I have officially begun to loathe pumpkin anything. I do love those organic vegetables that keep coming, but I have had enough pumpkin. I keep trying to cook different things with it, and nothing satisfactory comes of it in my opinion. Definitely enough.
Good thing I'm sticking to gingerbread cookies for tomorrow's party. Let's hope I get them all baked tonight!
The glowing pink treeeeeee! (with an improved, non-cardboard Josh)
The new narrows bridge with Mt Rainier behind.
A preview of Florida beauty!!
This one's for you, Roxie! (And maybe all those Rudolph fans out there??) Check out those awesome 7up earrings!
We barely survived an avalanche, even though the danger was reportedly low.
After my time in the eucalyptus steam room and hot pools and my hot stone massage, I was ready to stay forever. We built a real fire in our room (without setting anything ablaze) and enjoyed a 5 course country breakfast the next morning while it started snowing outside, all above a towering Snoqualmie falls! Very lodge-y and Colorado. Very happy Abby. THANK YOU TIM! He really knows how to make this girl feel special. And he's all mine!!
It's been a nice experiment, and it's not over, although I'm not sure it's transformed us for life quite yet. We like the idea of supporting local, but finding ways to actually live what you believe, now that's revolutionary...right? 
Tim and I hosted his store holiday party at our house last week. Well, every day is a holiday party at Starbucks these days, admit it! What must it be like to work in a place people come to treat themselves, listen to festive feel-good tunage and relax in a home away from home?
Everyone's welcome again, and the fun continues daily at your local Starbucks!
Now we have proof - it does snow about once or twice a year year here, and today was one of those days! At least one full hour of it. The first blustery day of December, which also happens to be the anniversary of the first FULL day Tim and I shared together as boyfriend and girlfriend:), just 4 years ago. Nice way to celebrate! Thanks, God! 
Birthdays and Black Friday are a dangerous mix! I have never scaled the malls on this horrific day and I wasn't about to break the tradition after 27 years. What I DID do was wait until Seattle was lit up with Christmas lights, and entered only one store downtown, a favorite: Anthropologie. Wow is it hard to make an economical decision in that place! But I did it and came out spoiled with a victorian style, beige, 3/4 length, cute coat! Followed by a Mediterranean dinner and friend's concert.
Before that, since Tim had to work, Cyrus and Abbie took me with their visiting parents for a nice sunny walk at a nearby state park. Thanks, guys! It was a beautiful day!
