2013: A new new year and a new family member

How is this my first post of 2013? Wow, I've been slacking! However, there is a very good reason for my absence! Since right before Christmas I have been pleasantly distracted by other things, well one tiny thing in particular.

Yep, we are having a baby! This little one has been pretty much all I can think about lately and we are so excited to finally share the news with our friends and family.

14 weeks and baby is the size of a lemon. Due August 30, 2013.

17 weeks and starting to show.

 It has been so fun learning about the development of the baby each week. I will do my best to update the progress and growing bump every few weeks.

Q: Number one question people have been asking is when do we find out what we are having.
A: We have decided not to find out until the baby comes in August/September!

Q: Second most asked question is how am I feeling.
A: I feel great! As soon as I hit 14 weeks I got a burst of energy and started to feel like my old self again. The first 12-14 weeks were tough. I didn't have bad morning sickness, but I felt like a walking zombie I was so tired all the time. Despite my energy levels coming back, I have noticed that simple activities zap my energy pretty quick. We went on a 25 mile back ride yesterday and even though I felt great on the ride, when we were done all I wanted to do was lay down for the rest of the night.

Q: Any food aversions?
A: Not really. In the first trimester I didn't want any meat or vegetables, just lots of fruits and breads. After 15 weeks, I started craving salads, veggies, and meat again.

Q: Missing anything?
A: I thought I would miss coffee and red wine like crazy, but it has been much easier giving those things up than I thought. I have the occasional decaf latte when I'm really craving my morning hot beverage. There have been a few times when a cold beer or glass of vino sounds good, but the actual thought of drinking it makes me sick to my stomach. Funny how your body tells you what it wants!

The first 12 weeks felt like molasses, but the weeks since then have been flying by. Less than three weeks to go and we are already half way through this pregnancy!
  

New Years in Bend

Last year for New Years we headed out of town for a last minute camping trip and had so much fun we thought we would get out of town again this New Years, but this time trade in the trailer for a comfortable VRBO. After much consideration on where to go, we decided on Bend, OR. We have been to Bend a couple of times, but always in the summer months. This was our first experience there during the very cold winter months. The location of our VRBO was perfect, walking distance to downtown and views of the Deschutes River. 

View from the outside

The kitchen

The unit

Brisk morning run along the Deschutes River

Bend is known for many things, but it seems best known for its many breweries so we made a point to drink our way through the town, trying a new brewery every day.

First brewery stop: GoodLife Brewing

Second stop: McMenamins Brewery in the Old St. Francis School

Final brewery of the trip and our favorite: Three Creeks Brewing Co. in Sisters, OR

 

Another thing Bend is known for is Mt. Bachelor and backcountry trails so we packed our ski and backcountry gear and explored as much as we could in the few days we were there. We checked out Mt. Bachelor ski resort and did a few climbs while we were there. The conditions were amazing and the snow could not have been better.  

Our first climb to dust off the gear on Mt. Bachelor in bounds hike zone

I sure wouldn't want to do this climb when it was windy!  

Driving to Mt. Bachelor

Luke tearing it up

Luke skiing down one of our favorite spots on the mountain

Sisters mountain range in the distance

Getting ready to climb Potato Hill outside of Sisters, OR

Last few hours of 2012, getting ready for 2013

Gorgeous new Year's day climb on Mt. Tumalo 

Wonderful way to start 2013

Top of Mt. Tumalo, Sisters in the distance

Well earned turns!

Fun little bowl we found

Oregon, we love you! Thanks for another memorable trip.

Christmas

Our families live in Sonoma County and we were lucky enough to spend Christmas with both of them this year. Luke took advantage of all the snow falling in Tahoe and went skiing on Christmas Eve. I had to work that day so couldn’t join him, but was able to sneak away from work a little early to meet my mom for Christmas Eve mass. Luke made it home from Tahoe in time for an amazing Christmas Eve Dinner at my parent’s house. Mom, you really outdid yourself on that meal!

Lots of holiday baking this year!

Peppermint hot cocoa

Luke and Gracie

Mrs. Claus hard at work

Christmas Eve place setting

Christmas morning we were back over at my parent’s house bright and early to see what Santa brought! My sister worked the nightshift at the Vet Hospital on Christmas Eve and got home around 9:30 am exhausted no doubt. We convinced her to stay up for presents and breakfast and then she crawled into bed to get some rest. It has been a few years since we were all together on Christmas day which made it  extra special this year.


My parent's beautiful tree

Stuffed stockings

Frankie Claus

The whole gang - Luke, Katrina, Jimmy, Charlie, Frank, Kristin, Cathy, Doug

After spending the morning at the Conover’s we drove to Bennett Valley to spend the rest of Christmas day with the Youngs and Valtenbergs (where I neglected to take any pictures!). Lilia is almost two years old and it was really fun watching her this Christmas. What a difference a year makes! Last year she wanted nothing to do with presents and didn’t even like the sound of wrapping paper tearing. This year she was helping us all open gifts, handing them out, and playing with her toys (especially all her babies!).

There is no place like home for the holidays! It was a wonderful day, always goes by so fast. Happy holidays from our home to yours!  

First Annual Crab Feed

Some of you have pointed out my neglect to the blog lately! Yes, it is true! Between the holidays, finishing up 2012, and jumping right into 2013, the blog has fallen to the wayside. Well, it is time for some long overdue posts before I forget what happened in December and January!

The holidays are always a wonderful time of year and this year was no exception. Luke booked us a crab fishing trip out of Bodega Bay on the New Sea Angler for the second Saturday in December. We really lucked out on the weather that day - crisp, clear day at the coast with very little wind. It was a fun and very full day that earned us 12 huge crabs totaling 20 pounds. After getting home with 20 pounds of crab, it didn't take us long to decide that the only way to eat all that crab was to invite our friends and family over for a very impromptu crab feed! With the help of Luke’s parents who had recently spent some time on the Oregon Coast crabbing and their huge crab boiling pot, we were able to clean, boil, and crack all the crab. The result was an amazing dinner party and super fun night. The best part was how little thought and planning it took, plus it was the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit and catch up with friends and family. Everyone had so much fun, we are seriously considering make it an annual event!

First Annual Young Crab Feed

Early morning departure from Bodega Bay

New Sea Angler

Looking towards the back of the boat



Bringing up the crab pots



Beautiful morning to catch some crab

 

Making sure each crab is big enough

This was filled to the top by the end of the trip



Greg cracking all the crab

All 14 of us plus 2 babies around one dining room table

 

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving day in Sonoma County was absolutely gorgeous. I started off the holiday with an early morning bootcamp. It felt great to burn some calories before the afternoon of feasting began. Luke and I spent Thanksgiving afternoon at my parent's house with my parents, brother (flew in from Arizona!), sister, Uncle Matt, and the Cindereys. My mom slaved away all day and served up a delicious meal. She even made two turkeys - one in the oven and one on the BBQ! There was more than enough food, I barely had room for dessert (and I always leave room for dessert)!

Annual picture from top of the water tower

Enjoying the sunset from the water tower

Our Thanksgiving dinner table

Dad carving the bird

It was such a wonderful day filled with amazing weather, delicious food, and great company.

Friday morning we got up early, but skipped the Black Friday deals and headed straight to the cabin. That night we watched the new Warren Miller film at the Bear Valley Lodge - always a fun way to get pumped up for the upcoming snow season. We were hoping to get in our first day of backcountry skiing while we were at the cabin, but unfortunately the last storm was far too warm and brought rain instead of snow to the higher elevations. We traded out our ski boots for hiking boots and enjoyed the weekend just the same. As always, we didn't want to leave when Sunday afternoon rolled around!  

Luke and Ellie in front of Lake Mont

The beautiful Stanislaus River by Boy Scout Camp