The Great Gaming Weekend

I am lucky. I married into a great family, and I really enjoy my in-laws. James (Mike's middle brother) and his wife Denise host all of the big family holidays... as well as all of the not-so-big impromptu family weekends. I love those weekends. They usually go a little something like this: out for dinner, home for hours of board games and/or dominoes, and maybe a brief stint in the hot tub. Fabulous!

We didn't used to play so much, but then Mike and I discovered some great board games and decided to share the love. Now, whenever we get together we play one of the following:

• Mexican Train dominoes
• Carcassone
• Ticket to Ride

If you're pondering Christmas presents for the upcoming holiday season, might I suggest these as a fun gift for a whole family? And while we're on the subject... what kinds of things do you like to do with your extended family?

Wheels

Dear Ford Taurus,

I'm just writing to say that I loved you. You were my first car, and will always hold a special place in my heart. Forever will I remember your trunk space, your comfy seats, the cheap price at which I purchased you.

Unfortunately, my husband never fully approved of you. And so it is with heavy heart that I must bid you farewell. You were a great college car, but I'm moving on to a new phase in my life now. I'm no longer footloose and fancy-free, zooming cross-country while subsisting on peanut butter and jelly. Now I need a grocery-getter; something with luggage rails and a high safety rating.

I promise I'll never forget you! I'll think of you nostalgically, even when I'm driving my 2010 Subaru Forester. Her name is Babe, because she's my big blue ox of a family car!


Good luck with your next owners, Taurus. I'm sure they'll be wonderful. Maybe they'll even shell out the big bucks and fix your oil leak!

Fondly,
Katie

Goodbye, Summer!

Today I didn't want to get out of bed, because I was so nice and warm under the covers.

It's official: summer is over.

All the signs are there. It's raining (or drizzling) more often than not. I have to turn the heater on in the morning. It's dark when I go to work and dark by the time I get home. Sigh. Summer, you were gone so quickly!

Fall, of course, brings its own pleasures... heartier food, cups of cocoa, and plenty of excuses to cuddle under an afghan. No mistake, I'm going to enjoy the pleasures of autumn. And yet I can't help looking back on some of my summer enjoyments!

My favorite thing about summer: a free schedule, that I spend trying new recipes and puttering around my home. Here are some pictures from one of the last (and best) meals I made all summer: peach roasted chicken with jicama-avocado salad, followed by blackberry shortbread for dessert. Very Pacific Northwest! (Let me know if you want the recipes. Everything was actually quite easy to make.)

The Dan Show

Confession: I've been feeling kid envy. Yesterday I went to an open house for my cousin's third daughter (she is so cute and tiny--even more so in his gigantic, tattooed arms!) Then I hopped over to Tara's blog and read about K-Lady's first day of school.

It's official: the biological clock has begun to ring.

Unfortunately I have to hit snooze bar for the time being. Happy substitute? I'll share photos of my brother's adorable kids!

Here's my niece L-Pie, who observed Dan very closely as the first step to learning how to cross her arms. (And you've gotta love the Northwest look my brother's sporting--we're the only region that wholeheartedly endorses socks with sandals!)


And here are all the kids in the Alaska shirts I got them on my trip this summer (yes, they'd just woken up from a nap--can you tell?):


Woo-hoo! Doesn't my brother have a gaggle (posse?) of cute little ones?

Do the Puyallap!

Yesterday, we took a trip to the Puyallup Fair. Mike and I had a great time. As always, my favorite part had to be the barns full of animals (especially the piglets!) and we really enjoyed the food. It's a truth universally acknowledged that fair-goers must overload on all things fried. In addition to elephant ears and Krusty Pups, we snacked on fair scones, barbecue, and curly fries.

This was also the year I finally had the courage to do the Extreme Scream--what an adrenaline rush! The guys had wobbly knees for quite some time afterward. I was fine, though my palms were sweaty for the duration of the ride!

The best part of the fair, though, had to be hanging out with friends. T & K are our closest pals from my graduate school program. Seeing them, and watching their daughter A enjoy the fair, was totally awesome. A loved the petting zoo, and she really enjoyed the carousel. I can't wait until she's old enough to go on more rides!

(Very) Belated Holiday Cheer

Since I just bought my first round of Christmas presents for 2009, I figured it was high time to post a collage of last year's festivities! As you can see, it was the year of the baby. For the first time ever, all of the great-grandchildren were under one roof (and that roof just so happened to belong to my Grandma G).


A good time was had by all... but I'm guessing the triplets enjoyed themselves the most. After all, it's not every day you get to strip down and play with Swiffers!


I really enjoyed getting to see my cousin Rose. She's a chef (as is her boyfriend) and they live most of the year near Yellowstone, working the big resorts. When they're not in Montana they're off traveling to an exciting new job opportunity (last time it was a stint in Las Vegas!) Needless to say, it's always a bonus when I get some face time with Rose.

The Dark Lady

My husband knows better than to tell me what to do with my hair. He has, however, hinted rather strongly that he loves long hair and wants me to grow mine out. I've explained to him over and over again that this doesn't work--with thin, soft hair like mine it just ends up looking lank and disgusting.

His second desire is to see what I would look like with black hair (yes, in case you're wondering, Mike dated his fair share of Goth chicks before we got together). I can't do black--I think I'd look like a corpse. But I definitely went darker.

I also decided to do something drastically different in terms of cut. After all, I've had the same one for years now! So... here are some pictures of the change.


*Nerd question: did anyone get that my post title is a reference to Shakespeare's sonnets?