O Christmas Tree!

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the Christmas tree.  I remember from when I was little setting up the tree and hanging the lights and placing the ornaments on the tree was my favorite.  My family always put on Christmas music, drank hot chocolate and reflected on memories as we saw ornaments from years past.  Last year was the fist year I had a real Christmas tree. Ryan and I got a tree here in Seattle and decorated it together.  We knew it would be the first of many trees we would decorate together. This year we really wanted to go up to the mountains and chop down a tree (a la National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation) but with everything going on this month we just couldn't fit it in.  So instead we went to a great tree lot over in Ballard operated by the Boy Scout troop 1000.  I would highly recommend this lot to anyone in the Seattle area.  The had a great selection and great prices!  There were so many trees to choose from: Noble, Douglas, and Great Pine oh my!    

A view down the lot of all the amazing trees

Ryan with our chosen tree, a Douglas Fir!  It has an amazing smell!!!

A quick picture of the finished product, it looks so great and really makes our house smell fantastic

Sarah, Caitlyn, and Cinderella!

This year for Christmas Ryan and I wanted to be a little different in our gift giving to his nephews and niece.  We wanted to do things with them and create experiences that they would remember much longer than a toy.  So for Miss Caitlyn we decided that I would take her to see Cinderella, the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein.  I was soooo excited to take her and really looked forward to the day, which was the same day as Gingerbreads.  So after we created our candy cottages we changed into our most beautiful dresses to attend Cinderella. 

Upon arrival to the 5th Avenue, Miss Caitlyn informs me she is very hungry, she had forgotten to eat dinner in the excitement of Gingerbreads and had filled up on candy.  Awesome! We walk in and she immediately sees Red Vines and asks me if I will buy them for her, of course I do, the child was hungry.  Now looking back, I think I may have been duped.  Anyway we get into our seats and enjoy a  Lovely Night!  It was really an incredible show and soooo much fun to go with a little girl! I hope that Caitlyn remembers this night as much as I know I will! 

Miss Caitlyn - in her Cinderella dress, not really wanting to smile for the camera

Only shot of the two of us together (she didn't really like that I asked a stranger to take the picture :)

Gingerbreads

It's that time of year! Time for jingle bells, mistletoe, and of course... Gingerbreads!  You may remember that I was in Seattle a few weeks before Christmas last year and I was able to participate and experience Gingerbreads at Ryan's parents house.  It is a simply amazing day that Ryan's mom puts together for her grandkids, kids, her friends kids and grandkids and other family friends.  There is quite possibly the largest assortment of candy ever seen out of a candy store and of course a few dozen gingerbread houses ready to be decorated!  I truly love this Donaldson family tradition and am so glad I get to partake in this day.  Here are a few pictures of my house from this year.    

The front, complete with Santa ready to deliver gifts.  I also love those lego candies!

Candy canes, jelly beans and red hots oh my!  I think Buddy the Elf would love this house 

More candy!

A quick shot of Miss Caitlyn decorating her house and a brief look at the rest of the table

Half Marathon, there is nothing Half about it!

Last Sunday I put all my training and hard work running for the last several months to the test.  I ran the Seattle Half Marathon.  It wasn't my first 13.1, but it was the first one I have done in three and a half years.  Needless to say, I was SUPER nervous.  Ryan was amazing as a supporter through everything.  He had been training to run the half too, but got sick a few weeks ago and wasn't able to train like he wanted to.  It was a game time decision for him, but he decided not to do it, but it was going to help me and be my cheerleader! This began with going to the expo.  Okay, so for those of you that have never run a large marathon/half marathon the expo is a big deal.  You pick up your packet and usually end up spending a lot of money on running things that you absolutely MUST have.  I would urge you to use any restraint.  I however, do not have any.  I bought several sparkly headbands (I mean who doesn't need them right???) and seriously considered signing up for several half marathons and marathons.  Ryan enjoyed the expo too, we spent a lot of time there and probably a little too much money.  

Banners for the marathon through the whole city

Next up, a sleepless night of tossing and turning and wondering if I had trained enough, if I have the right clothes to wear, what if I sleep through my alarm and miss this (I've worked so hard), what if we can't find parking and I have to run to the start, what if I get hurt.  Alarm goes off at 5:55am, time to get ready and push all the what ifs away! It's game time! I start my quinoa in the microwave and drink a little water with a nuun tablet.  I make my race water bottle with another nuun tablet and get dressed.  It's an unexpected 51 degrees so I opt for my black running crops, the official race shirt (very nice by the way) and my black vest.  And of course my new sparkly black headband.  Shoes on, bib on, timing chip on my ankle, time to leave!  Ryan drove to the start and made sure I got in line okay and met up with Mike, my friend Karen's fiancee who was going to run with her bib and with me for awhile.  Ryan got this great snapshot of me in the corral.  

    

I look like I am ready! All nerves gone, it's all fun now!!

And we are off!! The race starts at Seattle Center and runs down Fifth Ave through downtown.  I start out strong but at about 2 miles I realize this new fangled timing chip is kind of hurting my ankle.  At 3 miles I stop to adjust it and find blood running down my ankle, fantastic, but it feels much better after the adjustment.  Then it's on to I-90 and through the tunnel, that part was pretty cool, how often do you get to run on the highway?  Then the course turns north through a park and very nice neighborhood along the lake.  Just after mile 5 I hear someone calling my name, it's Ryan's dad!  Hi Bob! Sure I will stop for a picture. I feel good!

Mile 5 photo op! 

Okay, back to the course, it's about to get hilly!! As we climb and wind through interlaken and the arboretum, I know there is still a BIG hill to come.  As we leave the arboretum (which was really beautiful by the way, a really pretty part of the course) I see people turning left up Galer and I do mean UP! This hill was a monster, but I did it!  Mostly because of my cheerleader at my side but I did it, I ran the whole hill and then some before taking a quick break for water and a final GU.  We are at mile 10 already, I can't believe it!  Then before we know it we are making the big turn down along I-5 and towards downtown.  Again between miles 11 and 12 I hear my name again, it's Ryan's mom Sue! Hi Sue!  I am really glad to see another friendly face at this point.  This was the hardest part for me, I was so wet and ready to be done. 

Almost there! Only two tenths of a mile to go!

As we wind through the end and head towards the finish line I smell the most delicious smell ever.  I ask Ryan what it is, he says to look at the building next to me, I see the Hostess factory.  YUMMY! I want some goodies now! But I am almost done just a half mile left .  As we make the final turn towards the end there is one last hill.  Really! Is this really necessary? It was a killer since I was so close to being done, but I got through it and made the real last turn toward the finish line.  Time to turn on the burners and go all out.  Time to revert to my days as a sprinter and time to beat anyone and everyone in my eyesight!! I cross the finish line and am immediately handed a medal and a warming blanket.  Then Ryan is by my side for a kiss.  He is so proud of me and my training.  I feel so happy to be done and to feel good at the finish line.  In the recovery area we stock up on water, bananas, Jamba Juice and meet up with Bob and Sue again.  As we leave they have computers to check your official time.  Although it was definitely not my fastest (remember all those hills) it wasn't my worst either and most importantly I had a negative split. I ran the second half 3 minutes faster than the first half (and that's where all those hills were!) After seeing that stat I am ready to recover and then take on the Marathon!  Bring it!!!

Thanksgiving, what I am thankful for..

I love Thanksgiving.  I feel it really gives us a chance to reflect on all we have to be thankful for.  It is also a time to look back on memories and traditions.  This year especially I have been thinking about memories and traditions with the passing of my grandmother earlier this year.  I am so glad that I was able to spend Thanksgiving with her last year, I was able to surprise her and the rest of my family on Thanksgiving day.  It was so fun to share that day and that memory with her.  The only thing missing was her amazing oyster casserole.  Since I am the only grandkid that would eat the oyster casserole and my dad and grandma were the only other two people that would eat it she didn't make it last year.  It was always a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it was my grandmother that instilled my love of oysters.

This year as Ryan and I prepared for Thanksgiving he asked me if there was something we could do to bring my family traditions into his family's Thanksgiving.  I instantly thought of oyster casserole.  But I wanted to make it ours, something we could start as a tradition.  So with Ryan's amazing chef skills we took those same flavors I remembered from the time I was a kid and made our own oyster stuffing.  We used oysters from the famous Pike Place fish market and brioche bread to incorporate the buttery flavor of buttery Waverley Wafers.  We also added andouille sausage, onions, sage, thyme, and parsley.  I have to say it was a big hit at the Donaldson family Thanksgiving.  Everyone loved it and are already asking if we are making it next year.  I know that my Jeanie girl (my grandma) is looking down on me with a big smile.  I know she must be proud that I brought her recipe inspiration to the Pacific Northwest.

The oysters, andouille, onions and seasonings before mixing with the bread

Our Thanksgiving table

A Cup of Happiness

Today there is reason to celebrate in my world, the return of the Starbucks RED cup!  While on my 6 mile "easy run" this morning around GreenLake, I was a little grumpy until I saw what I thought and knew to be... a red cup!  I know this may seem very trivial and silly and a complete buy in to marketing techniques but I say the red cup is so much more than that.  To me it is the beginning of the holiday season, and I don't just mean Christmas.  Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and honestly my favorite holiday of the season.  To me the red cup is a sign that the holidays are here, memories will be made, amazing food will be shared and a bit of magic is in the air.  I can tell you that the red cup also has memories attached to it.  I remember countless times with friends over a red cup, shopping trips, hair appointments or just something to keep my hands warm.  But don't worry too much, I can't bring myself to get a holiday flavored treat inside the red cup just yet, that would just be wrong.  Besides what is wrong with a little PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) in November?  Absolutely nothing, especially if you are drinking it from a RED cup!

Happy Howl-oween!

One of  my favorite holidays is Halloween and now that I have two dog to dress up and take trick or treating, it just makes it even more fun!  So on Halloween I got my boys all dressed up and we all headed over to Ryan's sister Joni's house for dinner, football (it was Monday night after all) and of course the main event... Trick Or Treating!  We had a great time, the kids got a TON of candy and the dogs even got a few treats at houses! 

Hercules - There's a new sheriff in town!! He loved his costume he kept it on all day

Roscoe - Dracula Dog, he did NOT like his costume and Ryan felt it was a little girly and too tight for Roscoe.  Half way through trick or treating he needed to take off his costume

Oh did I mention that I dressed up too - its me as Quinn Fabray from Glee!!

Quinn and Sheriff dog Hercules

Ryan's nephew Dyllan, LOVES Hercules.  He was a gorilla but with the black costume on you can hardly tell where Dyllan ends and Herc begins!  So sweet together.

Dyllan the gorilla by himself!