We walked down to View the Christmas lights with our cousins after dinner tonight. It was festive with lots of traffic, both vehicles and neighbors out walking. Our favorite house turned out to be just off Candy Cane Lane, “Off Lane” so to speak. There were reindeer dogs. What can I say?

This Thursday December 21st is Pedestrian Night. I recommend it if you’re able to check out this quaint neighborhood phenomenon near Ravenna Park in peace. Look for the Grinch and the igloo where Santa is hanging out, (hiding out?)! It was a the perfect topper to a perfect day. I’m glad I could spend it with you!

Lake found his wheels tonight at University Village play area! We have a pretty strict no single occupancy vehicles rule enforced for Lakes play things. School bus, airplane, ferry boat, okay, otherwise its mostly books and cats. Necessity breeds innovation… tonight he tapped into car sharing.

The City of Seattle hosted their annual Pathway of Lights at Greenlake tonight. We participated in the walk around Greenlake in the cold and dark bedecked with twinkling blinking Christmas lights.

It was a festive event, very well attended and worth bundling up for. There were lots of families out with kids, babies and dogs. There was one phosphorescent jellyfish. There were even a flock of lit kayakers.

If you missed it tonight, mark your calendar for next year: it’s always the second Saturday in December. The entire 2.8 mile pathway around the lake is lined with beautiful luminaries: actual burning candles inside paper bags. These thousands of little glowing embers of summer lined up to stoically carry us through the winter solstice period. We felt invigorated by the celebration of darkness and light and Lake seemed by turns delighted and content in the moment.

What a wonderful holiday tradition… to go to see the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker together with your best friend. Jessica and I had been together one time before to see the Maurice Sendak version in grade school. We came in to Seattle from Quinault on the school bus for a memorable experience thanks to the Bishop’s grant for sharing the performing arts. And now, thirty years later, we came to see the new Ian Falconer version. We were wowed with George Balanchine’s classic choreography, hearing Tchaikovsky performed to perfection three rows in front of us in the orchestra pit, and absorbing the enchanting whimsy of Falconer’s (Olivia) set and costumes. Altogether it creates an unforgettable Christmas experience.

…and the dancing! Breathtakingly beautiful. Pure beauty! I could rave for days. So special to be part of the PNB Nutcracker tradition! Extra special to share it with your childhood friend and her daughter. It will be treat to be able to include Lake one of these years.

We had a bounty filled weekend with thanksgiving celebrations on Thursday at home and Saturday in Bellingham. It was special sharing Thanksgiving with and introducing our international guests to the great American tradition of gratitude and turkey dinner with all the classic trimmings.

Lake had a wonderful time socializing with cousins, auntie and grandparents! Mummy relished the abundance of a four day mini staycation and even hung a the pictures over the mantle that had been enjoying the fashionable yet lazy lean for the past year. That felt like the bonus gift this year beyond food shelter and family… the gift of time, the time to relax into life.

We celebrated Lake’s 18 month birthday “fiesta-style” at TNT Taqueria. Birthday Kiss Lake? And some Peek-a-boo? Now let me dip my tortilla chip in the pico de gallo like a big boy. What a great party. We are having a blast!

Cat Day!

Proclaimed Lake as we arrived back at the Portland Expo for day 2 of The Cat Fanciers’ Association International Cat Show. Imagine the feline version of Best in Show. There you have it: the CFA International Cat Show. 

About 15 arenas set up with continuous and somewhat mysterious judging sessions set up. We met cat handlers from Germany, Russia, Japan, and French Canada. Lake was all in. 

He was just as enthusiastic about the cat posters as the cats themselves. 

And there were about 400 different cats from 42 distinct breeds present. It was quite a scene. Just when we thought we’d seen enough something like a Devon Rex dressed in feathers cape and top hat will roll by, still as a statue, natural as can be. 

We got back in touch with Noly and Richard from Portland, the couple that had brought kittens to the cat show two years ago at the double tree. They had one of Nuno’s relatives with them this weekend. Bonnie was about the age (two years old) Nuno is now. 

I was thrilled to be able to reconnect with that special moment of holding the tortoise shell short hair exotic kitten when I had been pregnant with Lake. 

Great memories! Update: Nuno is alive and well in a good home. 

To contrast the unfriendly-toward-children vibe that an event like the International Cat Show carries, we made plans to meet up with our friends at OMSI afterwards. It was 110% kid oriented and Lake pushed though no-nap to make the most of our two hours there. Such a great playground for exploration and discovery!

And such great friends!

By the end of the day Lake was absolutely bushed!

A poignant message from Joanna-Denise Baykal as she readies for her next experience… meanwhile our new au pair search continues! Wish us luck and enjoy this beautiful German essay:

Hallo ihr lieben, ich melde mich nach längerer Zeit wieder mit einem neuen Eintrag zurück. In genau acht Wochen ist mein Au Pair Jahr hier in Seattle um. Meine Gefühlslage: Zur Zeit sehne ich mich sehr nach Deutschland, meiner Familie und meinen Freunden. Ich wünschte mir manchmal einfach für ein paar Tage in meiner gewohnten […]

via 10 Months, what’s next? — Honestly Jo

The latest in interior design is a comeback of the second-floor living room, or so-called pajama lounge, a more private and intimate space for relaxing together as a family. We have a modest pajama lounge in the hallway landing at the top of the stairs that is big on impact. Last night Lake was playing football/soccer there and sometimes we all do some yoga or inversions together. In our pajamas, of course!

Lake has a strong sense of balance and a strong sense of fun! 



Lake’s new word is heiß “hot” in German. We were baking squash this weekend and I was cautioning him regarding the hot stove. We needed to take care of the hot oven and stand back. 

Heiß

He said, matter-of-factly. Then tonight while dancing on the dining table with the glassy baby candleholders he pointed at one of the glassy babies that had held a lit candle last night, and said it again. 

Heiß

Yup. Strong work Lake!