Happy 2021!

It was warm and partly sunny today - a lovely winter day to close out 2020. I went for a run on the Rock Creek trail; Sebastian played football with three friends; Liesl and I played tennis together. We ordered a Mediterranean feast from Shalom Y'all, baked a carrot cake, and had a festive evening.

We got Sebastian an Escape Room game for Christmas and decided to try and solve it tonight. It proved more difficult than expected and we had to give up; more tomorrow!

Silver lining of 2020: twas a year for baking. I have always baked occasionally, but this year brought many more muffins, breads, cookies, galettes/pies, and snacking cakes than ever before, since all the kids' activities were cancelled and I was working from home. Liesl and I collaborated today on a classic carrot cake, double-layered and with cream cheese frosting. It was delicious. We are hoping that 2021 brings more normalcy: school, sports, time with family and friends, travel. But also, still, more time together, and continued good health and fortune. And probably more cake.

 

Barlow Pass sno-park

We drove up to Mt. Hood today to hike and play in the snow -- we ended up at Barlow Pass sno-park, from which you can access the PCT. We walked along the trail for a mile or so, with lots of snow play along the way -- sleddding the trail and any side-hills; wrestling and tackling each other in the snow; eating snow; making snow angels; and general goofiness. The sun didn't come out, which was a shame, but we had a good adventure anyway.

Merry Christmas!

We had a sweet and lovely Christmas day. We missed being with family, but also felt so grateful to be together and to have many presents and delicious food. We opened our stocking presents, took Jasper over to the field to play, enjoyed fig bread for breakfast, and then opened many more presents while on a Zoom call with the Averys and Avery-Lees. In the afternoon we lazed around enjoying our new books/toys, called the Raabs in Delaware, and then baked chocolate stout cake and Parker house rolls and together cooked a feast.

The Santa elf enjoying milk and cookies, and two goofy elf children in front of our tree.

Everyone's stocking had a selection of their favorite food items: peanut butter pretzels and chips, fig newtons and Oreos, black licorice and gum, coffee and Marcona almonds, toffee and chocolate and caramels.

Christmas breakfast deliciousness: fig bread, bacon, berry salad, oranges and pears, boiled eggs.

Our Christmas elves delivering presents to everyone's places.

Liesl nearly buried beneath the stacks, ready for the present-opening to begin! Mom and Dad Avery, along with the Avery-Lees in Sacramento, were on a Zoom call with us for the duration. It was fun to see what everyone was getting and to show off new things.

Sebastian's gift for Liesl was a drawing pad with her name and complimentary descriptive adjectives on the front cover.

Liesl's giant craft kit; she also got a comic book kit, a chemistry kit, various new books, a Fitbit, some fancy pantsuit outfits, and other small things.

The annual arrival of the printed blog book! Always so fun to look back on our year of adventures.

Seb's new gaming keyboard and mouse, and a headset. He also got books and hoodies and a drone.

Sebastian's gift for Steve was a subscription to the Internet Chess Club, so he can log in and play online chess versus other skilled players.

 Reading new books on the couch on Christmas afternoon... classic, and perfect.

My new trail running supplies! Long-sleeve shirt, tights with pockets, a guidebook, and new Altras.

 

Steve bought some beautiful steaks at Laurelhurst Market - both some dry-aged ribeyes and a filet mignon.

 

To accompany the steak, we had mashed potatoes, delicata squash with cranberries, roasted cauliflower with raisins, and homemade Parker house rolls that failed to rise and were extremely dense yeast bricks. :)

Chocolate stout cake with whipped cream and candied cherries.

 

Twenty Christmases together, and looking forward to twenty more.