Diane made fresh orange juice to start the day.. 

We all bundled up and got in gabes car to head up to Timberline lodge.. by the time we went a couple of mikes, the rain turned to snow.. and there were cars spinning out all over the place.. we had no problem.   We headed to timberline to see it for ourselves.. its a bit of a pilgrimage.. its where both Sam and Gabe came for snowboard camp in the summer.. 

We got up there,. baught a red bull and went out and poured one out for Sam

Max had smuggeld in a throwign axe in order to recreate the scence in teh Shining where jack nicholson is comign for his family.. Timberlien kdoge is the exterior thay used in that movie. 

we headed inside.. it was an amazing art deco meets log cabin from the 1930s.. so cool !

we were not surprised to learn that nearly everyone else whants to to do the “Here’s Johnny’ scenefrom the Shining. The nice peopel at the desk even will lend you there axe ! 

what a setting.. Nova couldnt come in.. so gabe and mya took turns playing with her outside 

then back to rhododendron to eat thai at a very cool local resturaunt  

then home for game playign adnd candy

it was a game like teplephoe though you had to alternate drawign and guessing as the the secret went aroudn the playes..

here’s ugly duckling and gravy train 

I stayed up late working on my playa lights.. 

Another great day.. 

note all. nite sam
-me

I went to bed super late last night .. maybe 2 am. Here’s the view down tot he living room. I love seeing our kids having fun together. 

today we started a new puzzle. it’s a map of europe… with Gabe moving to germany we hope to be over there more.. so need to bone up !

THsi mornign we headed out in the persistant drizzle in search of old growth trees.. we headed to Mt Hood state park.. the road had been destroyed only 2 weeks ago by heavy rain.. pretty intense !

check out the size of these trees !

Big news today  is that the puzzle is finished.. or almost finished.. we saved the very last eiece for Mya to put in when she shows up later today.

Mya showed up mid day (shes an emeergency room nurse.. she works nights mostly).. in honor of her showing up.. we went out for antoerh hike just up the street 

then back to the house for a group cooked dinner.. centerpiece is general tsao’s dinner

Super great day !

nite all , nite sam 
-me

Today was a nice slow day of hanging out and playign.. really wonderful.. 

the ‘kids’ .. (can you still call them kids whe they are in their 30’s and 40s ??)

We woke up slowly .. including soem walks around the beautiful forest aroudn the house 

Seems like we were cookign all through the day. Becky made this beutiful cinnamon sweet bread  

Nova was sniffign around for her stocking.. just like chai and satori used to do .

eventually we sat don to open presents .. we took it very slowly.. lots of love.. many hoem made things 

maxs freind knitted (yes knitted) a geode for diane !

max made me a soldering jig for my led strips !

and a couple of mid morning walks tpo enjoy the rainforest

then back to the presents

heres an amazing one.. max processed the soloar eclipse pics I got through my telescope into a movie !

Nova gets wrapped !

It was way after sinset when we finally unwrapped the last present.. not that there were so many presensts.. just took a long enjoyable time
we all then began cooking dinner.. .. YUM !

Beutiful day.. lots of thoughts of Sam

Love you my fam !

nite all. nite sam
-me

gotta love Portland bumper stickers.. i’ll miss them !

This mornign we all got picked up for our short stay up in Rhododendron.. we had two cars.. three by the time Mya will show up on friday.. and we managed to fill them all 

While we were packign, Max’s freind Casey came by.. man he hasd a story.. one day he had some  vision , speach and balance problems so he went in to get checked.. turned out he had a huge benign brain cyst.. !

miracualously he’s fine now.. still has to speak a little slowly, but even thats goign away.. super nice guy.. glad he’s doign well .. it was great to see him !

as we left the house. we took the oppertunity to get soem family pics in front of gabes house.. 

then we piled in the cars and headed towards moutn hood.. one required stop is Chepes.. our favorate Salvadoran place that is on the way.. excellent Papussa’s !

one more stop on the way.. we’d gotten a permit to gcut down an xmas tree.. $5 for any tree you choose on soem public land…. we had fun picking out just the right one 

then it was only abotu 30 mintues to our airbnb in Rhododendrom .. normally there would be feet of snow this time of year.. but we’re gettign rain.. no matter thoguht .. the place was so comfy and bright.. and so was the hot tub.
We spent the evening cooking, setting up and hanging out.. sooooooo nice !

Happy xmas eeve everyone !

nite all, nite sam.. we’re missing you !

-me