12-31-15

When the kids were little we had New Years parties that ended at 9pm with watching the ball drop live in NYC.  Loved that!

Now they want the family to be awake a bit later.  Xander had a busy social schedule, but we were able to squeeze in dessert at Applebees together as a family.

#PARTY

12-30-15

It has been oh so cold, but it's been dry, so Mom and I have been walking the entire lake each morning.  Brrrr, but feels so good to be moving, and a great chance to talk.

12-29-15

With the weather bad and not wanting to travel far, it is a bit of a challenge to find things we can do for family time. Today we headed to the bowling alley for the afternoon.  Mom and Jerry haven't bowled for years, but their mad skills came right back.

12-28-15

Back to work.  To do some work, but also to host Debbie's retirement party.  Fifteen years with Weyerhaeuser, over 10 in my group.  Time flies, wishing her all the best!

12-27-15

Shhh, don't tell anyone that we skipped church this weekend.

In a few more days the Christmas decorations will be packed up.

Guess I may as well stop nagging everyone to keep their junk out of the nativity scene...

12-26-15

And Christmas just keeps going...

A morning of after Christmas shopping, an afternoon at G&G with Grandma Vicki and Grandpa Jerry and even Auntie Gram, Thomas, and Sue.

This gift is a rainbow of ice cream scoops printed on socks. #FUN

12-25-15

Merry Christmas from the Fischer Four!  We stopped in Napavine on the way up to Milton, the Ribeye has a mini village that makes a great photo backdrop.  Just add Santa hats...

12-24-15

The day before Christmas, the mood is saturated with Christmas.

I have the choice of two photos - Anastasia with her candle at candlelight service or Xander playing with his quadcopter, the one gift he chose to open early.  Look how high it goes!

Merry and bright!

12-23-15

Today is the big day!  Plans for a long time to see Star Wars and go to Zoolights.

Too wet and cold for Zoolights, but enjoyed a day in Vancouver, and the movie was great.

12-22-15

Another vacation day with the family, what to do?  Plans to go to Astoria don't seem wise, what to do when it is too wet to travel very far?

Bowling?  Nah.  What's playing at Kelso Theater Pub?  Peanuts and the Martian.  The Martian it is.  And more family WoW game time.

12-21-15

The family went on an outing, my goal was to get all the gifts wrapped before they returned.

See all the wrapped presents in the back left?

Got interrupted with the wind storm, though.  Lost power and got all the candles out before it got dark.

12-20-15

Saw an electronic countdown to Christmas today, 4 days, really?!?

This evening we headed to church to watch the kids Christmas program.  I had planned to go all along, but Anastasia got asked to help out (far left), so all the more reason to go.

It was a clever idea - drop the kiddos off at 5pm, go shopping or have some quiet time, come back at 7pm to see the performance.  They did great!

12-19-15

We got each kid a game for Christmas, and we've been opening them a little early to give us more family time to play the new games.  First day, first game, Axis and Allies for Xander.  Seems like Risk on steroids.  A ton of battleship styles to try to keep track of.  Next?

12-18-15

It's been so wet, I've been running indoors on the treadmill a lot lately.  This morning I was able to jog at daybreak, though.  My camera doesn't take good landscape photos, but the sky was the prettiest purple color.

12-17-15

Anastasia arrived home yesterday, Mom & Jerry arrived tonight for a one night stay on their long drive north.  Bruce tried to teach them to play Exploding Kittens...

12-16-15

Look who dyed her hair like a rainbow!  It's Debbie, who is retiring in two weeks...

#CAREFREE

12-14-15

Ornament exchange tonight.

I started with a whimsical Santa who was pretty cute, but as I am drop kicking Santa out of the house in favor of more Christian decorations, I was happy to have that stolen and traded for an angel.

#MERRY

12-13-15

The tree is finally decorated!

It's Bruce's role to hand the ornaments to the decorators and to keep asking if we can stop now.
It's Xander's role to throw the ornaments onto the tree as quickly as possible, often backwards and all int he same area.
It's Michele's role to get the bare spots, turn the ornaments around, and insist that at least most of the ornaments get on the tree.

#MERRYANDBRIGHT

12-12-15

Two hundred kids in two hours.

"You can take two home, or I can help you put them on now if you'd like."

That was me, at the temporary tattoo table at the Weyerhaeuser Children's Christmas party.

12-11-15

I can always tell as soon as I get home whether Xander has his friends over or not.

I think it is interesting how they all wear the same style of shoe!

12-10-15

Ho ho ho from the Heathman.

Annual two day work meeting in Vancouver.  I enjoy going, but December is always a difficult time. 

This year we had the added "adventure" of the I-5 landslide closing to navigate. 

12-09-15

Sometimes when I'm walking upstairs, I forget that we swapped bedrooms.  I always remember before I open the wrong door though.  Here's a peek at the room where we now rest our heads.

12-08-15

Elf on a Shelf is not part of our tradition, but it's been fun hearing about others adventures.  Saw this elf on Linda's desk this morning.  It's looking a lot like Christmas!

12-07-15

This is what I came to work to today, a festive office.

The bad news is that there was time to decorate because the computers were down.

Still, a nice way to start another Monday...

12-06-15

Sunshine!

Long enough to go for a walk at least!  Didn't need gloves for half the jaunt!

I'll take it!

12-05-15

Worked so hard today, forgot to snap any photos.  Long trip to Seattle, but made it back in time to attend church at Electric Bean.

12-04-15

It is so difficult to surprise Bruce!  We had a little surprise "sweet sixteen" party in his honor to celebrate Bruce being the first agent int he Lower Columbia region to reach the highest level of Ingress.  Fun night out with old and new friends.  Took most of the cinnamon roll home to Xander and his friends.

12-03-15

Our tree is still bare.

But one more person is checked off my Christmas list.  Picked up this custom greenery hanging basket this evening, for special delivery Friday.

12-02-15

Down for the count.  Sick.  Miserable.

Cuddled up in bed with a Christmas novel.

Guess that isn't so bad...

12-01-15

The first time in ages we've waited until December to decorate.  Today, step 1.  Boxes lugged upstairs and the tree assembled.  Poor Charlie Brown tree, half the lights are out and the branches are a mess.  New tree for next year, for sure.

11-30-15

All is calm, all is bright...

Even in twenty degree weather, love my morning jog.  It's so peaceful, and the decorations are fun.

This morning had the entire lake all to myself.  Happy Monday!

11-29-15

We took Anastasia down to Portland today to catch the Bolt bus home.

Don't let the sunshine fool you, it was freezing cold today!  Stopped at REI to buy better gloves.

Main criteria for lunch was a spot indoors, no food carts today.

Yep, Bruce is in game mode, we got a lot of points today, and played until we froze after the bus pulled away.

11-28-15

Not as colorful as in Portland, but found a decorated statue in Longview on our walk today. 

11-27-15

Thanksgiving, Part 2
Pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and corn, but that is where the similarities stop.
Different people, different food, but still plenty of laughs and love.

11-26-15

Gobble gobble!  Overflowing plates thanks to Aunt Mo.

Thankful for...
New and old traditions and family rhythms
An awesome prayer book our church is studying
Sunshine, being able to get outside
Problems that seem pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things

11-25-15

Four Fischer's again.

11-24-15

Look who's home!  We all met her at the train station.  One of the other people waiting for a passenger teased us for sitting in a row all on our cell phones.

11-23-15

The first day in ages I got off work and had time and daylight to walk before dinner.  Bruce dropped me off at the community college and I walked back. Wish I could add lack of rain to the list, I got a bit wet.

11-22-15

In the spirit of being weird and quirky, Portland has decorated their downtown statues with ugly sweaters.

We trekked over 10 miles today.  Yep, we were cold.  But it was a nice day, and I was thankful to be able to come into a warm shop, car, and house, unlike all the homeless we saw.

Bruce and I both leveled up in Ingress today.  We've been playing for almost a year. it's been quite an adventure!

11-21-15

This morning I got up and headed to the community center to pack Thanksgiving food baskets.  We packed about 130 boxes of turkey, potatoes, gravy, canned veggie, stuffing, yams, rolls, and cranberry sauce.  I was in charge of labeling the boxes and bags and the potatoes, then delivered some boxes.  It's feeling like the holidays!

11-20-15

My favorite thing to do on stay-cation days is to stay home in the morning and attack the to do list, then go play in the afternoon.  Today we explored the town of Toledo, with great views of both mountains.

11-19-15

Ingress is doubling points for the next two weeks, so Bruce and I are pushing hard to reach the next level.  Which means lots of walking around town in the frigid cold.  #PLAYHARD

11-18-15

Homeward bound.

One last family shot.  

Rare to have all of us at home.  But strange that the four of us are all there is at home.

11-17-15

Doing puzzles.

Quiet day at home, Mom chillin' with the Fischer's.

Dinner out with Xander because the Fischer's don't sit still very well.

11-16-16

What does it take to deliver 224 packed shoeboxes to the collection site in the pouring rain?

I can't show you, because I was so busy doing it that I forgot to take any photos!

I'll admit I am overloaded with shoeboxes right now, but already mulling over ideas for next year...

11-15-15

VegFest!

Mom came to town for us to spend two days in Portland at VegFest.  We sampled a lot of vegan goodies, saw a few cook demos, and listened to a lot of medical research about improving our health.

My follow-up?  Eat more black eyed peas!

11-14-15

It is a challenge to get ten to twelve thousand steps a day when the weather is so blustery.  Mom and I walked indoors a lot today, inside the convention center and at Lloyd's Center.

11-13-15

Mom has arrived!  TGIF.  Wish it wasn't so wet...

11-12-15

I love the Christmas decorations at the mall, they make me giggle.  Love the big ornaments, but the reindeer look like they are desperate to find a bathroom.  I was desperate to find someplace dry to walk...

11-11-15

Walking Commerce again.
In the dark.
The streets are still torn up.
And tonight it is really really cold.
But, it is dry.
Then off to Bible study.
Isaiah again.